There is a reason that the best skiers in the world are obsessed with Alaska. That reason...well, it's hard to explain. Sure I could blast you with the typical superlative skiing adjectives like 'steep', 'spiny', 'powder' and 'epic'. But words don't really encompass the feeling that Alaska imparts on you. I've heard every description of Alaska you could ever think of, and guess what, none of them make me feel, much less reminisce, about the sensation of standing atop an Alaskan peak, skiing down and getting to the bottom. So I apologize for the lack of verbal descriptions, they just aren't gonna cut it. In the meantime, here are some photos from what was likely the best skiing day of my life.

The objective and the method. CPG helping us achieve nirvana.


Warm-Up wall. The first line I skied in AK this year. And by warm-up, this was still a 800' foot wall with a 45 degree pitch. Better than most of the best lines at any ski resort.


Warm-Up Huck. Thought it was a 30 footer. Turned out to be a 60-65 footer. Great warm-up stomp too!


Peak 6500'. The two airs on the right were the closest thing I've ever felt to flying. The 20 foot cliffs on a 50 degree pitch allowed for a sail of up to 60 feet. Pure bliss.


Henrik Windstedt, my partner in crime on this trip slashing some turns with some massive sluff roaring behind. Take note of the big cliff above and to the left of Henrik because...


It turned out to be one of the funnest lines I've ever skied in my life. Super spine, raging sluff and a 60 foot exit air with a perfect landing. It's the line I've been dreaming of skiing for decades.


Oh and check the entrance view to the line before. As if the line wasn't scary enough, the super blind entrance had to make it down right terrifying.


And then the mecca of spine zones. If heaven looks like this I'm going to start going to church.


One of the most beautiful places in the world.


The Crystal Castle. Where would you go?


Heli-Angle fly-by. Seriously exposed and dangerously steep. Yikes!


Well that's where I went.


Edge of the world line. Steep, scary and fun.


Stoked to be in AK with Henrik!


Sun up to sun down.

Labels: Cody Townsend, henrik winsted, MSP, Salomon Skis

Comments:

 unclepotatohead
so sick

# : April 15, 2010 3:10 AM

 

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What I'm about to ski down is the scariest fucking thing I've ever skied down. It's been years since I was this legitimately scared on top of a line. A toxic brew of adrenaline and fear boils in my veins while waiting in the start gate. Suddenly the competition stops because Julien Lopez just played a poker hand with Señor Reaper. Dr. Death lost this hand but a helicopter still needs to come pick up Julien after a 50 mph tomahawk over a field of shark-finned rocks. The hold send my legs into lethargy. My body doesn't want to go. My mind reassures that it's okay, I can ski this. This face tried to kill me once before, how could it try to go two for two?

The intimidating Bec des Rosses



From the bottom it's steepness almost makes it feel like it is a cresting wave shadowing over your head. The top pitch is measured at 58 degress. 58 degrees is steep, but with the piles upon piles of rocks below you, 58 all of sudden feels like trying to ski down your bedroom wall.



My chosen and skied line shown in red. The first 10 foot air that goes from skier's right to left was one of the most committed airs of my life. A fall there would have equaled certain death. The next open field was sloughing like an Alaskan face and threatening to pull me over the pepper field below. After those two sections the 50 foot air in the middle and the double stage at the bottom felt like a Sunday drive.



Inspection day and the view from the starting gate. You don't see much when pushing out of the gate. We hiked down to the rock below to see...



...this! Holy steepness! The field in the middle lined with the two slough paths was the field below my first air. You can see the consequences of a fall quite clearly in this pic.



One last look at the Bec.


This isn't a contest against other skiers. This is a contest against yourself.

If you're interested you can see vid of my run down the Bec de Rosses click HERE.

Labels: Cody Townsend, Salomon Apparel, Salomon Skis, Verbier Xtreme

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Austria. February. Salomon Freeski TV.

Labels: Cody Townsend, Elyse Saugstad, Salomon Freeski, Salomon Freeski TV, Salomon Skis

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On Monday March 1st I posted up at the bottom of Silverado with Captain Short Shanks camera. People were throwing down regardless of the somewhat firm conditions. Who was throwing down you might ask, well how about Porters Ski Team members Cody Townsend, JT Holmes, Timy Dutton, and Elyse Saugstad. Among the boarders were some local legends Ryland Bell, and Jeremy Jones. Ryland did really well against some tough competition. Jeremy is actually human he does fall, It was not his day but we all know he is the number one big mountain rider in the world. ( at least in my opinion for skiing or boarding)

The comp started at 8:30 which I was a little butt hurt about because spectators were not allowed on the tram until 8:45. Oh yeah and special tickets were not willing to hook me up with a shop pass or any sort of deal. (typical squaw move)

I missed Cody's first run and I also missed JT's. JT was injured during his first run luckily it was nothing too serious. ( glad your ok buddy)

Once I finally got up there it was sick! super fun contest and really good support from the local crowd cheering on their local shredders. This first edit is highlights from the Mens skiing and snowboading runs. also a small crash section that is coed.



Now the guys did a good job for sure. The Europeans ended up taking it down even though I felt the most exciting one to watch out there was Timy D. Now the Ladies really killed it out there I was super impressed. While editing this footage I realized that I had to do a separate edit for them. Elyse, Ingrid and Jacyln Passo were among my favorites. They all were choosing technical lines and charging them with little hesitation. Passo probably had the biggest air of the day over the men and women, and for sure had some help from the angel's in the outfield as she landed then bounced about 30+ back onto her feet. This edit is strictly for the "ladies" of the FWT. Excuse my Barry White/Ladies Man commentary in the beginning I could not help myself. If you don't have sound on your computer don't bother watching this you will not get the full effect I was going for.

Labels: Cody Townsend, Elyse Saugstad, Frtitz, Jeremy Jones, JT Holmes, Nicky B, Nissan Free Worl Tour Squaw Valley Silverado, Porters Ski Team, Ryland Bell, Timy Dutton

Comments:

 Elyse Saugstad
Hey Nicky, great edit but I was mislabeled. The person in red was not me.

# : March 6, 2010 6:46 PM

 

 Emily
HA definitely worth waiting for to watch it with sound. Nice skillz Nick.

# : March 6, 2010 10:21 PM

 

 Nicky B
Oh man :( My bad Elyse....... Its hard to tell all you fine ladies apart. 1 for 3 on the labeling

# : March 7, 2010 9:08 AM

 

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The next day went blue so we headed up the resort to see what we could find. What we found was avalanches on every aspect all over the valley, and then the wind kicked in as the morning progressed so going up high was completely out of the question. We were able to find a small zone that worked fine (the snow was quite nice), but by the end of the day the avalanche conditions became worse. We completely anticipated this and worked with the conditions accordingly, but when I ended up propogating a substantial slide we decided to call it for the day. No need to put ourselves in anymore danger. That just about sums up our sweet little trip to Austria. Good skiing, good beer and good friends equals great times!

Labels: Cody Townsend, Defereggental Valley in Austria, Elyse Saugstad, Salomon Freeski TV, Salomon Freeski TV in Austria

Comments:

 Rals
It looks like a super fun time, the skiing looks legit.

# : March 3, 2010 9:33 PM

 

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I received a very amped up text message from Ryland Bell this morning saying that and I quote "Tram Face at 8:30". I rushed myself out of my Reno home making sure I got there in time for the comp. I arrived late at 9:00 to a parking lot full of spectators and a tiny lineup at the top of the Tram Face. No one had gone yet & Ryland send me another text saying they were calling for a 9:15 start time. As I was lacing up my boots & organizing camera gear, I looked up at the Face & saw a slide go. It was no tiny fracture either a hefty sized crown snapped and away went the snow! Pure instinct took over as I grabbed my camera not even notiging what setting it was on and was able to snap a few shots of the slide & aftermath. Sure enough, contest called off. The snow was just not stable & safe enough for participants to make a go at it. Looks like we'll have to wait another year.

Labels: Cody Townsend, Elyse Saugstad, JT Holmes, Nissan Free Worl Tour Squaw Valley Tram Face, Ryland Bell, Tim Dutton

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From Fliers

Fingers are crossed as competitors wait for the weather to clear, as this will be the first time the infamous Tram Face will open up to skiers and snowboarders. But let me make this clear, these skies and snowboarders are just your run of the mill folks. These guys and gals ski and snowboard this kind of stuff all the time and therefore have earned the right to ski the Tram Face at Squaw Valley. With names like Jt Holmes, Cody Townsend, Tim Dutton, Ryaland Bell, Jeremy Jones and Elyse Saugstad, who call Squaw Valley home, we are likely to see some serious lines go down. Ones that I am sure Cody, Jt and Tim have been eying since they were mighty mites.Let the snow gods be with us this weekend so we can see the tram face go down in Free World Tour history. Good Luck Team!

Labels: Cody Townsend, Elyse Saugstad, Jeremy Jones, JT Holmes, Nissan Free Worl Tour Squaw Valley Tram Face, Ryland Bell, Tim Dutton

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With Winter winding up at a lightspeed pace, frantic calls from the 307 area code started coming my way. "Cody where are you?!? Get to Jackson now!!!" I immediately fled the Canadian territories for a 17 hour, one day drive down to Jackson. From the less than humble start in Jackson, the spigot turned on the day I arrived and more than 10 feet fell in the two weeks I skied with the TGR crew.

Pictures were to be honest, few and far between. Skiing took precedent. The camera stayed in the pack for fear of dropping it in the bottomless fluff that paraded across the Tetons. 8 days of filming from sunup to sundown left my legs beaten like piñata and more exhausted than a Tiger Wood's joke. Some of my best skiing in my life took place these past two weeks.

Welcome to the Tetons.


Shroder Baker in Trench Town.


Josh Nielson feeling the side effects of living in Trench Town.


Todd Ligare. Tree couloir of deepness.


The Sea of Dreams


Heading out my favorite zone in JH. The North Shore aka The North Choir.


One of the more exciting lines I've ever skied. Sluffing like a hard rain, peppery like a Steak au Poivre and a bounty of airs. (My track = looker's leftmost)


Side note: 7 and 1/2 hours of bootpacking for this 20 second line was totally worth it!

Labels: Cody Townsend, Jackson Hole, Salomon Apparel, Salomon Freeski, Teton Gravity Research

Comments:

 Eric Asistin
totally jealous!

# : February 17, 2010 9:31 AM

 

 Anonymous
get skins dude

# : February 17, 2010 9:50 AM

 

 Brendon Drury
So Sick, yeah Cody

# : February 17, 2010 9:52 AM

 

 Gaines
Nice work Cody, you hit it just right!

# : February 17, 2010 9:56 AM

 

 Chunder
No way Anonymous. Bootpacking is for real men. Did Edmund Hillary skin to the top of Everest? No he bootpacked.

# : February 19, 2010 8:38 AM

 

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