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Monday, October 12, 2009
JT Holmes - The Birdmen on 60 Minutes
In case you missed last nights 60 Minutes check out the video below.
Watch CBS News Videos Online
Watch CBS News Videos Online
The Birdmen
October 11, 2009 5:20 PM
In the latest craze that has killed several extreme adventurers, men don wing suits, jump off mountain tops and glide at speeds of 140 miles per hour. Steve Kroft reports.
Read the full story here.
Labels: 60 Minutes, JT Holmes, The Birdmen
Reno eNVyGreat Segment!
Got chills watching it.
Loved the Porters sticker on JT helmet....priceless
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Thursday, October 8, 2009
The Birdmen
Watch CBS News Videos Online
Watch these "birdmen" take flight - in some cases at speeds of up to 140 mph - on Sunday's 60 Minutes, Oct. 11, 7 pm ET/PT.
Watch CBS News Videos Online
Watch these "birdmen" take flight - in some cases at speeds of up to 140 mph - on Sunday's 60 Minutes, Oct. 11, 7 pm ET/PT.
Labels: CSB News, JT Holmes, wingsuit
Eric AsistinJT AND HIS FLY BUDDIES ARE STRAIGHT LOCO!
JasonWow JT that segment was amazing. Nice Porters props. I'll I can say was wow.
CorinaI own a new energy drink company called JACKED UP! We are actually launching it next week in VEGAS! we would love to get in touch with JT and his guys because what they do is totally JACKED UP! WOW! I saw them on 60 Minutes and was blown away! We would love to sponsor them! please have JT contact Joe Schmitz, President of JACKED UP LLC, jackedupenergydrink@gmail.com
THANKS!
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http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5371376n
THis Sunday at 7 i believe on CBS...
Labels: 2008 Skiing Magazine Ski Test, base Jumping, JT Holmes, Wing suits, wingsuit
Monday, September 7, 2009
Mellow day, Powder day, Comp day and a Sick Bird
photo credit: Billy Swan
It snowed. Wednesday, i skied one run by Braille and had a chill day by the fire with some Chilean friends.
Thursday was a powder day that made my trip. Not a ton of snow, but where the wind blew it in, it was firing! In La Parva, one can ski powder ALL day long, and there are a lot of short but bitchen lines to charge, with easy access. I followed my local friends around and enjoyed heli ski quality runs all day, low angle powder fields that I never would have found skiing with all the pros in town.
Yesterday, was comp day 1. Remember how I said "to ski be competitive, onewill need to go big on some flat, but makeable landings"? well, this was to my demise, even though I was right. I went for a big bottom air and charged it and ended up back slapping. Then I watched competitor after competitor come through and take it's 5 foot corner and beat me. Oh well.
Skiing in the comp was a great way to scrape the rust off from 3 months off skis. Competition makes you step to the absolute best line you can handle that given day, and I did. For me, it helps my filming skills immensely by making me realize what is stompable and how juicy the stuff we film is. When I go film now, I wil relate it to a think back "well, that air is the same size as the ones I was charging in La Parva, has powder in the landing, AND 14 of my friends haven't hit it already!"
Another thing... MAD props to Timy for his 2 podiums last year! winning a Freeskiing comp, on either tour, takes a lot, the field of competitors is stacked. Nice work.
After weather cancels our comp today, I will get on a plane home and jump in the lake by noon on Sunday. I won't have advanced further than my proud 13th place, but I must have skied pretty OK, as I was nominated for the covetted "sick bird" award. After the comp, I skied buttery groomers until the bell, and I captured this sick shot of a sick bird of my own.
JT
Labels: Chile, JT Holmes, La Parva
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Customs Officers, Smog sets, and runs named for Shane...
I arrived Chile yesterday morning 740AM Santiago. At customs, I declared nothing of course as I had nothing to declare. Carry-on bag goes through X ray and I am sent to the waiting room for the anal cavity search. I had forgotten about that orange that was part of the lovely lunch my mother had packed me for my journey.
The customs officers are giving me commands and asking my questions as though i have really done something wrong. I am charged with a crime (lying on a declaration form)
I notice while waiting for the strip search, that some of the other offenders are being escorted by 2 police officers each to the ATM to apparently solve their problems.
So, I hide all my loot except $20 and about $5 worth of leftover Chilean pesos in my shoe and just plead broke guy in broken Spanish during my interrogation. They are threatening a $500 fine, then $250, then down to $110.76 and from there they aren't budging. It is a long uncomfortable stand off, and I just tell em I have nothing, No ATM,no cash to exchange nothing no dice. They search me, but not the shoe, and finally, they let me go. i paid nothing.
It took about an hour and half and luckily when i got out of there, the guy with my name on a sign was still waiting and I went up and went skiing. It was teeth chattering variable snow, but still just great to be skiing. Spent the day, poking around a competition venue that is full of make-able but flat landings, so to be competitive, one will have to ski some uncomfortable stuff. I suppose between now and then I will spend some time stretching!
THis place is really cool. It is a short drive from Santiago and the city smog creates these amazing sunsets. Plus, on the chairlifts you can watch these massive condors. Huge birds, 6 ft. wingspans, and they just play all day in the wind drafts. it is fascinating to watch them fly, as a wingsuit flyer you notice everything, how they turn how they dive, how they glide, so sick. I just wish I could fly like them.
I will keep you posted!
jt
Labels: JT Holmes, Shane McConkey
Saturday, August 29, 2009
linked is an interview regarding my upcoming competition trip to Chile.
I hope people realize my last 5 words are in sarcasm!
Labels: Big Mountain Skiing, J.T., JT Holmes, La Parva
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
For 2009, MSP Films takes an original look at the sport of skiing. All of the skiers in the film--park rat or big mountain charger--share a common bond: the overwhelming desires to ski. Each person finds stoke in his own unique way, whether it be a double cork 1260, a deep turn on a storm day or ripping a giant AK line. Skiing is an incredibly diverse sport that offers it all. With the progressive skiing and award-winning cinematography that has made MSP famous, MSP Films takes you along for the ride deep into the experience as we share the love for the greatest sport in the world. IN DEEP will feature an epic Shane McConkey tribute segment.
Featuring the Skiing of: Two of Porters own team riders Michelle Parker and JT Holmes, Mark Abma, Sean Pettit, Eric Hjorleifson, Daron Rahlves, Henrik Windstedt, Chris Davenport, Bobby Brown, Colby West, TJ Schiller, Mike Douglas, Kaj Zackrisson, James Heim, Hugo Harrisson, Rory Bushfield, PK Hunder, Ingrid Backstrom, Jacob Wester, Russ Henshaw, Henrik Harlaut, Alexis Godbout, Sammy Carlson, Chris Rubens and Shane McConkey.
Featuring the Skiing of: Two of Porters own team riders Michelle Parker and JT Holmes, Mark Abma, Sean Pettit, Eric Hjorleifson, Daron Rahlves, Henrik Windstedt, Chris Davenport, Bobby Brown, Colby West, TJ Schiller, Mike Douglas, Kaj Zackrisson, James Heim, Hugo Harrisson, Rory Bushfield, PK Hunder, Ingrid Backstrom, Jacob Wester, Russ Henshaw, Henrik Harlaut, Alexis Godbout, Sammy Carlson, Chris Rubens and Shane McConkey.
Labels: AK, JT Holmes, Match Stick Productions, Michelle Parker, MSP, Shane McConkey
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Romridiculous!
ChunderBoooooo. When you start dragging your toes then you can give me a call and I'll send you a dollar.
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Tuesday, June 16, 2009
fieldproductions.com Athlete interview: JT Holmes
FP catches up with the legendary californian kid, JT Holmes.
Field Productions
FP: Hey JT. Whats going on? Enjoying Norway?
JT: Crazy thing going on. Back in March, I met with the producer of 60 Minutes. He was interested in doing an episode on Wingsuit flying and I told him it had to be Norway. He has followed through on everything we discussed and today I am off to Molde to pick up the crew. I arrived a week early to get back into it after being rattled mentally by the Shane thing. I feel good. It is nice to be back here. Good friends, nice hikes, familiar faces and places. The weather hasn’t been good for going to the big mountains, I have jumped the Base Race cliff once a day for the last 6 days.
FP: Oh, nice. Can´t wait to see that episode of 60 minutes.
You visit Norway quite a lot. Why so? What brings you back?
JT: Norway is my favorite.
FP: So, first year shooting with Field Productions. Tell us, how was the experience working three weeks with Filip?
JT: It was great. Challenging snow conditions at first, but we had a cool road trip and spent a lot of time in the mountains. With 3 weeks we were sure to get the good snow, and when it came, it was on. I am really happy with what we got and I hope Norway enjoys seeing it too.
FP: What is the biggest difference filming with Field Productions, compared to the major companies as Warren Miller and Matchstick Productions?
JT: To be honest, it isn’t much different at all, except for that with Field your producer is also the filmer, the editor, the travel planner, AND the business brains behind the operation, so when you pass out dead tired after a long day in the mountains, looking to rest before the next one, you hear in the next hotel room the sound of Filip on the phone, working on the next project, securing sponsors, coordinating his athletes schedules. It is a good thing he is young. Otherwise, he may not be able to work so hard and still spend the day in the mountains full of energy. We’d catch him sleeping pretty hard in the car sometimes, and he likes his Red Bull.
FP: Why do you think Squaw Valley, CA has produced so many professional skiers and snowboarders through the years? Is it the ”Le Chamois” (famous après ski and pizza), or must it be the endless terrain you got over there?
JT:. What have tons of really fun steep terrain, not huge stuff, but fun stuff. The reason that Squaw Valley produces so hard is the terrain and the snow. Our snow fills in the steep goods right away, so we area ble to get into it immediately when the snow comes, whereas in the Alps or the Rockys you might have to wait til mid season to get into the steep fun stuff. Also, it is the overall layout of the mountain. Everything is visible form the chairlifts and easily accessed from the top. During a 7 minute chairlift ride, you are watching everyone skiing lines, hucking, charging. On powder days people are yelling and cheering for big airs, being typical loud Americans. Its not like you are crammed into some foggy cable car where you see nothing. Plus, you get to the top and and just go. We don’t chat at the top or traverse. You just go straight into it. 500 meters or so of fun stuff the whole way and then back to the fast chairs with funny people watching. Its fun. Ask Filip and Eirich. They’ll be back. And yes, very cheap beer and good Pizza slopeside. We win when it comes to Apres ski. Hands down.
FP: Whats on your agenda for the summer?
JT: Just splitting time between here and home. I also have the opportunity to do some big wall climbing in Yosemite and won’t pass on that because it is a great chance for me to learn, and fun experience. Late August is likely to bring some Southern Hemisphere turns.
FP: And, will you be attending the ”Eyes Wide Open” world premiere in Oslo, 19th of September?
JT: Wouldn’t miss it.
FP: See you there!
Field Productions
FP: Hey JT. Whats going on? Enjoying Norway?
JT: Crazy thing going on. Back in March, I met with the producer of 60 Minutes. He was interested in doing an episode on Wingsuit flying and I told him it had to be Norway. He has followed through on everything we discussed and today I am off to Molde to pick up the crew. I arrived a week early to get back into it after being rattled mentally by the Shane thing. I feel good. It is nice to be back here. Good friends, nice hikes, familiar faces and places. The weather hasn’t been good for going to the big mountains, I have jumped the Base Race cliff once a day for the last 6 days.
FP: Oh, nice. Can´t wait to see that episode of 60 minutes.
You visit Norway quite a lot. Why so? What brings you back?
JT: Norway is my favorite.
FP: So, first year shooting with Field Productions. Tell us, how was the experience working three weeks with Filip?
JT: It was great. Challenging snow conditions at first, but we had a cool road trip and spent a lot of time in the mountains. With 3 weeks we were sure to get the good snow, and when it came, it was on. I am really happy with what we got and I hope Norway enjoys seeing it too.
FP: What is the biggest difference filming with Field Productions, compared to the major companies as Warren Miller and Matchstick Productions?
JT: To be honest, it isn’t much different at all, except for that with Field your producer is also the filmer, the editor, the travel planner, AND the business brains behind the operation, so when you pass out dead tired after a long day in the mountains, looking to rest before the next one, you hear in the next hotel room the sound of Filip on the phone, working on the next project, securing sponsors, coordinating his athletes schedules. It is a good thing he is young. Otherwise, he may not be able to work so hard and still spend the day in the mountains full of energy. We’d catch him sleeping pretty hard in the car sometimes, and he likes his Red Bull.
FP: Why do you think Squaw Valley, CA has produced so many professional skiers and snowboarders through the years? Is it the ”Le Chamois” (famous après ski and pizza), or must it be the endless terrain you got over there?
JT:. What have tons of really fun steep terrain, not huge stuff, but fun stuff. The reason that Squaw Valley produces so hard is the terrain and the snow. Our snow fills in the steep goods right away, so we area ble to get into it immediately when the snow comes, whereas in the Alps or the Rockys you might have to wait til mid season to get into the steep fun stuff. Also, it is the overall layout of the mountain. Everything is visible form the chairlifts and easily accessed from the top. During a 7 minute chairlift ride, you are watching everyone skiing lines, hucking, charging. On powder days people are yelling and cheering for big airs, being typical loud Americans. Its not like you are crammed into some foggy cable car where you see nothing. Plus, you get to the top and and just go. We don’t chat at the top or traverse. You just go straight into it. 500 meters or so of fun stuff the whole way and then back to the fast chairs with funny people watching. Its fun. Ask Filip and Eirich. They’ll be back. And yes, very cheap beer and good Pizza slopeside. We win when it comes to Apres ski. Hands down.
FP: Whats on your agenda for the summer?
JT: Just splitting time between here and home. I also have the opportunity to do some big wall climbing in Yosemite and won’t pass on that because it is a great chance for me to learn, and fun experience. Late August is likely to bring some Southern Hemisphere turns.
FP: And, will you be attending the ”Eyes Wide Open” world premiere in Oslo, 19th of September?
JT: Wouldn’t miss it.
FP: See you there!
Labels: Field Productions, fieldproductions.com, JT Holmes
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Why I love Squaw Valley in the Spring Time...
Kyle O'Neal catching some air in the Palisades...Even though we all love to get in as much powder as we can until the month of May, it never hurts to have those hot Cali spring days where the sun comes out, the snow turns to corn and the sunbathing at the High Camp pool after a morning of skiing is game on. Can't beat it!
What a view!
J.T. Holmes and Ruth Selby soaking in the sun
Tristan Queen doing tricks. Spring day schedule: hit the park in the morning then practice at the pool afterwards.Labels: Elyse Saugstad, JT Holmes, Kyle O'Neal, Squaw Valley
Friday, March 27, 2009
We will Miss you Shane McConkey....RIP
Yesterday, March 26, 2009, Shane died while skiing in Italy. There are some technical aspects that are left out from this statement, and it does not touch upon the beauty of the Dolomites and the skiing we shared before the accident or Shane’s typical shining persona, full of adventure, humor and life experience.
We chose to ski off of a cliff with our wingsuits and fly them away from the cliff wall before opening our parachutes for landing. We skied and hiked off of the Pordoi cable car to a spot Shane had base jumped once before, in the summer. We spent a bunch of time preparing for the jump, building a kicker, helping each other gear up, and finally we were pleased and prepared and went for it.
Shane did a double back flip in perfect McConkey style. As planned, afterwards, he went to release his skis in order to fly away from the wall and safely deploy his parachute. This is where the jump went wrong. He was not able to release either of his skis. He remained focused on releasing them by reaching down towards his bindings. This put him into a spin/ tumble/ unstable falling style, that may have appeared out of his control, but in reality, Shane was not concerned about flying position or style; just concerned with reaching those skis so that he could get them off and fly or deploy his parachute. He succeeded in releasing both of skis and immediately transitioned into a perfect flying position; then he impacted the snow, and died at that moment.
The whole thing took place in about 12 seconds. Once he released the skis, he was immediately in control of the flight and would have only seen the ground and imminent impact for a tiny fraction of a second before he hit. Shane’s parachute did not malfunction; it was never deployed.
-jt Holmes
March 27, 2009
UPDATE - 3:37pmSo now an hour or so later, we've talked with some of his friends like Daron Rahlves and Michelle Parker as well as third-hand through Jay at Thin Air here in town who had talked with JT Holmes. JT was BASE jumping with Shane at the time and had gone first. JT said that he didn't see Shane's actual fall but knew something was terribly wrong with how the helicopters started diving back down to the earth. We've now confirmed through him too that supposedly a ski didn't release and/or released but got caught in the chute. Either way, it was a terrible fall to Shane's death as he spun out of control and never slowed his descent. Shane was truly a pioneer in big mountain skiing and BASE jumping and it's still mind boggling to think of him not being with us anymore. As was mentioned on TGR's website, it's a bit like saying that "Superman" had died as we've all grown accustomed to Shane's daredevil BASE leaps and mind-blowing skiing segments. Again we're truly devastated to not only lose such an influential person in our sport.....but a great guy too......
Go to ESPN as another source for those who need more possible closure from this tragic event.
2:19pm
Details are still very sketchy at this point, but just 10 minutes ago we got the word that Squaw Valley / Tahoe legend, big mountain skier extraordinaire, BASE jumper, lover of all things snow and adrenaline, and great family man - Shane McConkey - has died in Italy while BASE jumping. Supposedly a ski didn't eject and sent him into an uncontrolled spin that he couldn't recover from. Again, not sure of the details, but very, very sadly we have confirmed that Shane is no longer with us. Please take a moment to say a prayer for him and his family that he leaves behind. We're all in a state of shock here at Porters....
Labels: JT Holmes, Shane McConkey, Ski Base Jump
If you want to learn more, the Sierra Sun has a lot of quotes from friends and some details.
http://www.sierrasun.com/article/20090326/NEWS/903269961/1066&ParentProfile=1051&title=Ski%20legend%20Shane%20McConkey%20dies
Danielle DeWittDear JT-
I don't know if you remember me from Tahoe but I saw this article and I wanted to send my thoughts to you and the rest of Shane's family and friends. I never knew either one of you well- but it is a horrible tragedy and I am so sorry you had to be there and loose your friend. -Danielle DeWitt
Segalfound this.
http://redbullairforce.com/author/shane_mcconkey
jeremyShane was my hero, I always wanted to ski like him. He influenced the way that I and all of us ski. Let us never forget the life he lived and the way he changed our sport forever. Thanks Shane.
Mad Dog is the name and thanking Shane is the game, Shane we were just thanking you on Wednesday for getting all the rocker and reverse camber into the ski industry and pushing the ski design envelope. Thoughts and prayers with you and your family RIP from the shop boys and girls in Denver
The news was devastating. Our hearts are very heavy.
In 2000, at the ages of 3 and 4, our two young sons, my wife and I became enamored with Squaw Valley. Today, they have been racing for 8 years and, in so doing our family has shared a small piece of the Squaw magic and our lives have been enhanced by the very many friendships that have resulted from our time there.
Part of the mountain's magic, part of the mystique and lore that drew us was created by the daring exploits and magic of Shane McConkey. It was always gratifying to be on a mountain 'shared' with legends like Julia Mancuso, Jonnie Mosely, Daron Rahlves (pre Sugar Bowl!) Tamara McKinney, Jeff Hamilton and the superhuman exploits of Shane McConkey. These people defined the mountain and we became forever 'hooked'.
At Christmas, 2006 I purchased a large photo from Keoki Flagg...In graphic black and white, it shows Shane on Eagle's Nest.It hangs by our fireplace in Tahoe Donner. Always an attention getter, it will now command new focus, a reminder of a terrific talent with what appeared to be a wonderful joy, living a big life. I know that looking at it will always cause a pause...of sadness...and admiration.
Shane, thank you for being a part of our lives. You did not know us, but we watched you and admired your talent. Godspeed. Blessings to you an your family.
al
ChappyAl -
That was a genuinely heartfelt tribute to Shane. You, like a lot of other people, were influenced and inspired from afar more than Shane probably ever knew. Please visit his memorial website shanemcconkey.org to find out how you can help his family and pay your respects...
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Wednesday, March 25, 2009
SHane and I took this thing down today... trying again with attaching the photos. my post yesterday they did not attach but the link to SHanes site seemed to trigger a lot of interest.
was scary as hell, the cliff really is not that big, about 1100ft. about a third of the size of the cliff that we previously did Wingsuit ski bases from.
anyways, it has been a long time since then and we are way better at flying and beyond that, confidence is at an all time high.
It worked great, went flying off the cliff, opened the wings and flew. It WAS more scary to ski off there, than to ski down that chute and over to the cliff edge, but not by much!
Labels: awesome, checck us out, JT Holmes, Shane McConkey, sick mono rippers monoboard radness insane, Sick Rad and Dope, Ski Base Jump, wingsuit, wingsuit ski base
caveman77hell yeah dudes, that looks gnarly. i dont get how you skied out to the take off pad, it looks uphill in the photo. jt check your email from me
pete t.
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Tuesday, March 3, 2009
JT stomps the bottom of his runSo, I crashed at the top of my run. Went fast off of a cliff at the top and went over the bars, lost a ski put it back on and kept going to finish my run proud. While a loss of ski gives you a "no score" result, I skied like I meant it and went down charging. I was pretty frustrated because I knew if i had pulled off that top air, I would have been up there. The top was the easy part, I had decided to charge that cliff fast as many competitors were hesitating there, my plan backfired.
JT also got a little write up in the wrap up article. Check it out:
First amazing day on the Silverado, 12 years after one of the first freeride competitions in Squaw Valley USA
JT Holmes, emblematic skier from Squaw Valley and BASE jump/ski pioneer, was a favorite before falling at the top of his run. He finished his run with an impressive second half, and then spoke about how he sees the evolution of freeride, 12 years after the first freeride competition on the Silverado face:
“Today, skiers and snowboarders are able to land perfect jumps. Security has also evolved; I remember skiing here 12 years ago in a t-shirt with no helmet! Now, the faces are closed before the competition; the snow is kept intact so we can ride in excellent conditions!”
You can read the whole article here
Labels: Freeride World Tour, JT Holmes, silverado
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Is it called monoskiing? or monoboarding?
oh the things that go down when shane and i get bored.
Labels: JT Holmes, radical, Shane McConkey, sick mono rippers monoboard radness insane, Squaw Valley, we are hella sick
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
The Norwegian History of SKIBASE
JT Holmes sent us this little ditty a while back and after I finally got to it I had to post it up!!
As seen in the Kong Vinter production Anagram
As seen in the Kong Vinter production Anagram
Labels: JT Holmes, Ski Base Jump
Monday, November 24, 2008
preseason training. Higher Cathedral.
not sure if this vid will be too low qual, but this was a spicy little poke of a flight that i took down on Thursday afternoon. My friend and I were the first to fly it. We went at the same time and actually crashed/bumped into each other just a couple seconds in. thats why it took me a bit to get flying, i was busy flailing, falling head down into the gorge off balance kicking my feet and wondering "hmmm, how is this one gonna work out?"
Labels: base Jmping, JT Holmes, Yosemite
JasonCrazy video. Nice view of El Cap at the end.
Romso gnarly
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On Saturday Night Warren Miller premiered its newest movie, Children of Winter at the Events Center in downtown Reno. The movie was pretty good, especially the last segment, I thought. In any event, there were quite a few Porters Team riders there representing their sponsors. Nate Holland, Michelle Parker, JT Holmes, Cody Townsend, and me, Jeremy Benson, were all there to sign posters and bro down like nobody's business. Lots of other well known athletes from this area were in attendance with the likes of Ingrid Backstrom, Daron Rahlves, Brad Holmes, Erik Roner, Jessica Sobolowski, and Kevin Quinn all taking care of business as well. Free posters and stickers were gobbled up by the masses and a good time was had by all. Here's a shot of me signing posters, weird.
Jeremy
Labels: Children of Winter, Cody Townsend, Jeremy Benson, JT Holmes, Michelle Parker, Nate Holland, porters team, Reno, Warren Miller
Monday, October 6, 2008
MSP's "Claim" Movie Premier in Squallywood
Matchstick Productions (MSP) premiere of the new movie "Claim" went down Saturday night in the old Olympic Village Lodge in Squaw Valley USA. The recent cold weather and dusting of snow brought the skier kids out in droves. MSP always packs the house for both the family-friendly early showing as well as the sold-out later one. This year most of the pros that live in Olympic Valley that are normally in MSP's films were out of town at other various locals. A small crew of Porters employees was able to meet up during the first showing at Blue Coyote in the valley with Porters ski team rider, Squaw Valley legend, and Nordica and Sessions athlete JT Holmes. Always good times....
The line waiting to get in to Olympic Village Lodge was thick and long...
Check it....the Moment Skis crew piling in with everyone else...
Squaw Valley legend Scott Gaffney firing up the crowd just before the lights went down...
Simon Dumont's world record 35 foot quarter pipe session was pretty damn impressive....
Labels: Claim Ski Movie, JT Holmes, Matchstick Productions, Moment Skis, MSP, Scott Gaffney, Squaw Valley
Chunderjt is wearing that goddamn gay ass hat again.
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Thursday, July 31, 2008
JT Holmes Trip Report to Norway 2008
JT Holmes sent out this story to all his sponsors and it's a great read about his adventures.......
Trip Report Norway 08
I just returned from my 7 weeks in Norway. This is a trip report to share some of the highlights and to show some of the images and video clips from Norwegian.
Stryn is the summer ski mecca of Norway, plus it offers surfing nearby and amazing base-jumping. I was hosted by a local legend by the name of Even Flo. We had a really cool mission recon-ing a new wall called Bodalsfjellet. We contacted a local 60-something year old mountain guru for some beta about the place. He is a lifelong mountain guide and even the queen of Norway’s personal guide. He gave us some information and we were on our way with a map and a half a clue. One of the attached pictures cracks me up. Even is holding the map and pointing in one direction, while, Espen is searching the terrain for a route in a completely different direction with a very confused look on his face. The hike took us through beautiful terrain. We were surrounded by glaciers and crossed a big glacier plateau to reach the deep intimidating gorge, which was our wingsuit flight. The gorge is narrow and very long and you simply must fly it all the way out. The wall is not clean, it has ledges all over it, but in the spot that we cleaned off and established as the exit it is actually quite adequate.
It was the beginning of summer and I had spent most of late spring skiing rather than jumping and I just did not feel quite up for it. I watched Espen and Tom Erik take it down and then walked to the opposite side of the glacier with Even and Kristen Reagan where we ground launched our parachutes paraglider style and floated down to the valley below. This was a fun adventure in itself, and it saved us hours of walking. We had no idea how far we would glide or where we would be able to land. It all worked out and after a 3 minute parachute ride and 20 minutes of untangling Kristen Reagan’s parachute from the tree he landed in, we were on our way to celebrate a successful exploration with some beers and a hot tub at the top of a mountain. Three days later and after few terrain flights, I marched back up to the Bodalsfjellet with Espen, flew the canyon, had a great experience and vowed that when Shane showed up I would take him up there to fly it. In flying it I learned that the canyon is very deep, with the walls closing tighter and tighter towards the bottom, so the lower you are, the more intensely visual it is. As long as you don’t freak out due to the view of the canyon walls ripping past very nearby on both sides, and just continue to fly, you will make it out. Admittedly, during seconds 5 through 8 of the jump I about lost it. You see the canyon walls engulf you on all sides, even in the front, and think to yourself “holy shit! What have I done?!” Then you start to fly and the same walls that rose up in your peripheral vision start to appear to lower themselves down as you gain flight and altitude off of the canyon floor. The Bodalsfjellet is a high quality flight; 1600 vertical meters of epic flying terrain with a breathtaking 3-3.5 hour approach.
Next, we went to Voss for the Ekstremsportveko, or Extreme Sport Week. This is a gathering of all sports and it is a really great format. Everyday people go off into the mountains and do their thing. Skiing, Mountain biking, BMX, paragliding, Base jumping, skydiving, climbing, kayaking, skateboarding… in the evening you submit your personal video tapes and the Veko editing crew edits together the Daily Video. Everyone meets in a massive event tent around 9pm and watches the daily video on the massive screen, and then the live music takes the stage. It never gets dark in Norway in June and that adds to the atmosphere. One day of the week is dedicated to each sport and Veko provides a helicopter for filming or accessing the mountains and they send their camera crews as well. Lots of rad footage is captured and shared and it is one big party. Here is footage from the BASE day at Voss. I am seen a few times in my red wingsuit. I am the guy flying past the massive Norwegian flag with smoke on my foot. http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/383797
The Freeride skiing competition at Veko was cancelled due to lack of snow on the competition venue, but we were still hell bent on finding some good skiing. I met up with Fred Syverson and Kjetil Isaksen and we set our sights on a pretty cool mountain. The NRK news crew once again was keen to document it, and they sent a very fit filmer with us and told us that when we reached the top, we should radio in the helicopter to film it. We hiked initially in shoes for about 500 vertical meters and 4 or 5 km of approach. Then we stopped at the base of the snow, picked lines, booted up and hiked straight up the mountain another 600 meters or so. We reached the top during a lengthy alpenglow sunset and called in the heli. The snow was insane. Firm and carvey up top and like butter down low. It was perfect. I could not believe how good it felt to ski that one high-speed backcountry run. It was partly because we had earned it with the hike, partly because of the beautiful surroundings and sunset, but mostly because of the bitchin terrain and cool lines that we were able to ski really fast. Even if I had brought my skis and boots all the way to Norway just to ski that one run alone, it would have been totally worth it. NRK aired it on TV the following night and I thought it captured the moment pretty well. A shortened version is still online at: http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/383299
With Shane in town now, for just a couple of weeks we got right into a groove of long hikes and big mountain wingsuit flights. It was our norm to hike 900 to 1600 vertical meters every single day. We kept this up for stretch of about 14 days of stable weather. One day, on about the biggest hike of the trip, Shane got me with the oldest one in the book. Before the hike, when I was not looking, he stuffed a rock the size of a melon in my backpack. It was not until we stopped for lunch after hiking a full 1200 vertical meters when I finally found it. I knew my backpack felt heavier than usual and I had this uncomfortable lump pressing into my back, but I somehow dismissed it. That fucker! I never did get him back for that one.
Around the 7th of July it was time for us to get to Romsdalen for the World Base Race and between me, Cliff Ryder and Shane, my ski gear, Cliffs paraglider, all of our clothes and parachutes we were a junkshow. Fortuitously, we were able to rent an absolutely hideous jalopy from a friend of a friend and we were on our way. American style and that was certainly not a compliment. It ran, the doors locked securing our stuff and it got us to Romsdalen just in time for the race.
Nobody knew what to expect at the 1st annual World Base Race. It is head to head duals format. One jumper races another to the finish line. The finish line is a road at the bottom of the mountain where judges decide who crossed first. You can cross the finish line at any altitude. This was an awesome learning experience. Just the nature of being in a head to head competition made you learn to get your suit flying quickly and to go fast and hard all the way to the finish line. I went up against two strong flyers in my first couple competition heats and was not in the comp for long before getting eliminated in a very close race. The race was dominated by the Vampire wingsuit. I fly an S fly, which is smaller, more agile and easier to run with, land with and open your parachute with. I love my suit and it is a popular one. I was proud to be amongst the very fastest times that the comp saw out of S-fly flyers, and it was fun to give Livia Dickie a run for her money in her Vampire and then laugh off all the remarks I received for getting eliminated by a girl. We had a fan club of some very cute little local girls, and the weather was perfect. Shane managed to get 2nd place and go home with some bragging rights and some cash. Lucky for him he never got seated against me in a heat or he would have been D-U-N done! Here is a shot of me crossing the finish line at WBR: http://www.photoshelter.com/gallery-img-show?G_ID=G0000kM93VkqxBc0&V_ID=&P_ID=&start=91&pagtotal=100
After the race I stayed in the Romsdalen area, which has incredible mountains and a very active community of mountain enthusiasts. We jumped a lot of mountains, but Romsdalshorn became a new favorite. Romsdalshorn is one of the proudest rock formations in the area. It stands alone and tall a bit like half dome. The flight is 1500 meters and the approach is 1.5 to 2 hours of steep scrambling and rock climbing. It is just scary enough to keep you on your toes. It makes the journey fun instead of just a hike, it is refreshing to use your whole body for going up rather than just your legs, and Romsdalshorn is a committing session. If you go up there with a parachute instead of a rope, then there is only one way down.
I was able to leave town on a really high note. I opened a new site on a wall off of the Hornaksla. It was scary and fun and rewarding and I wrote a separate story/ account of that journey, and I may post it on www.portertahoe.com in the near future. It is a cool gesture to do research and spend time exploring and opening a new site. The effort is all just to provide a piece of beta as simple as “yea, that place is fun.” It gives something back to all your friends that have showed you all the cool spots for jumping around the playground that is Mother Earth. I flew home really stoked and in really good shape. Norway is a beautiful country with active people of all ages enjoying the mountains, even the news journalists seemed to think nothing of lugging a massive HD camera 1000 meters up a mountain. Here is another piece they did one day in Stryn: http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/383273
I want to give a special thanks for all my friends that showed me around Norway and to my sponsors for helping make the trip happen. Thank you all and thanks for looking at my trip report!
-jt Holmes
Trip Report Norway 08
I just returned from my 7 weeks in Norway. This is a trip report to share some of the highlights and to show some of the images and video clips from Norwegian.
Stryn is the summer ski mecca of Norway, plus it offers surfing nearby and amazing base-jumping. I was hosted by a local legend by the name of Even Flo. We had a really cool mission recon-ing a new wall called Bodalsfjellet. We contacted a local 60-something year old mountain guru for some beta about the place. He is a lifelong mountain guide and even the queen of Norway’s personal guide. He gave us some information and we were on our way with a map and a half a clue. One of the attached pictures cracks me up. Even is holding the map and pointing in one direction, while, Espen is searching the terrain for a route in a completely different direction with a very confused look on his face. The hike took us through beautiful terrain. We were surrounded by glaciers and crossed a big glacier plateau to reach the deep intimidating gorge, which was our wingsuit flight. The gorge is narrow and very long and you simply must fly it all the way out. The wall is not clean, it has ledges all over it, but in the spot that we cleaned off and established as the exit it is actually quite adequate.
It was the beginning of summer and I had spent most of late spring skiing rather than jumping and I just did not feel quite up for it. I watched Espen and Tom Erik take it down and then walked to the opposite side of the glacier with Even and Kristen Reagan where we ground launched our parachutes paraglider style and floated down to the valley below. This was a fun adventure in itself, and it saved us hours of walking. We had no idea how far we would glide or where we would be able to land. It all worked out and after a 3 minute parachute ride and 20 minutes of untangling Kristen Reagan’s parachute from the tree he landed in, we were on our way to celebrate a successful exploration with some beers and a hot tub at the top of a mountain. Three days later and after few terrain flights, I marched back up to the Bodalsfjellet with Espen, flew the canyon, had a great experience and vowed that when Shane showed up I would take him up there to fly it. In flying it I learned that the canyon is very deep, with the walls closing tighter and tighter towards the bottom, so the lower you are, the more intensely visual it is. As long as you don’t freak out due to the view of the canyon walls ripping past very nearby on both sides, and just continue to fly, you will make it out. Admittedly, during seconds 5 through 8 of the jump I about lost it. You see the canyon walls engulf you on all sides, even in the front, and think to yourself “holy shit! What have I done?!” Then you start to fly and the same walls that rose up in your peripheral vision start to appear to lower themselves down as you gain flight and altitude off of the canyon floor. The Bodalsfjellet is a high quality flight; 1600 vertical meters of epic flying terrain with a breathtaking 3-3.5 hour approach.
Next, we went to Voss for the Ekstremsportveko, or Extreme Sport Week. This is a gathering of all sports and it is a really great format. Everyday people go off into the mountains and do their thing. Skiing, Mountain biking, BMX, paragliding, Base jumping, skydiving, climbing, kayaking, skateboarding… in the evening you submit your personal video tapes and the Veko editing crew edits together the Daily Video. Everyone meets in a massive event tent around 9pm and watches the daily video on the massive screen, and then the live music takes the stage. It never gets dark in Norway in June and that adds to the atmosphere. One day of the week is dedicated to each sport and Veko provides a helicopter for filming or accessing the mountains and they send their camera crews as well. Lots of rad footage is captured and shared and it is one big party. Here is footage from the BASE day at Voss. I am seen a few times in my red wingsuit. I am the guy flying past the massive Norwegian flag with smoke on my foot. http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/383797
The Freeride skiing competition at Veko was cancelled due to lack of snow on the competition venue, but we were still hell bent on finding some good skiing. I met up with Fred Syverson and Kjetil Isaksen and we set our sights on a pretty cool mountain. The NRK news crew once again was keen to document it, and they sent a very fit filmer with us and told us that when we reached the top, we should radio in the helicopter to film it. We hiked initially in shoes for about 500 vertical meters and 4 or 5 km of approach. Then we stopped at the base of the snow, picked lines, booted up and hiked straight up the mountain another 600 meters or so. We reached the top during a lengthy alpenglow sunset and called in the heli. The snow was insane. Firm and carvey up top and like butter down low. It was perfect. I could not believe how good it felt to ski that one high-speed backcountry run. It was partly because we had earned it with the hike, partly because of the beautiful surroundings and sunset, but mostly because of the bitchin terrain and cool lines that we were able to ski really fast. Even if I had brought my skis and boots all the way to Norway just to ski that one run alone, it would have been totally worth it. NRK aired it on TV the following night and I thought it captured the moment pretty well. A shortened version is still online at: http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/383299
With Shane in town now, for just a couple of weeks we got right into a groove of long hikes and big mountain wingsuit flights. It was our norm to hike 900 to 1600 vertical meters every single day. We kept this up for stretch of about 14 days of stable weather. One day, on about the biggest hike of the trip, Shane got me with the oldest one in the book. Before the hike, when I was not looking, he stuffed a rock the size of a melon in my backpack. It was not until we stopped for lunch after hiking a full 1200 vertical meters when I finally found it. I knew my backpack felt heavier than usual and I had this uncomfortable lump pressing into my back, but I somehow dismissed it. That fucker! I never did get him back for that one.
Around the 7th of July it was time for us to get to Romsdalen for the World Base Race and between me, Cliff Ryder and Shane, my ski gear, Cliffs paraglider, all of our clothes and parachutes we were a junkshow. Fortuitously, we were able to rent an absolutely hideous jalopy from a friend of a friend and we were on our way. American style and that was certainly not a compliment. It ran, the doors locked securing our stuff and it got us to Romsdalen just in time for the race.
Nobody knew what to expect at the 1st annual World Base Race. It is head to head duals format. One jumper races another to the finish line. The finish line is a road at the bottom of the mountain where judges decide who crossed first. You can cross the finish line at any altitude. This was an awesome learning experience. Just the nature of being in a head to head competition made you learn to get your suit flying quickly and to go fast and hard all the way to the finish line. I went up against two strong flyers in my first couple competition heats and was not in the comp for long before getting eliminated in a very close race. The race was dominated by the Vampire wingsuit. I fly an S fly, which is smaller, more agile and easier to run with, land with and open your parachute with. I love my suit and it is a popular one. I was proud to be amongst the very fastest times that the comp saw out of S-fly flyers, and it was fun to give Livia Dickie a run for her money in her Vampire and then laugh off all the remarks I received for getting eliminated by a girl. We had a fan club of some very cute little local girls, and the weather was perfect. Shane managed to get 2nd place and go home with some bragging rights and some cash. Lucky for him he never got seated against me in a heat or he would have been D-U-N done! Here is a shot of me crossing the finish line at WBR: http://www.photoshelter.com/gallery-img-show?G_ID=G0000kM93VkqxBc0&V_ID=&P_ID=&start=91&pagtotal=100
After the race I stayed in the Romsdalen area, which has incredible mountains and a very active community of mountain enthusiasts. We jumped a lot of mountains, but Romsdalshorn became a new favorite. Romsdalshorn is one of the proudest rock formations in the area. It stands alone and tall a bit like half dome. The flight is 1500 meters and the approach is 1.5 to 2 hours of steep scrambling and rock climbing. It is just scary enough to keep you on your toes. It makes the journey fun instead of just a hike, it is refreshing to use your whole body for going up rather than just your legs, and Romsdalshorn is a committing session. If you go up there with a parachute instead of a rope, then there is only one way down.
I was able to leave town on a really high note. I opened a new site on a wall off of the Hornaksla. It was scary and fun and rewarding and I wrote a separate story/ account of that journey, and I may post it on www.portertahoe.com in the near future. It is a cool gesture to do research and spend time exploring and opening a new site. The effort is all just to provide a piece of beta as simple as “yea, that place is fun.” It gives something back to all your friends that have showed you all the cool spots for jumping around the playground that is Mother Earth. I flew home really stoked and in really good shape. Norway is a beautiful country with active people of all ages enjoying the mountains, even the news journalists seemed to think nothing of lugging a massive HD camera 1000 meters up a mountain. Here is another piece they did one day in Stryn: http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/klipp/383273
I want to give a special thanks for all my friends that showed me around Norway and to my sponsors for helping make the trip happen. Thank you all and thanks for looking at my trip report!
-jt Holmes
Labels: base Jmping, JT Holmes, Shane McKonkey, Veko, Wing suits
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Pressure - Update from JT Holmes
What up!
skied today in Roldal norway. comp qualifier was today, i was prequalified. Last year the ekstremsportveko (extreme sport week) brought a Norwegian news story and then you as well have posted the broadcast that aired of us ski basing on the same channel. Now it has been brought to my attention these overly flattering articles of news that i will be skiing in this event. accordingly hella people are coming up to me and saying how they are looking forward to see me ski. Lots of expectations it seem! I guess that is what i get for skiing in ski movies.
well, the snow is rotten and melted back, but the venue is pretty long and not bad at all so i will let you know how it goes. Cody is here, lots of my base brothers, and my homey Stefan Hausl form the Nordica team. Psyched for tomorrow...will keep you posted. here are the article links.
http://roldalfreeride.no/
http://www.friflyt.no/index.php?pagenr=12&articlenr=55186
laters!
jt
skied today in Roldal norway. comp qualifier was today, i was prequalified. Last year the ekstremsportveko (extreme sport week) brought a Norwegian news story and then you as well have posted the broadcast that aired of us ski basing on the same channel. Now it has been brought to my attention these overly flattering articles of news that i will be skiing in this event. accordingly hella people are coming up to me and saying how they are looking forward to see me ski. Lots of expectations it seem! I guess that is what i get for skiing in ski movies.
well, the snow is rotten and melted back, but the venue is pretty long and not bad at all so i will let you know how it goes. Cody is here, lots of my base brothers, and my homey Stefan Hausl form the Nordica team. Psyched for tomorrow...will keep you posted. here are the article links.
http://roldalfreeride.no/
http://www.friflyt.no/index.php?pagenr=12&articlenr=55186
laters!
jt
Labels: ekstremsportveko, extreme sport week, JT Holmes, Nordica Skis, Norway, Travel
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
I made it to norway and we drove straight to the mountains, after my flight landed at 9 pm. TomErik, Espen Per and the rest of Molde base have been the usual entertaining hosts
Here is a shot of our first day on our ski base mission. we just built the jump and bailed off the cliff without skis as to make it down to the valley before the fog bank that was coming fast! the shot is of me espen and Tom erik.
today was even more interesting, guys going off with vintage Norwegian sleds, snow racers (kid trikes with skis) and of course skis. winds were bad, winds were good, played a little game of spot the gust here and had another long day in the mountains that made the beer taste great.
signing off for now.
regards and thanks all for the support, the ski base stuff we are and will be capturing will be sweet! we have a first decent in mind off of the trollstigen and some more silliness for gridset cliff. I feel i need to spend some more time in the winter moths here to take down some of the insane big mountain lines that are staring at us. big big rad lines ending with and without big parachutable cliffs. this place RULES.
later
jt
Here is a shot of our first day on our ski base mission. we just built the jump and bailed off the cliff without skis as to make it down to the valley before the fog bank that was coming fast! the shot is of me espen and Tom erik.
today was even more interesting, guys going off with vintage Norwegian sleds, snow racers (kid trikes with skis) and of course skis. winds were bad, winds were good, played a little game of spot the gust here and had another long day in the mountains that made the beer taste great.
signing off for now.
regards and thanks all for the support, the ski base stuff we are and will be capturing will be sweet! we have a first decent in mind off of the trollstigen and some more silliness for gridset cliff. I feel i need to spend some more time in the winter moths here to take down some of the insane big mountain lines that are staring at us. big big rad lines ending with and without big parachutable cliffs. this place RULES.
later
jt
Labels: JT Holmes, Norway, Ski, Ski Base Jump, Travel
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Letter Home From JT Holmes Minus the N Key
i am i Austria. i got here on a $504 airline ticket i bought by calling united airlines 8 days before i left. today was dust on crust, tomorrow brigs more snow, Thursday sun. we are shooting 16mm. i used the new POV100 helmet cam that Alex hooked me with and tried to get the shots onto my computer but my mac is too old. thus i can probably still send em without viewing them, but i eed to make them real small and short as i wot be able to edit them in imovie, cutting down the clips to the good stuff before i send them your way on email. i need mac osx 10.4.7 and my op system is mac osx 10.3.9.
jt
PS i am missig my N button so forgive my lousy typing skills. the N requires extra effort and atteNtiveNess.
Labels: Austria, JT Holmes, POV
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This is the most bad ass thing in the world!! Well.... without using JET FUEL. DS.