Posted by frontrangeriffraff on February 26, 2009
The recession is causing people to ramp up their bartering activity. Or something like that. From the Orange County Register story:
Mono County Sheriff’s Department officers advertised on Craigslist.com an offer to sell lift vouchers for Mammoth Lakes’ skiing area in exchange for narcotics. The buyers came to Mammoth Lakes, gave the agents the drugs, and were arrested Friday, Mono sheriff’s officials said.
Posted in News | Tagged: California, drugs, lift tickets, police, weed | 4 Comments »
Posted by frontrangeriffraff on February 19, 2009
It was bound to happen. Brociety just launched as a snowboarders version of Steep and Cheap. It’s the latest online one-deal-at-a-time specialty store from backcountry.com, the same company that bought you the original SAC, plus Tramdock, Chainlove and Whisky Militia. It’s online marketing genius.
But I’m still waiting for somebody to open a photography-only version of SAC. That would be cool. I’d love to see this at 50% off.
Also, there are some really good gear sales going on right now, both online and in real stores. Seems to be the year of the markdown, and I predict more to come. Guess there is an upside to the recession.
Posted in Cheap Thrills, News | Tagged: brociety, chainlove, cheap, deals, gear, online, sale, sick brah, SNOWBOARD, steep and cheap, store, tramdock, whisly militia | 1 Comment »
Posted by frontrangeriffraff on January 17, 2009
This week SharpShooter Imaging officially fired photographer Marty Odom. Turns out Odom was on the clock and did use a company camera, according to SharpShooter. (The timeclock and the camera metadata don’t lie, usually.) Since the initial story exploded there’s apparently been no direct comment from Odom on the flap.
But the best part is the attempt by SharpShooter Imaging to remove the photo from all corners on the interwebs, or at least from the Vail Daily and The Smoking Gun. The Vail Daily says it removed the photo from their website due to prior reader objections, even though it’s still viewable in archive print form here. But The Smoking Gun seemed to brush off the threat of a lawsuit in the cease and desist letter from SharpShooter CFO Dick Roy last week, and, in true TSG style, posted the letter.
Jim Stafford of JH Underground penned a nice free speech examination of the ski bum photo and the recent Jackson Hole avalanche photo incident here. (Stafford’s site kicks-ass, btw. RSS alert.)
See the original photo in its print glory here. You can’t unprint a newspaper, but people have tried in the past.
Posted in News | Tagged: accident, Blue Sky Basin, cease and desist, chairlift, copyright, dangling, fired, free speech, hanging, naked, nude, photographer, SharpShooter Imaging, skier, The Smoking Gun, Vail | 1 Comment »
Posted by frontrangeriffraff on January 15, 2009
Red Bull has contracted the building of the Snowscraper, a ginormous snowboard ramp in NYC, for the “Big Air in the Big Apple” event.
The New York Times breaks it down here. And the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation previews the family-friendly Winter Jam events here.
Posted in News | Tagged: big air, New York City, ramp, Red Bull, SNOWBOARDING, snowmaking, urban | Leave a Comment »
Posted by frontrangeriffraff on January 9, 2009
The Town of Vail has opened up a previously off-limits-to-skiers parking area at Donovan Park. Tom Boyd of realvail.com gives us the skinny.
Check out Vail’s (the town) parking and transportation page here, where you can find free bus routes and schedules and other free parking options in Vail.
And Vail (the resort) has a big ole list of free and not-free parking options here. You know, in case you feel the need for some valet parking action.
I have paid the $25 to park at the Vail Village garage, which isn’t a bad option if: You have at least 4 people in the car to split the cost, and it’s a powder day of epic proportions, and you NEED to get to the lift asap.
Posted in News | Tagged: bus, Donovan Park, Donovan Pavilion, free, parking, Vail | Leave a Comment »
Posted by frontrangeriffraff on January 6, 2009
By now everybody and their grandma and their great-grandma has seen the story about the unlucky skier who got maximum exposure while unfortunately dangling from the chairlift at Blue Sky Basin at Vail last week. So I simply present you with the photo, as it first appeared in print on page A10 in the Vail Daily last Saturday.
Here’s a link to the Vail Daily responding to criticism over publishing the photo, and a follow-up story with more about the incident.
And the Fark mob, as always, goes nuts with the comments.
One last thought. Notice he’s a skier, not a snowboarder. ‘Nuff said.
UPDATE: Turns out the photographer, Marty Odom, was employed by SharpShooter Imaging. I say “was,” because he was told on Monday that he’s been “suspended until further notice.” Odom says he was not working for SharpShooter when he took the photo, and used his personal camera. Apparently SharpShooter has a no-compete clause. And according to Odom, Vail Resorts pulled his pass. Bummer.
I wonder if the SharpShooter photographer on-duty that day caught the dangling victim from the frontside.
Posted in News | Tagged: accident, Blue Sky Basin, chairlift, dangling, dude, hanging, nude, skier, Vail | 1 Comment »
Posted by frontrangeriffraff on December 28, 2008
Patrol checks out Montezuma Bowl. You know you want some. (Courtesy Arapahoe Basin)
Arapahoe Basin announced today that Montezuma Bowl will open at 11 am on Tuesday, December 30, 2008. About 180 acres will open, which is less than half of the terrain in Montezuma, but it’s still 180 acres of mostly untracked snow. Besides, your Colorado Pass is restricted at Vail and Beaver Creek through Wednesday.
While you’re waiting for the rope to drop, be sure to grab breakfast at A-Basin’s excellent The Legends Café. The Skiers Breakfast and Boarders Breakfast both rock for $5. You can’t go wrong with eggs, tater tots, biscuits and gravy to power you through the day.
Here’s the press release:
ARAPAHOE BASIN MONTEZUMA BOWL TO OPEN TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2008
Montezuma Bowl Opens for its Second Season
Arapahoe Basin, Colorado – December 28, 2008 – Arapahoe Basin’s Montezuma Bowl will open to the public at 11am, Tuesday, December 30. Great early season snowfall allowed for staff to groom and open the terrain two weeks earlier than expected. The Zuma chair lift will give skiers and riders access to 18 intermediate, advanced and expert runs; approximately 180 acres of Montezuma Bowl.
Montezuma Bowl opened for its inaugural season in January of 2008. The expansion increased the ski area’s terrain by 80 percent. The 400-acre Montezuma Bowl, located on the backside of Arapahoe Basin, was the nation’s largest terrain expansion for the 2007-2008 ski season.
Arapahoe Basin continues to grow and this year a $1.2 million parking expansion was added. With 300 new parking spaces served by new shuttle buses and pedestrian tunnel under US Highway 6, getting to the slopes has never been easier.
Arapahoe Basin has also added value for season pass holders. Along with unlimited skiing and riding, A-Basin pass holders now receive 10% off food and beverage purchases at Black Mountain Lodge and A-Frame Cafeteria, 10% off retail at Black Mountain Sports and Arapahoe Sports, as well as a free class lesson from the Snowsports School. Arapahoe Basin 2008-2009 season passes are still available and can be purchased at www.arapahoebasin.com or through Guest Services 1-888-ARAPAHOE (272-7246).
For more information on Arapahoe Basin or Montezuma Bowl please call 1-888-ARAPAHOE or log on to www.arapahoebasin.com.
Posted in News, Resort Events | 1 Comment »
Posted by frontrangeriffraff on December 23, 2008
The Vail Daily teases you today with a story about the sweet, sweet powder of December and the hoards of folks who love their Epic Pass.
Not to be outdone, Chadd and Amy Westoff, of Virginia, bought 11 Epic Passes for six adults and five children. The Westoff group totals 18, and they stay with Amy’s parents for two weeks of the winter vacation.
“We just love the flexibility of (the Epic Pass),” Amy Westoff said. “We have young kids and young skiing kids and it helps to be able to get on and off the mountain anytime.”
Like this morning, when Amy and Chadd decided to pass of their early shift of watching the kids, promising to be back at 10:30.
“This is one of the best days in a few years,” Chadd Westoff said. “We’ve been really lucky.”
Amy said that the family is planning on coming back two more times this year, something they couldn’t have done without the Epic Pass.
“The Epic Pass changed our lives,” she said. “Whatever we have to do to bring it back next year, we will do it.”
Also, the continuing lineup of storm swells keeps rolling, so it looks like it’s going to be the Best Christmas Ever for one of these young whippersnappers:
Posted in News, Snow, Video | Tagged: Christmas, Colorado, December, Epic Pass, kids, News, Snow, Vail, Vail Daily | Leave a Comment »
Posted by frontrangeriffraff on December 20, 2008
Snocator app screenshot.
Giz has a quick rundown of (most of) the current offering of iPhone snow report apps. Their winner? The $2 app from OnTheSnow.com.
The North Face Snow Report was left out of the lineup, but Freeskier mag has a report on that free app.
And there’s an more in-depth review of the Snocator app on Snow Hugger.
For a comparison of online snow reports for Colorado click this. Or head straight to my favorite, the Denver Post Colorado Ski Report, to see the sick December snow that the Centennial State has been enjoying.
Posted in News, Snow | Tagged: apps, Gizmodo, iPhone, review, snow reports, technology | Leave a Comment »
Posted by frontrangeriffraff on December 17, 2008
"Do not put the object on the handrail" by Beto™ on Flickr.
Ashley Dickson (reporter babe alert) of the Summit Daily News reports that snowboarders riding unauthorized rails and stuff on private or guvment property are getting their snowboards and videocameras confiscated. Whoa, that’s, um, crazy.
Getting a ticket for destruction of public property? Check.
Convicted and sentenced to community service for destruction of said property? Check.
Ordered to pay restitution for destruction of said property? Check.
But confiscating video gear? Sounds like the police have determined it’s a good tactic for deterrence, but wow:
“The equipment is being taken because it is evidence used in a crime,” (Dillon Police Chief Joe) Wray said. “If we have a video camera that shows footage of snowboarders riding rails on public property, then we can use that in court.”
I guess Summit County officials and property managers haven’t fully implemented these yet.
And here’s an old J.P. Walker interview that explores the lure of rails and touches on security guards, night vision goggles and crazy photographers.
Posted in News | Tagged: Colorado, Dillon, police, rails, smackdown, snowboarders | Leave a Comment »
