On Mountain Memes
Everyone else is getting into memes so we thought we'd post some. Do you have a favorite? Share a link!
Should I go skiing this weekend?
It is a question that haunts us too. We've created a flow chart to help you figure out what to do.
Ski-thru Starbucks
Take a look at the first Ski-Thru Starbucks at Squaw Valley, CA:
I remember the good ole days of Waffle Haus halfway down the slope at Okemo Mountain in Vermont. I'd ski up, get a coffee, and relax on the picnic tables nearby with friends and then continue down to another lift. Because I've done this before, I can't exactly say that this Starbucks has an original concept. It is new that you can order anything off of the vast Starbucks menu but coffee on the go is not unique. Also, if you take a close look at the video, you'll see that this building is attached to the rest of the lodge. I'm not so sure how convenient it would be to get back to the lift. Would you go get your frappaccino here? Everything being said, I know I would.
It’s a little early but…
I know it's a little bit early for this but...
Yosemite HD from Project Yosemite on Vimeo.
anyone want to go camping this summer?
1st Ever Winter Teva Games at Vail This Weekend!
Who is heading up to Vail for the 2012 Winter Teva Games this weekend?! Competition starts today so try and get up there ASAP! This is the 1st year the winter event will take place and the action is looking more exciting than ever. These epic games consist of a plethora of winter events with a combination of snow/summer sports. Take for example the Bike Big Air Best Trick; A massive snow booter for insane mountain bike athletes to huck off of. Then there is the Telemark Big Air; Free heelin' animals going huge off the booter. Did I mention the Mixed Climbing competition? Rock, ice, pointy axes and crampons? Intense! This is a weekend jam packed with all sorts of adrenaline pumping, heart stopping comps, parties and giveaways ( Free gear? Yes please!). Take a look at this year's preview videos.
2012 Winter Games Preview
2012 Winter Bike Events
2012 Winter Climbing
2012 Ski Mountaineering
Best of luck to all of this year's competitors. Be sure to dress warm and I'll see you on the sidelines for this year's 2012 Winter Teva games!
Early Bird Rail Jam
Who knew that there was an early season rail jam at Winter Park this year? This video will make you wish you were there. There is barely any snow, I don't know how the skiers and riders made it through the night! Watch the video for a peek at how they built the course, some of the best tricks (front flip without a lip is my favorite) and some of the best falls (I like when two of the guys collide). Enjoy the SFC Early Bird Rail Jam brought to you by many companies including Hestra Gloves!
SFC's Early Bird Rail Jam | 2011 from Josiah Holwick on Vimeo.
Sit-Ski Backflip!
Take a minute to watch this amazing video. It is the story of a skier who broke his back and became paralyzed from a backflip. It is also a story of the first man to do a backflip on a sit-ski. Watch as he and some friends build a massive kicker in the backcountry of Whistler, Canada to make this dream come true.
Weekend Funny: Slow Motion
Here are some slow motion Go-Pro shots from the X Games in Aspen. You might think that two and half minutes of slow motion shots would be boring but to be honest, they really suck you in. Pretty cool to see someone mid-rail or mid-grab. There is one shot where the dude is upside down in the superpipe and the whole mountain background is sideways in HD glory.
Anyone have funny captions for these shots? Leave in the comments with the time of the shot!
Next Year’s Trends
The Powder7.com crew spent the past week at the Snowsports Industries of America Snow Show and On-Snow Demo. What did we see? Amazing color combinations, new technology, and old friends. It is always a fun show to go to because everyone is there and it is THE unveiling of new 2013 skis for us.
Some new trends are new women's skis, splitboards, more rocker types, and AT bindings. Basically, Alpine Touring is going off in the retail world. We'll be carrying more AT gear next year so don't worry. Despite less-than-perfect backcountry conditions this year, there is still a great desire for more lightweight skis, easy to use bindings, and tricked out packs. Next year Nordica is coming out with a women's sidecountry line. Finally a selection of solid women's AT skis! Amy and I tried them out and they're definitely going to amaze. This new line up has a double i Core for lightweight, yet solid, skiing with a full vertical sidewall for torsional stability. The topsheet graphics are great and let the wood show through. There were a lot more splitboards on display including new women's splitboards from multiple companies! Rocker is still a huge trend in the industry. We'll see new rockered ski shapes from Head in their men's and women's skis too. Marker lightened up their Duke AT bindings. As part of their Access All Areas collection, Tyrolia has a new AT binding called the Adrenalin. It was created to compete with the Marker Duke and Baron. We're excited to see how it is received. Watch the video below for all the info on the Adrenalin.
This past Monday, Amy, Jordan, and Jamie competed in an AT challenge: the SIA On Snow Uphill Downhill challenge. Basically they had to skin up the slope and then ski down through moguls and slalom gates to the finish. Powder7.com didn't win but we had a good showing. It was definitely a challenge. Congrats to the team for finishing!
Amy is in the blue pants and red jacket. (via "2012 SIA Snow Show Photos" siasnowshow.snowsports.org)
Another thing we did this year at SIA is look at snowboards. That's right, next season, Powder7 will be a ski and board shop. We won't have demo boards but we will carry new boards, boots, and bindings. Let us know if there are any particular products you're looking for. We're stoked to expand! Don't worry, we'll still be the experts at recommending skis giving you a personal shopping experience every day.
Getting ready for Winter X Games: Bobby Brown
Oh the life of a pro skier! Take a look at what Smith Optics rider Bobby Brown has been doing to get ready for the X Games this weekend. We have to root for Bobby because he's from Denver. Although he got through elimination in 3rd place, he only placed 7th in the Men's Ski Slopestyle Finals. His new trick is the triple cork 1440. Let's hope for a better result in Men's Ski Big Air this Saturday!
Watch this video for a closer look at the guy behind the IOs.