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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Brain Damage on Brain Damage


My first day on snow at Jackson hole was awesome fun.
Me and Blake spent all morning hunting around for 3 day old unspoiled pow.
We managed to find some sweet zones that no one had been in, and got a bit of the good stuff to our selfs.
Unfortunately for me, my day ended at 2.30.
We had been skiing lines through a single specific zone for the past 3 runs, and after a couple of successes and one fail I decided I wanted to drop the big one.
It was about 20 maybe 30 ft to a pretty flat, but mighty deep landing.
I stood on it for a few minutes deciding how I was going to send it.

Then I woke up in hospital.

The story goes that I dropped my line, and on stomping the landing proceeded to take either a my pole or my knee to my chin, which knocked me out cold.
I was out for about 3 minutes before coming to.
From what Im told it was a bit of a mission dragging my concussed self out of there. Sounds like I owe the Jackson Hole Ski Patrol a box of beer for their efforts, which Ill add are greatly appreciated.

Blake says I got to ride in both a blood bin and and ambulance.
But I dont remember anything until about 6 that night.

All is good though, my scans came out clear of any bleeding or swelling, but I must say I feel slightly less smarter than before.

So anyway. Ive been off snow for the last few days, waiting for my brain to sort its shit out.
Hoping to get back on snow soon.

Oh and you want to know what the best part is?
The cliff I knocked myself out on was called
BRAIN DAMAGE.

Brain Damage on Brain Damage

Go figure eh.

Revy to Jackson

Revelstoke to Jackson Hole


Ive been in the great continent of North America for a couple of weeks now.
I arrived in Revelstoke about 2 weeks ago, straight into the middle of a storm which supplied us with deep BC pow by the cloud load.
Its a double edged sword skiing pow from day 1.
Having tones of fresh is the ultimate dream, and as any kiwi knows, POW is more valuable than gold.
So if its there you have no choice but to ski the hell out of it from 1st to last chair.
The flip side of that is that skiing pow is hard work, so you spend the next 4 days painfully trying to your ski legs back, against the best efforts of that old bastard lactic acid.

Rodgers Pass, I think.


A few days of awesome snow at Revy paved the way for the first stop of the Freeride World Tour.
Blake Lepper and myself spent the day on the spectators ridge opposite the Mac daddy face where the comp was being held.
We took up the role of support team for the southern contingent.
It was a great day, I learned a lot from watching the comp live, Ive gotta say its given me a big boost of inspiration.
It was great to see Charlie Lyons and Sam Smoothy put down some really solid runs, especially Charlie who, in his first ever FWT stop, managed to score a 5th.


Tunnels in Canada

Frost inside the car

After the comp I hit the road to Jackson Hole with Nat Segal and Blake Lepper.
We were able to stop off at Kicking Horse.
I gotta say, that mountain is one of the most interesting I have come across.
The terrain there is great, so many pillows, cliffs and chutes, all falling away from steep easy access ridge lines. I can see myself growing to love that mountain.

Stairway To Heaven @ Kicking Horse

                                           16 hours (roughly) later and we made it to Jackson.

Gotta Get Gas


Mr Tomnus (Tom Brownlee) In our backpacker pad @ Jackson Hole









Sunday, January 6, 2013

Airtripping

Wow.

January 6th came very fast indeed.
I got up and went for a run, to get a lil bit o last minute Sunday shine.
Then it was back inside to finish up the packing.


I jumped on a plane in Queenstown at 12 on Sunday.
Blue bird skies meant I got to see the alps in full summer snow.
That almost an oxymoron right?
It was probably 30c on sat, so don't ask me why there is still snow in the mountains.

Southern Alps getting the best of both worlds

It was a bit of a tease seeing that out my window.
Im currently in Vancouver where its raining.

But thats ok.

Cos someone told me its snowing in Revelstoke, and thats getting me a little bit excited.
Thats where Im heading tomorrow.


Woo! Winter!
On my way through Auckland airport I had to stop off and grab an extra thing.

A swish new jacket from SOS!!

Thanks fellows.

.

Ive also got this short video of packing...

Packing