Skiing Stoke from Lake Tahoe

Month: March 2013

Glacier Express

Mike Douglas has been cranking out some brilliant productions for his Salomon Freeski TV program. Here he and Kaj Zackrisson travel the Alps by train shredding pow the entire way. Douglas received help on the project from Sweetgrass Productions Nick Waggoner and Tahoe to Socal transplant Ben Mullin.

A day at the races

Giant slalom course on KT22.


The US Alpine National Championship ski races were held at Squaw Valley last week and weekend. A soggy Wednesday gave way to a glorious bluebird raceday on Thursday. Conditions stayed perfect throughout the weekend with cold overnight temps for a good hard freeze on the course and perfect daytime weather for spectating. Hometown homegirl Julia Mancuso won a record 16th US Championship Title in giant slalom. Travis Ganong of Squaw Valley won the men’s super G. The weekend kicked off with skydivers and live music on the KT Sundeck Friday afternoon. Squaw Valley last hosted the Alpine Nationals in 2002.

The Wailers played the KT Sundeck Friday afternoon.


GS racer tucks toward the finish line on Thursday .


Slalom on Sunday.

Skydivers at Squaw from Nut Hut Studios on Vimeo.

Bring the Pain!

It’s that time of year for the greatest ski competition known to man or woman…The Pain McShlonkey Classic! Along with the Classic comes their annual promotional video. This year’s effort was produced by Matt Palmer and Grant Kaye.

3rd Annual Pain McShlonkey Classic | Of. Course. I. Can. from Squaw Valley on Vimeo.

In other McConkey related news the documentary on Shane’s life has been selected as a Spotlight Film for the Tribeca Film Festival held next month in New York City.
McConkey In Tribeca Film Festival coverage from the Ski Channel

Here is more information on the Pain McShlonkey Classic and the fundraising efforts of the McConkey Foundation courtesy of Freeskier:
Freeskier coverage of PMS

Mellow Yellow

Some great corn snow was harvested over the weekend.

Susan McCormick’s feeling corny on Saturday morning.

Matt Duniho ponders options.

Here’s a good one.

Corn dogs.

A spell of mighty fine skiing

Misty mountain hop on Thursday afternoon.

Troy Caldwell’s White Wolf on Friday.

Saturday breaks out big.

Split the difference.

Maura Mack takes a walk.

East winds peel the Crest Saturday afternoon.

Aaron Pope goes deep.

Sam Cox tinkers around Tallac on Monday. Photo: Robb Gaffney

Space Cowboys Kickoff Snowfest

Friday afternoon on the KT-22 Sundeck.


The Space Coboys Unimog sound car made it’s annual pilgrimage to Squaw Valley for Snowfest this weekend. The sound car first appeared in the Black Rock Desert for the Burning Man Festival in 2001 and has been rocking the left coast ever since. Perfect weather on Friday and Saturday made for a great time to feast on San Francisco based electronica served up from the “Mog”.

A military design driven 1969 Mercedes Unimog is the foundation for a mobile party unit stacked with high performance sound.


DJ Aaron Pope prepares for his set inside the Unimog.

Check out the complete Snowfest schedule of events here: 2013 North Lake Tahoe Snowfest Calendar of Events

Cooper Davis wins first Sportgevity Award

Sportgevity founder Robb Gaffney with Sportgevity Award winner Cooper Davis.

Cooper Davis of Sugar Bowl received the first Sportgevity Award at the Smith IFSA Squaw National comp last weekend. Robb Gaffney was there to present the Sportgevity award which was established to recognize an outstanding athlete that exemplifies the qualities and decision making promoted by Sportgevity. The Sportgevity Award is given to an athlete who demonstrates the ability to select a fluid line and to ski or snowboard the line keeping in mind the following: knowing when to step up or step back, the rule of simplicity, and whether he/she could ski the same line for decades to come. Congratulations Cooper!