Paydirt...

The Vertical Integration crew found some goods out there amongst the bushes and rocks. Alta had some sweets in the trees for those who wanted to work for it. Jon Gurry and I hooked up with Ben Geiger and we went out and zeroed in on the pow. It is still pretty scetchy out with snakes lying just below the surface around the next turn. Ben took a good one right on top of the knee for some reconsideration as to whether he should be wearing knee pads. We all agreed that would have been a wiser move as we all tapped our knee pads with our ski poles. Hell, I was in full impact gear. No major harm though, just a flesh/ego wound. It is starting to look a lot like christmas finally. Snow is getting more regular, and the local bases are starting to accumulate. A little scetchy out in the Snowbasin backcountry right now up high in the northy's due to a weak layer from some stale old stuff below the new dump. We saw a couple of inches of windload on top as well. Just make note. We hit up some low angle trees in the Jungle for some paydirt. $$$$.

Snow, finally...

It has dumped here in Utah. We have recieved like two feet of snow. However, two feet on nothing is not enough to ski much. We are still skiing the man made trails at the resorts and a few grassy openings here and there. Pretty thin out there still. I am feeling better though cause it looks and feels like winter finally. The pic is a little view from my kitchen. Looks all good to me. My two girls are checking out the new freshies and itching to get out in it. Christine's only gripe was that she couldn't take out here new fat skis yet cause we are still just runnin groomers. Soon... soon enough. Murphy the little golden pup was slaying it up out in the front yard in the new untracked snow. She turn farmed up the patch between the two sidewalks, very nice work. In new ski news, Zach Houston, Jon Gurry, and I have all recently been picked up by Alta ski resort here in SLC. We will be filming a part of a "Utah" segment there with our buddy Dylan Crossman and others for the new TGP project for next fall. The "HarmLess" television show will be broadcasting in January on RSN, insiders should be able to check it out at the OR Tradeshow in SLC as well. We've got some big plans for our nonprofit organization, Vertical Integration, and I am stoked to see this idea taking on a life of it's own. Some new trips coming up include Austria with the Ydream Productions boys, and Alaska with the TGP crew and for the World Championships at Alyeska. Also, we are planning short "dump run" trips to areas like Jackson, Tahoe, Mt. Baker, or where ever it is "dumping". The free flight pass is the sickest perk in the world. Gurry and our ski buddy Wes are now working at Delta too so we have even more participants. All is well, Christine and I are heading down to Phoenix for a couple days to hang with some old bros, Ryan and Bryan. Should be a good time. Cheers to new snow and busy bees.

Nothing new, just thinkin on it

I was just staring at the mountainscape to the west of Terminal C at the Salt Lake International Airport while I work, and the sun goes down to my back. The new snow is gorgeous and it makes me tingle to think ahead on all the lines. I have been getting really frustrated with the ski industry politics, movies, segments, movers and shakers, aligning and scheming, and all the other bullshit that goes along with this profession I have chosen. I don't get paid enough for all this peripheral crap. However, as I stare off and dream about what matters, the skiing, I am comforted by thoughts of why I still slave for pennies. It is, the skiing, that keeps me coming back. Lord knows it is not the money or the glory. TJ Burke said it best in the old skiing classic "Aspen Extreme" when he said, "skiing is the easy part, Carl." It really is the truth though. I get so downhearted and defeatest sometimes, but every once in a while I have a moment like today when I remember what it is really all about, again, THE SKIING. All I really want to do is evolve the sport and push my limits to new heights, but other factors always have a way of making that more difficult than it has to be. I am going to come away from all of this with that concept engrained in my mind, THE SKIING, THE SKIING, THE SKIING, and THE SKIING.

Back in action

I know, I know, it has been a longtime since I last posted. In my defense, I had a lot of technical difficulties for a while. Me and my little dog Murphy are hanging out here and I figured I should get this thing dialed back in for the winter. Nobody really wants to hear about working two jobs everyday anyway. The new Lipstick Films movie, "Since We Last Spoke" is out on the market now. You can peep the goods at www.liptick-films.com. Cody Smith and Josh Madsen did a killer job on the flick and it is a lot of fun to watch. I didn't get the best luck with weather on the trips I took with them last season, but this winter we will try again. Check out the site. Also, we have had some snow fall out here. Just a teaser though. Vertical Integration is moving right along with our Utah segment with TGP and their new release "HarmLess" due out around Thanksgiving. You will be able pick up the DVD at www.toughguyproductions.com around then, and catch it on the Resort Sports Network (RSN) this winter starting in January. We are bringing a premiere to Salt Lake and Ogden some time around the first weekend of December. If your are in Europe or going there this winter keep your eye out for the Cinema Tour of Extreme Sports. Vertical Integration teamed up with Ydream Productions out of Austria for the short edit they are doing for the tour. We are planning and really looking forward to our trip over there this winter to do some shooting on their side of the pond. That sums up the latest and greatest, I guess. You can look forward more posts now that I a back on top of this new age computer wi-fi stuff.