I had the insane opportunity to go on a “work trip” for VholdR Cameras to the Sierras and do some snow camping with Snowboarder Mag and Leeward Cinemas during their shooting of “My Own Two Feet”, a full length feature snowboard film. It’s a Eco conscience film that doesn’t use snowmobiles, chairlifts or heli’s, hence the name ‘My Own Two Feet’. Check out their latest teaser at -http://leewardcinema.com/2feet/. We covered about 28mi in 6 days, all on foot, base camps were usually around a 10,000ft elevation.
Most of the 12 doods were on Splitboards and a few on snowshoes. Splitboards vs. snowshoes is
a whole other topic but basically they both have pros and cons. Basically you can jump into shoes and just start charging and splitboards DEFINITELY have a learning curve. But, after figuring splitboards out a bit you can see how much potential they have. Especially after witnessing the Leeward doods floating around on them. Seeing how I’ve never been splitboarding before (skied twice in my life), rocking a 50lb+ pack, not including all the gear you’re wearing and dragging on your feet, being a total desk jockey warrior of the weekend, and a Sea level city boy, I’m seriously surprised I even made it. It all equaled to one of the most grueling and one of the raddest things I’ve ever done. I think that went for most everyone. Many things can make or break your trip but this is what I learned on this one besides how out of shape I am:
• Get the best sleeping bag you can find or afford! Highly recommend the REI Kilo Expedition -20 bag. Make sure you get one with a little extra room for your boot liners, tele skins, water bottle and whatever else you don’t want to freeze over night (Nate can vouch how lame it is trying to squeeze into a pair of frozen boots in the early AM – http://snowboardermag.com/videos/flash/trick-tip-frozen-boots/ ).
• Also bring ductape for blisters and whatever else needs MacGyvering (i miss that show). I got giant blisters on both of my Sea level city boy baby feet so make sure and kick that forward lean aaaaalll the way back when in tele mode (which was partly why i got the blisters).
• Muscle relaxers/anti inflammatory meds especially if your old and broken like me.
• Get a good water bottle because they also double as a heater. Throw that thing in your bag full of boiling water a half hour before you pass out and your bag is all nice and toasty. That thing will stay hot most of the night. Nalgene seems to be the best (the clear ones emit the least amount of chemicals when boiling water is poured into them). A few folks on the trip had leaky water bottles (REI brand) which would slowly turn their sleeping bag into a waterbed.
• Last but not least DOWN BOOTIES!!! Holy crap, I never even heard of these things before this trip. They are effing amazing! Some puffy ass slippers with down feathers in them was pretty much everyone’s favorite part of the day after slogging around in snowboard boots all day. Besides of course slashing some pow but even that could of been arguable at the time.
I brought a handful of VholdR cameras to throw on the shredders. Everyone seemed super hyped on them…how could they not, sweetest little 4.5oz all encompassing, no wires, no tapes, TV quality, POV, hands free camera out there. Of course i can’t show you the VholdR goods from the trip cuz Leeward will be interlacing it into their footage. Check’em out at www.vholdr.com.
Because there had been a few weeks since the last snow fall, we were all blown away by the perfect conditions on anything remotely North facing. Of course seeing how it’s the Sierras, the mountains just get blasted by huge amounts of sun, which is awesome, but can sometimes lead to warming up to cooling down which leads to firmness. But when your in the 5 digits for elevation it stays cool enough to where it’s pretty much good no matter when you go in the dead of winter. The trip was actually split into 2, 3 day legs. There was a third leg planned but most everyone was so beat they could barely walk by the end of the second leg. One person was so worked his legs started to wobble uncontrollably as he was hiking and his head got so hazy he almost passed out. The first leg was in the Tahoe area, the second in Bishop area and the third “day trip” was suppose to be on some crazy high peak (as if we weren’t high enough), on a mountain that supposedly is home to the longest vertical run doable in North America!???…Someday maybe.
Notable high-lights:
• The whole group, minus one camera person, dropping into a steep huge fluffy pow field with giant packs on all at the same time (as seen in the trailer).
• Ben Lynch’s sweet arching back swanys (as seen in the trailer).
• Forrest pretty much sticking everything he tried first attempt (as seen in the trailer).
• Nate Farrel’s GIGANTO monkey flip thingy into the sketchiest landing ever.
• Markku Koski’s front sevens and one footed airs.
• Eric Leines AKA the “Mule”, Ben, and Forrest rock climbing this peak like some man vs. nature shit completely exposed and then billy goat’in to get into some Jeremy Jones (who was suppose to be there) type of lines.
• Of course I can’t leave out Forrest and Ben’s drop in on a huge wooden dam…That’s right, a friggin wooden dam in the middle of nowhere while EdMANds scales down the dam roped up to get a shot (as seen in the trailer)!?!?
With a eco conscious perspective, unique idea, 3 talented Filmer’s using the latest and greatest equipment, at least 2 to 3 of those cameras on a rider at a time, a few VholdR cameras attached to their heads, some of the most talented and creative doods out there throwing them selves off stuff, sweet conditions, high Sierra terrain, a huge man made obstacle, camping in the snow, “My Own Two Feet” from Leeward is guaranteed to be entertaining.
Here are some links from Snowboarder Mag about the trip…Way more entertaining than my banter. Look for the feature story in Volume 21 of Snowboarder.
http://snowboardermag.com/videos/flash/trick-tip-frozen-boots/
http://snowboardermag.com/freeze-frame/leeward-cinemas-gallery-1/
http://snowboardermag.com/freeze-frame/leeward-gallery-2/
THANKS Leeward for letting such a rookie like me tag along.
now that is fucking taut.
straightline is sick.
walking around earn your turns shit is, unfortunately, the future…good thing I won’t have to do it at five-digit elevations holy shit…
iono bout camping out there either that’s a little much…
Rad. This looks like fun. I like the idea of walking up the mountain before I fall down it. I also like the idea of gondola lattes, or even Time Wise corn dogs for that matter, go figure.
Still, it’s a very nice message: If you like checking out your own tracks, observe your carbon footprint.
We should all make it a point to only go off clean energy kickers and spin backside 360 renewables.
Maybe get some taxes back.
Shradical.
pretty cool man. is that last clip in the teaser jeremy jones? whats with the wheelie bar slash down that line? fucking insane. is it really spring??? fuuuuuuuck.
yeah, Mr. Jones is all up in that teaser. he dropped some lines in tahoe for the first time with leeward that he’s always wanted to do.
i spoke with Chris EdMANds recently from leeward saying he was biking all the way down to mammoth from south lake tahoe for the superpark event put on by snowboarder mag. HUNDRED AND FORTY MILES with all his gear!?!??! and then if that wasn’t enough, his crew, and some shredders from the film are gonna hike the park instead of riding the chairs!? soooo friggin gnarly…
yeah that jones character is gnarly. i met him at the neoproto house once when i lived in tahoe and he is one of the mellowest people ive ever met. i always thought hed be gnarly in person. he must have achieved total consciousness somewhere…new lines are sick though. check out the JR Cole Mega Drop post on this site if you haven’t already. New alpental drop for the record books.
but i dont know man. that bike ride and hike might be pushin it. why dont they build their own superpark with shovels and rakes instead of cats??
gotta commend them on accomplishing a goal though. i know my body couldnt take that abuse. thats for sure.
Green Airs!!!! Hell Yeah. Been doing that shit for years. Nice to see the media is catching up. Hippies.
everyone has to be proud of something how many carbon credits does it cost for a day of snowboarding anyway. thats why i don’t cut my lawn so i can run over bunnys while riding my dirtbike