The annual Mt Baker, Banked Slalom... One of the most classic and anticipated contests of the year that brings together an assortment of amazing talent in the snowboarding world, young and old. This year Terje was on his game, here are some completely stollen photos off of Instagram.
The Sprocking Cat, Terje Haakonsen sent it into first place (his 7th win) and then made a fashionably early exit before awards to catch a flight heading home to Norway.
An old Pal Kevin Pearce was present and shredding the course as well.
A few selected shots from an eventful last month on the west coast snowboarding, camping, surfing, sipping and smokin' before cruising back east for the summer....
Last chair up a very snowy Mammoth Mountain in June, Chair 1
Method into June skies
Four days of frends, debauchery, music, mayhem, whiskey and fires
Pre-Frendly Gathering warmup ralley with the Squid
Met up with the Squid last week for some cruising at the Volcom Brothers Skatepark in town. After filming numerous lines of Luke throwing down airs in the bowl, I didnt expect to look down and see his whole foot sticking out of the top of his shoe after a haggard duck tape job fell apart! Squid submitted and retired his weathered ass kicks...
A final backside air ''shocka'' for these old and tired shoes...
After all, do you really even need shoes to skate? You'll find the answer in Squids most recent skate edit... One Love
A fun week testing out around 80 snowboards with good friends! The full internet wrap up is over on the Twsnow features website. Also look for the magazine report on the Good Wood reviews in the Transworld Snowboarding October 2011 Issue.
This Ermacora 2008 Refosco (from K&L wine merchants) was a much needed treat last week. Ermacora was one of the standout producers from the Tocai tasting on the COF2011 trip, so I gave their Refosco a try here in the states. This was such a food friendly red, and can really go swell with a number of dishes. Both bright and dark fruits, very balanced in it's alcohol and a beautiful acidity. The tannins were not overwhelming and it went fine with pasta and a tomato eggplant sauce.
In Other News.....
Today we will start the Transworld Snowboarding 2012 Good Wood session where we (a group of snowboarders) will test next seasons 2012 snowboards here at Mammoth Mountain. Some arduous 8 to 4pm snowbording sessions ahead of us....
Shredded June mountain this week with my good pals Cody and Kramer.... last few days before closing day on Easter Sunday. Above, is first a picture of Kramer and I about to drop into the slushy face of June. following is a sequence shot by Cody of me getting played by a mctwist on June's quarterpipe.
Below is some minishred from Terje Haakonsen himself. His ''first picnic'' since 1990, meaning he is not a jibber but a powder rider. But check out the stilo on this picnic table without a need for a jump before it! classic skate style
The snow continues to fall making it a full week of non stop snow, and no plans of stopping... Today we received an inch an hour for 24 hours and tomorrow another 2 feet should be dropping. One of the funnest days on the hill today at Mammoth Mountain. WOW! By far the biggest blizzard I have been in, all my life...amazing stuff
Friday afternoon, drove from Mammoth Lakes, CA up towards the Shenandoah Valley with plans of pruning on the Ard Aven vineyard. The weather had other plans and left us overnight in South Lake Tahoe. An epic Powder day yesterday though at Kirkwood ski resort was not a bad plan B. The storm is still coming in hot, probably 100 inches in the end...
Sitting in tonight, after an unsuccessful recruit mission to fulfill my gambling needs at thePaiute Palace (the only 24 hour casino nearby) just 30 minutes south from here in Bishop. Earlier tonight I drank one of the worst wines... i want to say ever (Firefly Ridge 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon). I knew it would be bad ...maybe just felt like proving a point. Kinda tasted like cranberry juice, ocean spray.. in a very bad way. After half o' glass, turned that bitch into some sangria... apples and oranges, drizzle of lemon juice, much better but hey i guess i was quite hot faced at that point...maybe on the verge of schrodered...
I thought of some good wines I drank a month back on the east coast, then i thought of the 88 mouton, and the 88 chatuea d'yquem... what was going on in the year 1988? Well i was only 3, but it reminded me of a recent video post on facebook. More specifically, what was going on in '88 in the world of snowboarding? After watching triple flips amongst other ridiculous tricks on Winter X Games 15 on ESPN this week, it felt very comforting to go back 23 years and see how simple and fun snowboarding once was....
Craig Kelly, Brekenridge Colorado in the year 1988.
In 2003 Craig died in an avalanche, but he will always be remembered as a pioneer and godfather of snowboarding.
Tyson vs. Spinks June 27, 1988.
Mike Tyson 22 years old (34-0) knocks out Michael Spinks (31-0) in just 91 seconds.
Mammoth Mountain, celebrating the record breaking december snowfall of 209 inches with the big snow bash this weekend.... 50 degree days, shredding, and kicking it in the sun with $3 burritos and coronas at Roving Mammoth on top of chair 4, some live ass bands at main park.. and superpipe being built in south park right now, good fucking times!
roving mammoth
entrance to the art park dedicated to Jeff Anderson....
what does the next few days have in store? ... heres a typical mammoth lakes, CA forecast
Old footage of Luke, courtesy of Frends Vision. Watch him slay a board since the day he set foot on skateboard or snowboard... He has always been one of my favorite snowboarders to watch... see for yourself.
A friend Alessandro from Alba captured this shot yesterday (11/25)...A view of Pratonevoso, a Ski resort 1480 M above sea level located in Piemonte (Cuneo). I was there last year for the first snowfall of the season... what mythical times..
One thing that kept reminding me I was in Piemonte and not Vermont, was this fabulous advertisement on the ticket check gates for Capetta: Vini e Spumante D.O.C.
Another advantage of cruising the slopes of Piemonte is being able to stop for a quick caffè (theres espresso machines located in just about every lodge on the hill) or if your feeling freaky a Bombardino. This drink is popular in Northern Italy during the winter and consists of VOV (an italian zabajone or egg and marsala liquor) Brandy and whipped cream on top. Another version that is popular adds an espressso shot. This is sure to get yo' body moving...
Vov is hard to locate in the U.S. but you can make it homemade if your inspired... Im for sure making some this Christmas.. I will post on that later..
