I've never seen black before

... Longest Day Ever

So the forecast was looking good. It had snowed a few feet and it was now about to become sunny. What a great time to head up to the SECRET zone that the YES guys discovered a few years back. The boys even went up to blaze part of the trail a few days prior.

  I got no sleep the night before due to nerves, wake up at 4:45 am, drive to Squamish, then head out to the secret headquarters, another 45 min drive along a logging road. We unload the sleds, another 25 km til we had to start digging the trail in more... Holy hell.. we don't stop digging til 1:30, when we at last arrive at the zone.

YAY! Then, oh wait, avalanches are SO bad, JP triggers one on the smallest hill. We have to head back into the trees. Oh jeez, the snow in the trees is too low, we must go higher. Awesome! We have a good 2 hours to hang (even though we're all way too tired).. and now we have to start heading back since one hill climb needs to get dug out. Another 2 hours and we've all somehow made it up this sketchy hill. It's dark now and we still have 30 km to go. A few more sticky situations and we get back to the trucks.

   But.... Romain isn't there. He was behind me but I thought he passed me when I had to pull-over due to an engine overheat. JP, Stian, and I wait about 20 minutes. Now JP unloads his sled and goes searching. Romain was a few km's back with an empty gas tank. Bummer. Now drive back and get to the highway around 9:45. Wowee.. as I said before, .. longest day ever.

~ Digging a trail

~ Pascal on top of a tree, trying to break it so he can get his sled un-stuck

~  Mini slide... yikes!

~ The moon... and we weren't even close to being done our trek back.

 

Helen's Close Call

by YES. Snowboard TV 

Helen Schettini drops a little cliff, and sets off a pretty nice bit of windslab, about 30 metres away. Lucky!!!

Legendary Baker Banked Slalom

This is the first time I have been to Mt. Baker, and I was lucky enough to be able to race in the Baker Banked Slalom! Getting a spot in the race is next to impossible but Billabong had an extra spot. Yeeha!!

 Dom is showing me how to butter up the boards to make 'em speedy.

 Paella!

The course got sketchier every day but it was still so much fun. I made it to the Sunday finals but then fell both my runs... oh well.

...not too shabby

The sun has been out but the temperature has made for unpleasant snow conditions... bummer. We made the best of it for the first few days, then we went exploring. 

 Luckily we are way above the clouds..

 Hanging out in the sun:)

Paul Watt and Clint Allen checking out some far off zones.

Billabong Welcomes Helen Schettini

Posted: Jan 25, 2012 Coming off an incredible winter, Helen Schettini has joined the Billabong team. Following her scene stealing video part in the YES movie Helen has generated a huge industry wide buzz. Her backcountry style and experience completes an already great team of riders including Jenny Jones, Anne-Flore Marxer and Jamie Anderson. "Helen is a great addition to the team as her approach to the backcountry is unique," said David Pitschi. "She has the potential to have a great career and we are proud to welcome her to the family."

Yowza

I look like I got hit by a truck, but I'm actually feeling good. I was out filming last Thursday, and landed in my bombhole. My knee ate my face:) A few stitches and a swollen black eye...