Will Bateman is one of the few riders I know who would rather shoot a photo then shoot a video. This photo was taken on Superbowl Sunday at the bottom of a neighborhood. Will and myself were the only people present which made for an enjoyable time. The run in was a slight issue as we had to lay down a snow path across a parking lot. After some mishaps and a few random people asking what we were up to, we had the shot and headed home.
Forest Bailey with a method up and over the truck.
Colton from the Dump Em crew had invited me along to shoot with them for the day at a junk yard in Truckee. Forest came out swinging and landed a few tricks before one of the other riders got hurt and we ended the session early.
-Sam Hulbert
First day in Tahoe and I’m at a jump with Sam Hulbert, Ian Thorley, and Tim Humphreys. I was very excited to get out, into the snow, and start photographing. The jump was just outside of Alpine Meadows and quick hike from a parking lot.
-Ian Thorley
-Tim Humphreys
I have a cheap $2 plastic Ultonic Panoramic Camera that I love to use. All images shot on Kodak 400 Tri-X.
-Billy Keil AKA Bobby AKA Bobby Big Hands with a most proper backside tailslide
Every year I like to make it up to Big Boulder Ski Resort in Blakeslee Pennsylvania to shoot their park for the various magazine’s resort guide issues. Big Boulder is host to a park that has been in the Transworld Top 5 East Coast Park for the last 3+ years.
-Matt Bothfeld
Always down to get the best photography Big Boulder set me up with a closed park and access to it’s team of riders. It’s always a great time hanging out with some of my PA buddies and shooting photos. We has a session on their three jump line for most of the day before moving down to the plaza to shoot the rails. Dom Luza started off the rail riding with a quick switch backside boardslide on the DFD.
-Dom Luza switch backside boardslide
The day ended with a long session in the plaza on the down barrel rail. Trip Brown and Matt Roberge were there with video cameras so Bobby, Kyle, and Dom laid on the big business. After about 100 different tricks were done, everyone called it quits and headed into town for a bit of pizza before going our separate ways.
-Kyle Luza switch nosepress late at night
For the trip we were about to take on day 2, we sure did not wake up early enough. Mike, Justin and myself were late to bed seeing the night before was New Years and consequently we were late to rise. Once we did get ourselves up, it was for a quick breakfast before we piled into the jeep and hit the icy road. The destination of our drive I am still not allowed to speak of, but it is a local spot that has graced the cover of Easter Edge.
-Justin in the morning
We were hiking in from a new location that Pat said would shave about an hour off the hike and avoid the mean attack of a junkyard dog. The snow was about a foot deep and the hike was long but after two and half hours we arrived at the summit. I dug a quick pit to test the stability of the snow while Mike cut off some of the cornice and sent large amount of sluff down the slope. Last time I was here we had an avalanche so we played it on the safe side and avoided our original slope for one with a more mellow angle.
See you at the bottom
Pat went first, but we each took a ride down to the bottom. It was a steep and fun ride. Once at the bottom I set up my camera while the guys took a hike back to the top. This was Mikes first time riding deep powder and he did very well. Hooked on the pow, he hiked more then anyone and bagged a bunch of shots. Unfortunately our late morning was catching up to us as bad weather and the evening started approaching. We knew it was a long hike out so we ended the session early and started out. Arriving at the jeep in total darkness we each shared a beer and headed back to Pat’s house.
-Mikey B Natural Pow Rider
I had secured us passes to Stowe Mountain Resort and we spent the next two whole days riding on and off the resort on the Mount Mansfeild side. With lift access and fresh powder up to waist deep in some spots, these two days were probably the highlight of the trip. Pat’s guiding knowledge really shines at Stowe and he lead us to all the goods. Each line was untracked and he knew where all the cliffs, drops, gaps, and exits were.
-Mike Bennett in the Stowe Gondola
Eager to get some lines for myself and seeing I was at my favorite mountain on the east I road the whole first day without a camera. The second day we got to work and everyone snagged good photos on each run.
-Justin Mullen blast off a cliff in a cloud of powder
-Pat Walsh demonstrates how it’s done
-Justin leans back into a heel side
Justin, Mike, and myself were sad to leave but Mike had to get back to work and Justin and myself had to get ready for Tahoe. Stowe will always remain as one of my favorite mountain in the east coast. If you have the chance to go there you should take advantage of it. With early seasons that always have the pow its a great place to visit over that christmas break/new years break. A huge thanks to Pat. Without him this trip would not have been possible. Leave me a message if you would like to get Pat’s email for guiding trips with your own group.
L-R Pat Walsh, Justin Mullen, Mike Bennett
Don’t forget part one.
http://www.benbirk.com/blog/2010/07/09/winter-in-summer-stowe-vt/.
Justin recorded video and made an edit from the trip.
http://www.benbirk.com/blog/2010/01/05/stowe-vermont/
-Mike Bennett Tail Press Harrisburg, PA
It had snowed before Christmas in Pennsylvania and my friends and I were ecstatic! We knew the snow might not last long and we had to take quick advantage of the situation. There were tons of rails we could have chose from, but this steep 28 stair with the rail that had balls on it was the one in our sights. Doug Usko and Mike Bennett shoveled off the stairs while I struggled to light the rail (I had not been shooting for quite some time and was very rusty).
Doug was the first to slide the whole rail and I tuned off my PocketWizards to take an ambient light portrait of him. I turned back to shoot Mike as he tail pressed the whole rail first try, but to his and mine disappointment I had forgotten to turn my PW back on. OH NO! I had to ask him to press the rail a few more times until his body position and nose height were good enough to have a keepable photo. Unfortunately is was still not quite as good as his first try had been but it was getting dark and we had other rail we wanted to hit. The image was good enough to run in the January issue of East Coast Snowboarding Magazine though 
.
While waiting to get directions to the next rail we took some quick portraits against a brick wall. No flash was used for the portraits just the the ambient light from the lights that were hanging from above. Once the directions got in and we got to the rail we were not sure if we wanted to hit it. It was defiantly a balance beam rail and no real tricks were done. With temps in the teens or below we called it a night and all headed back to our homes.
-Doug Usko (FILM)
-Mike Bennett (FILM)
-Mike Bennett
-Doug Usko
-Mike Bennett FS 50-50 Hershey, PA
I peeped threw my blinds today and saw snow tumbling down to the ground. What a great way to start off the month. 
-Doug Usko FS 50-50