Eclipse- Salomon Freeski TV

Eclipse premiered at the start of November at the Banff Mountain Film Festival and claimed the Best Snow Film Award which was a huge honour. 3 days later it went live on the Salomon Freeski TV Youtube channel where to date it has over half a million views and counting. Along the way the film picked up a Vimeo Staff Pick as well as a stream of main stream media buzz. National Geographic adventure blog featured an article with Brody Leven while Outside Online featured the film and article by Devon O'Neil. 

Brody, Reuben, myself and Mike accepting an award at Banff

Eclipse has since picked up 3 more awards including Best Visual at the Kendal Mountain Film Festival, Best Adventure Film at the New York Wild Film Festival and Best Mountain Culture Film at the Whistler Film Festival. Photographer Reuben Krabbe also claimed the prestigious Photo of the Year award at the Powder Awards for his image.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive and the film has appealed to skiers, photographers, outdoor people and non-outdoor audiences alike. 

To compliment the film Salomon, along with Origin Design and Switchback Entertainment, created an interactive multimedia website with behind the scenes videos, maps, photo galleries and even a Google Street View tour of Pyramiden. I worked with the Origin team to help layout the narrative and bring the bonus footage and stories to life. You can explore the multimedia experience at www.freeskitv.salomon.com

Iceland- Salomon Freeski TV

In March, 2014, I had the chance to return to Iceland for my third trip. I was a filmer on a Salomon Freeski TV shoot joined by Jeff Thomas, Mattias Fredricksson, Leslie Anthony, Mark Abma, Chris Rubens and the late Andreas Fransson. It was great to go back to a place that I find truly magical. The Icelandic reverence for the mystic is fascinating and connects them to their landscape and heritage. 

We spend our time skiing with Jokull Bergman at his families heliski operation based in the farm house he grew up in near Dalvik on the Troll Penninsula. It was not a trip with an abundance of skiing due to one of the most intense and exhilarating storms any of us has sat through. The wind blew for 3 days straight at close to and over 100km/hr, burying roads, blowing a shipping container into a house in town and making the 30m journey from the barn to the dinning room an expedition. To read a great account penned by Les Anthony, read his Mountain Life Annual blog here. But in the moments between the elements flexing their muscles, we skied some unique mountains, even down to the dark North Atlantic Ocean, and this is one of the most aesthetically unique episodes I have shot. I hope you feel the same.

We finished the trip with a few days in Reykjavik--one of my favourite cities--sightseeing and partying for Jeff's birthday. If you ever have a chance to spend some time there, do it. Make it a trip, or extend a layover en route to somewhere else. Vibrant, friendly, chic and brimming with arts and culture, you won't be disappointed.

Huge thank you to Jokull and his Arctic Heliskiing crew for their warm hospitality, incredible food and access to some stunning mountains.

P.S. The voice over in this piece was read by Ollafur Dari. For those that have seen "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" Olafur is the drunken helicopter pilot. I love that he was excited to read for us.

Salomon Freeski TV- S7 E2 Fjord Norway

In March I travelled to Norway with the Salomon Freeski TV crew to film an episode for season 7. The finished product released this week. Watching it, I had some fond memories of a great trip with Chris Rubens, Andreas Fransson, and Greg Hill along with filmer and editor Jeff Thomas and photographer Mattias Fredriksson. The narration was written and crafted by Leslie Anthony and really brings it all together.

A huge thanks to the great Norwegian folks whose hospitality we received. 

Fjord Norway for arranging the entire trip. 

Arne and Stein-Mangna at Actin Adventures for our sailing adventure.

Knut Slinning at the unique hotel Juvet Landscape Hotel

Our guide Oscar from Ute Guiden

Norway with Salomon Freeski TV

This March I managed to escape the edit suite working on STAND for a 2 week trip to Norway with the Salomon Freeski TV crew to ski and shoot. Our itinerary situated us in the Sunmore Alps, exploring the steep fjords surrounding Alesund. Joined by athletes Chris Rubens, Greg Hill and Andreas Fransson, along with filming cohort Jeff Thomas and photographer Mattias Fredrikson, we spent each day ski touring from sea level making for big days. 

The highlight of the trip was utilizing Maud, a 100ft wooden sail boat to access Hjordenfjorden. Skippered by the amicable Arne, we would set sail in the morning to the mountains of our choosing and begin climbing from the waters edge. Each evening was punctuated by feasts of fish--salmon, cod, cod tongue, and monk fish all caught from the waters out front. Some venison from the surrounding forests was served for variety, all washed down by the local brew, Slogen, named after the highest summit in the Fjord.

Over the duration we experienced perfect weather with a great snow conditions and incredible alpine glow each afternoon as we skied back to the boat. It truly was a highlight of my travels skiing.

A huge thanks to the great Norwegian folks whose hospitality we received. 

Fjord Norway for arranging the entire trip.

Arne and Stein-Mungna at Actin Adventures for our sailing adventure.

Knut Slinning at the unique hotel Juvet Landscape Hotel

Our guide Oscar from Ute Guiden 

Salomon Freeski TV: Austria-Roots

In January last year I travelled to Austria to shoot a Salomon Freeski TV episode. Austria is the borth place of modern skiing and coupled with its zealous following of ski racing, it is a place that one must visit as sort of skiing pilgrimage. This episode pays tribute to the past, the racing culture and new freeride movement. Hopefully it makes you want to go ski. Enjoy!

A Hundred Year Storm- Powder Mag Latitude

Last March I travelled to Eastern Europe with Jordan Manley, Forrest Coots and Chad Sayers in the hope of skiing some of the snow that fell across vast swathes of the continent. The storm eventually became a state of emergency and what we encountered was part of the aftermath- a little less violent, but equally as insightful. I joined the crew as a writer and the story was published in Powder Magazine.

Jalpak Tash World Premiere at IF3 in Montreal

It's that time of year again when the International Freeski Film Festival (IF3) lights Montreal up for 3 days of films and parties. This year I was glad to have Jalpak Tash, the short film I directed in Kyrgyzstan, make its world premiere to an open air crowd at The North Face Outdoor Theater. Playing on the first evening along side some of the years best films was a real honour and it is always nice to know that your work is appreciated and that skiing remains diverse and open. 

A huge thanks goes out to Felix Rioux and his IF3 team for continuing to develop an awesome event and platform for the freeski community to gather and for filmmakers to showcase their work. Secondly thanks again to The North Face for making Jalpak tash possible.

The North Face Kyrgyzstan Yurt Trip

In February I made it to Kyrgyzstan to ski and film in the Tien Shan Mountains based out of a yurt, or traditional nomadic tent. Teaming up with photographer Nicolas Teichrob and The North Face athletes athletes Mike Hopkins, Leah Evans and Izzy Lynch, we spent 2 weeks in a part of the world that we largely knew nothing about. Flying into Bishkek we were greeted with -25 C temperatures and a thriving metrolpolis. Making our way to Karakol a more agarian aspect of the country presented itself. Skiing the local ski hill was a novel attraction before we spent a night with a local Kyrgyz family. Once in the yurt, we had everything we needed for a great week of skiing. Kas and Anarbek, two local Kyrgyz, cooked and kept the fire burning while we ventured out with Ryan Koupal of 40 Tribes Backcountry and our guide Ptor Spricenieks. Koupal launched the operation as a means of helping to develop winter based tourism in a country still recovering from the collapse of the Soviet Union. Working around dangerous avalanche conditions, altitude and myelf recovering from being struck down with pneumonia, we enjoyed numerous first descents and some incredibly warm hospitality from the local people.

Despite it's challenges we came away with some great imagery that we will distill down to a short film to released in the fall. A big thanks goes to The North Face for making the trip a reality and to Ryan Koupal and his team at 40 Tribes Backcountry.

Look out for the film and an assortment of feature articles on stands near you.

Check out Nicolas' blog for more images here.

The Ski Journal- Kashmir History

I wrote this peice for The Ski Journal. It looks at the long history of skiing in Gulmarg dating back to the 1920's. It was great to dig deep and speak with charasmatic legends like Sylvain Saudan, while integrating my own contemporary experiences with characters like Billa Bakshi. 

2mill Hill- ClifBar

In 2010, Greg Hill ski toured 2 million feet in one calender year. It was a super human feat. In March of 2011 I had the oppurtunity to fly into the Freshfields Glacier to shoot with Greg. Sherpas Cinema edited the peice together. Enjoy!

Salomon Freeski TV- Austria

The new year kicked of with a trip to Austria with Salomon Freeski TV. I was joined by Chris Rubens, Mike Henituk, Blair Richmond  and photographer Christoffer Sjostrom. Our task was the document the deep roots of ski racing in Kitzbuehl during the famous Hannenkam race, and contrast that with the deep roots of freeride in Sankt Anton. What ensued was two weeks of hard work and almost as much partying. Put simply, Austria loves to ski and to drink.

Rubens gets it good on the first day in St Anton.

Kitzbuehl was a good start to the trip, offering an interesting insight into the race culture. It ended up snowing a lot making for some good skiing, but causing the race course to be shortened. Sankt Anton was incredible. The terrain is huge, the lift complex vast and with no glaciers, unlike many places in the Alps, the riding much friendlier. We had everything from deep powder to bluebird Alaskan style spines. And not to mention apres-ski. You haven't apres-ed until you have apres-ed in St Anton. Take my word for it. 

The Arlberg is steeped in history with the first ever ski school being started in the valley and the old Gasthaus' and bars are almost time capsules. The Museum is a great place to get a sense of the history and a nicer place to eat. 

So check out the episode coming in Season 6 of Salomon Freeski TV starting next Fall.

Oh, one more thing. It ain't apres unless you still have your ski boots on. Just ask Chris Rubens.

Kashmir Dreams- Salomon Freeski TV

Last winter I was chilling on the beach in Mexico when Mike Douglas asked if I wanted to go back to Kashmir to heliski with Billa Bakshi, one of the vibrant characters from AZADI. 10 days later I was lifting off in a helicopter with Chris Rubens, Tristian Knoetzer and photographer Blake Jorgenson. What we got was deep powder and some of the best tree skiing any of us had ever seen. Now the episode is live so sit back and enjoy the show. Then get your backside over to Kashmir for some good times of your own.

Salomon Freeski TV- Selkirks Touring

Last Spring I ventured up to Sentry Lodge and Fairy Meadows to put the new Salomon Guardian touring binding through it's paces for Salomon Freeski TV. I was joined by Chris Rubens, Elyse Saugstad and Kim Havell as well as photographer extraordinaire Bruno Long and Greg Franson from Blue Bird Guides. What we got was all the incarnations of winter: blue bird powder, big alpine couloirs, and deep winter pillows and trees. It was a good time to say the least. Check out the video and make up your own mind.

Outer Edge Magazine Article

I was fortunate enough to return to Gulmarg this winter with Salomon Freeski TV to film. I was joined by photographer Blake Jorgenson, Chris Rubens and Tristan Knoertzer. We had an awesome trip exploring the new heli ski terrain with Gulmarg Heliski. Look out for the issue on shelves in Australia.

CAC Avalanche Bulletin iPhone App

I finally came around to it. Actually, to be truthful, my contract finally expired and allowed me to get into an iPhone. Loading it up with apps and stuff I may or may not occasionally use, I stumbled across the Canadian Avalanche Center Bulletin App. As I loaded it up there was an image that Jordan Manley shot of me skiing up the Duffy on the Coast.

Sweet. And not a bad app either. 

Kashmir Revisited

Simon Thomson, a friend who I traveled and skied with last winter in Kashmir, finally got around to putting together this video of our trip. Four days away from heading back to Kashmir, this gets me doubly excited.