Losses in time!

You know sometimes time does not work on a continuum, but rather a cycle of fluctuations! Maybe it is more drastic behind the redwood curtain that I call home but a single day can be a split second and a split second can be a dream that lasts an eternity. Take the moments of extreme clarity during intense scenarios such as jumping off of something and the flexibility of this "reality" we know as time. Anyway this whole tangent is based off the passing of the past three and a half months without a post...what can I say I have been enjoying the Humboldt life!

During my time here I have had my very first gallery showing of my photography! It was a very positive experience for myself because it truly helped solidify the goals and intent for the next few years of my life...in a way you could say it was the final for my last class of formal education. My trip to N.Z. was considered to me as a course in honestly being a photographer; traveling with lots of heavy, expensive, delicate gear, dealing with weather and illness, losing a camera, experiencing the rush of "getting the shot", and of course being raped by the airport on my way home when I was already exhausted and broke! This reminds me that I never recapped the epic two days before leaving N. Zed!
So my photo journey to the west coast was kind of unsuccessful...actually it was perfect. I got some cool shots, a couple that I like but the weather was overcast and I really just wanted to be riding. I ran into Taylor Seaton in the airport and he said the weather got crappy in Wanaka as well so I guess I wasn't missing much. I enjoyed my time wandering down the coast but had to get one more day of skiing in so I set sail to this little place called Mt. Lyford. Drove all day to get to a beach that was rumored to have jade or green stone on it and met a really cool girl there. We listened to Xiaver Rudd and shared a walk down the beach talking about permaculture, sustainable living, community and music. No luck finding any precious gems but we definitely had a great convergence of similar ideas from different realms of the world.
After that I barged another four hours of driving to get to the ski hill so I could wake up and ride. Having worries of running out of gas and impending tiredness I was searching for a chill place to park and camp...I saw this little dirt road that lead around a turn and looked flat, after the turn was a steep hill that I was not going to make it up! So I started to back down towards the road, I made the turn plus a little extra and caught my back tire in the creak ditch and slid sideways resting not so gently on a group of trees that lined the water below. Adrenaline kicked in instantly...it was 11:45 and I was in the middle of farm land and mountains and two of my vans wheels are off the ground and the other two are deep in the mud. There was a house just down the road that had lights on in it so I put on my headlamp and started walking down there thinking the whole time that this is going to be strange experience. My knock is answered by a thick Kiwi accent asking "who's there" and I explain that I have gotten my van stuck and didn't know what to do. He opens the door in a wife beater and a pair of whitie tighties! I explain my situation and he offers to pull the van out with his truck and tells me to hold on why he puts on some pants. He turns out to be a cool guy who lives in Wellington but owns this douglas fir tree farm here on the south island which he bought from working in Alaska on some oil stuff. He seemed stoked on life and he helped me be stoked as well by tugging my van out of the creek and back onto the road. At my new friends recommendation I then set up camp right there next to a gate and called it a night!
I decided I would wake up early to deal with the rental company about the crunched side of my van, not realizing the ski hill wouldn't have a phone line. But while getting ready to drive up to the mountain I met another friendly neighbor with an Austrian or German accent. Actually she was not that friendly at all...she approached me with the demeanor of a authoritarian implementing some unbreakable law! I was shocked that she was so pissed off at my choice for parking spots and nicely informed her that in my month and a half of wandering in N.Z. she was the first person to have any issues with people camping freely. She informed me that "people like me" disrespect her property and utilize it as a toilet...I laughed and said that sometimes people like me have the utmost of respect for the ownership of property and wouldn't do any harm to it but yes I urinated on the bushes over there snd that is simply available nitrogen and of no serious impact. I apologized for my choice of sleeping there and added that I would see her on the mountain!
It was a funny start to a funny day...the drive up was stressful because I thought I would be running out of gas at any moment! Then I was stuck behind the mountains plow...so nervous about the fuel thing and still laughing about the tree encounter. I finally get to the hill and realize that their description of the park was over exaggerated grossly and the snow was f-ing bullet proof! Luckily they had two real rails for me to dial in my newly learned 270's...so after killing like 10 laps on the rope tow I went in to get some tea and talk to the cute Scottish girls who worked there. A few more laps and I was ready to go chill so I got a few dollars back on the half day ticket and got back to the stress of running out of gas! I coasted with the van off all the way down the mountain and back almost to the flat land, then drove it to the nearest little town and filled up. Now it was time for some rest and relaxation!
An afternoon at Hamner Springs was perfect! I soaked in the touristy hot springs for awhile then had an amazing massage with a really cool healer and back to the hot springs! It was perfect to actually try and literally soak all that had been happening in. I found a beautiful camping spot next to a river and about an hour outside of Christchurch preparing for my departure. Went back to the same little restaurant in the city for breakfast and wandered around trying to find something(not sure what but I remember I didn't find it) but just ended up causing myself extra traveling stress by running late, not being packed and then getting lost!!! But it all worked out and I made it on the plane after $350 in baggage fees! But no fees for the crunched van!!! I'm a big fan of the no worries insurance on rentals! Leaving N.Z. was very difficult but also so perfect in the sense that I was sick of living in that van and my sleeping bag, without heat or a toilet. Well at least I had other peoples property to use for the last one!
Sorry for the extremely drawn out post...I'm working on consistency in my life. I swear!

Moving right along......

So I have finally left Wanaka...and I miss it already! But the last week has been relatively sweet. We had three bad weather days but the rest were bluebird! Unfortunately my birthday was one of the bad days so I didn't even ski on it! It was kind of a bummer but we made the best of it. Sean, Randy and I took a drive around the lake and found a sweet spot to make the car all sorts of chalky then we had an epic hackey-sack session. Then it was party on!!! We rocked the bar right next to the hotel we were staying at. It was a hilarious night and a good b-day overall. The rest of the week is honestly kind of a blur. Everyday except the other bad weather days we fun days shralping snowpark to pieces. I had some fun trying to learn new tricks but keep it safe and controlled! I need a pair of jib skis because my hips and legs got sick of pulling all the weight of a powder ski around. But I was still killing the jib line on fatties! Sorry but I have a random tangent....skiing is the fucking best thing ever! All I want to do is go skiing....ahhhhhhh! One thing I realized while hanging out with Tanner is...he is the best skier in the world because he loves it the most!!! That guy loves to ski and has so much fun going out there and gettin some and that's why he is on top.......Anyway I am now driving up the west coast and loving the scenery but kinda bugging out that I am not skiing! But I am taking some epic photos so I am getting work done! This is truly a beautiful country! On the drive to the coast I felt like I was back in Humboldt, with the ferns and ocean flora becoming more and more prevalent. I went to the Fox glacier at sunset and it kinda tripped me out because I was the only person up there and I was looking at the end of an amazing legacy that has been evolving for hundreds of centuries! But now its receding much quicker...what have humans done to this world??? So I have two full days left in NZ and I'm going to try and make the most out of them...by that I mean I am trying to get back to some snow and get some more skiing in! So fuck yea...I'll be back in Cali on September 9th so hit me up after that! Go get some......

Wow Wow Wanaka

Well looks like those will be my only digital shots from this trip as my camera and sweatshirt got stolen from the bar after I was arrested......

Wednesday I slept in on the road going south and then spent my afternoon riding Mt. Dobsome...serious false advertising. They claimed to have 20% advanced terrain; which I couldn't find, and thier "halfpipe" was nothing but a ravine. Luckily they had some rails to slide, but one of the slowest chair imaginable! Then Thursday at Ohau was pretty fun, I ran into one of the guides from helipark, Rich. He was going to do a long tour but we took a warm up hike together. Then I took a longer hike by myself to these mellow chutes with crusty snow, not quite worth the 35 minutes of hiking. So then I went a spun laps through their park that was ok, but the most fun was boosting butter 3's off of the cat track. So fun! Then I drove down to Wanaka where the fun began! I met up with Sean Fields and Randy Doyle; Sean is here to train and ride the pipe and Randy is here for support. We chilled in a ski tech shop most the night and hung out with James and Andrew the ski techs, both super chill guys. The next day was the New Zealand Freeski open halfpipe event so we cruzed up to snowpark and watched Tanner Hall absolutely kill the pipe...Sean pulled a 6th and only had two warm-up runs and hadn't skiied pipe in like 5 months. So that night we went to the poorboys premiere of thier new film, Sean, Randy, Tanner, Eric Iberg and I went to town on some redbull and vodka...then off to the red rocks bar. Quite a party...what can I say I was wasted. Upon going outside and seeing a cop harassing some dude I thought it would be a good idea to put a parking cone on the hood of his squad car! He quickly apprehended me and when I asked to get my sweat shirt he informed me it would be in the bar tomorrow and I should keep my fucking mouth shut! Then upon being booked I got charged for having my knife in my pocket. So basically I got fucked for it...it ended up being a $730 fine, my necklace broken, my camera stolen, cold walk without my sweatshirt and a very sore neck and back from being slammed into the cell corner just because I asked for a blanket and pillow! FUCK THE POLICE! I have at least convinced them to mail my knife back to me in the states. So then Saturday we were all in kinda ruff positions but doing ok, and went up to Snowpark for the slopestyle event. Sean, Randy and I sat in the hot tubs there and drank a few beers watching the qualifiers...it was sweet. Then I took a few photos with my film camera of the finals and we went back to Wanaka for another movie premiere. It was fun but a bit more under control. Sunday was super fun, Sean, Randy and I met up with Tanner and Eric for breakfast then we went up to snowpark. We proceeded to have the sickest rail/box season ever! Tanner and this kid Henrik were absolutely destroying the jib line, basically it was like watching the best ski movie, live! I learned a few new tricks and had a lot to think about in the artistic side of these sports. It was a super chill night that night and Monday morning was my court date...kinda a bunk mission but at least I got my passport back! Got to check out Queenstown during the day down there. That was last night and I just kept it mellow that night, the highlight was Sean and I went to "the local" and played a bit of slots. we both won money! It was kinda fun. Today was another day at snowpark shralping the jib line and watching Sean and Tanner and some other sick pro skiers rip up the slopestyle course. Well send me some positive energy towards someone turning my camera in!!! Ohh and the lesson, don't fuck with cops, no matter how fun it seems.

Ok here is the update!!!

EXTREMELY AMAZING MOUNTAINS!!!!!!














So to go back and cover the Craigeburn action! After the full day of not being able to see the mountain the clouds opened up and I took a few runs with the resident ski instructor, a ripping English girl named Sophie...she took me to a chute named 210. It was sweet and she skied it beautifully. After a few more runs we went to the lodge for some apres, which in our case was whiskey and coke in the boiler room. So then I ended up staying there for dinner and the rest of the next week. I just chilled there Saturday then Sunday came some serious riding...Hamilton peak which was a short 15 minute hike had the best powder on the mountain and made quick laps back to the nutcrackers. After thoroughly shralping that area out it was time for lunch on the sun deck and a ice cold beer, ummm beer. After lunch I took a couple easy runs then went for a nice 30 min hike to get this chute I had been eying. It was so fun and really good snow. I even remembered to take a lower resolution photo of it so I could share with ya'll. It is the fast long turns in the middle of the frame...YEA!




















The next couple of days are kind of a blur of sickness, storm events, drinking, shoveling and riding. Some eventful things to note are Monday nights attack of the stomach bug
that left me praying to the toilet goddess through-out the night and leaving me so dehydrated that I was dreaming about chugging water, but couldn't even keep any down till late Tuesday night. Wednesday I wanted to go skiing but was so extremely tired that by the time I walked from the car park I was exhausted. I had booked heli skiing for Thursday but started to push it back on Wednesday because of weather and stability issues. Thursday and Friday absolutely dumped snow!!! They opened some of the mountain on Thursday in gale force winds that were loading this area above the access tow. So at the start of the day they asked us to ski there often to make sure it doesn't slide to big! Got to love it. I dropped into a little cliff and kicked off the whole slap to skiers left of the cliff, not huge but exciting. Then the very next run I got on top of the only chute that hadn't slid yet. Standing at the top I knew it was going to go, so I dropped in and pointed 'em. It was like surfing, the whole chute broke above me about two feet deep and started cruzing down, I quickly out ran it but it was kinda fun. Then I met up with my new Canadian buddy Jim just as they opened the center cliffs and bowls. There was a cliff I had been eying all week there, a solid 20 footer with what looked like a decent landing...not really though. I gave her first and made a nice size hot tub out of the semi-flat landing. Jim slapped into the backseat and pulled away from it. I was fired up and wanted to give another go, this time I tried a different angle trying to hit the steeper part. I absolutely exploded on landing! A double ejection that sent my skis flying! It was kind of frustrating cause now the landing was ruined I hadn't landed it and I wanted lunch. So that night it opened up and puked snow! There was like a meter and a half at the bottom lodge. So while we were digging the stairs out and the snow saftey team was doing control on Kea ridge opposite of Hamiliton trying to get the mountain open, all of Hamiliton went! I heard a rumble and people started to yell so I looked up as the clouds of snow ripped down the avanalche path! Hands down the biggest slide I have ever seen! It was a solid 3.5 or 4 which is based on the avalanche system of 5!!! Go to the Craigeburn map and check out the mountain to see the area I'm talking about. So the wind from this slide blew out there access tow. So now the road is closed because of Avalanche danger and debre, as is the mountain because of danage and danger. Blue bird day, 2 meters of fresh...and were stuck in the lodge watching ski porn!!! Plus I wanted to be at Mt. Potts getting ready to shralp on a heli! The next morning a heli comes in to do some control work and puts a huge slide across the road...so now were simply waiting on the road to be cleared, which involved getting a grader from another mountain to come over and help. After being told it was open and getting all ampted the manager/plow driver informed us it might not happen that dat, which was Saturday. The whole time I am calling M.C. (a super sweet lady) at helipark to see if we were going to fly the next day. My Canadian friend who is doing about the same as me, traveling solo finding snow and shralping it, decided he was going to join me at helipark. So were both going nuts trying to get the F out of Craigeburn, finally they open the road at like 5 as the sun is going down! So we book-it to the bottom take our chains off and start the three hour drive. We have to drop some bags off for some people at the Springfield pub, so we decide to have dinner there. Being in Springfield guess what they have on tap...Duff beer! Cheasy but fun. Watched the first olympic action I have seen, it was rowing, and then drove on to Methven about an hour from Helipark. We strugled to find a room there because all the gas stations were closed, finally we found two beds in a youth hostel...sleep was difficult: A) because we were going heliskiing in the morning! B) because I didn't have an alarm and Jim was in another room and I was woried about sleeping to late and C) the german dude snored like no one I have ever heard!!! We woke up to snow in Methven which is uncommon and called helipark...they said that they we still going to fly even though it was cloudy. We ate breakfast and called them back to make our decision, they said it was clearing up as we spoke. So we got gas and booked it up there! It was blue bird and no wind when we got there!!!! So stoked! Got our gear on and proceded to have one of the best days of my life! Jim and I skied some great stuff, he nailed a steep, narrow chute that he eyed our first flight up; it was appropriately already named the Canadian. After 6 totally epic heli runs it was time to head back to the lodge because the clouds came back in and the visability sucked. The apres were amazing, a free shot of shanaps, sauage rolls, beer and skeet shooting!!! As M.C. said later she has created man land! Skeet shooting was way too much fun, round one I went 6 out of 12, which was good because the Aussie guys before us went 1 and 2 out of 12 so I was nervious. But the round two I went 9 out of 12! Dinner was great, actually the best meal I have had in New Zealand. Great people and good times! Jim and I hadn't decided if were going to fly the next day and figured we would wait and see the weather. We woke up to another perfect day! So we couldn't help ourelves but give'er another go. This time up I scouted a sweet chute that we had to hike to and was of questionable stability, I convinced the guide to let us go up there when I told him I wouldn't be turning. A few more sweet runs and the day was over...time for skeet shooting and beer!!!What a life!!! Ohh yea I went 11 out of 12, all you clay pigions better watch out! Today was mellow I paid my bill at Helipark and went and took some photos. Also I became aware that not all of you are keen to the skier lingo, so sorry if this does not make complete sence but maybe you should read more freeskier or powder magazines!!! Peace and snow love!



Jim hiking to the Canadian!!!

Snowed in in Craigeburn!

So on Friday of last week I drove up to a club field that specialized in the nut-cracker style of rope tow and claiming the largest off-piste access in the country. After sleeping at the base of it Thursday night I made the gnarly drive up to the lodge and ticket office. The sign at the bottom said the road was unsuitable for camper vans but I figured I would give it a shot. There were two serious avalanche paths that cross the road with giant warning signs stating no stopping! Every bend left me feeling like I should think about parking it and hiking the rest of the way, but I just kept on truckin' and the next thing I know I'm in the car park. So I do some chores and get my gear together, it had been raining quite hard on my van the night before so I figured the snow would be fresh. Unfortunately it was still cloudy so the visibility was crap, the nut crackers were super fast and difficult and the snow was extremely crusty...so I attempted at getting my money back. As Jamie the ticket booth man explained there were no option for refunds or transfers so I should try to have some fun! After realizing my glove protector was upside down it made getting attached to the rope way easier. After skiing a few runs by brale I went into the lodge. It was basically myself and a few lodge guests, maybe 3 or 4, and the staff crew of 4 that day. Almost everybody was super friendly and when the clouds broke I could see the mountain was sick! So long story short because I have a seat on a heli at 8:30 in the morning; I ended up staying at Craigeburn for the whole week with some great times and some rough times but overall an amazing experience! There are more stories from the past week plus more from tomorrow the next time I get a chance to get some internet time! CHEERS!

Christchurch wandering...

After yesterdays update I went towards the east coast and a bunch of bays...I didn't really know where I was going but ended up at a sweet little pub with a group of locals. After a few pints and me struggling to keep up with their accents I stumbled out to my van and fell asleep. The drive back to Christchurch to get better chains from the van rental company was beautiful! Awesome little neighborhoods on steep hillsides over looking the bay. After finding the van place and getting a sweet set of new looking chains I went to downtown Christchurch and checked out some of the skate and snowboard shops and had a nice breakfast. I bought a new pair of poles because mine are falling apart and now I'm going to go check out the local skatepark, buy some groceries and head back up towards the mountains! I can't upload any of my pictures because the format I have been shooting in is to high a resolution and this particular computer doesn't have the proper software...but I will try again later.

New Zealand rocks!

So this is day three and my legs needed a break from all the shralping!!! The day after arriving I woke up at the bottom of the road to Mt. Cheeseman. I tried to put my chains on but they kinda suck...one of them came off like ten times before I was even half way to the mountain, so I hitched a ride form a Scottish fellow the rest of the way. Once I got up there it was super sporadic weather from so cloudy that I couldn't see the rope tow like 10 feet away, to sunny, to dumping huge flakes. It was a good first day back on my skis plus with nothing but rope tows it was a good workout for my legs. I met this nice couple in the lodge who gave me a ride back down to my van and let come by there cabin the next day for a shower. That night I drove up to Broken River and parked at the lot for vans. It was snowing when I went to bed and blue bird when I woke up...but my van door was frozen shut!!! It really freaked me out..but after a few strong tugs and a couple well placed kicks it came open. I got my gear together and started the hike towards the lodge...this is like no ski area I have ever been! I skinned up the road for like 20 min. till I got to their car park which is a good 30 min. walk from the ticket office which is still like 10 min. from the first "nut cracker" their version of a rope tow. Because I was there early and the clubs depend on volunteer workers I had to help shovel the stairs...then I finally got my first attempt at these nut cracker things!!! I was stoked that I wasn't a beginner because these things were difficult! It is just a metal cable that you grab onto with one hand and swing this metal clamp around with the other and off you go. Its kinda hard to describe but trust me they are crazy! This was probably one of the best powder days of my life!!! Sick little mountain, knee to thigh deep light powder and only about 20 people! I skiied a couple super sick lines on what they call nervous knob...one was a chute that was super sick! After I finally got on top of it which took me a couple tries I realized there was like a 5 foot drop into the chute, it scared me away the first time but the next time I got on top of it I dropped it and it was super sick, fast and gnarly! I came flying out the bottom into nice fresh pow! It was sick!!! Then I went over to this other cliff area to hit another line I was scouting. It was way more mellow but I caught on a rock under the snow at the top, then my right ski got stuck behind me and I started tumbling towards a cliff, all I remember is saying to myself was "go limp". I tomahawked three times and missed a huge rock by about two feet. Once I stopped sliding I did I quick inventory of myself and gear...totally alright!!! So then I just rode the freshies the rest of the day until my legs were dead. Such a good day! Today I slept in up by Castle Hill and went on a photo mission, shot some nice time lapses and took a couple 4x5 shots then drove to Christchurch to take care of some stuff like this! So yea that's my trip so far! Hope ya'all doing good!