Mountain Weekly News ~

Apparently the folks over at Burton Snowboards have started listening to new music as the brand just announced a partnership with Gwen Stefani, introducing the Burton L.A.M.B Collection.

According to Anne-Marie Dacyshyn, Burtons VP or Marketing “I’m a huge fan of Gwen Stefani. She’s strong, stunning, ridiculously talented and intelligent. She’s a powerful paradox, ie., a sophisticated punk, and is an ideal blend of edgy and elegant”.

I’m wondering if these two met at Coachella perhaps and came up with idea to collaborate?

Anne-Marie Dacyshyn (far right) at Burton Pool Party 2015 Coachella..

This is the second time the L.A.M.B. x Burton collection has come to the market and this year will feature a variety of outerwear, accessories and layering pieces and some sweet new snowboard boots, goggles, luggage and a even helmet.

Last week we announced Burton’s partnership with Disney Snowboards, so it seems they are really going after the Women’s market.

Gwen Stefani SKIING* in the new Burton line? Picture by: Sharpshooter Images

I could not find any photos of Gwen snowboarding for this article, however it does look like from the picture above she knows how to ski? Maybe Burton’s Learn to Ride program can get her knuckle dragging perhaps?

When Gwen was asked about the 2015/2016 L.A.M.B Collection she had this to say ““This new L.A.M.B. x Burton collection is literally the coolest winter wardrobe I’ve ever seen! This season has a punk rock vibe that feels very modern and fresh. We let our imagination run wild and expanded the collection into a full winter dream closet! I love the clashing prints, tons of patches and the new punker pant with signature bum flap. I cannot wait to rock it this winter!”

2016 Burton Snowboard Ramone Moto jacket

Weirdness aside, I do think punk rock and leopard prints go hand in hand in snowboarding.. Josh Malay would surely agree! (miss ya buddy)

The post Burton Snowboards Teams up with Gwen Stefani for New Collection appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Mike Hardaker.

Mountain Weekly News ~

VERMONT, USA – It’s been a weird few days for actor Randy Quaid and his wife Evi whom were arrested while trying to enter the United States after having spent the past 5 years living in Canada. The Quaids were held in custody for a week before Vermont Superior Court Judge Alison Arms ruled “there was no probable cause to hold the couple in Vermont.”

What gets even weirder is Randy was hired on to be the Director of Marketing for Burton Snowboards. This move makes sense as Burton is now focusing on pop culture instead of snowboarding and when we think of pop culture, Kingpin star Randy Quaid, although a bit aloof surely fits the bill.

According to CNN “After arriving in Canada five years ago, the Quaids announced they were seeking asylum there because they feared “Hollywood star whackers” were after them.

They described the purported murderers as accountants, lawyers and embezzlers who they claimed were responsible for the death of actor Heath Ledger, whom Randy Quaid appeared with in “Brokeback Mountain.” Ledger died in New York in 2008 from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs, according to authorities. ”

Our thoughts are that if the Quaids stay put in Vermont they shouldn’t have too many run-in’s with Hollywood stars outside of the Burton Headquarters. Now within the wall of Burton, that’s a totally different thing. They have people like Shaun White, Gwen Stefani and even Greg Dacyshy hanging out so you know they are core.

Cheers to our friends at Burton, and if you can’t understand this satire, move on..

While your at it check out who has the best beards in snowboarding.

The post Randy Quaid Tries to Enter United States, Ends up in Jail and Gets a Job as Director of Marketing for Burton appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Mike Hardaker.

Mountain Weekly News ~

We just got this video sent over from Red Bull with some serious noboarding stoking going on up in BC from last season. Sit back and enjoy, winter will be here soon.

Wondering where to find pow this winter? Well my article from last year should suit you well. El Nino is back and if you liked last winter you will LOVE this winter

And if you’re looking for more nobording stoke, check out some of the Never Summer boys noboarding at Berthoud Pass in Colorado

The post noboarding at the GT Memorial Race appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Mike Hardaker.

Mountain Weekly News ~

With the ever present hype of El Niño for the 2015/2016 Season, we are all beginning to sweep the dust off of our gear and see what is needed for the upcoming winter. With snowboards a dime a dozen these days, here are a couple boards that are more then few steps outside the box to take into consideration for this season!

Nitro’s Quiver Series Cannon

Nitro teamed up with Powder aficionados, Austin Smith and Bryan fox to create the Quiver Series. This is a 3 part series including the quiver Cannon, Mountain, and Pow. All of which were created for different powder riding scenarios.

We are focusing in on the burliest board of the bunch, the Quiver Cannon. This board is not for the faint of heart. Blazing in at a size of 183 cm, this board is meant to be ridden in the deepest powder, and steepest lines, where turning is optional. With the cam out camber and its tapered swallowtail, you can say this board won’t be getting bogged down on the deep days anytime soon. If your looking at straightlining some serious lines, this would be the stick that would allow that.

Korua Asytoni

Next up on the list we have the Korua Asytoni. Korua is an emerging Swiss based snowboard company that is making creative shapes for ripping powder turns. With a unique spin on their 6 board line, each shape holds something different then the last. With almost every deck being a swallow tail, it’s easy to say that these boards are pow slayers.

The Asytoni is an Asymmetrical board that you can get specifically for a regular or goofy rider. Clocking in at 168 cm in length, this board will run wild if you’re willing to go along for the ride. The asymmetry on this gives you that extra turning power on your frontside turns making the nose easier to swing around at that length. The float camber they have on every board is camber, binding to binding, with the nose being rockered for ultimate float and stability underfoot. This is a creative, unique board that is tried and true on the lines in AK. If your looking to turn some heads with a one of a kind board,that is capable to go to the edge if not past it, this would be a great option.

Rider Type:Side/Backcountry Powderhound

Lib Tech T. Rice Pro

Lib Tech, if you haven’t heard of them I’m sure you live under a rock. With every year being a different shape, or different graphic made by the legend Jamie Lynn, it’s easy to see why they are a snowboard powerhouse. With a strong connection with Jackson hole local, Travis Rice, we will be targeting his pro model. Probably one of the most versatile boards on the market with sizes from 150-164.5, and the option for blunted or pointed ends if you’re looking for more of a park specific or powder specific option. The camber profile on this is the C2BTX, or rocker between your feet, then camber, and rocker again on the nose and tail. With the addition of magne-traction edges, this makes it a great turning board that will engage its edge very quick, and precise. You also have the option to get the Travis rice pro in a HP (Horse power) version that is made with higher quality material, making it lighter and stronger. As well you can select the Split version, with Karakoram clips included.

The Travis Rice Pro deck is going to be a great board for people looking to get an entire range of riding out of one board. From park kickers, to pow lines and cliff drops, ripping turns on a steep groomer or just casually cruising with your buddies on a low vis day, this board is meant to do it all.

Smokin Pow Wow

The Lake Tahoe based board company Smokin Snowboards, although mainly known for their quality park snowboards. Released a couple great additions to their line, the Jetson, and the Pow Wow. The shape on these boards speaks for themselves. The Pow Wow in particular, with a big, rockered nose for maximum float and camber from the front foot back to the tail, makes for a solid feeling underfoot. You can also add in the Mellow Mag technology (similar to magne-traction with less contact points) knowing your turning and edge hold will be all time.

The Pow wow is going to be a dynamic all mountain board. Mainly being ridden in one direction, but the option to ride switch if you want to mix things up. The superior edge control and camber profile also make this a powder missile if mother nature provides,there is no doubt you will have a blast on this thing! That is probably why they also offer this board in a split version as well. This board is going to be for someone who loves to ride both on and off piste conditions with amazing handling while turning.

OZ Alpenglow Split

I have been following these guys progression over the past three years, and it’s safe to say they are doing it right. The Colorado based company has been pressing boards out of their 100% wind powered shop, trying to be as eco friendly as a snowboard brand can be while still producing great shred sticks.

The Alpenglow is Oz’s flagship splitboard. Offering sizes from 154 to 164, and women’s specific sizes of 154,and 157. The Alpenglow offers a micro camber in between the bindings with rocker on the nose and tail. That being said, this is going to be a splitboard for any condition. Oz has developed their own locking system they call SPLITLOCK. What this is, is a beveled edge on the inside of the board. Instead of two flat surfaces pressed together, they slide into one another,ensuring a close,tight fit. They also offer this in a tour ready package, that includes skins, poles, pucks and bindings which is a great feature for someone looking at buying their first split set up.

This is going to be a great board for someone who is looking for an American made, light, strong splitboard that can handle anything your willing to charge down. Pressed by riders for riders.

I’m sure as a rider, that one of these boards has caught your eye if not several. From the well known to the obscure. These are going to be my top 5 picks to look out for for this upcoming 2015/2016 winter!

Hope the turns are deep..

The post Quiver Killer Snowboards Perfect for this seasons deep El Niño! days appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Cody C.

Mountain Weekly News ~

While the continued globalization of snowboarding and economical overseas manufacturing has caused many brands to build boards outside of North America, a number of great brands are still churning out quality product on American soil. These brands have stayed true to their image while giving back to the mountain communities that support them. As a result, some of the most innovative snowboard technology and design characteristics have come from these companies. You can’t beat the ability to mount a fresh deck at the factory and hit the local mountain the same day. If you’re looking for a quality product made by other snowboarders that genuinely care about you tearing up the mountain on the board they make, look no further than your own

Mervin MFG

This Northwest powerhouse has been innovating and continuously turning out high tech quality goods since 1977. Including LibTech, GNU, and now Roxy, the Mervin influence is widespread throughout snowboarding. From the introduction of Banana tech and Magne-traction to the basalt surfboards built for the fickle NW surf, Mervin always has something in the works up in the forests of Washington. The technology doesn’t stop at board performance; Mervin has been environmentally focused since day one, with the world’s most environMENTAL snowboard factory constantly innovating and turning out some of the planet’s most eco-conscious boards.

Never Summer

Busting at the seams with Colorado pride, this brand is known for its durability and hybrid approach to park and freeride terrain. A constantly changing lineup of snowboards and longboards has kept fans happy since 1983, making Never Summer one of the longest lasting brands in the USA. Their approach of quality over marketing has kept their image consistent while carving out a healthy Colorado niche from the Denver, Co factory.

Signal snowboards

Out of southern California, Signal snowboards has been taking a different approach to the snowboard industry with a focus on the artistic aspect of making snowboards and the riding community. Being a small company, Signal focuses on relations with riders through programs such as their Every Third Thursday and six month snowboard payment plan with bonus goodies. Ideas like these have kept Signal innovative in the marketing department, helping to grow into a core snowboarding audience.

Tahoe Lab Snowboards

In the early days of splitboarding, Abe and Lee of TahoeLab came together with a plan to make boards that were built to handle the abuse of harsh backcountry treatment while still being able to RIP. Completely handmade from start to finish with hand profiled bamboo cores and full carbon fiber, the attention to detail and final tuning of these boards provide quality and durability from day one. Keeping focused on a few solid designs that function excellently whether split or solid has led to a very well refined shape with amazing all-around characteristics.

Prior

Coming out of Whistler, Prior has been a mainstay of the BC freeride community since 1990. Handcrafted boards and skiis come out of their custom factory just down the road from WhistlerBlackcomb, making for a rapid year-round R&D setup. The company is well connected with the community and offers free factory tours to those who want to witness their board’s conception. Boasting a solid freeride lineup, award winning splitboards, and a small backcountry gear shop upstairs, these folks know how to get you setup for a real Canadian powder adventure.

The post North Americas Greatest Snowboard Manufactures Built By Hand appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Jonathan Penfield.

Mountain Weekly News ~

A few years back the options available to splitboarders were mighty lean. If you weren’t comfortable operating a band-saw and converting your old rock-board into a janktastic DIY split, the field was populated by products best imagined as the last kid to get picked for, well, just about anything; The interface/bond was tenuous, graphics and performance questionable, and the early bindings-systems resembled head-gear normally reserved for nocturnal use. That is, the early manufactured offerings were ugly-ass ducklings.

Splitboards and splitboarding have grown up a bit now, and the awkward, web-footed, clumsy contraptions have morphed into some pretty good looking ganders.

Here are a few you’ll want to add to your bird-spotting list, presented here from behind the Mountain Weekly blind.

Never Summer: Prospector Split

Never Summer Prospector Splitboard Photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News

Full-disclosure here, I’ve coveted my friends’ Never Summer splits for a while. US-made, Colorado-made, whatever, my interest has more to do with what I can only guess is the “elastomeric underfoot stabilizers” working in concert with an encyclopedia-worth of other tech and comfort features; There are no heated seats, but the dampening effect underfoot on the downhill, and the rocker profile when climbing, are design considerations you can actually feel doing what they’re supposed to. I’d probably switch out the Chinese hooks for K-clips, but would be hard-pressed to mod anything else. Never Summer altered the industry with multiyear warranties, and they stand behind a dang good product.

Review | Shop Online

Venture Snowboards: Whatever you can find

Two of our favorite people in the shred world, Lisa and Klem Branner Photo Transworld Business

Oh, Venture. Silverton, Colorado-manufactured radness, I rode Venture boards for eight years. While they’re taking a hiatus this season, there are lots of long-term Venture fans hoping that Klem, Lisa and the crew will stage a comeback. The Storm split was my go-to board in the Himalayas, throughout BC and the U.S, while more recently the Odin has been great fun while integrating some trickery into my bag of backcountry moves. While watching for a Venture this year may be like Waiting For Guffman or bagging a unicorn, it’s a classy brand that has a reputation for solid, bomb-proof product. Consider yourself lucky if you can find one available at secondhand!

Come back Venture!

Lib Tech: Travis Rice Split HP

Aside from producing some of the best boards in the world, Mervin Manufacturing also has some of the best infographics. Horses flying aeroplanes? Awesome. If you’re looking for a splitboard that features industry-leading ecological construction, proven technological performance (Magne-Traction, etc) and an established reputation as a multi-year production model, this is a board you’ll want to check out. Made in the USA and with an obvious connection between Travis and Wyoming, expect to see this Parillo-spiced top-sheet on skin-tracks throughout the region.

Review To Follow | Shop Online

Arbor: Abacus Split

I love Arbor’s design aesthetic; their decks always look like they’d be totally relaxed sitting in a micro-roastery surrounded by distressed-wood-pallet walls and masonry jars full of micro-brewed shaving lather… So yeah, they make beautiful, hip boards, but the artisanal vibe doesn’t end at the top-sheet, it’s at work throughout the entire split. The Abacus bonds an old-world craftsman vibe with real-world materials, their Wyoming-heavy pro-team vetting the boards and getting the goods; Mark Carter and Bryan Iguchi are no slouches, the Abacus sticking it to lazy koalas by way of a genuine eucalyptus top-sheet and a variety of other mind-full materials. In all seriousness, though, their ecology-based mindset is inspiring, their “Returning Roots” program a great way to give back.

Full Review | Shop Online

Jones: Explorer Split

Jones Explorer is at home in the Tetons Photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News

The Explorer Split is a terrifically versatile entry-level splitboard. The design isn’t that of an over-the-top, concept-heavy quiver addition, rather, it’s a well-designed stepping-stone for those new to the backcountry or to folks on a reasonable budget. Like the Lib Tech Travis Rice Split, the Explorer features Magne-Traction (albeit a more mellow version), and the finished product incorporates some thoughtful environmental considerations, too; recycled steel edges, Bio-wax factory wax, and a 1% For The Planet commitment. I also like the skins-tensioning notches built into the design, a nice way to cut down on overloading the swear-jar when making tracks!

Full Review | Shop Online

Olive: Numbchuck Split

Emery Stoesser rocking the Numbchuck Splitboard Photo Dustin Leclerc – Road to Nowhere Photography

Both a color and a garnish, Olive has been pressing skateboards and snowboards for two decades in Edmonton, Alberta. Their Numbchuck split features an elongated nose and shorter, flat tail. The overall profile is flat giving you great float in the deep stuff while holding an edge when you need it. As a small brand it’s unlikely you’ll see it in a shop near you, but the US-Canadian exchange rate is so screamingly good right now this is a split you may want to snag for your quiver. I mean, nunchucks? Who are we to say no? K-clips lock this unit together and it is Jasper-approved.

Full Review to Follow | Shop Online

Furberg: Freeride Split

Made in Norway, Furberg is advancing some pretty cool design features into their ‘boards, and the Freeride Split benefits from the bunch of them. Never mind it looks like a bleached pickle, the innovative sidecut, camber and materials selection has already won them some serious accolades in big-mountain Euro circles. My buddy Wiggles just wrapped up a season in New Zealand and is officially a Furberg super-fan, the man usually destroying a board or three each season; his Freeride split is returning to Canada intact, something to be said for durability in design.

The post Divide and Conquer: 2016 Splitboards appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Tyler Bradley.

Mountain Weekly News ~

Who’s to blame here? Surfing has taken over mountain towns for years, even those located far from the nearest ocean. How is that so? Well back before snowboarding as you know it today, there were guys (most likely surfers) who thought “hey I bet I can slide on snow too.”

Look mom, no hands. Professional snowboarder Rob Kingwill ripping on Teton Pass Photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly

For all the modern day shred reading this, do you like riding with high backs? Well it’s all due to one man, you can thank Jeff Grell who is also a snowsurfer and founder of Snowsurfing International. Grell not only invented the highback but he also started the first snowboard school in Aspen, Colorado. And to top it all off Jeff knows a little bit about surfing in the ocean too from his role as executive director of the Professional Surfing Tour of America. Back when Jeff started sliding around without bindings they would simply call it “boarding”.

Jeff Grell – Mountain Boy Gulch Photo Grell Family Archives

Another much young pioneer in the sport is Jeremy Jenson who although lives in Utah embodies the surf / shred life to the fullest “I have surfed a bunch of times, I grew up obsessed with surfing at a young age but have been landlocked in Utah my whole life. Surfing turned me to skateboarding, then snowboarding… then powsurfing. – Jeremy Jenson Grassroots Powdersurfing

Jeremy Jenson ripping the JHMR backcountry on his Grassroots board Photo Grassroots

Now you might get confused with some of the lingo mentioned in the article, are these snow surfers, powdersurfers, or noboards? Personally my feeling is there’s really no need to separate our tribe any farther then it already is. Regardless of what you call it noboarding, powdersurfing or snow surfing … if you dig the feeling of sliding on snow you will dig riding sans bindings..

Surfs Up in Boston, MA 1978

Mark Halseth was possibly the world first Professional Snow Surfer, he actually found a yellow Snurfer on a frozen lake in Minnesota and being a Californian knew exactly what to do with this board. Fast forward to the age of 60 and “it’s so important for me to share snow surfing with a new generation, it has been a major force in my life”. – Mark Halseth Snow Surfer Productions

And the sickbird award goes to Mark Halseth pointing it on his Snow Surfer

And another cool company making boards is PHNX Boards, founded by Steve Geiger, in Massachusetts. According to Steve, “The PHNX Board is really for “snurfing” rather than powder surfing or pow surfing. Snurfing is generally done with a shorter, narrower board for smaller hills with a few to several inches of snow. While we are developing a longer, wider board for deeper powder surfing, our market is back yards and back hills more than mountains, where there is a ton of untracked snow waiting to be claimed. What we did with the PHNX Board is take the original snurfer concept and add a totally new kind of binding, what we call the “Rip-Cord Binding/Brake System”. It retains the step-on, step-off ease of a no-binding board, but actually holds you on for greater control and jumpability.”

Although there is a binding of sorts, we still consider this to be in the snow surf category because it isn’t a fixed binding. Checkout the photo of Kinger laying into a turn on the PHNX board below.

Rob Kingwill on a PHNX Board Photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News

Whats interesting to note is the fact that most of the companies and people listed in this article started out on the east coast. When the waves are flat and your local hills are the same, people tend to adapt especially these pioneers that helped shape the sport of snowboarding.

If these don’t look like fun, your clearly reading the wrong website, get stoked winter is near!

At the end of the day, you’re guaranteed without fail to have a heck of a time enjoying whatever you decide to call the art of sliding around on snow without bindings.

This is Part 1 of our Snow Surfing series, check back next week for full reviews on all these boards and more info on how this all came to be. One man whom unfortunately passed away in an avalanche and is credited for the modern day assault without bindings is Greg Todd.. (seen in the video above)

The post A Look at NoBoarding, Powder Surfing and Snow Surfing’s Legendary Roots appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Mike Hardaker.

Mountain Weekly News ~

I think it stems from when we are little, and you threw on whatever snow pants “fit”. Of course, snow would get down your pants and your back would be red by the time you got back inside. Now as an adult, when you go to buy your own pair of snowboard pants you might pick a familiar brand with no expectations for how they should perform. Snowboarding is not the new kid on the block anymore; fit and function mean something in the world of developing snowboard gear. Here’s a bit about what women really need in snowboard pants.

There are many different styles of snowboard pants today. A tighter, form fitting style. A loose baggy pant, or a regular active fit. With any of these styles, you need to look at where the pants sit on your waits. You will want to have back coverage while bending over to strap your bindings. It is also important that the leg cuffs fit over your boots, but they shouldn’t be too long that they drag on the ground. Finally, make sure you have a nice range of motion in your snowboard pants, look for details like a gusseted crotch or articulated knees (Burton Status Pant).

Snowboard pants have a few key functions that are important. There are a variety of warmth levels to consider, make sure you evaluate what you need. Insulated pants will keep you warm while a shell will allow you to layer as needed. Your snowboard pants should be waterproof. A snowboard pant that is water resistant doesn’t cut it anymore, especially for long days on the mountain. A big bonus these days are the snowboard pants that connect to jackets within the same brand. Volcom and Patagonia (Checkout the Powder Bowl Pants) are two brands that allow for a connection between the pants and jacket, making a snow proof suit.

Or consider getting bibs for big powder days (Arc’teryx Alpha AR) If you can get the ideal fit you want with these functions you know you will love rocking those pants.

Now when you look for new snow pants, check out the specs. Not all brands are up to par yet, but if we buy what we need, more brands will get the point.

The post What Women REALLY Want in pair of Snowboard Pants appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Stephanie Buelow.

Mountain Weekly News ~

With the holiday season I have a ton to be thankful for especially as of late. I’m sober, healthy and feeling mental clarity that you can cut with a knife. With that I wanted to daydream about some of the best lines I have ridden on my snowboard.

#1 Haines, AK

Back in 2008 I found myself in Haines, Alaska for the first time and wow was it an eye opener. My buddy Donnie Holtine and I headed north with very little beta. At the time the ski and snowboard industry was keeping Haines under wraps. When you would see these insane spine lines in the mags they were simply credited :South East Alaska.. And then the movie Lines from big mountain Snowboarder Axel Pauporté came out, which showed a behind the scenes look at the big mountain snowboard community and where everyone was hanging out annually in the spring, that town was called Haines, Alaska.

As a snowboarder or skier, do yourself a favor and book a heli trip sometime…(PS I was scare shitless in this photo)

Having never ridden a heli and being scared of heights, it was an interesting experience to say the least. Especially when the pilots were operating in a more cowboy style back in the day. It took us a few days to get our legs and minds ready for the bigger lines and then I found myself following our guide Porchy out onto this knife ridge shown below, if you fell odds are it would have = death.

Haines no biggie, Photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News

After navigating the ridge I found myself looking down the most perfect untracked big mountain wave of a snowboard line. I was about to experience the best and most expense drug of all time.

What dreams are made of Haines, AK 2008

#2 Dead Dog Couloir, Colorado

Couple years later and my taste for the big mountains was growing. In May of 2010 the timing was right to attempt to ski one of Colorado’s classic 14,000 foot peaks the Dead Dog Couloir. I actually wrote a trip report about that adventure which can be seen HERE so I will keep this short. I left my house at 4:30am and didn’t get home until well after dark. This was the longest and one of the most rewarding days I have ever spent in the mountains while being in the company of a solid crew. I think everyone was floored when we reached the summit and looked down to see blower untracked powder at 14,000 feet.

Colorado doing its best AK impression, Photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News

#3 Ferry Peak, Wyoming

All the stars have to be in alignment for an attempt at skiing or riding Ferry Peak in Wyoming. Ferry Peak is essentially a heavy zone south of Jackson that offers massive spine lines, big open bowls and avalanche run outs with debris piles 3 stories tall. This is not the sort of place to take chances or mess around or you will die in the mountains. That being said last winter after a solid early season snowfall conditions in the Tetons got dry and warm. As the snowpack started to settle mountaineers were starting to explore bigger lines. Numerous people skied off the summit of the Grand Teton and all around the surrounding peaks. Knowing the snowpack was stable, the weather was in our favor, Daniel Frohma, Nathaniel Murphy and myself made a plan to ski Ferry Peak.

Ferry Peak Wyoming Backcountry Photo Daniel Frohman | Mountain Weekly News

Our adventure to the summit of Ferry Peak took some time. I have no clue why I didn’t write up a trip report about this? But I will be sure to start these again during the 2016 season. About 70% of the time we toured with our splitboards before it started getting steep. At this point Nathaniel manned up by putting a boot pack up the remainder of the face. There was a crux near the top with rotten snow that had me puckered for a solid 5 minutes. I couldn’t move a muscle, some how I didn’t fall down the entire mountain and take Daniel out in the process, what a relief. When I got to the top of the crux I laid on the snow so freaking thankful, this is how people can get served in the mountains. One wrong step and I would have take a ride..

Our original plan was to ride the spines, however temps were way to warm so we opted for the NE face of Cascade peak.

Possibly a once in a lifetime line, I’m cool with that

Needless to say that line didn’t suck! Riding Ferry Peak was one the most fun days I have had snowboarding in Wyoming to date. One word of advise is please don’t even consider riding this zone unless your avalanche forecasting skills are strong, you have good route finding skills, and have called your parents to say I love you. Even then it’s still a roll of the dice…

The post A Look at 3 of my all time Favorite Snowboard Lines… So far appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Mike Hardaker.

Mountain Weekly News ~

Backcountry! It’s all the rage these days, however anytime you leave the resort boundaries or head out into the wilderness on your own, a few simple steps will help to keep you alive. And actually there is really only one skill and couple tools you need…

Step 1

Take an Avalanche class, you really want to start here. Stop geeking out on new Airbags, beacons, and other gear that will only get you way over you head. Speaking of head this brings us to the most important tool you will ever need for skiing or riding in the backcountry, are you ready for it. It’s called your brain and we all have one. Now start using it..

My recommendation is to signup for a basic Avalanche Level I class through an AIRE provider. If you live in a mountain town, odds are there is a class near you this winter. Pay attention in the classroom and take notes!

AIARE Avalanche course with Jackson Hole Mountain Guides, Photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News

Step 2

Learn how to read terrain and slope angles, its the easiest way to avoid putting yourself or your partners in avalanche terrain. There is a MAJOR difference between skiing and riding in the backcountry and going out into avalanche terrain. I spent 90% of my time in the backcountry these days and of that at most maybe 10% of my season has me exposed to avalanche terrain. Learn to enjoy ripping low angle chest deep blower pow turns, and live to ride another day… Do you really want to die in the mountains, there’s nothing glamorous about it, grow up!

Most Important Tool #2

Without fail every time I head into the backcountry I never leave home without a simple slope inclinometer. (yes it’s hard to pronounce). BCA has one in there Snow Study Kit that I reviewed back in 2013. However another tool which I started using and is worth every penny is the $12 PoleClinometer for Snowwander LLC. Whats rad about this system that was designed by backcountry skier Grayson King is all you have to do is place the slope reader sticker on your ski pole and the PoleClinometer will show you the slope angle you’re interested in riding within about 1-2º.

There you have it, it’s that simple. Don’t believe the industry hype surrounding airbags unless you dig false positives.. Just remember all these stats about survival come from people that made a clear mistake in reading the terrain they were riding. Now if you are working as a ski guide, patroller and find yourself routinely in terrain that can slide, then perhaps at that point consider the other tools. For the other 99.9% of us, stay safe with your brain and the ability to read terrain.

The post 3 Easy Ways to Avoid Dying in an Avalanche This Winter appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Mike Hardaker.

Mountain Weekly News ~

This is rad! I am happy to announce (hopefully Venture is cool with this..) that Venture Snowboards are back!! Not that they really went anywhere, however the brand will be pressing boards again for the 2016/2017 season. I plan to meet with Lisa and Klem the husband and wife team and founders of Venture next week at SIA and look forward to sharing more great shred industry news.

For the past 16 years the Branner’s have been cranking out whats arguably the best big mountain snowboards on the market. When you live in Silverton, I would assume that one’s focus is on riding powder and backcountry. This is not a snowboard manufacture cranking out park boards, instead these are what real mountain men, and women prefer to ride in rocky terrain.

I have a lot of friends that will be happy to jump back on Venture splits and solids in 2017. This is EXACTLY what snowboarding needs right now, and I’m not talking about the industry but the actual riders, the people that live breathe and eat snow typically have one thing in common. The own a Venture product.

If you’re not familiar with Venture checkout our review of their 2016 Zelix, which will likley end up actually being the 2017 Zelix instead, maybe a different colored top sheet?

Venture Zelix – http://mtnweekly.com/reviews/snowboards/snowboard-reviews/2016-venture-zelix-review

And as a surfer, well nothing compares to the Venture Storm we tested back when we were based in Crested Butte, CO. That review can be found below.

2011 Venture Storm Review

Thanks Lisa and Klem ( everyone misses ya )

The post Don’t Call it a Comeback, Venture Snowboards is back for 2016-2017 appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Mike Hardaker.

Mountain Weekly News ~

ALTA, WYO – I had the pleasure of spending the past three days enrolled in the Knowledge is Powder Camp at Grand Targhee Resort and wanted to share some of my experiences. When a ski resort boost 500″ of annual snowfall one would think this would be the perfect place to throw an introduction to riding off trail camp. Grand Targhee’s Knowledge is Powder Camp lived up to its name thanks to great instructors and abundant snowfall that had each and every one of the campers improving their powder riding skills by the end of the weekend, myself included.

Our weekend “at camp” started off with a light breakfast, strong coffee and a much needed morning practice of light yoga and stretching. Now I love to stretch however yoga and I don’t really get along. This however was refreshingly different as it was not assumed we knew how to get into upward cowpose? Instead everyone stretched at our their own pace as our great local instructor / snowcat guide helped us get into the poses with proper form and zero guilt. After we warmed up it was time to hit the mountain.

Grand Targhee’s Knowledge is Powder coaches, Photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News

Whos this For?

Campers from all ages and locals around the globe took part in the third Knowledge is Powder camp of the season. I use the word camp loosely and more tongue in cheek as this was a group of adults (and one teen) looking to rip powder for 3 days straight while improving upon their confidence skiing and riding off groomed runs. Mid way through the first day I couldn’t help but think a program like this would be a great first step for someone looking to get into the backcountry.. As the majority of Grand Targhee reminds me of a mellow “backcountry light” zone or what you find in so called “side country” at other resorts. This place is a freeriders dream with natural terrain in every direction. It’s no wonder our group improved immensely day after day.

Darren from AUS Photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News

By the second day we had managed to chew up a good portion of the fresh snow and since it hadn’t snowed in a few days it would be easy to assume we would be riding in crappy conditions.. You might be thinking, why on earth would anyone book a powder camp without any guarantee of fresh snow? Well it’s easy, it always snows here but shhh don’t tell too many people. And even if it hasn’t snowed in a few days there is plenty of fresh snow to be found especially when Targhee’s Ski and Snowboard School Director Mark Hanson, who’s spend 24 years at the resort leads the hungry powder hounds to the feast. Along with Mark we had a very talented professional snowboard instructor named Paul from Montana that was able to make a ton of progress with Darren and his son Cooper that were visiting all the way from Australia. I watched these guys go from riding off trail somewhat timidly to completely opening it up on the last day of the camp and the snowboarders weren’t the only ones.

Checkout the video below which starts at Day 1 and ends with a bang. Be sure to watch the entire video it gets progressively better…

As you can see the mountain, the snow gods and everything came into place perfectly at Grand Targhee this past weekend. One thing that’s different about Targhee and has me coming back over and over again is the lack of crowds, a lack of attitude and I have yet to see a lift line, even on opening days or weekends when it dumps. And speaking of dumps, it snows here, a lot.

Midwest Rippers, Photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News

Our crew consisted of a couple skiers from the midwest, a local Idaho Falls skier, father and son snowboarders from Australia, myself and the incredible instructing team. By the end of three days riding in the camp it felt like I was hanging with old friends and hopefully these people will continue to be in my life moving forward.

Cooper psyching, photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News

There is a certain magic about Grand Targhee Resort, this is where families come to ski and ride. This is where the working class plays as well as destination skiers “in the know” and this is where some of the deepest powder riding continues to go down in the lower 48’s year after year. Do yourself a favor and book the ski and snowboard trip of you lifetime.

Grand Targhee Resort will be offering a total of 6 Knowledge is Powder Camps this winter, to learn more please visit: http://www.grandtarghee.com/lesson-rentals/ski-snowboard-school/ski-snowboard-camps/

Last but not least huge thanks goes out to the Grand Targhee marketing department and entire staff working at the resort from the cooks, to the baristas, ticket sellers, everyone has welcomed me in like family and we will happily do the same for you and yours.. Come see what real skiing is all about!

smiles and pow, common sightings at Grand Targhee Resort in Alta, WY

The post Learn to Enjoy Powder at Grand Targhee’s Knowledge is Powder Camp appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Mike Hardaker.

Mountain Weekly News ~

DENVER, CO – Mountain Weekly News is proud to have awarded our second annual Editor’s Choice Awards on the floor of the SnowSports Industries America (SIA) trade show this year.

The SIA show is an exciting event that brings together manufacturers, retailers and media to preview all the cool snowboard gear coming to the market for the 2016/2017 season.

The five award categories were Best All Around Snowboard, Best Splitboard, Best Splitoard Binding, Best Binding, Best Camber Snowboard. Scroll down to find out who took home the prize for best of SIA snow 2016-2017. This is the gear I am standing behind for 2017. Odds are you will enjoy it too..

Best All Around Snowboard

Never Summer Proto Type II

The man, the myth, the Chairman Vince Sanders with the Never Summer Type Two

Best Splitboard

Lib Tech Travis Rice Goldmember

2017 Lib Goldmember Splitboard (center)

New for 2017/2017 is the Lib Tech Travis Rice Goldmember splitboard! Firepower + Lib Tech + Travis Rice and Jackson Hole = radness. This split can be taken anywhere in the backcountry. The days of riding sup-par splits are long gone. Odds are this split will perform better than a solid.

Best Snowboard Binding

NOW Jeremy Jones

JF kNOW’s more about snowboarding than most of us. Here with the Jeremy Jones Binding for 2017

Nothing even comes close (well maybe the new Bent Metal Binders) but when it comes to running bindings on a solid board, I won’t ride anything but NOW. JF is a snowboarder who designed bindings for snowboarders, its really that simple. It’s no wonder this is what Jeremy Jones trust to attach his boots to his board and numerous other freeriders around the globe. The new Jeremy Jones NOW binding is sure to be a hit within our community.

Best Splitboard Binding

Spark R&D Arc

This is what you call a Motley Crue of splitboarders. Will and the boys from Spark R&D

Can you guess who’s going to win this year? Spark of course! Will and the Spark R&D team are crushing it. Again like JF, these guys started out by building bindings for their own personal use. With the epic backcountry around Bozeman, Montana at their home base of production and product testing just out the back door. Spark is changing the way splitboarders access the mountains. Turns out Sparks work and it’s really the only split binding I feel comfortable mounting up and riding day in day out. Especially if I’m swapping out between numerous splits throughout the season. The 2016/2017 ARC Binding is rad with a single heel riser that has two height adjustments, a fancy forward lean adjuster and Spark R&D reliability. Which is crucial in the BC. Such an honor to be able to work with this crew, they “get it”.

Best Camber Snowboard

Arbor Guch

Arbor Guch Camber! (Black)

Support the brands mentioned above the all all run by snowboarders, simple enough!

The post 2016 SIA Editor’s Choice Awards appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Mike Hardaker.

Mountain Weekly News ~

DENVER, CO – After another great day on the trade show floor, I wanted to share some snowboard porn focusing on 2017 gear that will be available later this fall. Snowboarding is not dying, if anything it’s growing up nicely and these shapes and designs are a testament to that. Cheers to everyone in the manufacturing and design side of things, snowboarding is here to stay!

(click the photos to expand)

Capita

FLOW

Slash

Lib Tech

GNU

United Shapes

Roxy

Hippie

Smoking Snowboards

Stepchild Snowboards

Burton

Arbor Snowboards

DC

Nitro Snowboards

Jones Snowboards

Never Summer

The post 2017 Snowboards First Look from SIA appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Mike Hardaker.

Mountain Weekly News ~

WILSON, WY – Game on in the Tetons. Felt nice to get some much needed turns in after a week at the SIA trade show in Denver, CO. A week off snow in the middle of winter is way to much time away from the mountains..

1/31/16

I was joined by some ripping skiers..

Jacob Stinson Skiing Glory Photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News

Ladies around here ski way better than you and Jake.. Photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News

Jake charging as usual.. photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News

The post Deep Snow in the Tetons appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Mike Hardaker.

Mountain Weekly News ~

The first day riding powder can seem like re-learning how to snowboard. It takes that same excitement and the ability to laugh at your failures as your first snowboarding experience.

Once you know how to ride pow your passion for snowboarding will grow tenfold.

It is important to lean back for balance, way back for extra style and spray. Leaning back prevents the board’s nose from being sucked into the snow and you front flipping.

Soft turns in powder are more natural than digging your edges in on each turn. Save the hard edging for when you are on tougher snow. Powder turns are a beautiful thing on an open, untracked face.

Watch the ultimate pro, Travis Rice rides powder and take note.

-He is always leaning back.
-You can see the nose of his board up.
-His turns are soft

Be careful in powder. Its fun to haul ass but powder can hide boulders or down trees that will mess up your day. Ideally you know the terrain before hand but if not just charge carefully and ride smart. If you are riding powder in the backcountry avalanche safety is your number one priority.

Get your outerwear right. Make sure to cover all your gaps to prevent snow leaking in. Connecting your jacket to your pants or having a one-piece bottom layer will keep you dry and out riding all day.

Check your gear before going out on a pow-day. Move your stance back. This will make it easier to keep the weight back on the board and your nose up from the snow. You might need a longer snowboard if you adjust your stance and still are front flipping all day.

Justin McCarty enjoying some untracked BC pow | Photo Mike Hardaker

Snowboarding powder gives the most surf-like feeling.

Another great option is to take a lesson at a local ski resort like Grand Targhee in Alta, Wyoming.

The post Surf the Earth Learn How to Ride Powder on Your Snowboard appeared first on Mountain Weekly by Stephanie Buelow.

Mountain Weekly News ~

One of the most basic snowboarding tricks that every snowboarder will have fun mastering is the jib. Similar to grinding on a skateboard, jibbing is the act of riding, ollieing, or jumping onto a rail, ledge, box, or other smooth surface on your snowboard. Once you master the basic technique, you can begin to jib other objects like benches, logs, and a wide variety of other objects.

Like any other snowboarding trick, jibbing is best learned through practice. Tips and tricks won’t help you get your jibs down solid, only practice will do that. But the advice below can help you get started. Use it when you’re out there practicing your jibs and you’re sure to have them down pat in little time at all.

Here are some easy tips to get you jib on :

While razor-sharp edges can be great for other types of riding, they will make learning how to jib extremely difficult. In fact, most freestyle boards come with rounded edges so that you don’t catch and slam on jibs and landings. If you don’t want to invest in a brand-new freestyle snowboard, you can detune the edges of your regular ride. But keep it in mind that doing this can sometimes render the board useless for anything but freestyle. A good bet is detuning the edges on an old board or a used one that you pick up for cheap.

It’s also important to note that most freestyle-specific snowboards have slightly smaller dimensions than other boards. If you are riding your regular snowboard (and it’s not a freestyle one), then you might consider playing around with your stance. Most riders prefer a centered stance for freestyle (because of the frequency of “switch” position), but you might find you like a narrower or larger space between your feet for jibs and presses.

2. Find an Easy Rail
Jibbing is most easily practiced on rails that do not require ollieing. Find a rail that runs into the ground at an angle or that has a snow run up to it. Better yet, find a ledge or a box with this set up. The wider the object you are learning to jib on, the easier getting the hang of the trick will be.

Billy Rodriquez Jibs the Malay Rainbow at Beaver Creek Photo Mike Hardaker | Mountain Weekly News

3. Focus on 50-50s and Boardslides
Spend your time mastering 50-50s and boardslides before progressing to more difficult maneuvers. Getting these down pat will allow you to learn other jibs and presses later with more ease. Once you have them down on low rails, you can also progress to higher rails that require ollies to reach.

It is pretty easy to learn how to jib on a snowboard. It is one of the most basic snowboarding tricks out there. By using the tips above and practicing until perfect, you’ll learn jibs quickly and without a whole lot of fuss.

European Jibbing

The post How to Jib on a Snowboard appeared first on Mountain Weekly by Jake Walnuts.

Mountain Weekly News ~

Learning to ride in a halfpipe is not something that a straight up snowboarding beginner should try to take on. The photo above is out good pal Travis Young, a professional snowboarder..

Before you start, you should make sure that you have solid edge control and turning skills. The ability to ride fakie comfortably is also smart.

If you can do these things, then you might be ready to learn to snowboard in a halfpipe. Of course, working with an instructor in person is always the fastest and most effective way to learn a new snowboarding skill, but the tips below can help you learn to ride a halfpipe by yourself.

Start Slow
Learn to ride in a halfpipe in much the same way that you originally learned to ride in general. Traverse back and forth along the bottom of the halfpipe to get used to going up and down the same slope.

Sliding Turns
After a few traversing runs, try to get a little higher up on the transition of the halfpipe, taking care not to reach the vertical portion. When you reach the midpoint of the halfpipe wall, perform a slide turn to come down the other side. Learning to roll your edges (going up the transition on one edge and coming down on the other) is essential. Steadily work your way higher and higher up the halfpipe transition.

Jump Turns
Once you are near the top of the wall, it is time to attempt to get some air. Naturally, this step will be a little scary at first. No worries, it is surprisingly similar to going off a regular jump. Start very small, a few inches, and work your way up to more air steadily. Make sure to keep your knees bent slightly while landing and close to your body while you are in the air. Concentrate on the lip of the halfpipe during your landing so that you can prevent your nose from digging into it.

It is not impossible to learn to snowboard in a halfpipe by yourself. The tips above show you the basics of how to do so. Remember to start slowly, watch and learn from others more experienced than you, and make sure it’s your turn for a run, especially when you are first beginning to traverse.

Ready to up your game? Learn how to do a 360 snowboarding.

The post How to Snowboard in a Half Pipe appeared first on Mountain Weekly by Jake Walnuts.

Mountain Weekly News ~

BOULDER, CO – One of our favorite shred magazines is changing things up a bit moving forward. SNOWBOARD Magazine which started in 2004 is shutting down the print side of the operation to focus on digital content. Ain’t that swell, all kidding aside I welcome SNOWBOARD Magazine into the digital world and look forward to seeing what they can do in this space.

Its ironic as SNOWBOARD Magazine used to have one of the best forums, and online communities for snowboarders to gather and talk shop. Hopefully with this focus on digital they will bring that part of the site back as I haven’t been on their in years. Snowboarder need a place to lurk too..

So what’s this mean for the rest of the snowsports media world. You better start paying attention, print is dead. There is a reason the CU School of Journalism shut their doors down in 2011. The Mountain Weekly News was actually approached by the school to ask if these students would be able to intern with us to learn the ins and outs of online journalism.

“Since its founding, SNOWBOARD has been rooted in quality storytelling and we will continue that tradition in the digital space,” says Online Editor, Jens Heig. “Snowboarding is an experience meant to be shared. Our digital channels allow us to do that, and grow this lifestyle on an unprecedented scale.”

If you are reading this article, most likely you digest a good portion of your news online these days.

Snowboard Magazine was started by an actual snowboarder Mark Sullivan and his wife Liz. Mark had been working in So Cal and got sick and tired of the snowboard industry being based at the beach and most likely being run by a bunch of kooks. So he moved back to the mountains and founded SNOWBOARD MAGAZINE in a mountain town of all places, Sun Valley Idaho. Along with the Sullivan’s the mag had a solid crew to start it off including Gary Hanson, Jeff Baker and many more.

I sure dug riding this SNOWBOARD Mag Unity Colab in Haines, Photo Donnie Holtine | Mountain Weekly News

For more information on SNOWBOARD Magazine checkout – http://snowboardmag.com/

The post Print is Dead, SNOWBOARD Magazine to Focus on Digital Moving Forward appeared first on Mountain Weekly by Mike Hardaker.

Mountain Weekly News ~

Welcome to 2016, the year that sees Amazon.com takes a huge market share out of the snowboard retail world. You might be as surprised as I am to see brands like Jones Snowboards, Never Summer, Lib Tech, GNU and more being sold through this channel.

In the past these brands would easily sell through their entire lines so why now dump this gear on Amazon and who is actually selling these boards?

Recent Amazon add that was delivered to me via re-targeting on TGR

Lets back track a little bit here, wondering why I am writing this article? Well my snowboard review articles are starting to receive a ton of traffic from Amazon.com so I followed the funnel and to my surprise found some of the best and most sought after boards being dumped on Amazon.

Take for instance the Jones Mountain Surfer shown above. Be sure to note what I highlighted in the add. Amazon shows the snowboard is by Jones Snowboards so that leads us to believe its a legit Jones Board. However look who’s actually doing the selling, Backcountry.com

I have been told these boards were uber limited and were designed and shaped by Jeremy and Chris Christenson. So to see these works of art being sold on Amazon was a surprise but lets move on..

Next up is Lib Tech, and it looks like another third party, skis.com is selling my favorite Lib Tech snowboard of the season. Now the irony of a company called skis.com selling Lib products is not lost on me as the companies new CEO is actually a skier.

I still love Mervin but am sort of surprised to see a company that is hand making snowboards in North America even allowing them to be dumped on Amazon.com, seems dirty at best, however Lib’s not alone here..

Not Sold Everywhere eh? Lets be fair, I have known the Never Summer crew going on 15+ years and fully have their back in most everything they do. Except for this. Now it’s actually not Never Summer putting their brand new 2016 Swift Snowboard on Amazon, it’s one of their “shops” Windward Boardshop that’s fulfilling orders. The price of the board is the exact same as what is being sold for on Backcountry.com as well. So that sort of makes me wonder if there is an agreement on how much or how little boards can be sold for?

In years past never Summer would routinely sell through their entire lines, to see some of the best hand build snowboards being dumped on Amazon sort of sucks and makes me wonder just how strong snowboard sales really are these days.

Need a splitboard? Arbor is actually the ones selling their Abacus Split (our editors choice award winner) direct through Amazon.com. Where it gets sticky and sort of shitty on my end is to see this board being sold for even less then it is being sold for over at Backcountry.com

So why am I talking about this and why does it effect you and I? Well for starters we can actually make a commission when people read our reviews and then make purchases through Backcountry.com or REI.com .

Keep in mind this website is a business too. I DO NOT CHARGE BRANDS FOR REVIEWS Instead we hope they see value in the content my team and I produce and hopefully are enticed to share this content. When a potential buyer finds a review and clicks through our links, not only are we helping the brands to sell and promote their products but we too actually earn a little piece of the pie.

With Amazon.com at play that is not the case, we do not get paid commissions from them. And in fact I worked with Amazon.com for over 6 years without ever earning $100USD in total earnings.

Amazon.com is known to put small companies out of business by simply making the products themselves and selling them at a lower price.

It’s doubtful Amazon.com will invest in presses to make their own line of snowboards so were safe here for now. However as I keep seeing traffic come to my site from Amazon and then return back where they came I feel used. Come read my reviews and then buy on Amazon.com, if this trend continues please don’t ask why your boards are not being reviewed..

Notice how much real estate Google is giving Amazon to Sell Snowboard Gear…

For a full list of every snowboard brand being sold on Amazon you can visit this link.

The post How Amazon Plans to Put Your Local Snowboard Shop Out of Business appeared first on Mountain Weekly News by Mike Hardaker.