It’s December, and it hasn’t really snowed much in the Lower 48.  That’s ok, because you’ve been holding the reins while desk jockeying and no snow doesn’t affect your daily routine.  In fact, it probably makes for a much easier commute.  Well, guess what – It’s going to snow, and when it does you’ll be jonesing to get out and play!

That’s why we at Tecnica/Blizzard designed the “Need to Get Out” contest in conjunction with Teton Gravity Research.  We know you are only slaving away behind a desk so you can earn enough dough to get out and road trip with your buddies.  Well, we want to make it easier for you and that friend to get out West and come slash some turns with the Tec/Blizz pro team.

Head on over to Teton Gravity Research’s website by clicking the photo above, and learn how to enter the contest.  Tell us your best story, include a rad photo, and come choke on some powder with us at Monarch Snowcat Skiing.  Can’t wait to hear what you have to say!

-Tats

Kris & Friends in Chamonix

It’s been a big year for Tecnica/Blizzard with the introduction of alpine touring ski boots and ‘Flipcore’ skis in the Freemountain line.  In the video, Kris shows off the advantages of having Vibram-sole Tecnica AT boots as he and his buddies rope up and scramble down a rock face to find some pristine powder.  Once in the couloir, you can see Kris (in the green outerwear) put his Blizzard Bonafides to work where you can see him schmearing turns down Cunningham Couloir’s finest white gold.  Watch, enjoy, repeat as necessary.

Cunningham Couloir from kris thomas on Vimeo.

Blizzard Bonafide

Tecnica Cochise

2011 has been a big year for Blizzard Skis, and our new FlipCore line of skis are creating big buzz throughout the ski industry.  With a concept drawn from Arne Backstrom’s musings and tinkerings as a team rider, the engineers at Blizzard stepped up to the challenge of designing the ultimate rockered ski.  With all the other companies rushing to produce some sort of bent-up, early-rise, elf-shoe thing-a-ma-jig, there are a multitude of ski shapes with wacky designs yet none of the skis really ski most conditions well.  Not so with the new Blizzard Cochise, the 2011 ISPO ‘Ski of the Year’; this ski has made ninjas out of more than a few lucky skiers who’ve tried them on for size.  And the Bodacious (Arne’s signature ski) skis like no other fat ski; you’d never know there was two sheets of titanal metal in them.

The Blizzard team has been busy shooting video and stills to show what these skis are about, and the buzz is still building.  If you want to check out a pair of Blizzard skis with the new FlipCore technology, check out Granite Chief in Squaw and Hamilton Sports in Aspen for demos.  Or click here to read up on the specs.

Clem Smith Speaks About Flip Core and Arne Backstrom from Frank Shine on Vimeo.

FlipCore Fun from Frank Shine on Vimeo.

Thanks A.B. – You are dearly missed, but your legacy lives on in each of us.

Edit by Frank Shine

Stoke Tour Aspen. from Frank Shine on Vimeo.

Here is a little highlights video from our recent Tecnica/Blizzard Stoke Tour in Aspen. George Blair and Travis Townes, our esteemed Colorado reps, put together a sales contest on Colorado’s Front Range to find the best sales associates and stoke ‘em out with a few days of pow shredding in Aspen on 2011-12 Blizzard skis. Throw in some infamous Kiffor Berg backflips, some Pat Sewell slash turns and a snow cat courtesy of Aspen Mountain Powder Tours, and get stoked!

Video edit and Photos by Frank Shine, Shineline Productions

This short ninja mission to SIA is coming to a close. Meetings with sponsors, high fives with athletes, and parties galore. Denver is a little mellower of a location for the ‘Snow Show’ than Vegas, but no one is letting that hamper the festivities.

The snowboard side of the Denver Convention Center was just as obviously raucous as it was in Sin City, with Volcom once again claiming straight clown status with all their whistles and hijinks. It’s an interesting approach to conducting business at a tradeshow: make as much noise as possible to distract business in nearby booths, while slipping their own clients into some soundproof booths. It’s a sabotage strategy that somehow relates to core points for a brand that is ever constantly growing bigger and farther away from being core. Or, maybe I’m just not core enough to appreciate it all.

As for the skiing side of things, I peeped the new offerings by Blizzard/Tecnica and was greeted by some awesome new Tecnica Agent AT boots (Dynafit compatible) and some early rise Titan Argos shred sticks. From the vibram soles on the freeride boots, to the neon sidewalls on Blizzard Answers, it’s great to see the designers trust our freeride team’s suggestions.

I was on POC’s behalf that Justin and I even considered leaving snowy British Columbia for the city streets and skyscape of Colorado’s capitol city. POC’s new line of sunglasses stole the show, in my opinion, with four frame styles and some great lens options. The party on Wednesday night at the Bluebird Theater proved to be quite the show, with yours truly acting as MC and introducing musicians like Bryon Friedman and Everclear. Huge thanks to POC and General Snus for turning over the mic to this ski bum.

Now, Justin and I are waiting for our first flight here at DIA with crossed fingers that our 23 minute layover in SLC will be long enough to clear the international security check and board our plane. If only Delta could promise us even a 50% odds that we’ll make it. At least my beautiful girlfriend, Jamie, drove down from Aspen yesterday to hang out. She even gave us a ride to the airport early this morning; a hug and kiss later and we won’t see each other until her birthday trip to BC in March.

So, with girlfriends, SIA, cities, and CO snow-drought behind us, Justin and I are ready to bury ourselves deep into BC’s interior and continue our quest for fresh pow. Powder Highway…we’re baaaaack!!