Snow Sports
ArchivePacific Crest Heli-Guides recently announced that they will offer helicopter skiing and snowboarding in Lake Tahoe for the upcoming 2010-2011 winter season. Pacific Crest Heli-Guides teamed up with HeliTahoe to promise powder-seekers access…
When freeskier Kit DesLauriers dropped in at 29,035 feet on Mount Everest in October, she became the first person to ski off the Seven Summits. Kit, her husband, Rob, and photographer Jimmy Chin—whose exclusive images appear here—also became the first Americans to ski…
Snowboarding doesn't stop in the summertime, as far as Gretchen Bleiler is concerned. The 29-year-old Olympian has been spending time working on tricks, riding in the back country, and coaching the next generation of riders at camps…
Yes, you can snowboard in the summer. And you don't have to go to the ends of the earth to do it. Just buy a plane ticket to Portland, Oregon, and get yourself to Mt. Hood, a little over an hour's drive from the airport. Hit the…
I went snowboarding for a week on Mt. Hood in Oregon this August. I'd never boarded before, nor was I much of a skier, so the learning curve was steep. Ultimately, I survived the trip with all my body parts in tact, while managing to make some pretty sweet turns…
The La Sportiva Mountain Cup trail running series wrapped up Saturday in Taos, NM. The ten race series was won by Megan Kimmell and Ryan Woods, who both took home $5,000 for scoring the most points during the entire series. Bryon Powell, our friend over at iRunFar.com,…
Executive Editor Mike Roberts talks to Anthony Cerretani about interviewing Tony Hawk and Shaun White for cover story, The Birdman vs. The Flying Tomato. “My advice for Tony? Grow the hair out and dye it red.”—Shaun White. “Oh, God.”—Tony Hawk…
In case you didn’t make it out to Wanaka, New Zealand last week to watch the World Heli Challenge, this video will clue you in on what you missed. Sixty skiiers and snowboarders from around the…
Below, Trey Cook's friend, David Schipper, relays information from Cook and the late Fredrik Ericsson's skiing expedition on K2. This morning a memorial service was held for Fredrik at the Gilkey Memorial,just below basecamp. Trey made it back to base camp after a dangerous and challenging descent.Though…
Chogolisa (Courtesy of David Schipper) Early this morning I was woken by a call from Trey's girlfriend. 'Frippe was killed…' The bottom of my world fell out. Facts and information are impossibly inaccurate at this altitude so I got started making my way through the…
This dispatch was received on the afternoon of August 5. Below, Trey Cook's friend, David Schipper, relays information from Cook and Fredrik Ericsson's skiing expedition on K2. Today at about 2PM Moab UT time and 10 PM French time the remaining 9 climbers at camp 4 plan to begin their…
From August 3, 2010. Below, Trey Cook's friend, David Schipper, relays information from Cook and Fredrik Ericsson's skiing expedition on K2. As I was standing in line to enter the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake City UT my phone rang with the familiar 88…. prefix. A few days…
Below, Trey Cook's friend, David Schipper, relays information from Cook and Fredrik Ericsson's skiing expedition on K2. Today's call showed up on my cell phone while I was having coffee before another day at the Outdoor Retailer Show. Trey and I chatted for 7 minutes with excellent clarity and…
When the world's best skiers and snowboarders converge on a mountain in one of the most beautiful spots in the world, blizzards aren't enough to stop them. The World Heli Challenge in Wanaka, New Zealand was nearly scratched when warm storms hit the region two…
As summer racks up some of the hottest days in years aroundmuch of the nation, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort brings some thoughts of cold winter weather. They recently announced a reduced fullseason pass price, slashing the 2010-11 full season pass prices by an unheard of 25% from…
With the summit of K2 rising above us so close we feel like we could have touched it, Frippe locked into his skis and dropped into the massive 45-degree face that stretches from The Shoulder at 8000m to below Camp 3 at 7100m. This big, beautiful face…
“Dead man in Camp 2. Bulgarian.” Lakpa’s news was such a surprise, we had a hard time believing it. For one thing, the last three days of warmth and sun without a breath of wind couldn’t have been more perfect. Base camp had been a virtual ghost town, with all…
Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn holds the crystal globe she won for taking the season long Audi FIS World Cup downhill title after the final downhill race of the season in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. (Doug Haney/U.S. Ski Team) (Doug Haney/U.S. Ski Team) Lindsey…
Frippe’s voice over radio static: “I’m leaving Camp 2 now. I’ll leave the radio on. Watch for me.” From the avalanche plain at the bottom of the route I looked through the 20x lens of the video camera, straining to pick up any sort of movement, even…
Bode Miller, the 32-year old ski racer known as the best American alpine ski racer of all time, signed a contract to become a member of the U.S. Ski Team once again, the AP reports. Just this past April, Miller was…
It's 8:00 a.m., -20 F, and the winds are gusting over 60 kph (37 mph). Despite my 8,000-meter down jacket and neoprene facemask, I’m chilled to the bone and my hands are blocks of ice. I need to get moving. Frippe locks into his skis and edges…
One of life’s simple pleasures is undoubtedly snow falling on a tent while you’re dozing inside, enveloped in a cozy, warm, down cocoon. And, oh, how quickly that pleasure turns to pain when the tent is perched at 6,300 meters (20,669 feet) and the snow is being…
We awoke to the sound of driving wind and blowing snow battering the walls of the tent. It wasn’t the kind of storm that made you start scratching out a will on the side of your water bottle, but unzipping the tent door a crack and getting…
There's not much great snow up here, but there's plenty of it in the Southern Hemisphere. According to reports from Ski Portillo, in Chile, 16 inches fell last night on top of a six-foot base. The skiing is sure to be stellar, and the…
I’m just about to fall asleep when I hear a sharp crack from the ice directly beneath me. I’m not a huge fan of crevasses, and something like this would normally send me flying from the tent like I was shot from a cannon, but tonight I’m…
8:30 a.m. The pit, in and of itself, was inconclusive. When pressured with the kind of force that would represent a skier executing a silky smooth jump turn, a layer did, in fact, release, but it wasn’t the kind of sheer that shrinks your cojones and sends you tiptoeing…
The courtship has begun. Yesterday we made a reconnaissance mission up the Gondogoro glacier to catch a glimpse of the lovely face of Laila Peak. It was a perfect day–blazing sun, not a breath of wind, not a cloud in the sky. Frippe and I were the…
Base camp. It seemed as though it took us forever but we’re finally here. Two days ago, we followed a line of 23 porters as they left the terraced fields of Hushe behind and headed into the magnificent Karakorum mountains. Smiling children followed us out of town…
In the mountains, flexibility goes a long, long way. We expected to be in Askole about now, but, hey, things change, right? Our original plan was to go from Skardu to the tiny village of Askole via a long and harrowing 4×4 trail. It’s a narrow road–steep…
In the blink of an eye there was a razor to my neck. I had committed the ultimate rookie tourist error, suckered into compliance by a few friendly encounters that lulled me into dropping my guard. I was on the outskirts of a remote village in northern…
Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me. Not sure how much of a fiesta we’re going to be able to drum up in this town, but my birthday wishes are all in place and I’m super stoked to be here. A few days ago we flew…
As-Salamu alaykum, or “peace be upon you” in Arabic. After months of preparation and one long day of traveling, Fredrik Ericsson and I have finally arrived in the capital of Pakistan on the first leg of our adventure. What adventure, you…
Apolo Anton Ohno was the star of the Vancouver Olympics this winter, both as an athlete and as a media presence. At 27, he bagged a grand total of eight Olympic medals, putting him at the top of…
At first I was impressed by this snowboarding baby. But then I realized, at her age I could shove $1.05 in coins up my nose. Which just goes to show it doesn't matter what you do – it's how…
Festival organizers enlisted the Olympic half-pipe builder, Steve Petrie, and his team to create the ultimate venue at this year’s TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival. The best male and female skiers in the world — including 2010 X-Games gold medalist…
Is ski season over in the moderate climes and you're still itching to hit the slopes? Check out these destinations South of the equator (or North enough) for summertime shredding.
A man recently had an intense lift experience with a rope tow in Alta, according to backcountry.com. Let this video as a weekend warning for all you spring skiers. For more “Holy *$@!” moments,…
Defending champion Kelly Clark of Vermont won the third annual CoverGirl Snow Angels Invitational superpipe competition, held last weekend in Snowmass, Colorado. Gretchen Bleiler, Aspen's hometown hero and…
Some Utah ski hubs are not too happy with congressman Jim Matheson's plan to extend the Wasatch wilderness by 26,000 acres, thereby blocking potential expansion plans. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Snowbird would have to relinquish plans to develop White Pine Canyon…
I tore a ligament in the ankle area last August and it still gives me a bit of grief at times, though a recent ultrasound showed nothing. I'm walking around the house wearing an ASO Ankle Brace but worry that I won’t have enough flexibility in my ankle area to cross-country ski; do you have any thoughts here?—MarilynToronto, Ontario
The third boot I tried in my quest for the perfect alpine touring boot was the Dynafit Gaia TF-X, the company's premier women's alpine touring boot. (Check out tips on buying AT boots and a review of the Black Diamond Shiva in Quest, Part I and…
Here's one thing I don't get about ski culture: In November, everyone is thinking about skiing, and the skiing usually sucks. In April, everyone has their eye on the beach, and yet the skiing often rocks. Here's a secret, folks: Spring can actually be the best time to ski. Why?…
Resorts are diversifying their offers more and more to try to please as many riders as possible. A new generation of skiers wants something new, and resorts are building terrain parks to cater to them. Not only do terrain parks present a place to play, they also…
In my quest for the perfect alpine ski touring boot, my second trial pair was the Scarpa Diva, the company's premier women's Dynafit-compatible alpine touring boot. (See Quest, Part I for tips on how to buy…
Here's a video recap of the 10th annual U.S. Ski Mountaineering National Championships. The event featured 7,850 feet of ascending and descending in Jackson Hole and took on place March 21st. Contestants skinned…
The year may be young, but it's been a roller coaster of events and emotions so far for Julia Mancuso. The skier, who was the only American female Olympic gold medal winner in 2006, won two silver medals in the…
Julia Mancuso took third at the Nissan Xtreme in Verbier last weekend (video above). Not bad, considering she lacks freeskiing experience. In a Ski Magazine…
Another batch of snow in Santa Fe means one thing: Time to watch some surfing videos. You can check out the ASP WQS Vans Pier Classic at Huntington Beach live at the Vans website. The event began…
When it comes to backcountry ski gear, climbing skins might be the the least exciting things to buy. But think of them as unsung heroes. They don't look sexy, but hell, if they get gunked up with snow or don't stick, they'll ruin your day. A little care in…
Sledding, that noble winter-weekend sport, looks simple. It’s not. Here are the ten best sleds** to do it right (don’t worry, there is still plenty of snow), whether you’re a kid in the Rockies or an over-the-hiller in Flatlandia. (Watch our testing video.) 10. TSL…
If you blew it on Valentine's Day or need to earn some extra points with your snugglebuns, I have two words of advice: Aspen/Snowmass. My boyfriend Andrew and I recently splurged on a short-n-sweet weekend getaway and devised an excellent game plan, if I do say so myself. All you…
I took a trip just south of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, recently with High Mountain Heli Skiing. The day kicked off in town with introductions to the guides, an overview of safety rules for the Bell 407, avalanche safety, and transceiveruse.
You've had a season's pass to your local mountain for a decade and lap runs like they're mole hills. You're ready to hit the backcountry and maybe even some bigger lines. But how? To take it to the next level you need a good guide, and to get the…
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, said to be the Last Great Race on Earth, spans from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska, over 1,100 miles in 11 days or less. Teams cover the harshest cold weather imaginable through treacherous mountain terrain and over frozen seas. For…
These days, cutting-edge expeditions often happen because gear companies believe there's promotional gold in the combination of top outdoor athletes, dream adventures (like skiing first descents in the mountains of Antarctica), and cool Web images from the bottom of the world. Does it work? Heck if I know. But it sure was fun being a content provider.
Not in person. On a Wheaties box. Wheaties recently announced the athletes to be featured on their famed boxes. Vonn (the best female skier in the world?), Shaun White, and Seth Wescott were all chosen…
The 2010 Iditarod is underway. As of this post, Sebastian Schnuelle was in first place and fan favorite Lance Mackey was in 14th, although the race is far from over. The 1,150-mile…
Target has announced its stores will soon be carrying Shaun White Shoes, which will…
It's been years since I bought my first alpine touring set-up, and I'm long overdue for an upgrade. So this season I set about testing all sorts of equipment in search of the perfect quiver. Step one: boots. I tested four pairs: the Black Diamond Shiva, Scarpa Diva, Dynafit Gaia,…
This past weekend, not one but two groups of snowboarders got lost while riding the gnarly backside of Maine’s Sugarloaf ski resort. Five snowboarders ducked the ropes Friday and were rescued later that night. Four more went out of bounds Sunday and were rescued Monday. Now Sugarloaf plans to stick…
Olympic viewers will remember Alexandre Bilodeau as the first athlete to win gold for Canada in Vancouver in the men's moguls. He's also the first Canadian ever to win a gold medal on home soil. But just as memorable…
The Olympics have officially wrapped up, and in case you missed the major events of the last week of the Games in Vancouver, here's our list of the best moments: 5. Canada beat the U.S. in men's hockey, 3 to 2, in an overtime…
Olympic gold-medalist Shaun White was a guest last night on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He's also on the cover of this month's…
If you're a safety-savvy backcountry skier, snowboarder or other traveler, there are a few snow-stability tests you know. Traditional tests are designed to show you the weak layers in the snow, but often they don't show you the likelihood those layers will propagate into a big avalanche. Now there's a…
Kris Freeman, 29, has admittedly had a disappointing Olympics. He came in with high hopes and expectations but did not meet his targets. He took a wrong turn in his first race, had a diabetes-related problem in his second race,…
Gretchen Bleiler, 28, won silver in the women’s halfpipe in Turin in 2006, but it turns out 2010 isn’t her year in the Olympics–she wound up 11th in Vancouver, after tumbling into the pipe. She’s not dwelling on the loss, though. Bleiler will go right back…
Ted Ligety didn't do so hot in the 2010 Winter Olympics.He came in fifth in the super combined, 19th in the super-G, ninth inthe giant slalom, and he didn't get to finish the slalom…
With many of the U.S. Olympians taking themselves rather seriously these days, this video is a refreshing change of tone: Norwegian alpine ski team members dance to Michael Jackson's “Beat It” on the top of a snowy mountain…in matching spandex, ski boots, and helmets. I think Norway just got a…
Lindsey Vonn missed a gate in the slalom today and did not finish the race. About 16 seconds into her first run, her right ski flew wide on a gate and she was unable to pull her skis back together, causing her to straddle the…
Hannah Teter, 23, came into Vancouver as the reigning champion in the women's halfpipe. She ended up not repeating a gold performance–but she did win the silver. Teter is a big star in the snowboarding…
I'm heading out on a mini hut trip this weekend, which means it's time to gather up all the necessary gear and check it twice. I treat packing for a hut trip like packing for car camping in a two-door Honda Civic. You want some comforts but not so many…
Lindsey Vonn crashed out of the first run of the giant slalom today, with snow blowing and fog hanging in the air. She would have won the race, but at 150 yards from the finish line, her left ski slipped as she rounded a gate,…
The Four Seasons Whistler has a new definition of “up close and personal” when it comes to the Olympics: the new Ski With An Olympian package. Schralp the continent's longest vertical drop with World Cup downhill champ and three-time Olympian Cary Mullen, Olympic silver medalist Hilary Lindh, or current…
Hey there, Olympics fanatics. Here's a recap of what went down this weekend, in case you had to step away from your comfy couch: 5. The U.S. has racked up 24 medals so far, putting it at the top of the country…
The obvious thing to do after you win an Olympic medal is to go out and party, right? That’s precisely what Scotty Lago did after snagging the bronze in the snowboard halfpipe event last week. Unfortunately he didn’t get the memo about nixing the lewd and suggestive victory poses—or at…
A lot of Americans have done well at the Olympics in Vancouver. Regardless of how they've finished, we want to know which skier or snowboarder you'd most want to head downhill with. Tell us what you think in the poll below. And don't forget, this week you can follow us…
Torah Bright of Australia has won the gold in the women's halfpipe. Americans Hannah Teter and Kelly Clark won the silver and bronze, respectively. Teter was the winner in the 2006 Games, and Clark was the winner in 2002.