Our season sure started well, with some of the heaviest early season snow falls on record, and it was looking on everywhere for a while there… those that were on to it at the time will be stoked right now as unfortunately things have turned rather spring like. We have seen this before, so theres no panic yet…if past patterns are anything to go by, we could be in for a good late one through September…
In the meantime, our August issue is out… heres a preview of what you will find…
ALASKA – Redefining the Line: By JW
When talking, reading or writing about snowboarding in Alaska there are certain words and phrases inevitably bandied about, stuff like, ‘the pinnacle’, ‘pushed envelopes’ and of course the inevitable ‘extreme’. These descriptions and adjectives have perhaps become clichés but like it or not they fit, as by one word or another riding in Alaska is just plain gnarly.
“When we were in Haines we did all our stuff with the doors off the Heli. Like, it’s nuts going heli boarding in general, and even more so in Alaska, but when you start flying around with the doors off… as soon as the heli starts doing like a banked turn, there’s nothing between you and the ground, it’s pretty crazy. You feel the G-forces way more and every little bit of wind or snow that gets kicked up. Pretty nuts, there’s no guide to help get your board out and close the basket, you have to just jump out and sort everything, and then give the heli the okay, and you’re on your own!” – Will J
HOKKAIDO – Travellers guide. By JW
You have probably heard the odd rumour about how good snowboarding is in Japan. Despite these rumours some may still be hesitant about planning a trip there, because of preconceptions it’s an impracticably expensive country with an impenetrable language barrier and a foreign and uninviting culture. In actual fact, Japan is often cheaper than most shred destinations, in the course of a snowboard trip the language barrier will be more fun than a problem, and the people are often welcoming to the point of the outrageous.
“Japan is all time… the pow alone had me frothing, but the fact that you could ride some of the best pillows and cliffs you might ever ride just by hiking into the woods for a wee search is ridiculously epic, and something that stoked me out about the place.” – Connor Harding
OLYMPICS 2014– Ste’en Webster looks at what’s in store and who’s headed to the Winter Games.
OUTER REALM- Kiwi snowboarder Andy Lagan rides the north face of Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix
HYNESIGHT– Nick Hyne unveils his own secrets to progression.
TRICK TIP– Christy Prior takes us to school with a FS Rodeo seven.