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Does backcountry skiing get a second look?

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TurquoiseGrizzly
Posts: 1819 - Karma: 13,149
I love the backcountry. I love the park. But I feel like in order to be sponsored or even looked at you have to be pretty damn good at both. Granted, making new features is awesome, but, what if all you want to do is drop cliffs, send lips, and fly off nothing but God made natural features? Do they have any chance?
Jul 21 2014 2:25PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22671 - Karma: 75,830
Plenty of opportunities for that side of things. Hell, that has been around longer than the park stuff.
Jul 21 2014 2:28PM
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.MASSHOLE.
Posts: 7408 - Karma: 11,040
BeardlessMMI love the backcountry. I love the park. But I feel like in order to be sponsored or even looked at you have to be pretty damn good at both. Granted, making new features is awesome, but, what if all you want to do is drop cliffs, send lips, and fly off nothing but God made natural features? Do they have any chance?


Yep. Ian Macintosh, Max Hammer, etc. A lot actually have racing backgrounds.
Jul 21 2014 2:43PM
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CheddarJack
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 7,380
That's what big mountain / freeride comps are for! Sponsors generally hook up the winners of such comps pretty well. For example, Ski the East hosts their freeride tour comp every year and the winner gets to film with them the following season (as long as they don't already film with them,..). But even if you don't end up number 1, it's pretty good exposure and the local reps generally get pretty excited when guys consistently place well.
Jul 21 2014 2:49PM
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TurquoiseGrizzly
Posts: 1819 - Karma: 13,149
So there still is hope for the backcountry men. Awesome. I love rails, features, and all the fun stuff the park has to offer. But there is absolutely nothing like conquering something that wasn't man made. That's naturally there. Or something you and your buddies teamed up to help build with the ultimate scenic view in the background.
Jul 21 2014 2:59PM
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CheddarJack
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 7,380
BeardlessMMSo there still is hope for the backcountry men. Awesome. I love rails, features, and all the fun stuff the park has to offer. But there is absolutely nothing like conquering something that wasn't man made. That's naturally there. Or something you and your buddies teamed up to help build with the ultimate scenic view in the background.


For sure. Freeride skiing is vastly underrated if you ask me. It's just so much easier to film park edits, which explains why they're 90% of the edits you see, which is why sponsors like park guys more.
Jul 21 2014 3:14PM
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TurquoiseGrizzly
Posts: 1819 - Karma: 13,149
CheddarJackFor sure. Freeride skiing is vastly underrated if you ask me. It's just so much easier to film park edits, which explains why they're 90% of the edits you see, which is why sponsors like park guys more.


It is underrated! Guys like Karl F., Phil Caso., and Henrik are diiiiiirty in the park. If they took that creativity and took it to a more natural terrain and used the same creativity, we could have something completely new. Guess I will just have to start it off with a BANG.
Jul 21 2014 3:27PM
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JibbaTheHutt
Posts: 2132 - Karma: 1,597
Hey look at the Nimbus crew, pollard especially has 2 is known for almost "jibbing" natural features and skiing gnarly lines. They don't appear to build that many booters in their short films.
Jul 21 2014 3:28PM
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CheddarJack
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 7,380
BeardlessMMIt is underrated! Guys like Karl F., Phil Caso., and Henrik are diiiiiirty in the park. If they took that creativity and took it to a more natural terrain and used the same creativity, we could have something completely new. Guess I will just have to start it off with a BANG.


The thing with just taking park skiers and putting them in the backcountry is that it doesn't exactly translate very well. A perfectly shaped booter with a bottomless powder landing is hardly freeride. It's basically a more forgiving park jump. Henrik competed in a big-mountain comp not too long ago. I don't think he did all that well though (I may be wrong). If someone's gunna get known for their backcountry/freeride skiing, they're gunna need to charge cliff lines and send natural stuff, which is like a completely different sport for a lot of park guys.

That being said, I'd love to toss a bunch of park guys in the backcountry and see how they fare.
Jul 21 2014 3:39PM
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Donketts
Posts: 261 - Karma: 173
Take a look at seth morrison
Jul 21 2014 3:40PM
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TurquoiseGrizzly
Posts: 1819 - Karma: 13,149
JibbaTheHuttHey look at the Nimbus crew, pollard especially has 2 is known for almost "jibbing" natural features and skiing gnarly lines. They don't appear to build that many booters in their short films.


Send me a link I would really like to see!
Jul 21 2014 3:40PM
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.Rybak.
Posts: 9017 - Karma: 9,864
CheddarJackThat being said, I'd love to toss a bunch of park guys in the backcountry and see how they fare.


I say we make a new mini series...

Take 10-15 park well know park skiers. Like the guys who you almost never see in the backcountry. Kidnap them and make them go on a backcountry expedition.

I see it being a hit tv show on tlc or some stupid network like that.
Jul 21 2014 3:45PM
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LC.
Posts: 5952 - Karma: 2,423
BeardlessMMI feel like in order to be sponsored or even looked at you have to be pretty damn good at both.


Nope. You have no chance of getting sponsored or being looked at. Now go and ski because it's fun.
Jul 21 2014 4:10PM
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TurquoiseGrizzly
Posts: 1819 - Karma: 13,149
CheddarJackThe thing with just taking park skiers and putting them in the backcountry is that it doesn't exactly translate very well. A perfectly shaped booter with a bottomless powder landing is hardly freeride. It's basically a more forgiving park jump. Henrik competed in a big-mountain comp not too long ago. I don't think he did all that well though (I may be wrong). If someone's gunna get known for their backcountry/freeride skiing, they're gunna need to charge cliff lines and send natural stuff, which is like a completely different sport for a lot of park guys.

That being said, I'd love to toss a bunch of park guys in the backcountry and see how they fare.


I don't know if you saw Ultranatural, but Mark McMorris suuuuucked sucked sucked it up at that competition. He's great at park, but in a comp like that he struggles. So my bottom line is, I would like to see more Parker White, Wiley Miller type edits more often. Just sayin.
Jul 21 2014 4:21PM
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JibbaTheHutt
Posts: 2132 - Karma: 1,597
BeardlessMMSend me a link I would really like to see!


https://vimeo.com/49362900
Jul 21 2014 5:10PM
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powbrewer
Posts: 324 - Karma: 893
BeardlessMMIt is underrated! Guys like Karl F., Phil Caso., and Henrik are diiiiiirty in the park. If they took that creativity and took it to a more natural terrain and used the same creativity, we could have something completely new. Guess I will just have to start it off with a BANG.


Karl is dope in the BC and I am sure we will be seeing more of it in the future. That 7 off a cliff, etc at Brundage was pretty fucking sick in PBP's WE.
Jul 21 2014 6:06PM
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50Kal
Posts: 2826 - Karma: 5,367
BoaxNope. You have no chance of getting sponsored or being looked at. Now go and ski because it's fun.


Been on this level for years. It's pretty fun.
Jul 21 2014 6:11PM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
BeardlessMMIt is underrated! Guys like Karl F., Phil Caso., and Henrik are diiiiiirty in the park. If they took that creativity and took it to a more natural terrain and used the same creativity, we could have something completely new. Guess I will just have to start it off with a BANG.


Do you watch ski movies? Education of Style, We and All Damn Day, revolution is already well in progress.
Jul 21 2014 6:44PM
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SirBuckles
Posts: 274 - Karma: 700
.MASSHOLE.Yep. Ian Macintosh, Max Hammer, etc. A lot actually have racing backgrounds.


Max hammer is great to watch. His 2012-13 edit was amazing. For anyone who has not seen it:https://www.newschoolers.com/watch/699479.0/Max-Hammer-2012-2013-Season-Edit?c=11
Jul 22 2014 12:09AM
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TurquoiseGrizzly
Posts: 1819 - Karma: 13,149
powbrewerKarl is dope in the BC and I am sure we will be seeing more of it in the future. That 7 off a cliff, etc at Brundage was pretty fucking sick in PBP's WE.


DarthVaderDo you watch ski movies? Education of Style, We and All Damn Day, revolution is already well in progress.


I actually own all of those> I was saying I would like to see more! It is progressing extremely fast and there are lots of things still yet to be done and discovered. Karl Fostvedt is one of the filthiest skiers I ever did see.
Jul 22 2014 9:34AM
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billtro11
Posts: 304 - Karma: 49
CheddarJackA perfectly shaped booter with a bottomless powder landing is hardly freeride. It's basically a more forgiving park jump.



Ummmm yeaaaaaaa. More forgiving= easier landing? I think not. More forgiving=not smash your teeth out on a hard landing (but watch out for trees/rocks/slides). a little more possible.

Alot of people don't realize how difficult it is to land in a completely natural, layered BC snowpack. Even tiny over/underrotations equal beatercity while you could just wash it out on a park landing.

Resort pow is also different as one layer gets dropped, promptly skied, and waits for another layer to drop. There isnt a layered snowpack that has alot more potential to hook up tips and tails.
Jul 23 2014 1:38PM
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skier58284
Posts: 1705 - Karma: 5,365
BeardlessMMI love the backcountry. I love the park. But I feel like in order to be sponsored or even looked at you have to be pretty damn good at both. Granted, making new features is awesome, but, what if all you want to do is drop cliffs, send lips, and fly off nothing but God made natural features? Do they have any chance?


Of course. Look at TGR skiers, a lot of them rarely if ever ski park, and some don't even do tricks. Ian Macintosh doesn't do tricks and he's one of the most well known TGR skiers, and one of the best (if not very best). That's what I intend to do. I don't care about tricks, I care about pow, steep spine walls, gnarly chutes, and big cliffs.
Jul 23 2014 6:21PM
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