Norway cold

So I am back from Asia and shit how cold it was to come home. Of all the bad English I saw on the trip (and I write my self) the tourist boat company on the Mekong river takes first price by calling themselves “limited liability company”. I thought that was honest at least, and let’s not forget 24/24 room service, that was also a good one. Had my first days on skis this weekend and I am sore, it feels like the body has taken a beating although I took it slow. Like I always say “being smart is difficult” but I am doing my best. But I have to agree with mr.Sterbenz and say that the sole feels energized. I wish everyone a happy Christmas and we will be seeing each other soon.  Yo!   

december

Time flies and I just woke up on my couch realizing today was the first of december.  Come snow, come winter - I'm prepared! Kvitfjell keeps providing good conditions, and today me, Per and Øystein had a nice day with sun, snow and good skiing.   kvitfjell today. White!   Sorry to report that 4frnt suffers a loss as klones skatepark (check out video) claims it's first victim in team-rider "the kidney" Nyrnes who is out with a dislocated shoulder after hitting the deck last Saturday. He's famous last words was something about quitting while he still could, but that didn't happen. The two hour drive to the hospital in Lillehammer is bad enough with all limbs attached, and didn't seem to be any better without..   He'll be back on his skies somewhere around Christmas and hopefully picking up where he left last year. With mad steez. He was a topic of discussion in the lift today, and the conclusion was he's one of the most naturally gifted skier we knew. He's playful and esthetic way of skiing leaves nobody untouched, so surely hope to see you back on skies soon buddy!    

Ripping the Wasatch

So much fun. These last couple days put the hurt on my body but energized the soul. Getting a chance to ski with Eric, no matter the time of year, is always a pleasure and always a mission. Here's some pics of our runs at Alta, good times. Struttin' atop Mt. Baldy preparing for Main Chute decent. A ridge line we traversed to access some of the north facing goods. A view of Mt. Superior across the valley. Just a dusting on the south facing aspects. Eric and I. Check out some helmet cam footage we captured on Eric's blog...

I don't mind skiers, I just mind snowboarding with them

High Cascade Snowboard Camp is a summer camp at Mt. Hood that advertises itself like this. Are we skiers really so bad that you can actually make your camp more popular by advertising our absence? Apparently yes. Corey Vanular already put it bluntly on his blog http://coreyvanular.blogspot.com "Well, let me just say, FUCK THIS CAMP!!what pieces of shit............ I normally like snowboarders, but when they constintly pull shit like this it makes me fucking pissed. YO mother Fuckers you wouldnt even exist without skiing!!!!!!" I went to Camp of Champions in the summer 2008 and I don't think anyone was upset because we were sharing the park with snowboarders. I know many skiers, including myself, who get most of their new ideas from snowboarding and that's why I think it's only cool to ride together. High Cascade website www.highcascade.com says: "It’s not that we don’t like skiers, but snowboard culture is unique. Our parks are 100% built with snowboarder's wants and needs in mind." Is it that 'snowboard culture is unique' and you don't want skiers to contaminate it? Don't you ever get influenced by a skiing trick? That statement reminds me of religious fundamentalists unwilling to adapt to the modern world. Skiing is here, get over it. And how different is an ideal snowboarding park from an ideal skiing park? I don't see much difference.  Also Burton recently came up with this T-shirt: I know that should be regarded as a joke (hopefully). But by expressing it like that they don't say 'we don't like skiers because...' They just say we don't like you. And that's not very smart.

Deep Baker

[video:http://vimeo.com/7846583 800x700]   Pre season shred sesh out at baker with the Bibby, Duncan, and Freedle... We just getting warmed up.

It be bitchin' at Baker

[video:http://vimeo.com/7830198 700x700] The season is off to a head start out in the PNW... made plans to rip out to Baker for some pre season pow pow... Getting the legs warmed up... feeling good, and ready for much more greasy sendin' this season. Word up to Mt. Baker ski area! Stand by... it's just begun!

The Renegade Story...

Throughout this past year I have been developing a new ski, the EHP Renegade. I  have spent hundreds of hours polishing my design, learning how to draft on the computer and most importantly how to build skis. Last December Matt Sterbenz, engineer Bob Boice, Steve Ellison and yours truely built the first round of Prototypes in Steve's Core factory on Vasion Island WA, beside the old K2 factory. The first round of prototypes was definitely a learning process.  The skis we built were a little rough and ended up being far too soft.  Despite the soft flex I skied these prototypes extensively (notice the old BW EHP 193 graphic) and focused on the benefits of there shape and their fully rockered design. I was amazed at how much faster these skis felt in the powder and was immediately hooked on full rocker. I am happy to say that these skies survived a full season of my abuse, not bad for my first attempt at building skis. Ha, ha...  Then in June, Matt and I built the second round of prototypes with the 4FRNT ski press rightfully relocated at the 4FRNT HQ in Salt Lake City Utah. Our second round of skis was a success, we even skied them a few days after pressing them on the remnants of the shrinking snow up at Snowbird.  Then in September I was fortunate enough to be invited on The Rocky Mountain Sherpas trip in Chile. After a successful film session on Volcan Peyuhue we headed to Bariloche. I was able to do some solid testing of the Renegade Prototypes in variable spring conditions that ranged from boiler plate refrozen mashed potato's beautiful corn snow, wind buffed cream cheese and even a bit of cold powder. I was happy with the second generations performance, they were much more solid than our first round but I still wasn't satisfied with their over all flex pattern. This seemed to be the final missing link to dialing in this new design and I must admit figuring the flex pattern out was probably my weakest area involved in ski design....   When I learned that I would be attending the Fri Flyt film tour in Norway I immediately sent an email to my Norwegian friend/ski builder/engineer/genius Endre Hals asking to drop by his ski factory and build a pair of skis. Endre Hals owner of Prog Custom Skis has been studying/messuring skis , ski design and ski flex patterns for over 5 years. He's been  head of the tecnical testing for Fri Flyt magazine for as manny years. During this time he has accumulated probably the greatest data base of ski known to man. If anyone could help me figure out my new flex pattern it was Endre. For the past 2 years Endre and his girlfriend Elisabeth have been renovating and transforming their 200 year old barn in the tiny village of Overlonset located about 20 km outside of  Oppdal ski resort into the Prog Custom Ski Factory, a formidable undertaking to say the least. The Prog Ski Factory. inside.   Endre's goal for Prog is to produces one pair of fully custom skis at a time, from the dimension to flex pattern all the way to the graphics which Endre makes using a high pressure sublimation machine he engineered and built himself.  Endre immediately replied and invited me to stay with him and Elisabeth for as long as was needed to produce a pair of skis.  I arrived at their farm after 10 days of film tour and was very excited for the change in pass to say the least. We got straight to work on the computers, Endre applied his knowledge and data base to my design and created a core profile that best suited my needs. This new flex pattern was based the Current EHP with with some adjustments and improvements suited for the new fully rockered design. earmuffs, What? Endre's craftsmanship and attention to detail is at an extreme level. Everything about his unique methods of construction is well thought out and is in a constant evolution of perfection. After a few days of construction Endre had built the most beautiful pairs of skis I have seen.  Endre and his creation.   Endre placed the skis in the headed drying closet he had built and we patiently waited to examine them for a day and a half.  Unfortunately I wasn't able to ski on the skis before I left Norway two days after the skis were finished. Endre likes to let his skis cure for at least a week before testing them. Hanging at the farm.   I would like to thank Endre and Elisabeth for inviting me to their farm  I would also like to thank Espen Kristensen and Mattias Fredriksson for documenting the construction process.   Check out cinema photographer Espen Kristensens blog on ski building with Endre: http://blog.fieldproductions.com/Travel-blog/Building-skis-with-Eric-Hjorleifson   Skaal! Eric     photo credit Mattias Fredriksson   Sponsors: www.4frnt.com   www.hellyhansen.com   www.smithoptics.com   www.gordini.com   www.freshsports.ca   www.discretesport.com   www.whistlerblackcomb.com   Creekbread Pizza 2021 Karen Crescent RR 2, Whistler, BC V0N 1B3 604-905-6666     Production Companies:   www.skimovie.com   www.rockymountainsherpas.com   www.fieldproductions.com  

Rockies MSP/Field Productions Film tour and Rogers Pass

Just rounded up the Canadian Rockies/Revelstoke  MSP film tour. The tour went very well, always a treat to head back to the Rockies, my home mountains. Home. I would like to thank all of my Family and friends, the Sunshine patrol  crew, Lake Louise, MSP, Field Productions and Matty Sweet for the excellent trip. We were very fortunate and were able to squeeze a couple days of ski touring in at Rogers Pass. Probably my favorite place in the world!   Yeah boys sweat it out.   Rubey Bon Bon.   Almost half way.   I've got a boner!   Snow looks OK I guess...   nice   I'll be back for this jem latter>   Can you say Bomber!!!                    

Winter is on!

and Kvitfjell this saturday showed us what it's all about. Ten inches of fresh on a pretty decent base-layer was all we needed for the best season kick-off ever.  Later that night this shady bunch played for 600 paying visitors at our local inndoor sports-dome. I kept my distance.   Ramp is done. First drop-in was last Thursday, and now all that's left is some oil and better lighting. That will have to wait a bit though, I've been working on it since the end of august, so now I wanna do some skating before anything else happens. I was a bit nervous about how the different trannies would work, but they all do. Spent three hours just cruising today, and it feels great. Proper stoked! Here's pictures, more to come!         Wallride is tight!   This run under the chairlift is a Kvitfjell-classic, but need some more snow first  

Asia calling

Hello and greetings from Saigon.   Some weeks ago my sister called me from Crete and invited me on a 16 day round trip in Asia and since it was so cheap I couldn’t say no. So here we are in Saigon on our second day and this place is crazy!!! With 5 million scooters and no traffic rules you definitely need to have your eyes with you. The people are always smiling and this kind of service am I not used to. No skiing for me though, but I’ll manage. A big experience so to say and a good way to cut down on the waiting time for good snow. In a couple of days we go to Malaysia and then Taiwan before coming home to snow and more fun.   Hope everyone else is having as much fun as we. Erik

Killing Chickens

 Autumn turns into winter and it's time to kill the chickens. Note: the chickens were grown at a home farm and killed (and eaten) because they wouldn't have survived through winter. These chickens had way better lives than any industrial meat products you can find from grocery stores. And if you find my pictures harsh, just find out how your KFC's are treated and slaughtered. By the way, that roast was good. I was supposed to finish this entry in the last paragraph but then I looked at the pictures and thought, why the hell am I posting stuff like this. Maybe that's because I can't ski, or then... Don't ask.

Jah get yer elk yit?

  When sterbz mentioned we were going to MT for a little roady, shop, film stop hop scotch across Montana, I was mad stoked... homeword bound bro! Welcome to the Montana Sterbz! ( don't know how to rotate phots) Whitefish CREW! Word up to to the WHITEROOM! The East side of Glacier Park... BROWING montana, 4frnt is soon to open headquarters here...

my day at the halloween rail jam event

Taj!

I recently made the impulsive decision to acquire a dog... hence taj was introduced to the pad here in SLC! Word up kid... looking forward to having you as a permanent roomate for the next while!

Snurfin'

So I went down to Los Cabos this fall. I ended up meeting this dude named Jay from the outer banks... a true ripper. This edit is from Jay and I rippin a zone in the los cabos area. This day was unreal.  I'm a beginner surfer but take advantage of every opportunity to get to the ocean... He's the one in the begining ripping... then i'm at the latter half, on the strug...  

Steezin and winnin

the final edit from One hit wonder and the trailer for +358

Norway Part 2 Fri Flyt Movie Film Continued

Here are a few more photos from the Fri Flyt Film tour that our tour leader Eimund was able to capture: Signing poster in Voss.   Crusing through the worlds longest road tunnel.   Our sweet ride!   Magnus himself.   Going there is the Getting there...   Ski Burning in Sogndal. That's right!!!   My Norwegian tour guides....   Enjoying another scenic ferry ride.   Sgt. Eimund.   no comment...   How manny more stops???   Signing in Volda. Fired up!   Magnus recovering...   Good crowd in Alesund.   Only 3 more shows to go.   Givener'    The Love Stake!!!   Well it was an excellent Film tour and I am happy to have attend it. Thanks again Norway! Can't wait to return to Norway and shred some of the amazing mountains...   Skaal! Eric Sponsors: www.4frnt.com   www.hellyhansen.com   www.smithoptics.com   www.gordini.com   www.freshsports.ca   www.discretesport.com   www.whistlerblackcomb.com   Creekbread Pizza 2021 Karen Crescent RR 2, Whistler, BC V0N 1B3 604-905-6666     Production Companies:   www.skimovie.com   www.rockymountainsherpas.com   www.fieldproductions.com        

Knee Again

I just came back from the Alps of Austria and I have to say, I have had better ski trips.    On a cold October morning me, Jussi and Okko headed for Hintertux glacier, where the rest of the Finnish crew had already been for a while. During the first week the weather was not very cooperative and we were not able to hit any jumps. Powder was nice, though. Actually, it snowed so hard that the ski resort even opened a couple of lifts below the glacier, which enabled safer and more variable powder adventures. Mmm...   Then, the weather changed. It was the first sunny and windless day of the trip and also the first day to hit the park. I thought the time was right for some very basic tricks off small jumps, but apparently my knee disagreed. I did a rightside threesixty, landed a bit on backseat and felt a terrible crunch. I knew I was done with Hintertux.   As always when an injury occurs, you have to kill your spare time somehow. I had thought of making a short fictive movie influenced by our lives on a ski trip and being injured I had the time to transcribe my ideas. The result looks something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEpzrdv46dM    I left Hintertux on Friday as my parents were in Austria at the same time, going to see my sister Sanni racing at Sölden world cup. I had never seen an alpine world cup live before, but it wasn't really anything more spectacular than watching a race on TV.    Today I saw my doctor in Helsinki and my injury turned out to be a torn meniscus. I'll have a surgery on Wednesday 28th and the recovery should take a few weeks. Anyway, it's good to get it done now. 

Norway

Making of Refresh Episode 5

BLAZE DA HOT FIRE! http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4532961