2012 North American Snowkite Tour, Jackson, WY from Black Owl Media on Vimeo.
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             Hang around the riders of the North American Snowkite Tour and you’ll quickly learn that every snowkiter is searching for a “sickbird.” A day where the sky’s are blue (aka- a bluebird day) and the conditions are sick (aka- powder and steady winds all day). This is exactly what happened in the back country of Bonderant, WY. A little town just outside of Jackson Hole with a population of 100, although even that seems to be stretching it some. Small town or not, the goods got delivered on Friday, with deep powder and steady winds and it was hard to find anyone who wasn’t absolutely killing it. Saturday was just as sick, but with drifting clouds allowing the sun to poke through most of the day, and it does not get the coveted title of being a “sickbird.” Brad Gordon said it best, when commenting later, “this is one of maybe only twelve days a year, when all the conditions line up perfectly enough to be called a “sickbird” and it’s what a snowkiter chases every season.” I think a surfer would call it the “perfect wave” day and from my vantage point behind the camera, these guys were flat out “smacking the lip”, if you get my drift.
Speaking of drifts, there were plenty of them. Snowdrifts that is, and this pumped up crew was only too happy to shred them all! My favorite moment of the day was watching Luke Orton, blow up the powder on a cornice like it was the 4th of July. He wasn’t the only one either. I could name kiter after kiter that laid it down with fresh tracks, pulling the trigger on power loops, and pushing each other to give even more. I am so stoked that we are this early in the season and these guys are already setting such an aggressive pace.
Sunset on Saturday marked the end of this stop on the tour for both the snowkiters and the media team alike. Cinematographer, Bryant Swanstrom and photographer, Sean Naugle from Black Owl Media, were a pleasure for me to work with for our first time together and I look forward to continuing to film with these guys all season. They not only put it out huge for these riders during production to capture the action but their tireless attention to detail in post are giving this year’s media coverage a much needed shot in the arm and leg and neck and,…. well you get the idea. Look for Bryant to release a piece of the action later this week, but I must warn you. If you’re not already on the tour with us this year, you may soon have to be. Truly a lifestyle worth living as you will soon see.
The event ended Saturday night with everyone enjoying a little of that lifestyle in downtown Jackson Hole. Beer, pizza, and a few laughs seem to have been a perfect ending to the week before moving on to the next leg of the tour. Although, officially everyone is headed to Skyline, Utah for the next stop, don’t be surprised if you see these guys making tracks along the way. I’ve heard talk in the wind of a day or two in Idaho. Even on a scheduled day off, many kiters heading north of Jackson Hole today to enjoy a sunset session before heading out tomorrow. No rest for the wicked.
Stuart Penny Photos by: Sean Naugle
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March 2, 2012 - 2:11 am
Greetings from Carolina! I’m bored to death at work so I decided to browse your blog on my iphone during lunch break. I really like the knowledge you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m amazed at how fast your blog loaded on my mobile .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, good site! online http://health-drugstore.com/ hJKup*@V          The wind gave the NAST snowkiters a taste of the Jackson Hole powder on Wednesday keeping the stoke high as the next storm rolls in to clean up the tracks and set the stage for what looks to be a possible sickbird day on Friday. The first stop on the North American Snowkite Tour in Jackson Hole, Wyoming has provided a great spring-board for what hopes to be a rocking season of snowkiting and exploration in the back country. Pro riders continued to roll in day by day from all over the country, reconnecting with their friends and sharing the stoke of the sessions and season to come. Our local host Will Taggert, Wayne Phillips, Pascal Joubert, and Charles Symons were also pleased to see the arrival of international riders Remi Muem from Norway, Jenn Milton from Austrailia, and local US riders John McCabe and Ken Lucas who both recently returned from New Zealand. There’s nothing like getting to share your backyard with others and what an amazing back yard it is. Hats off to these guys for stepping up and being our local inside track to the best locations Jackson Hole has to offer. Not to mention their dial on the wind information. We just couldn’t due Jackson Hole without these guys! The deep snow proved a bit challenging at times for our media crew to navigate and set up. With stuck snowmobiles, cold walkie talkies, and howling winds, these guys earned they weight in gold making it to the top of the hill to capture our kiters throwin’ it down. The air of camaraderie and everyone looking out for each other was great to see as the winds shifted a few degrees to the south and became too gusty to kite, which eventually closed the session for the day. During which, every kiter on the mountain concerned themselves with making sure all were safely back at their vehicles before calling it a day. Just to be in the parking lot of this crew feels, at times, like coming home for the holidays. With grandparents pulling their grandsons and everyone one enjoying the company of our youngest rider, 14 year old Frances Cronin, as her smiling face is always nice to see. With or without the wind, this is a community of truly exceptional people and I feel lucky to get to spend the winter with them. Stay tuned for our next update soon as the tour is shaping up to be one epic season. I’ve gotta give big props to our sponsors this year, Best, Ozone and F-One, for giving us the solid support as well as crankin’ riders like Jake Buzianis, Tyler Brown and Chris Nester just to mention a few. These guys along side of big power riders like Brad Gordan and new school talent like Luke Orton are gonna raise the bar this year, I have no doubt. This is gonna get sick! Stuart Penny no comments           The past three weeks I’ve been coped up inside because of my cracked rib and the claustrophobia has been starting to get to me. When my friend Galo invited me to go climbing at Big Bear for the weekend I was determined I’d be up for it regardless of the pain in my side. It’s amazing how a little fresh air and open space can clear your mind. I think the best part about climbing is that it doesn’t matter what your day job is, climbing is above and beyond all that. Just in my carpool we had a guy who works construction, a writer/tree trimmer, an occupational therapist, and myself a photographer. Two of the other guys we met, both Argentineans, were just getting back from an accent of Mount McKinley and were stopping to check out some California rock. Both of them work as mountain guides in Patagonia and were super interesting to talk to. The weather was definitely pretty warm so we had to stick to climbs that were in the shade. Despite our large group we all had a chance to get our hands dirty on the rock. Big Bear offers quite a bit of moderate rated routes in the 5.10 to 5.11 range in addition to a some harder 5.12’s. The second day we setup a static line so that I could ascend up the rope to take photos of a sweet 5.12 climb called the “Incinerator.” show 1 comment
February 21, 2012 - 11:34 pm
Nice to read your blog |
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