Nut Hut Studios will release it’s first feature length ski film this year called “Exit Strategy”. The film documents the phenomenal 2009/2010 ski season in the North Lake Tahoe Region. Though primarily backcountry focused, the film has plenty of in bounds pow footage from Squaw Valley. It also showcases many of Squaw’s classic lines from the point of view perspective. Here’s a teaser of the Squaw Valley POV segment featuring Joshua Plack, Robb Gaffney and Unofficial Squaw Team Member Miles Clark.

HD DVD’s of Exit Strategy will be available at skiing-blog.com this summer.

On February 16 a massive avalanche occured on Saddle Peak, just outside the southern boundary of Bridger Bowl, Montana. This peak gets skied frequently as Bridger provides legal backcountry access via the new Schlasman’s chairlift.  The fracture line was approximately 1,000 feet long and the slide ran for about 2,000 vertical feet.  Miraculously no one was caught despite several people on and around the peak  at the time of the incident.  The avalanche wiped out dozens of tracks from the day before. This avalanche is the quintissential example that skier traffic does NOT equal a safe snowpack. A snowpit video from December 17 displays extremely hard windslab on top of 3 inches of hoar that was ultimately going to release under the right trigger…in this case a large cornice set off by a skier. The slab shell was strong enough to protect the junk layer from volumes of skier traffic without any stabilization from skier compaction. This slide should win an award as the biggest wakeup call in the lower 48 this year. This truly could have had a devastating outcome. Here is a video of the slide:

Below is a short film of a road trip to Bridger Bowl in January. The movie includes footage of terrain below Saddle Peak. Many lines below Saddle are subject to substantial secondary exposure with limited exit chutes. Although snow conditions were fairly lean during our visit, we skied many classic lines off the ridge and even found quality pow in places thanks to our guide Sam Cox. We will definitely return for more as Bridger offers some of the most dynamic and challenging terrain in the US.

As the producers at Nut Hut Studios are still experimenting with editing tools, we discovered that some clips from Greybird were zoomed in during the stabilization process.  This resulted in skiers being removed or clipped from portions of scenes that were accurately framed in original footage.  Please forgive the oversight and enjoy this smoother version of the movie.

Our latest video, from backcountry footage in late March. For best quality, let the video load fully before watching, click the HD button in the lower right and watch full screen!

After years of anticipation it looks like the Legend may have finally completed his first ski film in over a decade. Check out the preview of Greg Stump’s latest film, Legend of Aahhhs.

Click the HD button in the lower right for high definition.

Bar One Saturday, October 11
Doors open at 7 pm for a 21 & up only showing.
Tickets are $10 and are available at the door.

Made by local Squaw filmmaker Duane Kubischta, the film follows Miles Clark, Jackie Paaso, and Jeff Seifred on their 3,000-mile road trip from Squaw Valley to the glacial peaks of southern Alaska, with stops at Mt. Baker, Whistler, and Smithers, BC. Interviews and personal journeys guide the story. The skiers skip the helicopters for the “earn your turn” experience.

“AK the Hard Way” is the fourth release from Adventure Film Works, whose previous films have screened at mountain film festivals including: Banff, Taos, Kendal, Vancouver, Wild & Scenic, New Zealand, and Edinburgh. TheDVD and movie trailer are available at adventurefilmworks.com.

If you’ve been thinking about taking a trip to Jackson Hole, January 17-20th might be the right time. The Alpinist Film festival will be showcasing adventure films from around the world. Here’s the full schedule and the trailer:

“Surfers got “Riding Giants” a few years ago. Now skiers have “Steep”. Coming soon to select theaters near you. Go see it.”
- Shane McConkey

Watch the trailer for Steep >>