Monday, February 22, 2010
Friday, February 5, 2010
Straightline Adventure
This was my first TGR post:
Hey, this is Aaron from the Jan camp. This straightline adventure was so cool that I had to create a TGR account, if for no other reason, than just to write a TR.
For someone who loves to ski, this str8line adventure was damn near life affirming. Everyone who showed up, coaches and participants, was psyched about skiing. For three days we ate, drank and slept skiing. …we were all, as a group, completely enveloped in this skiing experience.
The logistics of the camp were near flawless. You always knew where to meet, what to do next, who to communicate with. And there was a lot going on: the setup of the groups, technical coaching, non technical freeskiing with the pros, avalanche sessions -on snow and off, ski photo slide show and video analysis.
First morning I didn’t know what to expect and was a little nervous. I wanted to push myself, but wanted to stay within my limits of risk. I went with the A Group and Carlo Tavarelli was assigned as our coach. I was psyched. Let me say that Carlo has a SICK style. It was like he had been coached by Brant and Gordy his whole life and took it to heart while adding his own style. He has the coolest calm ski style that he holds on any terrain or drops.
https://www.snowbird.com/athletes/at...ravarelli.html
http://blogs.courierpostonline.com/i...-the-mountain/
It was bluebird, and first run, Carlo took us to Powder Park a few minutes after they dropped the rope…sweet. We videoed with the group and I think we were all on cloud nine. Next he took us to the Little Corbetts area. We skied a steep face peppered with rocks and trees, but not many tracks. On this run I tagged some rocks and tumbled. Shark Attack! I got four large core shots, two on each ski and broke my pole strap all on that one turn. He made us do it again on video and we all nailed it. (The run, not the rock!) I didn’t know that much about Carlo before the camp but I think he has a couple mag covers and is a Snowbird Athlete, so I guess that’s one reason why he’s such an awesome guide for snowbird. He took us to all his favorite out of the way places. Nirvana may not be a secret spot buts it’s not so obvious to find, and it says in Calro’s profile that it’s his favorite run. So, thanks Carlo for the expert guiding and style demo.
Brant Moles was by far the most technical coach with the most disciplined coaching style. We focused on some clear and simple principals. We skied a few short shots one at time and took time to get individual coaching. We did drills and we videotaped. Brant would pinpoint specific flaws in your individual skiing and give specific objective things you could do to fix it. You would watch them over and over again with him in slow mo and he would reinforce the principles. Throughout the three days he would follow up with you on your specific drills or items that you were working on and fine tune them with amazing consistency. This resulted, for me, in a pretty major breakthrough in my skiing. And I saw the same happen for many others. Besides the technical aspect, talking with Brant help me realize that after going through some bad ski injuries, I could still be progressive in my skiing by increasing the skill level while reducing the risk. This technical and non-technical coaching insight was huge for me. So, thanks Brant.
www.brantmoles.com
I’ve known Gordy for a long time. We skied together a handful of times about 20 years ago. It was before he was published or in any competitions. We would ski down to a drop together and he would be enthusiastic that we were both going to do it. He would stylishly nail it and I would whimper around the side looking for something smaller. Shortly after that he was a superstar…and I’m here at my desk. 20 years later Gordy has the same enthusiasm for skiing. Of course, he is the reason this camp exists. He did a great job instigating, organizing, coaching, and keeping everybody included in the experience.
Gordy took our group out to Powder Park where he got some good footage of us ripping a steep narrow ridge in the sun, covered with rocks and trees. He took us to a mandatory straightline that Paul (LivingTheDream) bravely dropped into only to explode out onto the apron into the biggest face plant, tomahawk yard sale. All of this we got to watch over and over again in super slow mo on the bigscreen drinking beer and eating pizza in our suite at the Cliff Lodge to the cheers of our new mates. F@#k Ya!
http://www.straightlineadventures.com/
By this time the A Group is pretty tight. I’m feeling a little bit like we’ve made it though some heralding shit together. You guys were each great to hang with. I halfway want to write a profile of each person right now.
Our group skied with Jamie Pierre at Alta on the afternoon of the last day. It had snowed an Alta 3 inches which meant that is was knee deep in places, deeper in others. And it was still snowing. Jamie has a smooth free ski style that is backed by years of successful calculated risk. Gordy had advised us earlier that rather than concentrating so much on coaching with Jamie, we should just follow him. We all possed behind Jamie, heading toward Supreme, hitting jumps and drops. Jamie took us to some of the hallowed ground of skiing and skiing photography. He dropped a cool 15+ foot rock jutting into a wide untracked chute. At the top, Jon (jondrums) had no question in his mind that he was going to drop it and his enthusiasm won me over and I assured him I would follow. He launched off the lip, landed in the deep snow and skied out in the pow below. I followed and it was probably the biggest drop I have done. Jamie then demoed a huge front flip that was totally styled and stalled. A Group was in awe. We all got a few more phenomenal, deep, untracked turns and airs. Jamie went out on a limb to show what he is all about and what a straightline adventure is all about. To the group, the adventure of those runs that Jamie took us on was the culmination of the camp. So, Thanks Jamie.
Everybody met back at Gold Miners where we drank and shared the stories of that day and others. Each of the coaches had put a lot of heart into the camp and each participant had given their all. What a great bunch. What a great experience. One by one people said their goodbyes and trickled out into the world. Until next time.
Hey, this is Aaron from the Jan camp. This straightline adventure was so cool that I had to create a TGR account, if for no other reason, than just to write a TR.
For someone who loves to ski, this str8line adventure was damn near life affirming. Everyone who showed up, coaches and participants, was psyched about skiing. For three days we ate, drank and slept skiing. …we were all, as a group, completely enveloped in this skiing experience.
The logistics of the camp were near flawless. You always knew where to meet, what to do next, who to communicate with. And there was a lot going on: the setup of the groups, technical coaching, non technical freeskiing with the pros, avalanche sessions -on snow and off, ski photo slide show and video analysis.
First morning I didn’t know what to expect and was a little nervous. I wanted to push myself, but wanted to stay within my limits of risk. I went with the A Group and Carlo Tavarelli was assigned as our coach. I was psyched. Let me say that Carlo has a SICK style. It was like he had been coached by Brant and Gordy his whole life and took it to heart while adding his own style. He has the coolest calm ski style that he holds on any terrain or drops.
https://www.snowbird.com/athletes/at...ravarelli.html
http://blogs.courierpostonline.com/i...-the-mountain/
It was bluebird, and first run, Carlo took us to Powder Park a few minutes after they dropped the rope…sweet. We videoed with the group and I think we were all on cloud nine. Next he took us to the Little Corbetts area. We skied a steep face peppered with rocks and trees, but not many tracks. On this run I tagged some rocks and tumbled. Shark Attack! I got four large core shots, two on each ski and broke my pole strap all on that one turn. He made us do it again on video and we all nailed it. (The run, not the rock!) I didn’t know that much about Carlo before the camp but I think he has a couple mag covers and is a Snowbird Athlete, so I guess that’s one reason why he’s such an awesome guide for snowbird. He took us to all his favorite out of the way places. Nirvana may not be a secret spot buts it’s not so obvious to find, and it says in Calro’s profile that it’s his favorite run. So, thanks Carlo for the expert guiding and style demo.
Brant Moles was by far the most technical coach with the most disciplined coaching style. We focused on some clear and simple principals. We skied a few short shots one at time and took time to get individual coaching. We did drills and we videotaped. Brant would pinpoint specific flaws in your individual skiing and give specific objective things you could do to fix it. You would watch them over and over again with him in slow mo and he would reinforce the principles. Throughout the three days he would follow up with you on your specific drills or items that you were working on and fine tune them with amazing consistency. This resulted, for me, in a pretty major breakthrough in my skiing. And I saw the same happen for many others. Besides the technical aspect, talking with Brant help me realize that after going through some bad ski injuries, I could still be progressive in my skiing by increasing the skill level while reducing the risk. This technical and non-technical coaching insight was huge for me. So, thanks Brant.
www.brantmoles.com
I’ve known Gordy for a long time. We skied together a handful of times about 20 years ago. It was before he was published or in any competitions. We would ski down to a drop together and he would be enthusiastic that we were both going to do it. He would stylishly nail it and I would whimper around the side looking for something smaller. Shortly after that he was a superstar…and I’m here at my desk. 20 years later Gordy has the same enthusiasm for skiing. Of course, he is the reason this camp exists. He did a great job instigating, organizing, coaching, and keeping everybody included in the experience.
Gordy took our group out to Powder Park where he got some good footage of us ripping a steep narrow ridge in the sun, covered with rocks and trees. He took us to a mandatory straightline that Paul (LivingTheDream) bravely dropped into only to explode out onto the apron into the biggest face plant, tomahawk yard sale. All of this we got to watch over and over again in super slow mo on the bigscreen drinking beer and eating pizza in our suite at the Cliff Lodge to the cheers of our new mates. F@#k Ya!
http://www.straightlineadventures.com/
By this time the A Group is pretty tight. I’m feeling a little bit like we’ve made it though some heralding shit together. You guys were each great to hang with. I halfway want to write a profile of each person right now.
Our group skied with Jamie Pierre at Alta on the afternoon of the last day. It had snowed an Alta 3 inches which meant that is was knee deep in places, deeper in others. And it was still snowing. Jamie has a smooth free ski style that is backed by years of successful calculated risk. Gordy had advised us earlier that rather than concentrating so much on coaching with Jamie, we should just follow him. We all possed behind Jamie, heading toward Supreme, hitting jumps and drops. Jamie took us to some of the hallowed ground of skiing and skiing photography. He dropped a cool 15+ foot rock jutting into a wide untracked chute. At the top, Jon (jondrums) had no question in his mind that he was going to drop it and his enthusiasm won me over and I assured him I would follow. He launched off the lip, landed in the deep snow and skied out in the pow below. I followed and it was probably the biggest drop I have done. Jamie then demoed a huge front flip that was totally styled and stalled. A Group was in awe. We all got a few more phenomenal, deep, untracked turns and airs. Jamie went out on a limb to show what he is all about and what a straightline adventure is all about. To the group, the adventure of those runs that Jamie took us on was the culmination of the camp. So, Thanks Jamie.
Everybody met back at Gold Miners where we drank and shared the stories of that day and others. Each of the coaches had put a lot of heart into the camp and each participant had given their all. What a great bunch. What a great experience. One by one people said their goodbyes and trickled out into the world. Until next time.
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