Ski et Snowboard

Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort is attracting Point of View (POV) video footage from around the world as contestants enter the resort's Local Hero POV video contest on its Facebook page for a chance to win a ski or snowboard trip to Utah. "This contest is a great way for people who love to ski and ride to share their passion for the mountains with thousands of like-minded enthusiasts," said Dave Fields, Snowbird Vice President of Resort Operations. "The lucky two who win will have a trip of a lifetime to show for their creativity and passion." Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, The North Face, Powder magazine, Snowboarder magazine and Wasatch Powderbird Guides have teamed up to sponsor this ultimate POV video challenge. There will be two categories: Ski and Snowboard. The Grand Prize winner in each category will receive a trip for two to Snowbird, Utah for five days of Tram and chairlift skiing, four nights of lodging at The Cliff Lodge, access to an early Tram ride one morning, a day of helicopter skiing for one with Wasatch Powderbird Guides, a $500 gift card for one from The North Face, and two free subscriptions to Powder magazine and Snowboarder magazine. Videos do not have to be filmed at Snowbird, they may be filmed anywhere on the planet, at any time in history. Videos must be POV format and shorter than three minutes, with a theme of skiing or snowboarding. Videos must be submitted to Snowbird's Local Hero Facebook page on or before December 31, 2011 at 5 p.m. EST. The page can be accessed by going to www.facebook.com/snowbirdUT, then clicking the "Local Hero" tab on the left side of the screen. The four videos in each category, Ski and Snowboard, with the most "Likes" on Facebook will advance to a final round of judging for the Grand Prize. The Grand Prize winner in the ski category will be chosen by the Powder magazine editorial staff and the Grand Prize winner in the snowboard category will be chosen by the Snowboarder magazine editorial staff. The Local Hero Facebook application was built by Rally Interactive, a local Utah company. "By lending some of the technical know-how we've gained building Facebook apps for national brands like Intel and SlimJim, Rally Interactive is stoked for the opportunity to help Snowbird launch the Local Hero video contest on their Facebook page," said Thomas Cooke, Partner at Rally Interactive.

For its efforts addressing climate change Protect Our Winters (POW) is this year's recipient of Backcountry Magazine's first annual Keep The Deep Subscriber Grant. Last winter, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa and other pro snow athletes teamed up with Protect Our Winters' Hot Planet/Cool Athletes program to educate high school students about climate change. "POW's Hot Planet/Cool Athletes program is really unique," says Backcountry Editorial Director Adam Howard. "A lot of us here at Backcountry have kids, so conveying realities of climate change to them is super important." POW will receive $3000 for their innovative program through the Keep The Deep Subscriber Grant. Hot Planet/Cool Athletes presents athletes with the unique opportunity to use the fame won on snow to make a difference off of it in local mountain communities. By coupling personal stories with climate science basics the athletes help to promote new awareness and activism inspired by the notion "protect where you play". "Backcountry readers are helping POW reach more students in more schools and communities, while supporting POW's mission to make sure that the next generation is better equipped to address climate change," says Savannah Cowley, representative and Athlete Liaison for POW. "The Hot Planet/Cool Athletes program is important to me because it is a unique opportunity to spread a positive message about conservation to the youth," says Sage. The takeaway message Sage extends to all his audiences: "Don't cut yourself short—you guys have a lot of power and the ability to make a difference." With a plan to reach 10,000 students by the end of 2011, POW is working for the day when the younger generation is united together by the very enthusiasm that Sage witnessed while visiting his first school: "I was psyched to see the passion and interest [the students] had," he says. "But most important was their eagerness to do things that can make a difference." Learn more at backcountrymagazine.com/keepthedeep and protectourwinters.org

Mathieu Soumet is The Intern. If that sounds like a line from a movie poster, well, it kind of is. Soumet, who's from France, needed an internship for school credit in the summer of 2009, and landed with the clothing and film company Voleurz in Whistler, BC. The company wasn't sure what his job would be, so Soumet improvised and found his way into the 2010 release "Look on the Bright Side" as a human prop. He returns for "That's Fine," which will be released online for free Nov. 21. How did he get that gig? ESPN Freeskiing caught up with Soumet to find out. How did you get the internship with Voleurz? I've always been super into skiing and I was feeling like trying to contact some ski companies and hopefully find an internship. More than 400 emails later, nobody wanted me. I emailed companies making skis, outerwear, accessories, even some super specialized Swedish cross-country poles. My classmates were all already in different countries working and I was still sitting home and refreshing my inbox hoping for some good news. Darren Rayner from Voleurz finally answered me, and a few emails and a phone call later, I booked my flight to Vancouver five days later and that was it. What was the job description for your internship? I had to gather and find information about film festivals, tradeshows and various business stuff, but nothing super important. I also had to upload on many websites all the videos Voleurz has done the years before. I never finished that one -- whoops! How did you become a part of the films? Since I'm definitely not good enough to be in a Voleurz movie as a skier I had to figure out how to make the cut. Matt Margetts tried a cork 3 hand-drag over my head the first summer I went to Whistler and we all thought that was pretty cool. The year after, Max Hill gave it a try one day to jib over me. We were all having so much fun that we decided to keep filming others stunts. What have you learned from being the human jib? I guess I learned to trust people. Like closing my eyes and thinking as hard as I can, 'No worries, he's got it, it's going to be a gentle one.' Most of the time it works. I've never been seriously hurt. Last year, I tweaked my knee kinda bad while doing that piggy-backing thing [with Max Hill] and this year I got a concussion trying stupid stuff off snow, but Max wasn't involved on that one. Hopefully you'll see this footage in 'That's Fine.' What do you do when you're not The Intern? Back home I'm a regular 20-year-old French guy, I guess. Eating croissants as much as I can and drinking wine at every opportunity. I'm still studying, I validated my license in management and I'll be doing for a master's in strategic management for the next two years. What's next for The Intern -- do you want a job in freeskiing? All the athlete management aspects of freeskiing interest me a lot and I feel like it's going to be more and more important in the next years since freeskiing is getting bigger and bigger. Any advice for other interns in the skiing industry? As cool and great the ski industry looks and sounds, people looking for internships have to introduce themselves professionally and show motivation and capacity to really help the company out. I think that would be my main advice. Also, trying to talk directly to the right person is better than emailing, so if you could, go to trade shows, I think it's hands down the best place to meet people from the industry.

In Breckenridge, Colorado, the debate over Breckenridge Ski Resort’s (BSR) Peak 6 development is still underway. The public comment period on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was originally set to end on July 25, but was extended through the end of August. According to White River National Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams, the extension is the result of the complexity of the issue. In late June, the Forest Service released the DEIS (available here), a 600 plus-page document analyzing the potential environmental effects of the proposed development. According to breckenridgepeak6.com, the USDA website devoted to the project, the DEIS “discusses the purpose and need for the Proposed Action; alternatives to the Proposed Action; potential direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of implementing each alternative; and project design criteria.” The DEIS proposes three such actions, named Alternative 1 (No Action); Alternative 2 (the Proposed Action); and Alternative 3. The hotly debated action proposed by BSR (Alternative 2) includes the development of a six-person chairlift, a top terminal ski patrol facility/warming hut and a lodge at the lift’s mid-station. The proposal includes 550 new acres of lift-served and hike-to skiing. Alternative 1—No Action—is required by the National Environmental Protection Agency, and is defined as “a continuation of existing management practices without changes, additions or upgrades.” Given the anticipated environmental and social impacts of the proposal, many in Breckenridge exclusively support this option (Rare Earth: Backcountry Expansion in Breckenridge, CO). Alternative 3 is widely considered the “compromise option” as described by Breckenridge local Ellen Hollinshead to the SummitDaily.com. The alternative includes “trail and lift development within BSR’s currently developed lift and trail network as well as a proposed skiing pod immediately north of Peak 7.” This option would include the development of 33 additional acres within the existing boundary, three chairlift upgrades, and the development of terrain on Peak 6 ½, located just north of Peak 7. A high-speed four- or six-person chairlift would access 97 acres of below-treeline, and moving the boundary northward to accommodate this development would increase the lift-served terrain off of the Imperial Express Lift. The comment period on this development will remain open until August 26. To make a general comment on the project, visit breckenridgepeak6.com/general or view the entire document to comment on specific items, click here.

The green sign on the edge of Ten Sleep, Wyoming lists a population of 304, but it's probably edging toward 350 these days. Of course your dog might fetch Coors cans in the middle of Main St. all night and still never get hit. There are no cops, no hospitals, no condos, and definitely no Starbucks here. Ten Sleep is, however, home to one pro snowboarder: Mark Carter. Only a place like Ten Sleep -- a tiny ranching community snugged up into the foothills of the Big Horns -- could brew a bro like Carter, 31 this week. Working on his family's cattle ranch since childhood has made him both tough and well aware that there's no meat on your table if you don't show up ready to work. Aside from laying down serious pow lines the world over, he also guides elk hunts in-season with big brother RC, helping mountain-men-in-training lay a claim to the real thing. He can discuss guns, fishin', gourmet game meat preparation (elk tenderloin?!), snowpack and spines with equal aplomb. Heck, with just a handful of Carter's childhood troublemaking anecdotes any idiot with a camera could probably make a couple of good movies. Snowboarding-wise, Carter got kind of a late start on the sponsor front -- a real job will do that to ya -- but he's made up for lost time admirably. He's won a stop of TNF Masters big mountain comp and placed second in buddy T Rice's inaugural Natural Selection at Jackson Hole, where he lives during the winter. In the last few years you may have seen Carter's riding in Brain Farm, Absinthe, TGR, or Bluebird videos, and can see him this fall in Standard's hotly awaited "TB20." "This year I really felt I was part of the project," he says. "In the past, it's been film a week here and there and maybe get a cameo it the movie. Having Standard to film with all year gave me something to really focus on and and put a solid part together. It was definitely one on the best I've had and awesome riding for the first time with guys like Mads [Jonsson], Lonnie [Kauk], Mathieu [Crepel], Kazu [Kokubo] and [Sammy] Luebke. "Plus, traveling to new zones like Terrace, B.C. really opened my eyes and progressed my riding. My one concern going in though was it was expensive. I was dropping some serious dough on this trip like, Um, I hope it's sick... But, yeah: We got it. It was worth it. [Standard] has been going there for, like, nine years or something so they really wanted to break open some new s---, ride some new zones. We went to some of the old stuff but we rode plenty of new stuff; everything from pillow lines to pat-downs to legit lines, you know?" Carter also scored 12 days this winter at Baldface, one of the Interior's most beloved pow ops. "In a row!" he's quick to point out. "And it was deep, man. Epic conditions. The last day was a powder day -- of course -- and I was just done... After The North Face left, I stayed for a media trip: a bunch of 50-something skiers who do a TV show on RSN just up there schussing [laughs]. And it was Guch's [Bryan Iguchi] first tail-gunning job. I actually saved a girl; she fell in a tree well. Like, face down. Done. The schussers had invited this other girl who was just kind of hangin' out in the lodge, not a real good skier, 21 years old..." Long story short, Carter, riding at the back, was in a good position to locate and rescue the skier, capping off his 12 days in Baldface with some serious good samaritan action. Stories like this aren't even remotely surprising if you've spent even a tram ride with Carter. He's a pro snowboarder, sure, but, because of his deep history ranching, hunting, fishing etc. he truly appreciates the perks of the pro shred, seeing his snowboarding career as a privilege not some kind of right. He has a rock solid attitude and never lets his mouth write a check his ass can't cash. The massive flat screen Sony TV in Carter's laid-back living room in Ten Sleep seems a bit out of place and only becomes more so when you learn that it was a present from Justin Timberlake. Believe it or not, this ranchin' pro shredder has not only ridden with JT but, thanks to his girlfriend Rachael Yarbrough being JT's personal photographer, Mark has now sat Centre Court at Wimbledon with the man, had lunch at Elton John's and grown hoarse singing karaoke with Guy Ritchie. Small town boy done good? Damn straight...

Laura Hadar is a fascinating human being. Her raw, creative energy is infectious, and she is bold in a way that's not only ballsy bravado, but also feminine sheik. She was one of the first females to take her skills to the streets and has done it with fierce determination and an in-your-face attitude. She can hold her own with the boys, and this year, after a second-place finish at both the Snowbird and Crystal Mountain North Face Masters stops, she has also now proved that she's no one trick pony. After becoming Capita snowboards first professional female snowboarder and filming with everyone from Videograss to Peep Show, Hadar has nothing left to prove. But that doesn't mean she's done turning heads. Hey, how are you? I'm good. I'm in Hawaii chilling out with my girlfriends -- just having a little non-snowboarding vacay. It's my first one in a while. Did you travel a lot this last winter? Not a lot, really. I spent a lot of time up in the Northwest. I got two weeks up at Baker, which was awesome, then a couple weeks at Stevens. That was so cool -- the Northwest is so magical! They've got a good secret going on up there, huh? Yeah, we try not to let anyone know what we're holding. I know, right? I was thinking about getting a spot out there, but I want to hit some more street stuff, so we will see. I was surprised to see you at the North Face Masters. How were those contests? Those were so fun! I saw the one at Snowbird the year before because I was just riding around during it, because it was a crazy-good powder day. I saw Temple Cummins, Tom Burt, and Andy Hetzel, and I figured if all those cats were involved it had to be pretty cool. So I did the one at Snowbird this last season and did pretty well, and then I did the one at Crystal and did pretty well there. Then I did the Kirkwood one, but I suck under pressure. Wait -- you got second at two of them. You can't suck that much under pressure. [Laughs] Yeah, it's not too much pressure. You get up on the podium, but you don't have to be the winner. laura hadarTim ZimmermanYou can take a street girl to the mountains... So are you making the switch from street to big mountain? How do you feel about the differences in the two styles? Well, street riding is cool because you get to be in cities, you don't have to wake up super early, and you get to have late nights. Heading out into the mountains is so cool, though. It's so quiet and peaceful and it's something that's new for me, too. It's a different aspect of snowboarding for me, which is refreshing and super exciting. At the first Masters event at Snowbird everyone was taking pictures of lines -- I've filmed a line or two, but I've never taken a picture of a mountain and studied it. I bought a pair of binoculars and learned how to find different markers and everything which was really exciting. Do you think you will keep filming street stuff? I definitely still want to do street stuff, because I love the creativity of it. I love being in the city and it's easier then finding a good crew to get into the backcountry with. A lot of the boys who ride street dress like girls and want to be gypsies or pirates or something. I feel like you were the one who pioneered that style. Do you feel like you had something to do with that? [+] Enlargelaura hadar Tim Zimmerman [Laughs] That's awesome. I think Gus Engle and Eric Messier did that. They were the first dudes that I saw dressing like that -- I think I copped their style a little bit. Maybe I helped popularize it? That's super funny. I like that. I make fun of the guys who wear super skinny jeans and have super skinny legs -- that's gross. There needs to be balance. They should pad their legs so it looks like there's some beef under there or something. Yeah, they should wear football pads or something. So what's up with the new Capita video? Do you have a full part? Yeah, I have a full part. I'm so excited for the video. The Capita team is so stacked right now. We definitely have one of the raddest, most progressive teams out there. It's so sick that whole company just revolves around snowboarding. There are no skiers making big decisions; it's super grassroots. It's such a rad venue for snowboarding to show it's true spirit. I'm honored to be in the video.

I decided recently that I wanted to try a double misty off the up rail at Camp of Champions in Whistler. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done because the way the rail was set up it didn't have a big enough gap to get the rotation around. The camp was super accommodating with making changes for me and they helped move the rail back about 25 feet and propped it up on 3-foot-tall pad of snow. Measuring from the end of the rail to the beginning of the landing the new set up boasted a whopping 65 feet in distance and was exactly what I needed in order to attempt the trick. After a few painful crashes, a fat lip and a blackened eye, I landed the trick I set out to do -- the first ever double flip off of a rail, something I'm very stoked on. Thanks to the staff at COC and to Robin Macdonald for helping me set up the feature and for nailing the shot.

Board Of The Month: Bataleon Evil Twin Artist Edition The Bataleon Evil Twin Artist Edition, shot at Snowmass Terrain Park, Colorado. PHOTO: Chris Wellhausen Board Of The Month: Bataleon Evil Twin Artist Edition The world works in opposites. Snowboarding is no different; an air here is a bail there. It’s all about finding your balance, and on Bataleon’s revamped Evil Twin, that equilibrium is found right underfoot. Its wide, cambered, flat-based area between the bindings and three-way weave of fiberglass provide a stable launch pad. Hardwood stringers run tip to tail over the inserts for added pop and stability, and new for this season is a blunted tip and tail that helps lock into presses. Slams are inevitable though. That’s why Bataleon molds the board with Twin Triple Base Technology—a concave, spoon-shaped tip and tail for forgiveness and plowing through pow. With less catch and consequence at the contact points, you can keep your ollies, nollies, turns, stomps, and spins poised and on point. Available lengths: 152, 154, 157 Shape: Twin TBT (check the tech here) Camber: Traditional Ideal Terrain: Freestyle, all-mountain About The Artist Petrovsky & Ramone petrovskyramone.com Petrovsky & Ramone are a mysterious female duo that “travel all over the world, shooting people and places.” Their stark images show the world of contrast we live in.