skiing

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

 

Salomon Freeski TV Season 7 Teaser

The teaser for season 7 of Salomon Freeski TV and produced by Switchback Entertainment just went live online and it has me both excited to ski and even more excited to be a part of the project moving into the coming winter. Season 7 will bring up 100 episodes of Freeski TV and further extend it's roots as the number one online action sports series. And that qualification comes from Youtube themselves.

Last year I got to travel to Norway (see the trip report here) to shoot an episode which will be released through out the winter, so sit back and enjoy the teaser to get the appetite whet, and be sure to subscribe or check back in October as the full short films begin to roll out. 

Jalpak Tash- A Kyrgyzstan Epic ONLINE

Jalpak Tash- A Kyrgyzstan Epic from b4apres media on Vimeo.

 

Last week Jalpak Tash was released online for your viewing pleasure. By the weekend it had made the Vimeo Staff Picks list which I am extremely stoked about. A big thank you goes to The North Face for making the trip and film happen.   I must also thank Ryan Koupal and his crew at 40 Tribes Backcountry for arranging everything, not least the yurt that he lived in for the week. And finally Nicolas Teichrob for all his hard work and creativity shooting in Kyrgyzstan. 

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.

A Birds Eye View of a Burn

Bird's Eye of a Burn- A b4apres Edit from b4apres media on Vimeo.


Between Christmas and New Years I had the good fortune of skiing at Great Canadian Heliskiing. Each year, Jordan Manley travels to GCH to experiment with ideas for original still images and he invited me to join him to shoot video. This year we explored the incredibly aesthetic burns that GCH have and got this great bird's eye view.

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Chasing That Feeling- Christmas Party Ski Trip

The Assiniboine Lites and Landscapes Christmas trip is an annual affair for blowing off steam after the summer and fall seasons of hard labor. Once it is all over and only winter lays before us, we venture into a backcountry hut for week of ski touring and partying.

This year the Assiniboine crew headed into McMurdo Cabin in the Purcell Range, south of Golden. It started out good but not epic, then the it went blue and -30°C and was too cold to really get out there. But then it settled into a constant state of snowing for four days straight. And that's when we really starting venting and blowing out the stress of a summer landscaping for some, and hanging christmas lites for others.

A veritable smorgasboard of festive faceshots is the perfect gift to one's self I would say.

 

 

Finding that Feeling

I have been offline for a while here. Life is super busy working in Calgary hanging Christmas Lights to finance my trip to Kashmir this coming winter to make a film with b4apres. I spent the last 2 weekends in Banff at the Banff Mtn Film Festival watching a copious amount of great films. All work and television though left me really eager to get out and breathe some fresh mountain air.

Colin Puskus and I ventured into a hut over the weekend just gone to get our ski legs underneath us and run my new video camera. I picked up a Panasonic HVX 200 P2 from the Sweetgrass crew in Banff and am excited to get some experience with it. Below is a quick edit from the weekend with my new favorite toy.

 


I can't wait for next weekend.

Whistler's Ragin' Cajuns- The MDK Posse

I wrote this piece 2 years ago and pitched it to some ski magazines. All the editors knew Matty, Dom and Slicer, but no-one could find a place to publish it. Maybe becasue these types of characters exist in every ski town and it would open the door for every ski bum story, but none I am sure, are quite like these three.

Since then, they no longer live under the same roof, Slicer has had knee surgery, Dom a reconstructed wrist from mountain biking and Matty doesn't compete anymore. One thing is still the same though, they ski as much as they can together.

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There is no shortage of uber-talented shredders in Whistler, but few possess the infamy of the MDK Posse. It stems not just from their skiing, but also the uniquely distinct orb that they form as a trio. They are a soap opera, a ski-de-force, and a brotherhood of grommets with spaghetti sauce running down their chins. They are Matty Richard, Dominic Melanson and Kris Cormier.

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Published in the Swedish Ski Magazine Aka Skidor

I learnt today that a photo Jordan Manley shot of me skiing up the Duffey two winters ago was published in a Swedish ski magazine Aka Skidor. The full page shot on the right side is yours truely.

This was an amazing day of skiing where we simply went exploring above and around the Anniversary Glacier. We spent a night at Keiths Hut and ski toured both days finding some incredible snow and magic light. This was on of my favorite ski trips that season.

Kashmir Secrets Revealed- POV

I have a wee dilemma on my hands here. There is this incredible place to ski that I discovered with friends and normally I would never make its whereabouts public on the World Wide Web. But, you see, this particular place is rather removed and the local people are crying out for visitors to kick start tourism again in this black listed part of the world. If you hadn’t guessed, it is Kashmir. But inside I’ll give you the finer details.

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Line of No Control- Steep Chutes in Gulmarg

Gulmarg has reveled itself to me far beyond my expectations. The last week has been blue skies and with the Avalanche Advisory at Low, we ventured a little further and were rewarded with 3 incredible descents, not to mention the epic descent the sun made, casting some of the most incredible light over the mountains and ourselves as it set.

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Hirafu POV

Here is a little helmet cam edit from the last few days skiing here in Niseko. The snow isn't what Niseko is known for, which is to say deep, but the most significant things to note are the clear skies and visiblity.


Hirafu POV from Anthony Bonello on Vimeo.

 

Today we ski toured on the lower flanks of Yotei and it was probably our best day skiing here in Japan. Not becasue it was so deep, but the most fun and gratifying. Ill have a POV edit from today shortly. Hopefully...

VIO POV camera courtesy of Helmet Camera Central

Hokkaido= Lots of Pow & Little Light

The skiing has settled down a little here in Niseko the last week after a furious start. We skied the remnants of the last system surrounding the hill, mostly touring off of Moiwa. I would go so far to claim that Moiwa accesses the most slackcountry terrain for such a small lift ever. At least in my experience. In comparison to the mega 3 of An'nupri, Niseko and Hirafu within a stones throw from Moiwa, Moiwa offers the best bang for your buck and the resort manager even invited us back to his place to his private onsen. Not as wierd as some of you might be smirking about. The Japanese are so generous and friendly that you ought to be ashamed of yourself.

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First day skiing in Japan= 60cms

We opened our powder account today at a small resort, Niseko-Moiwa. Lastnight brought a full 60cms of blower pow, but it was blown around by equally copious amounts of wind. The resort has 2 small lifts, one of which was closed. We paid our 350yen for a one lift and went and toured the steeped pitch we could find. We had the place to ourselves while people poled across the flats below. Backcountry quite literally in country. But a picture tells a thousand words and a short video a few more.

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