Two Days before Christmas the sun was shining & the East winds were blowing. The holiday crowd slowly started to appear and it was time to find a place where you could be at peace without the crowd. Brandon Cocard, Alex Horgan, Brett Davis & I rallied up to ASI to see what the summit had to offer & decided it was a good call to visit the legendary Terry Kidwell Gulley. The Zone was wind-protected and sunny serving up a nice area for the windblown to accumulate and offer some great roadside distraction cutbacks & off the tops.
The boys had a fun session of slashes & hip transfers. That little gulley offers so much in just a small space. After everyone had thier taste of slashes, we proceeded to pay homage to Kidwell & built up the Quarterpipe for a great session. To be honest, no bangers or covers were made here....just a good time and lots of high fives. The session got even heavier as John Foy, Jason Tackit, Dan Pitbladdo, & Chas Guldemond all shared the gulley and got some as well. the trick of the day seemed to be the backflip as everyone layed one out. find your own roadside distraction & lay one out this holiday season!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
KT-22 Spins for 2009-2010 Season!

The Northern Sierras has been getting pounded with snowfall for the past week. A total of 73 inches has fallen at Squaw Valley USA. After countless hours of snow removal for the past week, I finally decided it was time to take advantage of my new Squaw Valley season pass. Like many other opportunistic individuals, I took advantage of the early season season pass offered by Squaw this summer for the low $369.00 price tag. This pass was just too good a deal to pass up as regular all day adult lift tickets carry the price tag of $83.00! Do the simple math right there & the purchase of the pass pays for itself in just 4 all day tickets.
Many phone calls were made in the morning asking team riders where they were planning to ride. I was able to rally Brendon Drury and Alex Horgan to the cause. Brendon arrived 1st and had to settle his pass situation and I couldn't wait so I decided to do a hot lap up Red dog while he worked his mojo with the pass office. Brendon for sure was blowing it. It really didn't matter at that point as the KT chair was not yet confirmed to open. I did have a feeling it was going to happen as I was on the Red Dog Chair i noticed for a brief minute the KT chair started to churn for a second and I heard a few "hoots" off in the distance. Really?! Could this be happening?! After my quick run down the Dog, I met up with Drury and we bro'd down heavy as the rumor was confirmed...they we're going to crack KT around noon! We decided to take a few laps on Exhibition as to keep a close eye on the KT situation. At 10:30 am, there was a small pack of people already waiting to get the goods on KT. However not enough, to justify us waiting while the day was beautiful and sunny so we decided to take a few more laps. In hindsight there was no regrets with that move, but after just 2 short runs, the like at KT was filling up fast & stacking pretty deep.
Alex finally showed up & it was time to stand in line & get ready. Everywhere you looked you saw smiles from ear to ear in anticipation of he 1st true Pow run of the season. Not to mention it was about to take place on the famed KT, with blue skies on a beautiful mid December day. The thing I love about standing in line on the 1st official Pow day is all the familiar faces you see in line. Old friends that you haven't seen in a while always make it out on days like that. Former PortersTahoe employees Chris Doyle & Alex were in the line up as we caught up on current events. Our Norther California 32 & Airblaster sales rep Eric Wallis was in the lineup as well and as excited and stoked as can be. The Chair finally cracked & it was game on!
Once again, if its on, IT"S ON!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Powerful Photo Essay
I ran into this photo essay just now and I thought that I would share it for those of you who happen stop by into my blog.
http://www.dayswithmyfather.com/
http://www.dayswithmyfather.com/
I found this in the Livebooks blog written by Benjamin Chesterson. I felt the need to share this as some of the issues the photographer Phillip Toleando deals with, many of us have to deal with as well. I cannot speak for the photographer so please check out this body of work. FYI the site is a bit of a task to navigate...just scroll to the bottom of each photo and once the image moves, click & you'll be to the next image.
Labels:
Americans with Alzheimer's,
Elderly,
Senior Citizens
Karen & Trent
The Lake Tahoe Basin has a lot to offer the outdoor enthusiast. Biking and hiking in the summer, to Skiing and snowboarding in the winter. Tahoe is truly a majestic place that draws people to it's beauty. This last summer, a friend referred Karen & Trent of my photographic services as they were looking for someone to document their wedding in a style they saw fit to capture their wedding day. Being outdoor enthusiasts, they ended up being a perfect match! Trent served for a few years on Ski Patrol at the north shore ski resorts and was very familiar with the area living up here in Tahoe years previous. They chose the Lodge at Tahoe Donner as their venue & stayed at the Cedar House in historical Truckee, CA. The Lodge at Tahoe Donner is home to a signature golf course that is recognized for having the best greens in the Tahoe Region. The Cedar House is a hotel that "explores our need to connect to nature, emphasizing in its design a harmony that is sympathetic to the human body, mind and spirit." If you have a dog, this hotel is for you!
Bear Valley Wedding
Choosing wedding venues can be tough at times and quite a task. For those of you who want a wedding venue that is very private without a lot of glitz & glam and stays true to the outdoors, look into having a wedding at the Bear Valley Lodge. This summer I shot a very intimate wedding there for Brooke & Ryan. The valley holds a place in their hearts as they traveled all the way from Portland, OR to get married at the place where their family has owned a cabin there for over 30 years. The setting for their ceremony took place at Alpine Lake which has great vistas nestled within the pine trees and granite. The reception took place at the modest Bear Valley Lodge. The Lodge has minimal amenities and may be a perfect setting for those who are budget minded. If you can get past the dated decor, this may be the setting you're looking for. DIY couples could take advantage of this location as Brooke & Ryan did, as they took the responsibility of doing their own decorations, centerpieces, & cupcake wedding cake. Bear Valley has a miniature Lake Tahoe feel if you will and can offer a great alpine feel. This location is home to many skiers & snowboarders who seek a winter getaway from Central California.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Playdate Shred!

It has been a great summer of shooting weddings for me this year and I hope next summer is just as successful. Winter has arrived and it is time to switch my shooting mode. Summer sure was fun, but it's time to get suited up and start getting into winter mode as the snowboarding season is just around the corner. We've had a few early storms that have hit Tahoe, just enough to get some early season snowboarding. I've taken a few laps already on the hill at Squaw Valley USA and Boreal Mountain resort. The riding hasn't been anything to go crazy over, but just enough to get the stoke up and do some snow dances.
During this early time of year, the minimal snow coverage allows just enough snow for some early season stunts. I was invited by a handful of snowboarders to come shoot their on snow antics. This group of guys ride year round and travel all over the country in search of satisfying their snow cravings. Nick Visconti, Brandon Cocard, Johnny Lazzareschi, Silver Severino & more were all in attendance making the most of the Squaw Valley Park. The park is not made for these types of antics, mainly used as a children's playground during more ideal weather conditions. But hey, big kids can play too right. Here's a little photo essay of what went down.
Enjoy!
ericasistinphoto.com
PortersTahoe.com
easyloungin.com
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