In the Depth of Winter

In Search of Snow

2012-02-08T17:47:00.000-08:00

Despite the serious lack of snow in Tahoe, we've been making the best of it. I can't complain too much seeing as we had such an amazing winter last year, but we need a bit more of that fluffy white stuff. The week before I left for Idaho, my boyfriend Danny, my roommate Ben, and myself went out on a couple of missions in search of good snow. We hiked around Mt. Rose and headed to Emerald Bay with high hopes of finding decent conditions. I would have settled for just about anything. Although it wasn't waist deep pow, we found some great turns and had a blast. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we might get some action this weekend from those nimbus clouds!

Believe in Sarah

2012-02-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

As the fundraising for Sarah through these stickers quickly took off, we enlisted the help of many close friends. The work was simply too much for us to handle, but luckily friends were happy to be a part of such a beautiful effort to raise money for Sarah Burke and her family. Shreddy Times put together this edit to show the efforts of everyone involved.

I would like to mention, that this wouldn't be possible without Sticker Pack's generous donation of thousands of stickers. As of this morning we have sold 2,965 stickers and have raised $14,925 for Sarah. Huge thank your to Sticker Pack, Shreddy Times, and all of our friends who have helped along the way.

Go Angeli!

2012-01-30T15:31:00.000-08:00

I love this and I had to share it...Angeli Vanlaanen, friend and skier, has been fighting lyme decease and recently got the go ahead to workout. She made a really fun edit of it and it brought a huge smile to my face. I know how hard it is to come back from injuries, but lyme decease is beyond me. I couldn't be more excited for her. Go Ang! Thank you for sharing!

Tahoe Sunsets

2012-01-28T15:46:00.000-08:00

Believe in Sarah Stickers

2012-01-23T17:45:00.000-08:00

If you haven't already seen the link on Shreddy Times, with the help of Sticker Pack and friends, we've been selling Sarah stickers and all of the proceeds go towards her fund. Initially, I didn't know how big it would get, but we've raised $5,500 already! Today we mailed out a TON of the stickers. Big thanks for all of the support! You will see your stickers soon!

Link to purchase stickers here: SARAH STICKERS

Moving Forward with Danny Toumarkine

2012-01-18T18:27:00.000-08:00

Brought to you by Shreddy Times, and a year in the making, I finally present to you, "Moving Forward." This story follows Danny Toumarkine through his experience with a traumatic brain injury. Watch as Danny recovers and finally returns to snow. I hope this movie is as inspiring to you as Danny has been to me over the past year. Thank you for all of your amazing support through his injury. It was incredible to be a part of this! As I still cannot get Sarah Burke off of my mind, I want this to be a source of inspiration to everyone thinking about her right now.

Lot's of love!

"Moving Forward" Live Premiere

2012-01-16T14:52:00.000-08:00

This Tuesday, January 17, Northstar is hosting the first live premiere of "Moving Forward." This video has been over a year in the making following the journey of Danny Toumarkine after suffering from a traumatic brain injury on January 3rd of 2011. Watch as Danny overcomes the most challenging and difficult time of his life and returns to snow a year later. Shreddy Times has documented one of the most inspirational and moving stories with "Moving Forward."

Doors open at 5 PM and the film will begin at 6 PM in TC's Pub, with a Q&A session with Danny to follow.

Come celebrate Danny's amazing recovery with myself and the Shreddy Times crew!

Believe In Sarah

2012-01-14T18:37:00.000-08:00

January 3rd of this year marked one year since my boyfriend, Danny Toumarkine, suffered a traumatic brain injury. We celebrated by heading up to Northstar for his first day back on snow since his accident. It was so incredibly amazing to watch him make his first turns. I felt like our year long journey was starting to come to an end. Since that day, we've been working on putting together his movie titled "Moving Forward." It documents his accident, recovery, and first day back on his snowboard and is a helmet awareness video.

When I first heard about Sarah's accident, I immediately felt a rush of emotion. It was as if I was reliving being in the hospital with Danny. It didn't help that we were editing his movie which captures much of the hospital stay. From that moment until now, I can't get Sarah off of my mind.

She's a pioneer, an inspiration, and a huge asset to women's skiing, but most importantly she has a heart of gold. Sarah has been gracious, humble, and driven throughout her career. I most certainly have been inspired by Sarah since day one. Her poster hung on my wall growing up right next to Kristi Leskinen and her corked nine at the WSI Big Air years ago has been forever embedded in my memory as the sickest thing I had ever seen a girl do. It's hard to imagine her fighting for her life right now.

Thinking back on being in the hospital with Danny, one thing that certainly helped a ton was all of the amazing support. So I encourage that, keep sending positive thoughts her way...it all helps. Lot's of love to Sarah, Rory, and the rest of her family and close friends. Keep staying strong Sarah! You've got this.

Yumm Bowl

2011-12-24T11:56:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything here. My apologies for the inconsistent blogging, not that it matters much. Anyways, with the lack of snow here in Tahoe, I've been on the road a bit to Mammoth and Colorado. Being home has been, at times, a challenge without snow. It has forced me to pick up new hobbies and to focus all of my energy on my health. I figure eating as best as I possibly can and taking care of my body is the best possible thing I can be doing right now aside from skiing. I've even taken up running and that's a sure sign that we need snow!

My room mate recently came home from Oregon raving about Yumm Bowls. I got inspired since the last time I had a Yumm Bowl was when Pep had a gallon or so of the sauce in Hawaii and Yumm Sauce became a part of nearly every meal. At that time, Pep assured me that it was a secret recipe, so I kind of put it off. I don't know why I never looked it up, but I finally did and have since made Yumm Bowls nearly every day.

This meal is packed with veggies and is the perfect fuel to my day...so here's the recipe. Enjoy!

Yumm Sauce:

1/2 cup oil (canola)

1/2 cup almonds (I use slivered almonds as I make this in the blender)

1/3 cup brewers yeast (can be found at most natural food grocery stores)

1/3 cup garbonzo beans drained

1/4 soybeans (I use silken tofu)

1/2 water

1/2 fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp curry powder

Put it all in a blender or food processor and mix it up until it is creamy. The Yumm Sauce is a great topper to many different dishes however, I typically stick with the Yumm Bowl and you can get as creative as you want with this.

My Yumm Bowl has the following in it:

Brown rice

Black beans

Garbonzo beans

Cucumber

Celery

Avocado

Tomato

Carrots

Purple onion

Green onion

Cilantro

Salsa (or home made pico)

Personally, I like to make a lot of sauce and keep it for a while. I have been eating a ton of Yumm Bowls so I don't know how long the sauce lasts since it doesn't last long in my house. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do! Here is a link to where I found the recipe: Fever Clan.

Squaw Valley With Warren Miller

2011-11-17T11:39:00.000-08:00

Last year was all time. I had the amazing opportunity to film at Squaw Valley with Warren Miller and it just so happened to snow pretty much all day every day. That might be a bit of an exaggeration, but the video above captures some of the best days we had in our own backyard. Big thanks to Squaw Valley, Warren Miller, Tom Day, Timy Dutton, JT Holmes, and Shreddy Times for all the effort put into making my season last year one to remember!

"Moving Forward"

2011-11-15T21:17:00.000-08:00

Moving Forward - Trailer from Shreddy Times on Vimeo.

On January 3rd Danny Toumarkine suffered from a Traumatic Brain Injury. Since then he's been on an amazing road to recovery. I've been lucky enough to be a part of his life and to watch, support, and cheer him on through out this wild time. I think this video does most of the talking. It's real and it's deep. Wear your helmet and rip a turn for Danny!

Frey Trip 2011 with SGT

2011-10-18T09:32:00.000-07:00

Last year was the first year that I got to venture out to Refugio Frey in the backcountry off of Cerro Catedral. It was late in the year and the snow wasn't ideal, but the experience was nothing short of amazing. This year, spending another southern hemisphere winter in Argentina with SASS Global Travel, I had the opportunity to revisit Frey. However, this trip, we had better conditions and a group filled with enthusiastic SGT clientele and staff.

Out journey to Frey started off the backside of the mountain with Skylar leading the way. In total, there was twelve of us, the largest group from SGT to venture out to Frey to date.

Coulter was stoked after our first run to the valley floor. It was a warm up for the rest of the day, but my legs were certainly burning!

After run number one, we still had a short skin to get to the actual hut. Once we arrived we moved in and unloaded our heavy packs.

The upstairs is the bunk room where a symphony of snores can be heard late in the night after long days of hiking and skiing.

The downstairs has a lap warmer...a friendly cat to keep you company.

After we took the load of our backs we left Frey in the distance and went for another run.

Skylar, Coulter, and Ryan soaked in the surroundings while choosing from the endless possibilities around us.

After a moment of relaxation at the bottom of the run, we started our hike to the top. There's something about skinning that is so peaceful. The quietness of the backcountry with your friends is one of my favorite places to be.

At the top, Coulter was ready to turn it up a notch and immediately dropped into his line with confidence.

Ryan cruised down the "Sherman Chute" with ease.

Grant crushed an alternate "Sherman Chute" and his smile never left his face while we were out at Frey...actually I'm pretty sure he was smiling the whole time he was in Argentina. On top of riding sweet lines, eating amazing food, and enjoying the Argentine culture, Grant made his first split board while he was at SGT.

Skylar and Coulter pointed me in the right direction on this fun line. The snow was epic! Photo courtesy of Coulter.

After a long day of skiing and hiking, we hung our gear up to dry and settled in to the ambiance that is Frey.

Drinks were poured and everyone was stoked, beyond stoked actually.

One thing that is absolutely incredible at Frey is the food. Fuel for the next day is so important and they cook up and serve some mouth watering meals there.

The next day we had some more fun, skied some more lines, and ate delicious food. It's my idea of living like a queen.

Although this picture doesn't do this line justice, Skylar crushed this one. I didn't get to see this until we were leaving Frey and I was in awe, as I typically am of Skylar. He's so humble he would never mention it, but that just adds to the perplexity of his character.

Leaving Frey is always hard to do. With two nights and two full days of riding awesome snow, this trip was definitely fulfilling on another level compared to last years.

If one thing can be sure, a visit to Refugio Frey is a solid way to end your trip in Argentina. It's a special place with incredible terrain. The people who run Frey, cook for you, and care take the hut do an impressive job to say the least. If you get the chance and find yourself in Bariloche, make the effort to get out there, you own't be disappointed. I'll be back next year Frey!

Alpine Initiatives

2011-10-17T16:11:00.000-07:00

Alpine Initiatives recently put out this video and launched their new site. I've posted many times before about this amazing non-profit that was started within the ski industry, but A.I. continues to inspire me so I figured I will continue to share anything and everything A.I. Check out their new site here: ALPINE INITIATIVES!

SGT 2011 Argentina Session 5 & 6 Ski Video

2011-09-26T07:14:00.000-07:00

The weather continued to bring snow and sunshine, the clients progressively pushed themselves, and the Session 5 & 6 SGT video definitely show's what SASS Global Travel is all about. Enjoy!

SGT Campers Found the Powder!

2011-09-22T07:41:00.000-07:00

After heading out to this zone with Skylar and Tony, which to my knowledge still doesn't have a name amongst the SGT crew, Pete (fellow ski coach) and I took a group of shredders, in the never ending search for powder, the following day.

It was a last resort for fresh snow and the sun was out beaming down on us the whole day. Here's the crew getting ready to hike out to the unnamed area.

Piers Solomon found some freshies and I was pretty stoked on this photo. Piers was crushing lines all summer as he stayed with SGT for the majority of camp. Watch out for this Swiss skier stomping front flips off of everything in winters to come.

Although the walk out of this run is super long, it is beautiful. There are a couple of sketchy bridges like the one above with the sign saying "One person at the time."

Tikos was a little tired after the long awesome day.

Summer in Argentina 2011 on EXPN

2011-09-21T14:15:00.001-07:00

I wrote an article for the EXPN Freeskiing Blog about spending the summer in Argentina with SGT. Check it out here and enjoy the edit!

SGT Camper Edit

2011-09-14T07:26:00.000-07:00

One of my campers, Noel Berry, made a sweet little edit of his trip to Argentina. Take note of the section where he is obviously asking everybody, "Is my camera on?" which quickly became one of the most common camper quotes before dropping in.

Wintergram

2011-08-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

Waiting for Santa Rosa.

No Name

2011-08-27T09:25:00.000-07:00

Skylar and Tony hiking away from Cerro Catedral.

If there is one person that I would never say no to riding with, it would probably be Skylar Holgate. Every time I am lucky enough to be accompanied by Skylar, my day is filled with adventure. He has pushed me beyond what I thought my limits were on multiple occasions. While I've been scared, I've also been way more inspired because of it.

Taking in the view from a new vantage point.

On this particular day, he didn't scare me, but he showed me the way to the best snow on the mountain. Skylar, Tony, Nicki, and I all were treated to an absolutely amazing day in the backcountry off Cerro Catedral.

Tony and Skylar at the top of their line. Condor bait.

With a relatively short hike away from the mountain we reached a zone that was untouched. Skylar and Tony rode their lines first. A technical chute into, well I don't know what because I couldn't see past the first turn. I watched Skylar ride the top part of his line and just before dropping in he mentioned that if his line didn't go, he wasn't about to climb back up.

Looking down the boy's line.

After Skylar radioed back up to Tony, Tony ripped down after him. I was up next followed by Nicki down a more mellow chute skiers right of their lines. The snow was perfect and the chute opened up into a blanket of white powder.

Looking back up at our run. Nicki is the tiny black dot below the rocks.

After riding the top portion of the run, we dropped into a slightly different aspect with fun poppers all the way down. The snow was still surprisingly good. My legs were burning once we made it to the bottom. I love that feeling.

Skylar slash.

With Skylar and Tony leading the way home, Nicki and I tried our best to keep up with them. I couldn't help, but stop a few times to take in the view and our surroundings dotted with lakes, bamboo, and bare trees.

Staff Party

2011-08-24T14:23:00.000-07:00

Every year I come to Argentina, time goes by so quickly. Before I know it, I only have two weeks left. People start to leave, the weather begins to warm up a bit, and the sun rises earlier every day.

We have had consistent storms delivering all season and I've only had 2 days of skiing that weren't powder. I guess it's no wonder where the time goes.

When the storm breaks and the sun shines through, there's no end of runs to ski until the next storm rolls in. Slowly working from within the ski resort to farther and farther away until a new storm delivers fresh snow.

And when it delivers, the cycle repeats itself until your body finally is so sore and tired you force yourself to take a day off from skiing and hiking. Usually on those days off, it's nice to just relax, read a book, stretch, and rest up, but taking days of is so hard to do.

For the past week it's been sunny with a little bit of new snow. We've ventured farther away from the resort and found some absolutely amazing snow on one of my favorite runs called Staff Party.

The hike is mostly a traverse and once you are there, the surrounding mountains make you drool looking at all of the possible lines. Staff Party awaits while we drool.

The first pitch is a wide open bowl with minimal features, but nearly perfect powder. Next you drop into a playful section with mini golf lines and poppers everywhere. As if it isn't good enough yet, all of that is followed by a few pillowy rock formations and a tree run with perfectly spaced trees.

The run is roughly 3,600 feet and swallows some whole in the bamboo at the bottom. This is what we call getting bamboozled (Garrett Russell shows us a quality bamboozle below). While Garrett is being seen in rare form, this is a common occurrence amongst those who rarely encounter bamboo while skiing or snowboarding.

Once you swim through the bamboo and make it across the many creek crossings, you come upon the trail to Refugio Frey and ski/hike back to the resort. It's the ultimate run with a little bit of everything.

It's wild to think that there is only two weeks left. I feel like I've been living in fast forward. Such is life in Argentina. While Staff Party has a little bit of everything, so does Argentina. It has everything that I love in one place with the exception of my family and friends, but that is not to say that I don't have the best of friends here in Argentina.

Two weeks, many more adventures to come. Then home to Lake Tahoe and good bye to snow for the meantime. Not yet though!

Punta De Vista Edit

2011-08-20T16:38:00.000-07:00

Ryan Dunfee just posted this video from our season down here so far. Traveling from New York to Cerro Catedral and catching endless days of powder, it's been absolutely amazing down here. Enjoy the video, I know I did!

La Central

2011-08-20T15:29:00.000-07:00

While the skiing is what brings me to Argentina, there is so much more that keeps me coming back. The other day, my group of lady campers decided it would be fun to catch the bus to town for some adventuring in la central.

The Cathedral in Bariloche stands alone by the lake. While I took a side excursion to meet up with my brother, he brought me inside to check out some of the amazingly detailed stained glass art.

The inside was quiet and because of the multiple leaks in the roof you could hear the pitter patter of water drops seeping through the cracks and splashing on the floor. I love the sound of rain. The water drops added to the ambiance of the church.

One of my favorite things to do in town is walking through the flea markets. This year the only times I've been to town it's been raining so the indoor heated flea markets are a welcomed break.

There are tons of fun souvenirs, little trinkets, jewelry, and artistic toys. The artisans themselves are always excited to share their work and it's a great time to practice spanish.

I love these little trolls. You see them everywhere made out of different materials. This one is made out of a walnut shell and clay.

While I think the trolls are adorable...I also like functional things like these wooden spoons.

The fairies aren't really my style, but the colorful collection of little flying dolls definitely got my attention.

Aside from skiing, my second favorite thing to do while in Argentina is eat. Empenadas are my weak spot and I can rarely resist them. My goal this year is to cook them at home when I get back. They are so delicious!

And you can't beat the chocolate here. Super cheap, tasty, and creative pieces of chocolate and sweets. My mom would love it!

I personally don't have a sweet tooth, but if you did how could you resist these cupcakes? I'd rather grab a fresh squeezed OJ. Argentines tend to drink tang as a replacement for orange juice since it's so expensive down here, but every once in a while treating yourself to a fresh squeezed orange juice is so satisfying.

SGT Session 2 Ski and Snowboard Videos

2011-08-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

My trip is nearly half way over, but I feel like I arrived here in Bariloche only yesterday. Time moves quickly here, especially when you are skiing every day all day. Other than two days that the mountain was closed, I have only taken one day off from skiing. Count today as number two. While it's difficult not to go up on the mountain, sometimes you have to rest your body, stretch, relax, and refuel. Enjoy these videos! More coming soon.

SGT Session 1 Ski and Snowboard Video

2011-08-06T15:39:00.000-07:00

SGT Argentina: Session 1 Ski from SASS Global Travel on Vimeo.

Session 1 was all time. We had amazing snow and ripping campers. Check out the videos. Fun times in Argentina! Session 2 just wrapped up and session 3 campers are on their way here right now. The forecast for the next week is snow, snow, snow, and more snow. Fun fun fun!

SGT Argentina: Session 1 Snowboard from SASS Global Travel on Vimeo.

SGT Session Two

2011-08-02T12:41:00.000-07:00

SGT Session two is now underway. With new campers in the mix things have gotten off to a great start. The session one kids are now more familiar with the terrain we've been riding for the past week and we've been venturing a little farther away from the resort.

With the weather on our side, this past week has reminded me so much of Tahoe, sunny days and snowy nights. However, waking up and looking outside in the morning we're often under the cloud layer. Once we pop through the clouds on the lift it's like a dream come true.

Ryan Dunfee is stoked to finally be skiing at Cerro Catedral. Last year he was crushing it on crutches, but this year he's back in action!

Fellow ski coach and the ever so creative skier, Garrett Russell is always stoked to be out with the campers and I am always stoked to be out there with him. On cold windy days, Garrett looks around and talks about how beautifully sunny it is.

I was definitely skeptical before boarding the plane for Argentina with regards to the recent eruption of the Puyehue volcano in Southern Chile, but here in Bariloche, other than the snow, we've had beautiful blue bird days. You can see the volcano and it's constant plume in the distance from the top of the mountain and there is a bunch of sand that has previously fallen in Bariloche. However, at this point in time Cerro Catedral is in full operation and things are going well.

On this particular day, we took the campers to a run we call the Playground. Coach Pete Connolly, dropped into this steep chute while the rest of us snuck around the corner for some poppers and mini golf lines.

Paul's getting after it at the top of the Playground, which is right up there with my favorite runs at Cerro Catedral. You might be able to tell how this run got it's name. It's so much fun and there are endless little pillows and miniature spines to play on. Below is a view from the bottom looking up.

I'm getting used to hiking on snow rather than dirt again and it feels so good!

SASS Global Travel Session 1

2011-07-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

Sass Global Travel Ski and Snowboard camp has officially begun. Well, it actually started about a week ago, but I haven't had the time or energy to write much as we have been hiking and riding everyday. While I absolutely love summer and I especially love summers in Tahoe, every year when I arrive in Argentina I am reminded of how my love for winter is so much greater than that of the summer.

With one day of skiing under our belts, the SGT coaches awaited the highly anticipated arrival of the campers. After giving them the safety spiel and avy briefing, it was on. It's been snowing every day that I can remember and the campers have been fired up.

Hiking to the top of runs that look like this never gets old. A lot of the campers are from the east coast and have never ridden snow deeper than a foot or even less. To see their faces light up or to hear them say "that was the best 60 seconds of my life!" is what being a coach is all about.

While the view on one side is a blank white canvas ready for someone to splash with turns, the view on the other side is equally as tempting. Although skiing is something very personal for me, it's also something that is so incredible to share with other people.

Instagram

2011-07-29T04:12:00.000-07:00

Heading out for another day on the slopes, but I thought I would put up a couple of photos as the internet actually works before everybody wakes up. The snow has been amazing down here (as well as the food!). Can't get enough of it!! Hasta Luego!

1st Day of Riding Argentina Pow

2011-07-24T14:04:00.000-07:00

After traveling for over 60 hours, we finally made it to Argentina! While we were both exhausted and stiff from traveling, the site of fresh powder got us stoked.

There are ten coaches down here for the SGT ski and snowboard camp this year and we pretty much had this run to ourselves. In about ten minutes the campers should arrive and camp will officially begin. There are still spots open if you are interested! You definitely won't regret it...just take a look at that photo above.

Yosemite Day 3

2011-07-24T09:03:00.000-07:00

On the third day, Danny and I woke up with sore feet from the previous days backpacking. We knew we had another 14 or so miles to go and as I was putting my shoes on I was getting excited thinking about completing our adventure. The third day was probably my favorite of all the days. The last portion of the North Rim Trail was absolutely beautiful and filled with color from all of the spring flowers.

Once we made it near the end, with four miles left to go, it felt amazing to take my shoes off and dip my feet in the river. They were hurting! The last four miles were a push. The scenery changed drastically as we hiked through a previously burnt portion of the forrest. There were dead toothpick looking trees with very little green, but the ground was full of new growth. The wild flowers were going off in this section of the hike. At times we were hiking through lupin taller than me. All you could hear was the buzzing of bees and chirping of crickets.

We finally made it to road and hitch-hiked back to the valley. Our 30 mile mission was complete and we were all smiles. Changing into flip flops felt amazing! Driving home to Tahoe, I was content as I knew this trip was a great way to end my summer. In two days I would be traveling to Argentina saying good bye to warm weather, the lake, iced tea, and sunny summer days. I miss you Tahoe, but so far, Argentina has been great. We skied powder yesterday and the campers arrive tonight. Looking forward to more snow, meat, vino, and bottomless pow turns!

Yosemite Day 2

2011-07-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

On day two we started off our day at the top of North Dome. For the most part, hiking in the woods, we didn't see too many people, but as you get closer to the lookouts there are quite a few tourists hanging out.

Personally, I prefer cruising through the woods without people. Danny and I mapped out our destination point and started cruising.

We arrived at the top of Yosemite Falls were the quietness of the woods disappeared and people were all over the place. Although the views were spectacular, we quickly got back on the trail and eventually ended up at our new campsite.

Dinner tasted amazing after 15 miles of hiking. We made it to our campsite with plenty of time to hang out and watch the sunset. The little black canister you see in the photo above is our bear box. It's a pain to backpack with it, but it keeps bears and other creatures out of your food.

To my surprise we didn't end up seeing any bears on our trips. Lot's of deer, but no bears.

We hiked up to a higher ledge and tried to catch the sunset. The alpenglow was beautiful just after sunset. It lit up these purple and yellow patches of flowers that were scattered through the forest. It looked like a big purple carpet. Spring in the Sierras is colorful!

Yosemite

2011-07-23T15:15:00.001-07:00

Before I packed my bags to head south chasing winter, I wanted to make a quick trip to Yosemite. Danny and I arrived in hopes of hiking Half Dome, but due to the new permits required to hike Half Dome we got shut down.

We decided on hiking the North Rim Trail, which we figured would have some pretty amazing views of Half Dome and would be a good second choice. We loaded up our packs and set out for our adventure late in the day.

The first part of the trail had a steep switch back section for a mile and a half. As we gained elevation the views continued to get better.

Half Dome quickly became out distance guide from the beginning of the hike. For the rest of our backpacking adventure watching Half Dome get smaller and smaller made us realize how far we had gone.

After the steep switchback section we arrived at our first camping spot. We unpacked and cooked up a warm meal while watching the sun set in the distance. With a full moon above and white noise from the river, our night's rest was perfect to prep us for our long 15 mile journey the next day.

Spring Hiking

2011-07-13T13:28:00.001-07:00

While there is still quite a bit of snow on the ground in Tahoe, the spring flowers are starting to go off and Shirley Canyon's water falls are bigger than I have ever seen them (note: the picture above doesn't do the falls justice at all). I thought I would share a few shots from the other day of the flowers up top. Enjoy!

Cushing Crossing

2011-07-10T11:05:00.000-07:00

While I've already posted the video for the Cushing Crossing below, I thought I would share some photos as well. Being a participant, I definitely didn't shoot these. So thanks to Danny and Dave for the shots!

Above is the junk-show that ensued when the Mario Party dropped in all together. All six of us cruised in at maximum speeds determined to make it to the other side, however that obviously didn't happen.

The aftermath of our Mario Party turned pool party. It was a refreshing dip on that hot summer day!

While I didn't ski on the 3rd of July, I did hike up and got a kick out of all the bathing suits and short shorts. It was pretty much a huge party.

I've heard that there were 10,000 people in the village that day and I'm stoked that Squaw put on a great show with skiing and the Cushing Crossing.

To finalize this post I had to add this shot of Conor and Nick looking sharp as always. Sweet get up Nick! Haha!!!!

Wood Scorpion?

2011-07-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

When Danny and I returned from Northern California, we went on a full moon hike with his brother Conor. We came across this tiny little scorpion in the night and since then I've been stumped on what type of scorpion it is. I didn't even know we had scorpions in Lake Tahoe and when I google "scorpions in Lake Tahoe" all I could come up with was an answer from Yahoo Answers from Gene stating that " YES. There are wood scorpions, but it's rare to find them unless you'd know where to look and what you are looking for."

If Gene is correct then I feel pretty lucky to have seen a scorpion in Lake Tahoe. Don't worry, we let him be and continued on with our hike under the full moon.

Last Night In Fort Bragg

2011-07-09T23:13:00.001-07:00

To top off our trip to Northern California and after no luck finding Big Foot, Danny and I headed south to Fort Bragg. We drove through in infamous 315 foot tall Chandelier Tree with a hole just barely big enough to fit my truck through. The lady at the gate confidently said that I would be fine, however I am convinced that she just wanted my $5 (I didn't know it was $5 until it would have been awkward to turn around making a few cars move while making an Austin Powers turn). We camped near the beach and soaked up the scenery under the full moon night before hitting the road the next day bound for Tahoe!

Squaw Valley Cushing Crossing

2011-07-08T14:58:00.000-07:00

This year was the first year that I participated in the annual Cushing Crossing at Squaw Valley. The crowd was huge, the sun was hot, and the spirit of the 4th was in the air. I dressed as Mario and attempted to cross the pond with the rest of our Mario Party crew, but got caught up as Bowser fell in front of me while chasing the princess. Though we didn't make it across, we certainly had an awesome time. Thanks to Squaw Valley for putting on such an amazing show!!

Tall Trees

2011-06-29T12:32:00.000-07:00

For our last day in Northern California we ventured into Tall Trees Grove. Tall Trees Grove is best known as the location of the Libbey Tree, which at one time was the world's tallest known living thing.

Taller trees have since been found, but they are kept secret making the Libbey Tree special because it is one of the tallest trees that you can see. I didn't know that the Libbey Tree was in the Tall Trees Grove at the time, but apparently it doesn't look massive from the ground because it's trunk isn't super big.

To access the Tall Trees Grove you have to first get a permit by the State Park because they only allow a certain number of visitors per day. This added to the experience as we saw less people and were for the most part on our own.

It's hard to photograph these trees and actually give their height justice and it's even more difficult to imagine how big these trees are unless you are standing amongst them.

Aside from the trees, the five foot tall ferns surrounding them add to the brilliance. In the darker parts of the forest, the moss covers everything and trees are growing everywhere. It's quiet and mysterious.

Every once in a while you come across brightly colored flowers that stand out in the dense and never ending green environment.

Or the less colorful mushrooms with a beautiful wood look to them.

Although we failed to find Big Foot in the Tall Trees Grove, we did find this little corn snake (at least that's what I think it is) down by the river. This hike was a perfect way to end out trip in Humboldt. The next morning we packed up and hit 101 down the coast into Fort Brag where we camped out before coming home to Tahoe where sunny weather awaited us!

Fern Canyon

2011-06-28T10:20:00.000-07:00

Following our never ending search of the mysterious dreamcatchers in the trees, Al, Danny, and I decided to check out Fern Canyon. Al informed us that Steven Speilberg chose this location to film Jurrasic Park 2 and I decided that if Avatar were real, Fern Canyon might be somewhere in Pandora.

Throughout the whole hike, Al would say, "just around the corner, it's about to get really cool." This quickly became the theme of our hike and every corner I was anxious to see what Al had in store for us.

I couldn't help, but stop every time I saw something that I wanted to take a photo of. Despite being incredibly hard to photograph, the redwoods have some amazing surroundings and are considered to be temperate rain forests.

As we all looked forward to making it to Fern Canyon, I kept my eyes peeled for Big Foot. If he exists, Northern California certainly seems like the perfect place for him to live.

The temperature was cool and moist. Dew collected on everything and every inch of the ground, trees, and forest floor was covered in green. I almost expected to hear tropical birds singing and monkeys playing in the trees, but for the most part it was quiet except for us.

Occasionally we would stumble across some elk tracks and large packs of centipedes dancing in the damp earth below our feet. You couldn't help, but step on them at times because they were everywhere.

Once we realized what time it was we put away the cameras and started to move quickly to reach our final destination...Fern Canyon.

The trail lowered into the canyon with 50-80 foot walls on either side with a modest creek running through. It's crazy to think that over time this small little creek created this canyon. Walking through the ferns you could hear tiny water falls all over and the soft dripping sound of water finding it's way through the leaves into the creak.

Pictures don't to Fern Canyon justice, but being there was special. It was magical and much brighter than the forest trail we took to get here. As time was running out, after spending some time in the canyon, we packed up and headed back another 5 miles to our car in perfect time to watch the sunset over the ocean.

Redwoods Day 2

2011-06-27T19:47:00.001-07:00

After checking out the beaches around Humboldt, Al gave us a quick tour of the town. We went to the local farmers market and then went hunted for the dream catchers in the trees.

The dreamcatchers are woven between redwoods with climbing rope. They are out of sight from the ground looking up, but if you know where they are you can climb the trees and hang out high above the ground. Unfortunately we couldn't find them, but we did find these random ghosts in the forest.

And we spotted many banana slugs slugging around.

The most impressive part of our brief encounter with the forests that day, were the redwoods, however. They are massive, daunting, and humbling. They have been here much longer than we have. It was Danny's first time seeing them and we were both walking around in awe of these giant trees. This was just a taste of what was to come.

Northern Cali

2011-06-22T19:14:00.000-07:00

After a few hours drive from Shasta Lake, Danny and I arrived in Humboldt. We were pretty tired from camping, but our amazing host, Al, was eager to show us around. He took us to a place called Sharps Point with amazing panoramic views.

We walked along the beach for a while then hiked up this hill filled with lupin and other wild flowers.

The change in climate from Shasta to Humboldt was hot and dry to chilly and wet. Pretty much anything grows in Humboldt and the environment thrives. I loved how lush and green it was.

From the top of the point you could see the surrounding redwood forest. From far away the redwoods don't seem to be nearly as big as they are once you're standing next to them. Of the 137 known trees over 350 feet tall, 100 of them are in the Humboldt Redwoods State Park.

Sharps Point was a perfect start to our Northern California experience. Little did we know what tour guide Al had in store for us from Big Foot stories (which I am now convinced Big Foot exists) to the daunting redwoods...the next few days were amazing.

Shasta Lake

2011-06-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

While the Tahoe weather was still flirting with winter, a group of friends and I decided to head up to Shasta a couple of weeks ago to get some sun. You can see snow covered Mt. Shasta in the photo above.

We camped out for a couple of nights and enjoyed a mini vacation from Tahoe. It's tough to consider Shasta a vacation because, living in Tahoe, it's hard not to feel like life is a vacation.

The pontoon boat was a fun addition to a day on the lake. Shasta has so many hidden coves worth exploring. Here's our self timer pose that almost got us eight tickets for being on the front of the boat with the engine running.

Ian didn't catch this fish, but Nick did with his hands. Ian was stoked to fillet it up for the BBQ on the boat. It was a tasty treat and I've never seen anyone catch a fish with their bare hands!

You can barely see the pontoon boat at the end of the river, but that's where we anchored up for a while to enjoy the semi cold water.

Fun times in Shasta were had. It's hard to go wrong kicking off summer with camping and boating.

Here is Danny's smore creation that I suggest you all try next time you're camping or around a fire. Marshmallow, gram cracker, and a reeses peanut butter cup...so good! Most of the crew headed back to Tahoe, but Danny and I continued on the the Redwoods where we had an absolutely amazing time...pics to come. Hope you are all enjoying the sun!!

D.L. Bliss Marks 5 Months

2011-06-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

In celebration of the five month mark since Danny's injury we headed over to D.L. Bliss for a mellow hike by the lake. We also made the video posted below which pretty much sums up our day, but I thought I would share some photos as well. Enjoy.

Sticker Pack

2011-06-16T14:33:00.000-07:00

Danny's recovery has been exceeding expectations. He's started his own business called Sticker Pack. If you need any type of sticker head to www.stickerpack.com to get a quote.

Sticker Pack's most recent order by TahoeMade Attire is below. Check it out!

Danny's 5 Month Recovery Video

2011-06-06T12:03:00.001-07:00

It's been 5 month's since Danny's injury (www.dannyisthebomb.com) and he's been doing better than any of us could have expected. We went for a hike in Rubicon the other day to celebrate his 5 month mark and made this mini edit. Enjoy!

Reminiscing

2011-06-01T11:49:00.001-07:00

I've posted this video before, but I haven't watched it in a while. This was an edit that Shreddy Times made and I filmed from the last day in November of 2010. That's how the season started in Tahoe, lot's of snow. The snow continued to fall all year and I'm looking out my window right now to more snow flurries. Thought I would share this edit again as it made me stoked thinking about all the amazing days of skiing I had this year. Hope you enjoy!

Roy Ruscany 5 Year Redemption Video

2011-05-31T11:32:00.000-07:00

Roy Tuscany is the found of High Fives Nonprofit Foundation. He's recently engaged, loves softball, and studied mechanical engineering at the University of Vermont. 5 years ago, Roy broke his back in Mammoth overshooting a park jump. This year, he went back to Mammoth for some sweet redemption. The video is above for your viewing pleasure.

Dog Day Afternoon

2011-05-31T00:35:00.000-07:00

I don't personally own a dog. I don't have the time, but I have the best of both worlds because my roommates have dogs. There are three that live at my house; Lucky, Watson, and Rodney (the three in the middle of the group shot). I came home last week to five dogs because Nicki was babysitting Birdie and Norma. While I can't ever imagine owning five dogs, it was pretty entertaining and fun while it lasted.

5.29.11 Powder Day

2011-05-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

Saturday night my deck looked like this.

Sunday morning Squaw had received a foot of fresh snow up top. The KT line was packed by opening and people were stoked.

We took one run on KT and then headed straight to Headwall where we had a few laps with no lines and fresh pow turns all the way down. I was laughing the whole time thinking to myself how unbelievable it was to be having such an amazing powder day on May 29th!

Once the lines became too long for we hit up a short hike off of KT to Red Dog and a blanket of fresh pow awaited us. The stoke was at an all time high!

Emerald Bay Chutes 5.21.11

2011-05-21T23:13:00.000-07:00

Rodney came with us today. We took him on a second outing in the afternoon and he was so tired he fell asleep sitting upright leaning against the wall. That's about how I feel right now, but I am stoked the world didn't end today!!

New Hampshire Part 3

2011-05-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

As my trip to New Hampshire was coming to a close we had ticked off quite a few things on our list of adventures, but Danny had a couple more outings planned. We linked up with his good friend Matt and went fly fishing.

I had never been fly fishing, but Matt and Danny couldn't have been better teachers. Matt was the only one to catch a fish that day, but learning how to cast was plenty entertaining for me.

The fish were jumping and I was really determined to catch one before Danny, but it never happened. I think I might have to get a California fishing license now, I'm into it.

I don't think I've given fish enough credit until I watched them shy away from our flies. There's way more knowledge that goes into fly fishing than I thought and watching people cast is a thing of beauty.

After a few hours in the water I was ready to lean up against a tree and take a nap. It's so relaxing.

A day later, Danny took me on nice hike. We started off by driving in the wrong direction for a while, which was perfectly okay with me because I got to see Mt. Washington and Tuckerman's Ravine up close.

The way up was pretty steep and lush with new spring growth. The built in ladders and stairs led us to views like the one above.

Once we made it to the top these curious little grey jays decided to hang out for a little while. The views were breathtaking as the only man made thing in site was the road below. When we started to descend the mountain things got a little tricky, however.

We post-holed up to our waists at times through the deep snow and trail not frequently traveled this early in the hiking season. Once we crossed rivers, slid down mountains, and stomped through mud it was nearly dark, but we were stoked on our adventure in the White Mountains. New Hampshire, I miss you!

New Hampshire Part 2.

2011-05-16T09:52:00.001-07:00

Nature is neat. If you haven't seen that video, I thought I would share it with this post about nature in New Hampshire. Despite the on and off rain everyday, we've managed to hike nearly 20 miles since I've been here. The White Mountains are beautiful!

Tommy J. (pictured above getting ready for our night hike up Kearsarge), Sean, Danny, and I hiked up to the fire tower on top of Kearsarge for a little sleep over the other day. Tommy is probably stretching because he is old. He turned 27 at midnight.

We started pretty late and it was raining and dark by the time we reached the top, but it didn't stop us from enjoying all of the nature.

Danny and I found perfect walking sticks.

Thankfully the fire tower is sturdy because the winds sounded like they were reaching 50 miles per hour all night. It was tough to sleep with the relentless winds, but made the adventure more memorable. Danny hiked up with a birthday cake for Tom that we busted out after he cooked up some spaghetti. Kearsarge was a blast!

The next day, Danny and I hiked up Kitterage. Above is the view from the top. Both Kitterage and Kearsarge are based in Conway, but because of the fog and rain, I never saw the view from the top of Kearsarge.

It's spring time here in NH. I can't believe my mom and dad called me to let me know that they were skiing powder in Tahoe yesterday. While I've enjoyed the hiking here, I can't wait to hike up with my skis in Tahoe when I get home!

Hopefully the tricky weather at home hasn't ruined all of the daffodils in Tahoe. Just in case, I took this photo.

Smashed into a Go Pro the other day...

2011-05-16T09:14:00.000-07:00

New Hampshire Part 1

2011-05-11T15:08:00.000-07:00

As the spring weather was turning, yet again, into snow flakes in Tahoe, I decided to head out to New Hampshire for a change of scenery. The weather has been hit or miss, but it certainly hasn't stopped us from having fun.

For Danny's birthday we canoed down the Saco river. It's basically the equivalent to the Truckee river except our mode of transportation is a canoe. We played ladders and took advantage of the sun before the rain hit us for the second half of our trip.

Despite the cold temperature of the water, Zach and Danny jumped in and made sure to let everyone know that I did not. They have bragging rights and now, I don't. I'm okay with that.

Mt. Washington, in the background, is the highest point in the northeastern United States. In April 1934, the observatory recored a 231-mile-per-hour wind that remains a world record for a land-based weather station.

I was stoked to be outside enjoying the sun with bare-feet!

Mother's Day was the day after Danny's birthday and we hiked up Foss Mountain, again taking advantage of the weather before it rained. The views were spectacular.

As there was a lot to celebrate between Mother's Day and Danny's birthday, it seemed appropriate to top off the evening with one of my new favorite meals...lobster! Even though my trip here is short, we are cramming in as much fun as possible. More from NH to come soon!

Mt. Tallac

2011-04-30T17:12:00.001-07:00

I just returned home from one of the best spring skiing days I have ever had, I'm claiming it. My brother, Johnny, and I hiked up Mt. Tallac today and had impeccable timing on the way down with the snow softening up to perfection.

Like any other hike around Lake Tahoe, the views are nothing short of spectacular.

My brother and I at the top enjoying the views and stoked for the ski down. The snow couldn't have been better!!! I put three explanation points because it was that good.

The view from the top minus the family portrait. I love the different perspective of the lake.

Some lines in the distance were calling our names. Soon enough!

Peak 9,195

2011-04-28T12:58:00.000-07:00

Spring is in full swing in Tahoe...finally. Yesterday Conor, my brother, and I hiked up peak 9,195 for some spectacular views and fun turns. The temperature was in the high 50's and the sky was bright blue all day. Shade was our friend.

This is one of the many reasons I live in Lake Tahoe!

Getting closer to the top, the terrain beyond the mountains immediately surrounding the lake come into view (not pictured above) and my imagination starts to go wild about future adventures.

We were a little late for the snow, but there were moments of smooth buttery spring conditions that are all time.

Conor and my brother, Johnny, about to make some figure eights on the way down in the sticky sun baked slush (still fun). So happy the sun is finally out!

Birthday Shred

2011-04-28T12:41:00.000-07:00

A bit late, but nonetheless I had an awesome time on my birthday shredding Squaw with my family and friends. My dad was keeping up and casually whistled as he pulled up hot on my heels every time letting me know that he could still hang. Good work dad!! Haha.

Conor got pretty radical too, but was quick to tell my dad he wasn't exactly keeping up. Either way, my dad rips and my mom's got style for miles. Thanks for the fun times!!

Danny's Recovery...

2011-04-21T08:35:00.000-07:00

...is beyond what I could ever imagine. He let me know yesterday that he was going to hop on his slack line in his yard in New Hampshire. I was kind of nervous at first, but then he sent his brother and I this video. The first three times he attempted his slack line he made it across. After going to PT with him while he was visiting Tahoe, it was apparent that his balance was a little bit off, but after watching this video I think he's getting that back just fine. I couldn't stop smiling yesterday!

Warren Miller

2011-04-18T16:47:00.000-07:00

This is just a preview of what's to come. Shot all year at Squaw with Tom Day, Timy Dutton, and J.T. Holmes. Can't wait to see the final product!

SASS Checking in from Tahoe

2011-04-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

Just a little something that gets me excited about this summer.

Lake Tahoe 4.1.11

2011-04-04T09:44:00.000-07:00

While I was driving to Northstar the other day I couldn't keep my eyes off the lake. I felt like a tourist driving ten below the speed limit with the occasional swerve when there was a break in the trees and the lake came into full view. I kept thinking to myself that I should pull over and take some photos, but I always think that and I always have somewhere to be. This time I couldn't resist. I took a short walk to the edge of the water to snap some photos. As much as I love winter time, one of my favorite things to do is swim in Lake Tahoe. How inviting does this water look? I love where I live.

It's a Blackwood Kind of a Day

2011-04-03T18:30:00.000-07:00

After we got all of that snow the sun came out with vengeance. It went from one extreme to another. One day, I was skiing Squaw with four lifts open and free refills on every run and the next day I was sweating bullets while riding my sled up to Blackwood trying to get the last of the powder.

I was looking forward to a slow change of seasons, but mother nature had something else in mind. She heated up and traded us snow for sunlight. At first I needed a break from shoveling, but after a day of sun, I had had enough.

The change was too quick for me and I woke up one morning with a feeling of emptiness in my stomach. Where did all of our snow go? I'm not ready for full spring conditions. Luckily, we got the last of it in Blackwood.

I went up with Moss Halliday and Andrew Burns to get some fresh turns. It was a pretty mellow day, but so much fun. The snow was creamy and ripe for ripping fast lines. A day later and the spines in the first photo were all rock. See ya later winter. Hopefully you'll be back on Thursday like the weatherman says. Miss you.

PMS

2011-04-02T17:55:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I had the pleasure of competing in the Pain McShlonkey Classic . Things started out Saturday night with the best 80's cover band I have ever seen play, Tainted Love, rocking the Plaza bar like it was New Years Eve in 1999. Everyone dressed in their best 80's attire and prepped for Sunday's extreme small mountain competition.

I have never been on a pair of snowblades in my life and I will admit I was nervous dropping into the small mountain venue for my first run. I did a tandem run with Suz Graham and we crushed it!! Somehow I managed to stomp a cliff and a front flip on those small little things. I ended up taking 2nd in the small mountain comp right behind the legendary Wendy Fisher.

After the small mountain competition, the 30 of us decided to shred the fingers on our blades. I have never seen anything like 30 snowbladers dropping into the fingers on KT-22. It was one of the most fun runs of my life. Thank you Shane!

The Chinese Downhill took place in the afternoon starting at the top of KT-22. There were 60 snowbladers total dropping in a once in an all out battle for the golden saucer. With flat light and chopped powder conditions, plenty of rag-dolls ensued. The PMS was one of the most fun competitions I have ever been a part of. I couldn't help, but to think of Shane all day and smile because I know he would have been loving it.

Snow Globe

2011-04-02T17:25:00.000-07:00

From March 14th to March 28 we got more than twelve feet of snow at 6200' in Lake Tahoe. I came straight home from Silverton to a winter wonderland. It felt like we were living in a snow globe. White flakes never stopped falling from the sky. Roofs were cracking from the weight of the snow. Sheriffs were knocking at peoples doors in Squaw Valley telling them to evacuate because of high avalanche danger. It was all time and in no way does this photo represent the amount of snow we got, I just happened to like it.

Red Mountain Pass

2011-03-26T17:24:00.000-07:00

While I was in Silverton I got to check out Red Mountain pass with my friend Pete. We cruised up with his dog Lucky and found some amazing snow even though it hadn't snowed in a while.

Lucky ran laps around us while we were skiing. Makes me want a doggie!

Red Mountain Pass starting to show some color up top. In the summer the mountains are literally red.

Hanging with Lucky at the bottom. We got a ride with the first car that passed. Thanks Pete!

Nine Queens

2011-03-26T14:53:00.000-07:00

The Nine Queens event just happened. Here's the video recap from the last day. Just wanted to post this because I'm getting excited about the ladies progression in the park. They threw switch tens and nines all day, grabbed and everything. Good work!!!

Red Bull Cold Rush Day Three went off!!

2011-03-26T14:16:00.001-07:00

As I slipped into a snow globe upon my arrival in Tahoe, blogging has come after shoveling on my daily list of things to do. We've broken records with this storm and it's been all time. You know it's good when you're legs are begging for a day off, but that's not happening any time soon here.

Anyways, the last day of Cold Rush was absolutely amazing. The progression level was at an all time high and everyone went off!! Check out the video above and here are a few photos from the event...

Suz, Leo, and Dave about to hop into the heli to get dropped off at cliff zone.

The helicopter get's me just as stoked as skiing. The weightless feeling of flying over mountains in a heli is amazing!

Scoping lines...

Everything goes. In an event like this the biggest cliff is definitely going to get hit. Sean Petit and Dane Tudor stomped sevens and threes off one of the two huge cliffs. It was insane to watch in person.

Bibby went for the big one on the lookers left of the photo...he got a boo boo on his eye.

The Red Bull Cold Rush was the most fun event I have ever been a part of. I can't wait to come back next year! I ended up in third. It felt good to be back in the competition world.

Pain McShlonkey

2011-03-26T06:44:00.000-07:00

This is going down today!

Down Day in Silverton

2011-03-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I took the day off from skiing. In part by choice, but I also didn't have anybody to go hiking with. I took a walk through town to take up some time during my down day and snapped a few shots along the way. There isn't much going on here in the winter time other than skiing. It's apparently almost tourist season so some places are starting to open up, but the crowd stealer of the day was definitely the race car pictured below.

Red Bull Cold Rush Silverton Mountain Day 2

2011-03-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

Day two of the Red Bull Cold Rush in Silverton Mountain was the slopestyle day. There were four jumps built and ready to go. I left my backpack with my camera at the top of the course so I didn't get many photos, but the video is above.

Hiking Kendall Mountain

2011-03-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

Greg, Tess, and I skinned up Kendall Mountain in Silverton yesterday. With most of the action from the contest gone, this place is pretty quiet. Skiing is about the only left to do. Above is Greg checking out our destination from town.

Kendall Mountain looks down on town.

Tess and Greg on top of this nicely nestled cabin on our way up.

The snow was surprisingly good up top, but I could have passed on the trees below. If I were to describe the snow at the bottom in a couple of words it would be leg breaker snow.

One way to get in shape quick is hiking at elevation. I can't sleep and eat enough here!

Red Bull Cold Rush Silverton Mountain Day 1

2011-03-19T16:00:00.000-07:00

Day one of the Red Bull Coldrush kicked off on the 14th of March in Silverton Mountain, CO. The venue had two main sections of which to chose from.

This is Pequenos 1, 2, and 3. Most people skied this zone.

This zone was the alternative called, Gnar. I skied the main couloir that slants to the lookers right. The highlight of the day for me was watching Dave Treadway crush his line. Its the smallest couloir that is on the lookers left of the photo above.

Check out the video below of day 1.

New Hamsphire

2011-03-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

After a few weeks of good snow in Tahoe, I hoped a plane to North Conway, NH. There was a big fundraiser for Danny that was incredibly successful. His brother Conor, Tommy J, and a few others set up a great event.

One of the first places I went to upon my arrival in North Conway was Glen Junction. Danny has been talking about Glen Junction since the day I met him so it was awesome to finally sit down for a meal at this place I felt like I had been before.

I am claiming it, the Junction has the best pancakes that I have ever had. They were the perfect blend between a crepe and a pancake.

Another place that I was looking forward to visiting was David's studio. David, Danny's dad, is an amazing artist and shared his passion for pottery with me. I made a couple of pots and enjoyed the atmosphere. There's no place I would rather be on a rainy day.

Magic kicked it with us in the studio. He's sixteen years old and such good company.

Seeing as how I love food, Ellen, Danny's mom, made sure to include an absolutely mouth watering lobster meal in my short stay in North Conway. Above is the stuffed lobster.

I'm pretty sure it was my first true lobster experience. I'm hooked. If there was one food that I had to eat for the rest of my life it might be lobster.

The clams added to the feast and made for such a great meal.

Speaking of food, we also went to the Chili cook off in town. I was full after the first ten tastes, but we hadn't even scratched the surface of all the Chili's offered. We made sure we went to the "professional" chili section (one of the "pros" pictured above) before we called it quits.

Aside from Glen Junction, I've been hearing a lot about rainbow cake from Danny since his accident. His Dad's sister sends him the mini cakes from New York every once in a while. I'm not much for sweets, but this tiny taste of heaven hit the spot every time. Mmm mmm rainbow cakes...I miss you.

Danny was worried that he wasn't going to be the best tour guide while I visited seeing as how he's in recovery mode, but I was never bored while I was there. We made a trip to Vermont to visit his friend's sheep farm. Nestled in the mountains of Woodstock, Vermont this gem of a home/farm captured me right away.

We fed the sheep and had a great meal with even better conversation. These sheep are silly with their loud "baaaaaaah's."

I loved the sheep.

The next morning we went to the Simon Pearce gallery and watched some glass blowing. It's a fascinating art that I learned a little bit about while I was in New Hampshire. I feel like they are crafty there. Maybe just more so than in Tahoe.

While I was enjoying my time in NH, I got an invite to the Redbull Coldrush in Silverton Mountain. Although it cut my time on the East short, I couldn't have been more happy to be a part of the event. So I jetted out on the 12th and landed in Montrose, CO on the 13th....to be continued.

Tahoe

2011-03-19T14:07:00.000-07:00

I went to Squaw one day to get some turns and after waiting in line for far too long I decided to call my roommate Nicki and head out for a hike. She hadn't used her split board yet and the conditions were all time. We went out with by friend Ming and got some of the best turns of my season.

Nicki is hooked and apparently it's puking right now in Tahoe. Looking forward to more days like this soon.

While I was in Tahoe I also celebrated the perfect CR day at Squaw with the High Fives Foundation and a bunch of good friends. The conditions got better throughout the day and it turned out to be such a special gathering. Above is Aspen Spora and his Squaw ticket.

Montana

2011-03-19T13:40:00.000-07:00

My last entry was on March 5th and I said that I would write more and it is now March 19th with no entries in between. I guess my priorities have changed and I've spent less time around my computer. After sitting in a hospital for over a month with a lot of time to be on your computer, the last thing I wanted to do is continue on behind this screen. I wanted to get outside and move around. No more fluorescent lights and lonely halls.

Gravity Magazine

2011-03-05T07:17:00.000-08:00

Josie Malet of Gravity Magazine just wrote up a lengthy article on myself. She makes me blush! To read the article click here. Thank you Josie! For all your news about ladies in action sports check back to Gravitymagazine.com. They are doing a great job and are super fun to work with. The interview was more or less a conversation, we were just getting to know each other. Josie made it easy and fun.

After a long hiatus from the blog, I promise I'll be back with vengeance. I had some issues with the computer and a lot of stuff went down since January 3rd. With time I will fill you in.

Love.

EXPN and High Fives Foundation

2011-02-09T15:34:00.000-08:00

I recently wrote this article for EXPN all about High Fives and the most recent recipient, Landon McGauley. Check it out and watch the video below for some inspiration!!

High Fives Winter Empowerment Athlete: Landon McGauley from HighFivesFoundation on Vimeo.

Early Ups

2011-01-16T16:05:00.000-08:00

For most of December and into January, I had the pleasure of watching the sunrise from the top of Squaw. Somedays I would get off the funitel in complete darkness. Other days, I would sit at the top of high camp in the freezing cold temperatures and fight to keep my hands warm while taking a few photos. The conditions were nearly perfect. The snow was light on top with and under layer of that Tahoe snow that's perfect for stomping. We had some unreal days shredding Granite Chief and Silverado, but the one thing that I always looked forward to was the sunrise.

Another Hat For Danny!

2011-01-16T15:56:00.000-08:00

Danny is continuing to make progress every day towards recovery. Last night it seemed like he was registering things that were said to him. We sat there and talked to him for a while, words of encouragement, and tears slowly fell from his eye. He was able to lift his hand up and wipe them off at times. I think he knows. I know he can hear us. Keep checking out www.dannyisthebomb.com for updates. We have created a facebook fan page as well.

I've made another hat too, pictured above. Get it here.

Thank you for the support. It means to world!

Hats for Danny

2011-01-12T00:23:00.000-08:00

Please note...don't take me seriously in this photo.

I decided to start making hats for Danny. It's something small, but it keeps my hands busy while I sit next to Danny and listen to respirator breath for him. If you haven't already, check out the site www.dannyisthebomb.com to follow his progress, share your thoughts, and donate to his recovery.

Here is a direct link to purchase the hat above: Hats for Danny. 100% of the proceeds go towards his medical costs.

High Fives Promo

2011-01-10T18:15:00.000-08:00

High Fives Non Profit Promotional video from HighFivesFoundation on Vimeo.

As I sit here on the 5th level of the Benefis hospital in the waiting room for ICU room number 5109 this video hits home. High Fives is an amazing non-profit. I've volunteered with these guys for a while now, but I hoped to never need their help. It's scary to need their help. When you're in a situation like this it's encouraging to know that High Fives exists. Thank you High Fives!

Keep updated on Danny's condition at www.dannyisthebomb.com. I'd also like to encourage you to write in your thoughts, stories, or anything that has touched you with regards to Danny and send them to donations@dannyisthebomb.com. I know he's going to wake up one day and be so amazed at all of the people that have reached out as a result of what is going on.

You can now purchase these stickers and the proceeds will go to Danny's recovery.

Danny Is The Bomb.com

2011-01-08T16:53:00.000-08:00

On the third of January, Danny Toumarkine suffered a traumatic head injury while riding up in Montana on a filming trip. He was life flighted to Benefis hospital in Great Falls, where he had emergency surgery. Since then, he’s had another surgery, a craniotomy. They cut a piece of his skull out and stored it in his abdominal area until the swelling of his brain goes down enough to reattach the piece. Danny is in stable condition.

Danny grew up in North Conway, NH. He currently lives in Tahoe City with the rest of the Shreddy Times crew. They’ve been making edits, I’m sure you’ve seen the Mike Wilson 99 Foot Rope Swing edit…yup, that was them. He rides at Northstar with the occasional day at Squaw if I can convince him to. He’s amazing, talented, funny, energetic, artistic and has the best laugh in the world (yes, it’s true). I’m currently sitting next to him in ICU room number 5109. When I look up at him my mind is flooded with amazing memories with him. I don’t know if you know Danny, but if you would like to keep track of how he’s doing, share some of your memories, or make a donation toward his recovery visit www.dannyisthebomb.com.

This is a wild experience for Danny, it’s the scariest thing I’ve ever been a part of, and Danny is an amazing addition to the Lake Tahoe community. I love this kid...he's gonna make it through. Keep the positive energy coming his way!

Rubicon With The Ladies

2010-12-08T11:47:00.000-08:00

After our legs were burnt from shredding non-stop laps at Squaw Jackie Paaso, Iris Lazz, Nicki Slechta, and I went for a little hike up Rubicon Peak. Non of us had been up there before. I personally have never done something like this with an all girls crew. It was awesome to hike a new peak and we were salivating at all the terrain in the distance. Shreddy Times put together this rad little edit of it. Hope you enjoy!

Northstar Shreddy Edit

2010-12-06T20:53:00.000-08:00

Early Season Northstar Fun from Shreddy Times on Vimeo.

Lately there's been lot's of pow to shred, but on an in between day we hit up Northstar for some park laps. Shreddy Times, once again, put this edit together of our day. Goooooood times!!

Before the snow fell...

2010-12-02T22:50:00.001-08:00

...Danny and I cruised out to Dollar Point to watch the sunset and take a few photos. Little did I know that within a week I'd be shredding waist deep pow. I don't miss the fall at all. It's been a quick and amazing change of seasons. I hope you guys are enjoying the snow!

First run down the fingers

2010-11-29T19:38:00.000-08:00

First Run Down "The Fingers" 2010 from Shreddy Times on Vimeo.

So I'm riding up the lift the other day, happened to be the first day KT22 was running, and I see my brother, Johnny, shredding straight towards the fingers. He disappeared as the chair kept moving to the top and, until I reached the bottom, I was wondering what the hell he was going to ski on the fingers!? The lines were boney and icy, no one had hit them yet. When I rolled up to the lift line, my friend yells to me, "Hey, your brother lost his pole in the fingers!" Sure enough, there it was sitting precariously on top of his line. The above movie put together by Shreddy Times tells the story best. Check it out for a good laugh. Stoked my brother was the first to hit up a line through the fingers!!

Wilson 99 footer!!!

2010-11-29T09:18:00.001-08:00

Pre Dump Shred Session with Shreddy Times!

2010-11-24T14:26:00.000-08:00

The Weekly Shredit #1 from Shreddy Times on Vimeo.

Las Vegas with Kicker

2010-11-18T19:04:00.000-08:00

I recently went to Vegas for a Kicker shoot. I left my camera in my room for the most part, but here are a few shots. We spent most of our time at the Hard Rock and shot in the new club called Vanity. The place was wild. My favorite part was the women's bathroom. Tom Tom skated the pool and we all had an awesome time at the Kicker Big Air Bash. The cars were nice, but the tail whips these guys are doing on bikes are ridiculous these days!

It's a Blackwood kind of day

2010-11-11T15:53:00.000-08:00

After seeing photos of Blackwood last night, my roommates, brother, and I couldn't resist heading up there today.

We loaded up the sleds this morning and headed out, to see for ourselves, if there really was any goods to be had.

It was a typical Tahoe day with blue sky and sun shining down.

I was especially excited to ski with my brother, Johnny.

The views were amazing and the birds were out in full force chirping away.

Dave, myself, and Nicki getting stoked to drop in our first real pow run of the year.

We skinned up this ridge to get to the goods once we dropped the sleds. The snow up top was wind buffed and soft. I didn't even hit a rock. Once we made it to the trees is was powder all the way down with fun logs and rocks to play on.

There's no where else I would rather be right here.

Hiking through the trees and scoping future lines got my mind thinking of the year to come. I can't wait for the ball to really get rolling!

My brother cruising through the winter wonderland.

Near the end of the day, the road started to melt away. It was a rad first day out on the sleds and skins. Good times in Tahoe! Let the season begin!

Trick or Treat

2010-11-09T17:47:00.001-08:00

Just a few of the Halloween Trick or Treaters that stopped by my house. I bought a ton of candy, but we had to start rationing the kids near the end of the night. I felt bad when we ran out and had to turn kids away. One kid shouted "your getting egged tonight!" as he left. Good thing that didn't happen!!

Fall in Tahoe

2010-11-02T10:25:00.000-07:00

We had our typical pre-season dusting, but since then it's back to fall days with cold nights.

Good weather for hiking and photo taking.

And photo stealing...Danny found this drop suspended in moss before I did, but I couldn't resist not taking a photo of it.

If the water wasn't so cold I would have been in there in a second!

And now we wait, we wait and we dance for snow! Get on it.

In the Depth of Food

2010-11-01T22:07:00.001-07:00

I love food and I love to cook. My roommates like to comment on my food related blog posts saying that it has absolutely nothing to do with skiing. Well, it happens to be one of my favorite things...so bare with me when I post photos of food. This one is for you Danny and Conor...coconut chicken stir-fry!

Tetris

2010-11-01T21:23:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!!!

Snow on the Ground

2010-10-26T10:26:00.001-07:00

Yesterday morning I woke up to a dusting on my deck. The heat is on at the house and the bears on making their last rounds trying to fatten up for the winter. Three bears tried to fatten up at my house last night, but it was a good thing my roommate greeted them at the door. Winter is coming and I'm excited!

Cable Car BASE Jump

2010-10-25T21:23:00.000-07:00

Cable Car BASE jump from Shreddy Times on Vimeo.

Told you before, but check Shreddy Times out!!!

Jagermeister on the Fairway

2010-10-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

Had a pleasant day on the golf coarse with my brother and dad. We found a half a bottle of Jager on the first fairway. Not saying we drank it. My dad thought someone might have spiked it, typical parent.

I golf a few times a year, but I've never actually kept score. My dad doesn't want me to feel bad about it. Today I shot a 50 and the par was 33.

Watson: 6 Months

2010-10-23T14:13:00.001-07:00

My roommates pup, lil Watson, is growing up. He's 6 months to the day today and can fit a bone and a tennis ball in his mouth at the same time.

My Girl Lel on EXPN

2010-10-23T09:17:00.000-07:00

Did this interview with Tahoe local Lel Tone on the ISSW. Check it out on EXPN!

Early Season Shred

2010-10-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

My roommates rule! Conor's (currently occupying room numero uno in mi casa) been filming a ton lately...here's Shreddy Times early season edit. Look out for more, he's got some quality footage!! Will Porter, lives in room number 2, recorded this track for the edit.

350.org

2010-10-12T08:39:00.001-07:00

This is our group shot from 10-10-10 and below is a description from John Shaw.

Wielding shovels and wheelbarrows, we gathered at the only farm in Truckee, CA to support high altitude harvests by spreading in raised beds mountains of locally generated compostable waste, which was composted on the farm. About ten tons of compostable waste was gathered this season from local sources and we spread it all in two hours!