Words by Chris Marks

Photos by Matty B & Chris Marks

Matty B, founder and CEO of EC Headwear, has been trying his hand at Genetics. The most recent experiment of his involves impregnating The Motherland (a.k.a. Okemo Mountain, in case you don’t pay any attention) with DNA from a Dinosaur, Timzilla, and a giraffe.  The result was a ridiculous and terrifying beast…

Matty B

On 4/1/09 (whoa, the date even looks like 4BI9), amidst a prehistoric fog, The Motherland proudly gave birth to EC Headwear’s Giraffic Park 2009, an 81-foot true-table gap jump invitational film shoot. 

out of the mist, a beast is born

On hand to document the birth, and the ensuing rampage of steeziness, was 4BI9 Media’s AJ Dakoulas, New Intelligent Group’s Evan Williams, a bunch of dudes with Nikon's and Canon's around their necks, and even a chubby kid with a Hawaiian shirt running through the jungle with a handicam.   

AJ

Evan, hero cam of Compton

Setting aside the baby monster analogy, I will now talk literally about skiing. 14 skiers were invited to session this booter – Dale Talkington, Dr. Hurricane Holson PhD MD (who was sadly sidelined with a tweaked wing), Timzilla Maney, Alex and Max Gorham, Graham Bunt, Matty B, Sean Kennedy, Peter Engen, Ryan Anderson, Jeremy Peterson, Bill Giuliano, Alex Buller, and Ian Chompton. Some you’ve heard of, some you’ve not…but that is what is so sick about a sneaky East Coast session – it might not be your typical top ten list of finishers from a major Open event; it’s not the same names you’ve reading about in the JOSS updates; most of them might even buy their own skis; but keep your eyes peeled for some of these kids – they’re coming up and they’re coming up large!

Alex Gorham

I’d like to take a moment to say big respect to Alex and Max Gorham, who drove down from Stowe for Day 1, a dark day with a stiff headwind. The takeoff was a bit of a pond-skimmer that day, too. What this added up to?  A few 360’s, a few snowboarders getting broke-off on the knuckle, and the Gorhams heading back to Stowe. We missed you guys on Day 2…you boys kill it.

Max Gorham

Completely unsatisfied with what Day 1 yielded, we took an excavator to the takeoff, a bribe to Mother Nature, and went at it again. Day 2 = dope takeoff, blue-birdedly warm sun, game on. I think the jump got hit 300 times. You should look at the pictures now...

Peter Engen

Dale

Tim Maney

Ryan Anderson

Dale Talkington

Timzeeeera

Bill Giuliano

Bill G

Matty B

Pete

Pete

Matty B

Ryan Anderson

P.E.

Some of you may remember, this event was called Okemo Spring Air Session last year? This year, EC got involved and it’s not just the name that got cooler. Just look at this ‘stard job by Alex Buller.

hot dog

Alex Buller

Dale

Graham Bunt

g-brunch

Matty B

Snack

Tim

I bet at this point you’re wanting an edit…I guess I would be too. Evan Williams said that if he gets 100 PM’s about it, he’ll post an edit…Otherwise, you’ll just have to wait for 4BI9’s movie to drop, and whatever the sequel to “Motherland” might be…

Dr. Hurricane Holson PhD MD and Timzilla