Protect Our Winters (POW)

Protect Our Winters (POW) is a non-profit organization dedicated to reversing climate change and the effects of global warming. Started in 2007 by professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones, POW is working to bring together the winter sports community and collectively put efforts towards this goal.

Having grown up in Alaska, it is easy to look back even a decade ago and see the impact of climate change; the receding glaciers, milder winters, smaller amounts of snowfall. A single person can't make this change, but together we can protect our winters.

Do your part and join Protect Our Winters!

September snow in Jackson

I didn't ask for snow on my birthday... but I got it. It's mostly coming down in the mountains, but there are some small flakes starting to hit town.

Early Winter?

Is winter weather starting early? Check the forecast:

Sweetgrass Productions: Signatures

With ski season getting closer everyday, it's hard to not think about powder days and beautiful mornings in the backcountry. Here's some eye candy...

Cody Townsend skiing a crazy couloir

Cody recently posted this on his blog. Check it.

POV.1 Helmet cam shot of skiing a 2000 foot couloir in an unknown mountain range.

Here's a photo of the couloir, also from his blog:

Gear Review: Black Diamond Ascension Nylon STS Skins

It's that time of year when you start itching to buy new gear for the coming season. The air is getting crisp and snow will soon be on the mountain tops.

The Black Diamond Ascension skins are perfect for your new backcountry setup. Some people claim that the Ascensions are heavy, but their performance definitely overpowers their weight. I've been on the same pair for three seasons and they are still holding strong, although I may need to re-glue them this season. I recommend the STS clip style tail; easily adjustable. A good rule of thumb for width is to take the widest part of your ski and subtract 10mm. That will allow you to get full coverage and leave room to keep your edges exposed after trimming.

Trimming skins for the first time? Don't be afraid- it's easy. Feel free to shoot me an email with any questions.

Click Here to buy the Ascension STS Skins!

Last weekend in September

Last night we had a bbq that turned into a late night bike ride to the bars. It was fun to have friends over.

Today was the last day the tram is open until ski season starts. Alex, Sara, and I took the tram up and hiked up to the top of Cody Peak and then back towards No Name Peak. It was crazy to see the terrain we ski in the winter with no snow.

[ The evening was quiet... to start with ]

[ Starting the grill ]

[ Whatever ]

[ Cody Peak ]

[ Billy goating ]

[ Working our way onto Cody ridge ]

[ Puckerface- it's hard to believe we ski it in the winter ]

[ The valley ]

[ Checking out North Shore ]

[ Looking towards No Name Peak ]

Gros Ventre

Mike and I drove out to Gros Ventre to check out the prescribed burn that's visible from town. There's a number of fires in the area that have been putting a smokey haze in the valley for the last couple of weeks.

Fall has arrived.

September 22, 2009 at 5:18 pm EDT is precisely when fall starts in the northern hemisphere this year. That is now.

The leaves are changing and falling off the trees. The air is cool and crisp. It's time to bring out the warmer clothes and hats. I love fall.

Phelps Lake

A quick afternoon hike out to Phelps Lake.


See you tonight in the Village at the TGR Premier!!

Storm Show Studios: Magic Moments

Winter Park

I met up with Joe on Sunday in Winter Park. He drove up from Del Rio, Texas. Our trip had some bumps, but I think we made the most of it. As it turned out, lifts are only running on weekends now (we failed to research that), so we hiked laps and hitched up in the resort trucks. We still got some good laps in.

We spent Sunday evening and Monday at Winter Park riding and playing on the features. It was nice to have the place to ourselves.

My fork was having issues and ceased up on Monday. I stopped in a shop to get it looked at. Hopefully it's just an oil leak and needs new seals, but I need to get someone to take a closer look at it.

On Tuesday, we went up to ride some trails in the National Forest. It was an incredible area, but is being taken over by beetle kill. The ride was low key, but good.

I ended up driving home after lunch on Tuesday; a day early due to being sick. I just felt like I had no energy. I plugged my laptop into my auxillary port on the stereo and had it shuffle itunes for seven of the eight hours before it ran out of battery. Definitely beats digging through cds or repeats on the ipod.

I passed through several thunderstorms on the drive home. Some of them were crazy. After filling up on gas in Rock Springs, there was an incredible deep orange sunset. You could see streaks of ran coming down from clouds in front of the sunset along with bolts of lightning. Amazing.

Thankfully, my car didn't give me any surprises, but I may need to get it checked out still. A couple lights seem to randomly turn on and my engine temperature was running about 10 degrees cooler for the last hour. Wondering if the gauge is messed up. Strange.

I think we made the most out of the few days in Colorado. Joe and I definitely got some sick riding in.

[ Colorado ]

[ Loading the bikes ]

[ The Alaskan vehicles ]

[ 80 degree rock ride to complete spiral bridge to 20 foot drop/trail gap = insane ]

[ Joe ]

[ Wall ride ]

[ Wall ride ]

[ Dirt jumps ]

[ Jump sessions ]

[ No-footer ]

[ Top of the world ]

[ Second wall ride ]

[ Pointing ]

[ Hiking back up ]

[ Scoping bridge-rock-bridge ]

[ Done. ]

[ Lay it out ]

[ Looked like fall in Willow Creek Pass ]

[ Lightning storms and rainbows ]

Powderwhores: Flakes

This is for all you telemarkers...

6am departure... Coffee in hand, iron maiden on the radio, still dark out. Colorado here i come...

09/10 Saga Outerwear

Saga Outerwear posted their new line-up yesterday. The colors on their 'hybrid' suit look almost identical to my get-up last year- I guess I'm ahead of the game. Lot's of sick colors. I'm considering going 'boston lobster' this year. Lookin' good!

Check it.

Gear Review: Line EP Pro Skis

These skis are big...and FUN.

Dimensions:
185 cm
153-127-150 (tip-waist-tail in mm)

Probably my favorite purchase of last season. I bought the EP's used last Fall and threw a pair of Marker Griffons on them. I had never skied anywhere near that big previously, so I had no idea what to expect, especially being a small guy.

At first, I was reluctant to take them out unless it was a major powder day. Soon, I realized that they are fun in almost any condition. They're extremely soft...and can pretty much pop off anything with the tails. The more I skied them, the more I realized you could just look where you want to ski, and you ski it. No questions asked. It was the first time I could drop cliffs and launch rollers in deep power without feeling like I'd be thrown "over the handlebars". The EP's are landing pads for your feet. Go get yourself a pair!

Can't wait to get back on them this season!

Hotdogs and Ludacris

My buddy Jake is in Europe on a month long bike tour right now. I laughed when he sent me this message...

"For breakfast at my hotel we were served hotdogs while ludacris blasted on the radio- i thought of kerry"

A New Home

After 4.5 months of being without a home, I finally have a place to live again. Yesterday, I unpacked my car and moved into a four bedroom house in East Jackson. It's a great location, good size, and plenty of storage for gear and equipment. We have a lot of unpacking and organizing to do, but soon enough we will be settled in. I'm excited.