Snowboarding

Blog Post: The best of the past and the present - the Throwback Throwdown

Silvia Mittermuller — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:46:00 GMT

When I finished school , I was on the German National Team for halfpipe snowboarding. It definitely opened doors, but also made me establish a love-hate relationship with halfpipe snowboarding.

A halfpipe always means a wall on the right and one on the left side, that give you about 5-8 hits in one run. Sure you can do different tricks but the halfpipe itself doesn´t change much usually. In the long run I fell for the magic of ever-changing-slopestyle courses , different features and runs whereever you go, and a creativity potential multiple times of that one I was used to from riding pipe.

Through the years I rode pipe less and less, would still enjoy a good soft pipe here and there, and sponteanously compete, but my focus fully went into slopestyle.

This season, I didn´t do a single halfpipe competition – until last weekend in Breckenridge. The inaugural Throwback Throwdown went down, a halfpipe competition that challenged you to do some contest runs in the 2012 superpipe aswell as in a rebuilt 1986 first-world-champs-ever-6foot-handshoveled-mini-pipe.

It wasn´t only the most unique halfpipe competition of all times, it also bridged the gap between halfpipe and slopestyle for me.

The Breck superpipe , consistantly ranked within the top halfpipes in the USA, was exactly as expected – absolutely perfect. It was a lot of fun to ride it and since the Throwback Throwndown isn´t an average pipe event, the vibes were probably the best halfpipe contest vibes I have ever experienced.

In the afternoon everybody got to try their best in the 1986 oldschool pipe. I´m actually not sure what is harder to ride, the 22foot pipe or the 6foot pipe.

I loved the challenge of the hand shovelled mini pipe – its inconsistent kinky shape made every hit completely different to the other, so you couldn´t plan far ahead in your run, since you barely ever knew what kind of piece of wall you would hit next. Aditionally the pipe had some taller hits and 2jib-able features added to it, even more increasing the creativity potential for everyone´s run.

That little shitty handshoveled pipe is the first pipe that somehow ever gave me a slopestyle-y feeling, with its ever changing hits and the fact that in oldschool pipe judging it´s totally ok to include boardslides and backlips on the coping into your runs.

It was amazing to see how some people could somehow boost higher out of the kinky walls than the walls were tall, to see others do proper grabbed spins in walls most people would never get to the top of, to see all kind of handplants and miniramp-skateboarding-look-alike liptricks.

It was a get-together of different snowboarding generations from 13year-olds to over-50-year-olds, of different riding styles from real halfpipe riders over slopestyle riders and jibbers to backcountry snowboarders and retired-old-school-pros.

The Throwback Throwdown was the ultimate combination of the past and the future, the most amazing fun for the participants aswell as the beer-drinking,sun-tanning audience, and I already can´t wait for the second edition next year! You better be there, too...

- Silvia Mittermuller

Blog Post: 5 reasons why I love spring in Breckenridge

Silvia Mittermuller — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 15:02:00 GMT

1) 5 til 5

Breck is keeping 5 chair aswell as the Freeway and Park Lane terrain parks open until 5pm on the fridays in spring! In the afternoon on those days there´s fun contests with sweet prizes that are open to anyone aswell as free BBQs and generally just a real good time.

2) Handplants

Slushy spring days are the best time to learn and do handplants. It doesnt hurt when you crash and when they work they are real fun. During the winter, I never see as many handplants around the mountain as right now. The Thrownback Throwdown will also be a great occasion to do some!

3) Town

With the warm beautiful weather Breckenridge stays busy all through the evening into the night these days. It almost feels mediterranean to me with people walking around town all night long, others making music in the streets and girls wearing skirts and sandals until late at night.

4) Slush

Soft spring conditions are the best to learn anything – wheather it´s better turns on the slopes, mini jibs in the small parks or big jumps on Freeway. Falling doesnt hurt as much and injuries are less likely. Spring time is go-for-it-time!

5) Caribbean Tan

„Silvia, how can you already have a tan? I thought you live in Breck?“ – I´ve heard that quite a few times in the last months. I love going to the Rec Center for a work out and swim, and often go into the outdoor hot tub in the end. Even just going 10 minutes every other day will give you a beach-vacation-look-alike tan in no time.

Enjoy the beautiful Breckenridge spring everyone!

-Silvia Mittermüller

Blog Post: Switzerland, Germany, France - snowboarding in Europe!

Silvia Mittermuller — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:38:00 GMT

As a professional snowboarder from Germany you might think I know the German mountains like the back of my hand.

Well,when I started snowboarding, I used to. But through the years I´ve spent less and less time snowboarding in Europe, since the snowboarding specific infrastructure is just so much better in Breckenridge than anywhere in Europe.

Last week was my first day snowboarding in Germany in over 4 years. It was crazy to realize that.

Things actually haven´t changed much since I started snowboarding in Germany 15 years ago. There´s still a majority of skiers on non-twin-tip skiers on the slopes and it´s not rare that people go have drinks in apres ski bars at 11am. The scenery is still amazing aswell as the amounts of accessable terrain from the lifts, but parks and pipes still look like ten years ago – if you find any at all.

The quick German snowboard adventure has once again shown me how priviliged I can feel to ride conditions as in Keystone and Breckenridge on a daily basis. Most times when I´m not in Breck, I´m taveling for big events – which means park crews work extra hard to build something amazing for these events. Those set ups are fun to ride aswell, but don´t necessairy show what a resort has to offer on a normal day throughout the season.

Before the German snowboarding I got to spend a week in Laax and Leysin in Switzerland, for the European Open and the Nescafe Champs. Extremely warm conditions gave a great taste of spring and beautiful contest set ups could make you think European parks are everywhere as great as the American ones.

Right now I am in Tignes in France – one of the ski towns that wouldn´t exist without the resort. Big chunky hotels in the middle of the mountains, not much of a real village, but beautiful peaks all around.

The European X Games that just took place here are the little brother of the US X Games. They are not as big since there are no snowboard/ski cross and no snowmobil competitions , and due to the later,warmer time in the season they feel more laid-back and less hectic than the American ones.

Right now I´m sitting in a chalet overlooking the beautiful valley with the huge chunky hotel buildings, enjoying my last day in the French mountains before leaving to Geneva tomorrow and flying back to Colorado on monday.

I didn´t go on the slopes today. Instead I´m saving my energies for the best place in the world. Only 3 days left....

- Silvia Mittermuller

Blog Post: Terrain park for the first time? Here´s a online lesson.

Silvia Mittermuller — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 03:55:00 GMT

After traveling the entire world for snowboarding for many years, I can safely say that the Breckenridge and Keystone terrain parks are the best in the world. Especially now, with rising temperatures and softer snow, the spring is the best time to try something new in the park – wheather that means to hit the first box of your life or land the first 1080 of your life.

Keep reading in case you are in the „first-box-of-your-life“ category – here comes a quick introduction into park snowboarding that will provide you with enough information to enter and conquer the next beginner park you come across.

Jibs

Jibs are any types of features that are built of other materials than just snow – such as rails, boxes, bonks or wallrides. The best beginner jibs are well-sliding boxes, ideally as wide as your snowboard or even wider. A good beginner box is low above the ground and has a „ride-on“ takeoff , meaning you can ride onto the box and don´t need to jump over a gap to get onto it. If you find a nice beginner-friendly box, for example in Bonanza or Trygves Park , here is what you need to do to slide it sucessfully:

1) control your speed approaching the box with a few little turns, but stop turning on the last 10 feet before the box. Go straight then.

2) Ride onto the box flat-based with your weight balanced on both your feet, make sure to bend your knees as much as you can the entire time

3) Keep your knees bent and your shoulders parallel with your board. If your shoulders stay straight (front shoulder to the nose of your board, back shoulder to the tail of your board) , your board will stay straight aswell.

4) Dont put any weight onto your edges while going onto, over and off the box. Just ride off the box, even if it´s a little drop. It all happens by itself, be confident.

Jumps

The ideal beginner jump is very small, but still has a takeoff and landing zone. The landing should be smooth without holes. A real beginner shouldnt pick a jump that you jump further than 10-15feet of. The jumps on Tryges are perfect for example.

1) Watch other people hitting the jump. Where do they start? How many turns do they do? Copy the people that hit the jump well.

2) Do the same amount of turns. On the last 15feet before the jump, dont do any more turns. Go straight with bent knees and your weight on both feel equally.

3) Keep your weight on both feel while leaving the takeoff of the jump. Front shoulder stays over the nose and back shoulder over the tail of the board. That way you won´t drift sideways.

4) In the air bring your knees a bit up towards to your chest. That way you can also grab your board if you like.

5) Look at the spot where you land. Land on both feet, absorb the impact by bending your knees and keep going straight until you feel controlled again.

Sliding some little boxes and jumping some little jumps is a realistic goal fort his spring, even if you have never done anything like it before. Dare to try it on your next beautiful spring day!

- Silvia Mittermüller

Blog Post: Best snowboarding run in Keystone's Outback

Dan Nolan — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:04:00 GMT

In my humble opinion, the best snowboarding runs are in Keystone's Outback. The first time I rode some of these trails, I was overcome with the feeling that all my years riding was just practice for runs I was doing there.

Here is a quick review of some of these amazing runs that you can take on your snowboard in Keystone's Outback on your next visit:

Timberwolf (Black Diamond)

This is an awesome snowboard run with trees that aren't spaced too close for those who are still nervous. The paths between the trees can get pretty defined, so be comfortable with different snow and terrain before attempting this run.

You'll be right up against the boundary line of the ski resort, which means few people will be around. Bring a friend to ride with, and don't expect to see many other skiers out there.

One downfall of being this far out on your snowboard is that the bottom of the trail requires a leg burning ride back on some nearly flat trails. After one run you'll quickly learn how to manage this part of the trail, so don't let that deter you, and keep your speed up.

Bushwhacker (Black Diamond)

This was the first run I took in this area of Keystone's Outback, which is why I now love the area. The whole ride you'll have a great view of the North Mountain, so be sure to stop and look.

Bushwhacker quickly turns into more trees, but still leaves enough room for moguls to develop. This gives you more room to turn if you need but still have the feeling of being in the trees and powder that you love.

Again, the bottom flattens out, but you'll learn how to deal with that quickly.

Badger (Black Diamond)

Badger is a bit more open up top, but the trees compress to give you a feeling of separation from those around you and gives you some of the best snowboarding you'll find.

Don't worry about getting lost; all paths lead down. Ride with a friend to explore all the pocket of jumps and mini-trails around the trees. This run in the Outback will take a bit more time than the others, because you'll need to plan your path through the snow.

The Griz (Black Diamond)

One of the best tree runs at Keystone Resort. Not too steep, but plenty of trees to work with. On the weekends there might be a few more skiers here than on the other runs listed above, but still many paths to find your own way down without feeling that you're in a line. One reason The Griz gets more ski traffic is that the flat catwalk at the bottom is minimized -- a plus for any snowboarder!

I hope you enjoy these trails on your snowboard as much as I do. After you get done burning out your legs on these great snowboarding runs, head back to Dillon for a great meal....you've earned it!

-- Dan Nolan

Blog Post: 5 healing foods for sore muscles and a beat up body

Silvia Mittermuller — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 15:55:00 GMT

After taking a bad crash at X Games I´ve been struggling with strained intercostal muscles for almost 2 weeks by now. It´s finally getting better, but during my healing time I´ve tried everything possible to heal as fast as I can. Besides avoiding strenous activity and getting good sleep, food is a big way to influence the healing process of your body - no matter if you´ve been really hurt or if you´re just sore from too many riding/skiing days in a row.

Here are my 5 healing food favourites

1) Cherry juice

According to studies, cherries are possibly more effective than Aspirin at relieving pain and reducing inflammation which helps minimizing the swelling in exhausted muscles. Of course fresh cherries work the same way, juice is just easier to find all through the year. One cup after a long riding day is sufficient to get all the cherry-benefits to make you feel good again the next morning.

2) Pineapple

Pineapple is one of the best natural anti-inflammatory foods there is. It´s high in the enzyme Bromelain which is proven to be very effective in treating bruises, sprains and strains. I think fresh pineapple works the best, but also the canned version and pineapple juice will support the healing miracle.

3) Sweet potatoes

Another great natural anti-inflammatory - wheather as sweet potato fries, baked or in a soup. Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin A, C, B6, potassium, beta carotene and iron, making them not only a cancer and heart-disease fighting food, but also a reliable helper to relieve sore muscles and prepare you for the 5th snowboarding/ skiiing day in a row .

4) Olive Oil

A recent study has shown that oleocanthal, a component of extra-virgin olive oil, has an anti-inflammatory profile and potency 'strikingly' similar to the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ibuprofen. Just make sure to cook at lower temperatures when using olive oil - if it´s smoking it´s too hot and can generate cancer causing compounds. To get the most out of olive oil, use it cold in salad dressing or as a topping on other foods.

5) Beer

I often have 1-2 beers when my body feels really tired and sore from too many snowboarding days in a row - it doesn´t only help me to fall asleep faster and deeper, but also relaxes my muscles very reliably. I don´t have a scientific explanation - it might also be the fact that a beer helps to relieve general stress and therefore supports losing tension in your muscles aswell. No matter how, for me beer is a healing food. Actually the German olympic training facility in Munich used to be sponsored by a beer company. We had a fridge in there that was always full of alcohol-free beer, because beer is the ideal sports drink minus the alcohol.

Cheers!

- Silvia Mittermuller

Blog Post: Winter X Games 2012 - a personal contest experience

Silvia Mittermuller — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:39:00 GMT

I exactly remember the moment when I got my X games invite - I was on a bike in the Breckenridge Rec Center, randomly checking the emails on my phone when I saw it. It might have been the happiest moment I have ever experienced on a stationairy bike.

I´ve done the X Games quite a few times before in my life, but missed 2010 and 2011. It was quite exciting to return to the event that´s considered the most challenging of all. The X Games courses have always been intense, often more scary than fun.

When I first got to Aspen this year I was prepared for something beyond my imagination - and was pretty relieved to find 2 do-able jibs and 4 jumps not much bigger sized than Breck´s freeway jumps. In the end the difficult thing about the course wasn´t the crazyness of the jibs or size of the jumps - it was how close they were built together. There was no flat between the jump landing and the next take off, not much more than 2 seconds to think in between.

This year was the first time that the organizers lit up the entire slopestyle course to have practice and competitions at night aswell as in the daytime. What sounds scary worked out amazing. The light was great and nighttime temperatures helped us riders to get enough speed to clear the jumps without problems.

Unfortunately the girls finals were planned for 1.30pm on a day with extremely slow snow conditions. Due to TV times we had no chance to re-schedule the event and had to go in conditions that any other day none of us would have worried about jumping.

It was hard to watch (if you care - my crash is at 0:14 in the clip) and even harder to do. Barely anybody managed to get an entire run though the course, most of us crashed somewhere on the way on a jump that we couldnt get the speed for.

In the end I´m happy to have had a shot to compete in the X Games, but I´m sad that we couldn´t have a overall good competition. X Games really picked an amazing field of girl snowboarders, but without speed we had no chance to showcase the true level of girls snowboarding these days. Hopefully next year we´ll be luckier with the conditions!

- Silvia Mittermüller

Blog Post: Become a better snowboarder/skier - by following these 10 tips!

Silvia Mittermuller — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:24:00 GMT

1) Understand your fear

There is a differenct between being truely scared (are you not ready for what you want to do?) and being alert/nervous (this is challenging, I have to be there 100%!). If you´re scared, don´t do it. If you´re alert, do it.

2) Visualize

No matter if you´re learning a new trick on a big jump or are a beginner going on a steep slope - stopping for a moment and picturing yourself succeeding at whatever you want to do brings you a big step closer.

3) Tune your equipment

A waxed board/skis means going faster. Going faster allows you to hit bigger jumps. Having an edge means being stable anywhere anytime, even on ice. .

4) Ask for advice

Dare to ask someone better than you for advice if you need it. He/She will feel flattered that you consider him/her good enough to help you. If your friend is a lot less advanced than you, maybe he/she can film you.

5) Have a proper breakfast

Sking and snowboarding take a lot of energy. If you don´t have enough energy stored you´ll feel cold and weak and won´t improve your skills much. Make sure to drink as much as possible right away in the morning aswell.

6) Respect others

Watch out for others on the slopes and wait until it´s your turn to hit a park feature. You don´t want anybody to crash into you neither and good karma comes back at you.

7) Go to the gym

A strong body reacts faster, can take falls without problems and will make you feel confident and good. It´s a wise investment of time to go train off the slopes.

8) Get the perfect setup

Is it time to get new gear? Are your bindings really perfectly mounted for you? Play around with your equipment to feel more comfortable in any terrain. I´m still perfectionizing my stance after over 10 years of snowboarding.

9) Listen to your body

Your body tells you everything you need to know in order to have the best days possible - listen to it! Tired? Take a break. Feeling like you shouldn´t jump anymore today? Don´t do it! Feeling strong and thinking about something wild? Go for it!

10) Sleep enough

Your body repairs itself from the crashes of the day during the night. Stepping up your game goes along with crashing. Give your body the rest it needs and it will take the crashes without complaints.

- Silvia Mittermueller

Thanks to Nate Zeman and Ananda Van Weiij for the photos!

Blog Post: Snurfer - the precursor to the snowboard

Kristina Lisowski — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:50:00 GMT

The Snurfer is the precursor to the modern snowboard. Over one million Snurfers were sold in the 1960s. One of the top Snurfers was a young man named Jake Burton Carpenter -- who would eventually go on to found Burton Snowboards.

The Snurfer is born

In 1965, an engineer in Michigan watched his daughter stand on her sled and attempt to ride it down a snowy hill. This sparked an idea. He went back into his house, tied two skis together and attached a rope to the front for control. The toy was an instant hit. His family called it the Snurfer (combining Snow + Surfer).

Sherman Poppen, the Snurfer inventor, realized the potential for his new board's success almost immediately. He licensed the technology to the Brunswick Corporation (also known for bowling and billiards equipment) to manufacture. Brunswick sold almost one million Snurfers from 1966-1976 for $10 - $30 each.

National Snurfing Championship

Due to its rapid, widespread popularity, the first Snurfing competition was held in Muskegon, Michigan three years later. It attracted about 300 local snurfers. In the following years, the competitions grew and athletes from all over the country began flocking to the National Snurfer Championship.

Burton Snowboards is Born

One of the top competitors at the National Snurfer Championship was a rather unknown athlete named Jake Burton Carpenter. Carpenter had attended the University of Colorado in Boulder before a car accident side tracked his studies and aspirations of competitive skiing. He eventually finished his degree at New York University and resumed hitting the slopes by taking up Snurfing.

In a barn in Vermont in 1979, Carpenter made modifications to his Snurfer in order to secure his feet to the board. That year, his wider and more secure prototypes led to the establishment of what would become the largest snowboarding company in the world, Burton Snowboards.

-- Kristina Lisowski

Blog Post: 5 Ways to stay happy in minus degrees

Silvia Mittermuller — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:25:00 GMT

1) Never lose feeling in your toes again - heated footbeds

I finally got heated Therm-ic footbeds this season and now realize that I should have gotten some already a long time ago! It makes such a big difference to have warm feet all day long, no matter how cold it is. I ride a lot better, last a lot longer - even in cold temperatures - and can generally enjoy my day on the mountain a lot more.

It´s very simple - you just replace your old footbeds with the heated ones, make a tiny cut in the liner to put the cable through and attach the little battery at the top of your boot. Once charged the battery lasts 1-2 snowboard days for me... This is the perfect christmas present, not only - but especially - for mums, sisters and girlfriends.

2) Stay cozy and warm all day long - a puffy (down) jacket

My Oakley puffed jacket is the jacket I wear the most during the entire winter. It keeps me warm even in minus degrees and also works like a little pillow when I fall. Generally it just gives me a good feeling when I wear it - a little bit like I´m still under my blanket in bed. This is definitely the best weapon there is in terms of clothing on the real icy cold days.

3) Warm up right before going out - Coffee and a little exercise

On the real cold days it´s important to start out right. A hot tea or coffee on my way up the mountain wakes and warms me up inside before going on the lift. My favourite coffee shop in town in Cuppa Joe on 118 South Ridge Street.

Before going on the lift, I also do a quick warmup to make sure my body is ready for snowboarding and possible crashing. Some kneebends and little balance exercises (such as balancing on one foot or balancing only on your toes/heels on the edge of the stairs) do the job.

4) Keep your speed - the right wax

On the coldest days the snow sometimes acts up, wheather it gets superdry and sticky or just icy. Especially man-made snow can be brutally agressive on your base material and cause base burn, which eventually destroys the base on your edges, making them stick out and grip weird and slow you down aswell.

To prevent base burn and speed issues the right wax is key. For the coldest days I use green Purl wax on the edges and blue on the middle of my base.

If my board gets beat up from riding rails and baseburn anyways I get a professional tune every once in a while. Ryan at the Mono Cera shop in Dillon got the best tune Summit County can offer. He can really make an old board ride like new again - a great christmas treat!

5) Get in shape and stay warm - don´t be scared to hike

When it gets that cold that chairlift rides are a challenge I pick something in the park I like the most and start hiking it. Usually I start with a very simple feature and once I´m feeling warmed up I switch to something more difficult.

Breckenridge has multiple parks for all abilities - even if it´s your first time hitting a box or jump you´ll find a feature that suits your level of riding/skiing. Just take a lesson or find a friend who can teach you and make the freezing days hot - by simulteanously getting in good shape, staying warm and improving your park skills while hiking in one of Breck´s outstanding parks.

-Silvia

Thanks to Nate Zeman for the photos!

Blog Post: 5 pointers for smart traveling

Silvia Mittermuller — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 16:45:00 GMT

With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up it´s one of the busiest times of the year for ski and snowboard travellers here in Breckenridge. I´ve been traveling for snowboarding for many years now, so from my experience here are 5 general pointers how to travel smart:

1) Packing right - clothes

I used to always bring way too many regular clothes and first ran out of thermals and snowboard socks. Sometimes I realized I spend way more hours in my snowboard clothes than anything else, so I should also bring way more layering and underwear pieces than cute going out clothes. I barely ever wear them anyways, being tired from long riding days and sleeping early... don´t make the same mistake!

2) Packing right - and light

With today´s airline luggage weight regulations you need to be extra-smart - don´t just cut out half your pretty streetwear clothes, also only bring bathroom supplies in small travel size containers to save weight. And don´t forget to bring a electric adapter if you come from Europe!

3) Essentials for the plane

Bring some selfmade sandwiches if you like airplane food as much as I do. Bring good headphones if you actually want to hear something. Bring a travel mug and teabags and ask for hot water in the plane if you want something bigger and better than the average airplane tea.

4) Don´t let roaming catch you

If you come from outside the country minimize your cell phone use, get a prepaid SIM card or phone or even better just use Skype as much as you can. That´s how I stay in touch with friends and family in Germany when I´m here.

5) Jetlag

I just came from Europe and currenty deal with 8 hours time difference. It´s tough but being consequent (Stay awake until 9pm no matter what) or taking Melatonin helps. Traveling from the US to Europe is even worse, you really must make yourself get up in the morning or you´ll sleep half the day away.

Safe travels everybody who´s coming here in the next weeks!

Blog Post: What is indoor snowboarding like?

Silvia Mittermuller — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 20:50:00 GMT

It's a fact -- people living in countries without mountains and/or snow are not as likely to get into wintersports. But due to ski domes and dry slopes it's possible to get into skiing and snowboarding even in places like Dubai these days. But what is indoor snowboarding really like?

The Netherlands are a pretty flat zone. Interestingly my snowboard sponsor Ride picked exactly this country to showcase all the 2012/2013 product at their International Sales Meeting -- at Snowworld Landgraf, an indoor snow dome.

I´ve been to other indoor slopes before and every single place has it´s own vibe and specialties. The Skihalle Neuss in Germany is a famous bachelor-party spot, in Japan the escalators (that are used instead of lifts) give the ski domes a touch of shopping-mall-feeling whereas Landgraf was the first place where I've ever seen a 6-person-chairlift inside.

Even though you wouldn't expect conditions to change much without the impact of weather, the slopes are definitely the best in the morning and get gradually icier until the end of the day. One of the days I really rode until the last lift. Last lift means midnight. Since the light and temperature is the same all day long it's easy to lose the feeling for what time it is when you ride indoors.

Besides the six person chairlift I was also really impressed by the park they had set up at Landgraf. It's possible to hit three jumps and a decent amount of jibs including a nice staircase rail feature in just one run. Sure the landings get pretty icy as the day advances, but to be able to snowboard a park of that standard in a country that otherwise wouldn't even have a single snowboard-able mountain is really amazing to me.

I'm stoked Ride decided to do the sales meeting at such a place, because without that reason I´d have never traveled there myself -- if you have a choice between Breckenridge and Holland fridge it's a easy one.

It was great to get to see and try all the new 2012/2013 gear that -- sorry for the tease -- even most industry people won't see until the tradeshows in three months and stores won't carry until fall 2012.

I'm traveling home right now with two next-year Ride Compact boards in my luggage -- so if you cross my path on the Breckenridge slopes in the next weeks and look to my feet you'll get a secret little glimpse of 2012.

Overall it was a great adventure in a different world that really got me excited for the upcoming winter. Nov.16 I'll land in Denver... See you soon, Colorado!

- Silvia Mittermüller

Blog Post: JJ Thomas: the off season specialist

JJ Thomas — Wed, 18 May 2011 22:22:00 GMT

One of the most common things I get asked as a professional snowboarder is "so what do you do in the off season?"

When I was 17 years old I had a harder time answering that question than I do now. One of the beauties about being a professional snowboarder is that we do actually have an off season. Granted, it seems to become less and less every year with the progression of the sport due to the fact that we have to practice more now then ever before in order to stay competitive. Nevertheless the off season is a huge part of every winter athlete's success or failure depending on how they utilize it.

Entering my fifteenth off season this year as a professional snowboarder, I thinks it's safe to say that I have it completely handled. I have learned how to have ridiculous amounts of fun off the snow and still be able to come back to the next season in better shape then when I ended the previous season!

Aside from managing YEA.NICE, my clothing company that I co-own with friend Josh Sherman, I keep myself fully booked seven days a week doing one of these three things: gym, surf and golf. These three hobbies/passions of mine have turned into full blown life savers for me.

I can remember all to clearly my teenage days as a pro when I had nothing to do and would end up wasting valuable days when I could have been getting stronger and having crazy amounts of fun all at the same time.

It's no secret that the least favorite of my activities is the gym, but nonetheless, without a few days a week of core and full body workouts there's a good chance that I'd be registering for fall classes at the local community college come September, rather then signing up for the Dew tour and X Games. That alone is enough for me to stay in the gym.

Surf and golf.
Just saying these two words makes me happy. I highly recommend that winter athletes pick up some low impact sports that they love to do in the off season.

We all know that we need to walk a fine line of staying creative, yet staying healthy, and for me these two sports are a perfect match. Keep in mind there's many options such as biking,skating,climbing as well. The list goes on and on. For what it's worth I just wanted to pass on my off season antics on to anyone who might be wondering what to do when the snow melts.

-- JJ Thomas

Blog Post: Unity snowboards 2011/2012 sneak peak

Leslie Glenn — Tue, 10 May 2011 17:08:00 GMT

Unity Snowboards is a true mountain company. The boards have been hand crafted in Summit County since 1995 and extensively tested by the Unity team riders, employees and founder/owner Pete Wurster all over the Rockies as well as worldwide. There is some amazing new rides coming out for the 2011-2012 season. Here is a sneak peak of what to expect from the new Unity line, be check out the links out for awesome videos and more info on the boards as well.

THE WHALE
The Whale is incredibly innovative and like nothing you have seen before. It harnesses the flow and freedom of surfing into a powder-riding masterpiece. The shape is unique because the wide point of the nose has been moved back to match the start point of the nose rocker. This allows the board to initiate quicker turns and also makes the board feel shorter than it is. Although it was developed for it's powder prowess, The Whale also lays down amazing carves on hard pack as well. Available sizes (cm): 160, 167

REVERSE
The Reverse boards have a twin tip shape and twin flex pattern. The name comes from the reverse camber design with a small amount of camber between the feet. This design allows the board to have the added float in powder that reverse camber is known for with out sacrificing the ability to carve and hold and edge on hard snow. The Reverse is fun and playful on runs or in the park and also floats effortlessly on deep powder days. Available sizes (cm): 146, 152, 155, 154 mid-wide, 158 mid-wide, 159, 160 wide, 164, 165 wide

PRIDE
The Pride is the ultimate do it all directional freestyle board. It has directional shape and stiff directional flex and is best for a powerful rider who wants something that is great for all aspects of riding. The deep side cut and traditional camber design will give you quick response and edge hold on any terrain. In addition, the pride uses the proven Carbon Wrapped Core creating a very snappy, powerful and lively feel to the board. Available sizes (cm): 152, 155, 159, 164, 160 wide, 165 wide

DOMINION
The Dominion is a staple in the Unity Snowboards line and is tried and tested as the "classic big mountain freeride board." This year, directional rocker technology has been added to the board combining the precision of the original edge control with a nose that is forgiving and floaty. The board is also beefed up with two carbon fiber stringers stiffening the board from under the front foot through the rocker allowing the riding to stomp big landings with out washing out. Available sizes (cm): 155, 159, 164, 168, 160 wide, 165 wide, 170 wide, 180

ORIGIN
The Origin is a true twin park board with traditional camber. If you need to hold an edge at high speeds hitting big jumps or sending it in the halfpipe this board is for you. New this year, the Origin features unidirectional fiber pads that reinforce and stabilize the board under your feet and strengthens the board allowing it to withstand extreme impacts and landings in the park and pipe. Team riders Zack Black, Dylan Bidez and JJ Thomas all choose to ride the Origin whether riding at Breck or traveling and competing around the globe. Available sizes (cm): 152, 155, 154 wide, 158 wide, 159, 160 wide

VIRGO
As one of Unity's team riders, I have been lucky enough to help innovate and design the Virgo, as Unity's only women's specific board. It is my board of choice and is amazing in all aspects of riding from the playful park runs to steep and deep powder days. It features Light Weight Tri-Axial Fiberglass reducing the overall board weight and a softer flex pattern for women riders without sacrificing the technicality and high performance all Unity boards are known for. The twin tip shape, flex and centered radial sidecut allow the board to perform incredibly well riding regular or switch. The subtle reverse camber give the rider a playful, buttery feel when cruising or hitting the park and added float on epic powder days. Available sizes (cm): 145, 148, 152, 155

SPLITBOARDS
Splitboards are an amazing way to access the backcountry and Unity is making two options for 2011/2012. You can choose between the Dominion series or the Reverse series with each shape and design mirroring the specs of the solid versions of the boards. To reinforce and strengthen the ski while in touring, the Unity design team has added S-Glass stringers through the middle of the split. The splits have sintered p-tex sidewalls and Rockwell 48 steel edges in the center of the board as well. They are available with the standard Voile insert pattern and will have tip clips and hooks installed. Reverse available sizes (cm): 155, 159, 164 Dominion available sizes (cm): 159,164, 168, 170wide, 180

If you haven't tried a Unity snowboard yet, you are missing out. Support your local community and local board manufacturer by checking out these amazing products. Keep your eye out for local team riders JJ Thomas, Zack Black, Dylan Bidez and myself sporting our favorites boards and testing out the new designs on a daily basis. For more information, specs, and the latest videos and news visit unitysnowboards.com

-Leslie Glenn

Blog Post: A great year thanks to homeschooling

Asher Humphreys — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 20:43:00 GMT

Well this year has been such a great year. I wouldn't have traded it for anything. Being home-schooled opened up so many opportunities for me with competitions and growing my career. I did really well in the contest scene this year and had a lot of fun with a lot of people.

Being home-schooled is one of the greatest things I've decided to do. Sure I don't get to see my friends a lot, but in the long run it all pays off. Instead of going to a gym for PE class I got to go on the mountain every day. Not many kids get to do that. With this being said I learned a ton of new tricks and met a lot of new people. My most favorite tricks I learned this year were a cab under flip and a back rodeo. They are both flip tricks and they are very easy and fun.

Normally I don't do well in contests at all, but this year I changed my thinking and did a lot better in contests. I ended up winning two and am now ranked ninth in the nation. I'm very happy with this accomplishment. I met a great friend Phil, who is also being home-schooled next year. Watch out -- our crew is going to be amazing.

Well I hope you all had just as good of a year as I did. This is my last blog for a while so I thank you viewers for following. Have a great summer and get a lot of mountain biking in.

Signing off,

-Asher Humphreys

Blog Post: Top 5 tricks I want to do before the season ends

Asher Humphreys — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 17:26:00 GMT

For most pro park skiers and boarders, the spring time is the best time to get your tricks dialed in. You've been on the snow for a while and the temperatures are warm enough to stay out longer. Here's what Asher Humphreys is going to do to take advantage of spring time learning.

Cab9 double
This trick is is a very scary trick to try. I'm kind of scared to try it but I know I can do it. This trick involves going of the jump switch, doing two flips in the air and doing a 900 rotation.

Backside 720
This trick isn't that hard at all I just need to do it. This trick consists of spinning to my left side and doing two whole 360's in the air.

Front side 9
I have been trying this trick for a while but never have landed it. To do this trick I come off the jump spinning to my left side and do a 900-degree rotation. The hardest part of the trick is in the last 180 slamming your shoulder into the landing and balancing out.

Front side 1080
I have tried this trick one time but it was a lot easier than I thought. It's just like doing a front side 900 but with one more 180 of a rotation. I think this trick is way easier than a 900. All you have to do is throw the trick of the lip a little harder and keep looking over your shoulder.

Have as much fun as possible
Having fun is the most important part of snowboarding. If you're not having fun then why even snowboard? If I'm not having fun I can never land anything I want to and it just turns into a bad day. So that's why I need to have the most fun. A way I can do this is surround myself with positive people and ride with people that can push me to the next level of my shredding.

I hope every one has had a great year with all this snow, sunny days, and friends. This winter has been the best winter for me! I hope everyone feels the same way.

-Asher Humphreys

Blog Post: Spring snowboarding necessities

Jake Black — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 05:54:00 GMT

Spring has arrived here in Breckenridge! If you haven't already heard but the Spring Fever is going off! Every Thursday in April, Chair 5 will be open till 5 o'clock with DJ's spinning in the park and free BBQ's! I know I will be there!

Spring snowboarding means lots of sun, slushy snow, and good times to be had. And to really get those good times rolling you have to get your hands on the right gear.

Pipe mitts- These thin mittens are awesome! When its 50+ outside your hands will melt in your winter gloves but these keep them cool.

Face mask- This is a life saver from the sun. It is lightweight and thin so you can still breath without suffocating yourself.

Purl Wax (color)- This warm weather wax is essential for gliding around in the wet snow. Either take your gear in to a tune shop or buy a block of wax to be cruising without sticking all spring.

Sun block- Never can have enough sun block especially at this elevation. Otherwise you will get fried! Right under the nose is an prime area suspect for sun burn so block up!

These are just a few things to help your spring riding. And make sure you swing by the park every Thursday for the free food, tunes, and did I mention the contests with tons of prizes to give away. Have fun out there!

- Jake Black

Blog Post: How to improve your riding safely

Silvia Mittermuller — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 00:03:00 GMT

Snowboarding and injuries unfortunately go hand in hand. Especially if you´re riding the parks, trying to learn new tricks and sometimes fail, hurting yourself is a risk you voluntairily take every single day on the mountain.

Through my career i´ve gone through all kinds of different injuries - a broken wrist , a broken colarbone, several concussions, a torn ACL on one side and torn ACL and meniscus on the other side, and now, most recently a dislocated elbow.

All that has happened to me since i started snowboarding in 1997, so even though it sounds like a lot of injuries, i wonder if i might have had just as many injuries participating in other sports through that time.

Injuries are possibly the most challenging part of the sport, to prevent them in the first place, and to deal with them if they hit you anyways.

So I´ll share some wisdom about injuries with you this time. My last month has mostly consisted of focussing on healing, there haven´t been exciting contests or film trips, just a lot of physical therapy, training and trying to rest (which can bet he hardest of all!).

Everyone knows that working out and being strong is a good step towards preventing injuries, just as a healthy diet and enough sleep. But when it comes to park riding specifically ,there´s a few more things to pay attention to that can save you from unwanted off-snow-time due to an injury.

I have a personal check list i go through in my head before i face a new challenge/trick on my snowboard. Only if the situation meets all requirements on the list i really try what i want to try...

1) Conditions - Are the conditions good enough for what i´m doing? Is the snow ok, there´s enough speed and visibility, no wind bothering me? The jump/rail is set up well?

2) Skills - am i ready for what i´m about to do? Is this realistically possible with my skills or am i day dreaming?

3) Form of the day - am i specifically feeling good and ready for this today? Awake? Fast reacting? Excited?

If i can give a positive answer to all of those points i take a deep breath and try whatever i´m about to try. If i can´t give a positive answer to everything it´s better to slow down and rethink everything.

Thinking like that can help to make the right decisions when to go for it on the mountain and when to take it easier - no matter if you are a weekend warrior or riding everyday on a high level.

Even being superconscious on the mountain won´t guarantee never getting hurt though.

Sometimes it just happens and the best you can do then is to keep looking forward, realizing right after the injury you´re already on the way back to being healthy again. As hard as it can be to go through hurt times, the next time you´re back on snow, healthy and strong, you will appreciate it more than ever before - because you had to work so hard for it.

In some bizarre way injuries can make you love your sport even more than ever before like that. I´m hoping to experience that point within the next 2 weeks or so here in Breckenridge. I can´t wait!

In that context stay healthy everyone and appreciate your good days out there!

Blog Post: Roxy Chicken Jam hosts women riders from around the world

Leslie Glenn — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:00:00 GMT

The Roxy Chicken Jam is one of my favorite events every year. It gives women's snowboarding an amazing stage to display all the incredible talent out there and inspires progression from all the ladies as well.

We were welcomed to Mammoth Mt. in California by an insane amount of new snow. The banks of snow around town are up the third story in most places and it dumped 54 inches in the first two days of the trip. Although practice and the first day of competition had to be postponed due to the falling snow and poor visibility, all of the riders were stoked to take advantage of the incredible powder and explore the mountain.

On the third day there was a break in the storm and despite a challenging wind, and new snow, the halfpipe event was on. It was a three run format, allowing the riders an opportunity to really show their skills and progress. Standing at the top of the pipe in the challenging conditions was a bonding experience for all of the competitors, as each rider dropped you could feel the camaraderie grow stronger. I landed two clean runs, adding a new trick each time and placed second, my best finish in a world-class event to date!

Slopestyle was planned for the next day, but when we woke up it was storming again and visibility was even worse. The organizers had been brainstorming all week looking ahead at the forecast and had come up with an innovative plan B. Since it was out of the question to run a slopestyle contest, they would change the competition into a Powder Jam video contest. Riders were split into groups of three that would head out in the snow and film each other with provided GoPro cameras all day. The footage would be handed in to Roxy and edited with individual and team categories ranging from Air and Style to Best Line, Best Jib and Funniest Prank to name a few. We all got creative and had a blast despite the tough weather making for an amazing day.

To cap off an incredible week, we all headed to the awards and free concert put on by the event. Kelly, Chloe and I received our oversized checks on stage right before Trouble Andrew and then La Roux went on. We danced out hearts out to our favorite La Roux songs and had a great night. I am already looking forward to next year's event but am really excited to be back in Breckenridge for spring! Check out Roxy's blog and PBmedia for more photos and recaps.

-Leslie

Blog Post: 3 things to keep in mind when heading to the highcountry

JJ Thomas — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:58:00 GMT

After spending the last 12 summers at sea level and then rushing back to Breckenridge ski resort the minute the snow falls, I thought it would be a perfect time to share a few simple things that I have learned the hard way about altitude acclimitization. When you get to the high country this week or next for spring skiing you can get the most out of your trip if you use these tips.

1. Bring more socks and base layers then ever before
If you're anything like me, you can wear the same jeans, t-shirt and hoodie for weeks on end, but if you are on the go and in a cold climate, there's nothing better then having fresh socks to put on your feet and a new base layer to keep you warm.

2. Use the Netty pot system
Yes, those are the ridiculous things that you fill with warm salt water and run through your sinuses. Chances are you don't live at 8,000 feet in elevation, so the first thing to go when you arrive at your hotel in powder country will be your nose. Its a rough combo of elevation change, dry air and the heaters or fireplace that you need to crank in order to keep warm that dry your sinuses out to the extreme. If you don't take care of yourself, you could end up hanging out in your hotel room with a cold the whole time while your friends are out destroying the freshly fallen snow.

3. Drink more water than beer
I know you've heard this a million times, but its so true. The first thing you will want to do when you pull into your hotel or cabin is crack a cold beer or make your favorite drink; but if you want to make it through your first 24 hours at elevation, you will need to drink a glass of water instead.

After the first day you can indulge in more beer and wine, but at first 'Id stick with a lot of water. I can't tell you how many times I've had friends come into town to stay with me, and they end up spending the first night on the couch outside the bathroom door because of the altitude mixed with booze on the first night.

I hope that one or all of these tips help you enjoy your next snowboard vacation a little bit more. These are all simple things, but nonetheless I think they will all help you low elevation dwellers on your next trip to the mountains.

-- JJ Thomas