Designed and Tested In Jackson Hole

Last Thursday, all of Backbone headed to SIA to check out the year’s hottest new gear, and I felt a little left out. Just as the huge crocodile tears were about to fall down my face when I realized no one was at the office to talk to, I got an email from a good friend and local superstar outdoor photographer, Gabe Rogel . He was shooting a Grand Targhee Resort cat skiing photo shoot the next day and needed skiers. I threw the idea out to my officemate Mike May and he informed me that if I showed up the next day and didn’t go cat skiing, he’d never speak to me again. SO, I went. Twist. My. Arm. The trip also gave me a much needed chance to test out some of my new Backbone gear.

Here is my stoked face on our way up…. first run excitement. Notice my BD Avalung snorkel at the ready.

Here is Gabe working hard with Jackson Hole Mountain Resort staffer, John Beal. John was lucky enough to get to test out the new Cloudveil 2010-11 RPK Jacket and Full Zip Hoodie. Turns out neon yellow looks even better when you are dropping cliffs.

More product testing… the powder skirt on the RPK came in reeeeaaal handy.

The view on the top of Grand Targhee is incredible… especially on a bluebird pow day. Check out the Tetons (and my new obsession-the Bandit Avalung Seth Morrison edition). It makes me look way more hard core than I am.

We closed out the day with a wolf moon rise on the top of the mountain. Pretty spectacular. Another tough day at the office.

Photos: Tristan Greszko

An Antarctic Ski Odyssey

In November 2009 Chris Davenport, Stian Hagen, and Andrea Binning ventured to the bottom of the world in search of the ski lines of their dreams. During their journey to the Antarctic Peninsula, the team discovered a new understanding of the beauty of ski mountaineering and of the depths of human connection to nature. This is their story shot by Jimmy Surette of Granite Films.

Australis: An Antarctic Ski Odyssey from Granite Films Jim Surette on Vimeo.

Black Diamond’s Trifecta

Penn’s been a busy man of late highlighting Black Diamond’s Power Series and Efficiency Series coming in Fall ’10. Check out the super fun “Justice” named Gear of the Year in Outside Magazine, the fat and light “Drift” and the great go-to ski the “Aspect”.

The Salt Lake Tribune managed to stop Penn long enough to pull a quote from him as did the Deseret News (under his alias Penn Horton.)

SLC’s Big Budha

The ‘Big Budha’ from SLC’s Fox 13 is a staple of the OR Show. His coverage from the floor of the show is great, as long as you don’t mind the 4:45 a.m. wake up call. Kenji gets cut off, but Penn appears to be properly caffeinated for his segment, pimping the new BD Drift ski with typical aplomb, while Chris Hillyer from Teva is fired up for their fall MXT line.