Got some time in with the Momentum Camps filmer's between some coaching. It was an awesome summer with plenty of snow. Enjoy.
Last year, after 10+ years of competing in Slopestyle, I switched my focus to backcountry jumping. It turned out to be a good choice. By the end of January it had snowed 300 inches in Utah and all the classic hits in Little Cottonwood Canyon were good to go. It was an unbelievable season, from sessions on Pyramid and Flagstaff gap, Catskiing at Fernie Wilderness Adventures to pondskimming and partying at Lost Trail Powder Mountain in the spring. I had more great times in the mountains with amazing humans than any other season and they're memories I'll never forget. Hope ya'll dig it and get stoked to shred!!
Filmers:
Alex Mager
Bobby Jahrig
Austin Ramaley
Freedle Coty
AJ Dakoulas
Kyle Decker
Chris Bolduc
Zach Falen
Jay Jensen
Budhies in order of appearance:
Sander Hadley
Danny Arnold
Jazz Vitale
Joe Dillon
River Lucas
Music:
Revolutionary Rhythm: https://revolutionaryrhythm.bandcamp.com/
Jazzinuf: https://jazzinuf.bandcamp.com/
Ian sent this burly cliff at Soulines Backcountry event but kneed himself in the chin mid-stomp. Now it's in up for a $3000 big air prize in a voting based contest. Throw him a vote to pay for his stitches!!
https://www.soulinesbackcountry.com/space-bear-big-air-contest?fbclid=IwAR0pNjf1bjXF9HylGQNLtzSxXg6azY03c7Wv1Ev2kYLVxD-sabb4IB5JR44
The second stop of our road trip through British Columbia was a visit to our old friend Jon Whelan in Nelson. Even though we hadn't seen each other for 4 years it felt like no time had passed. Our friendship was renewed in the best way possible, 5 days straight of deep pow skiing. Whitewater is truly a paradise. With steep, challenging and playful terrain paired with tons of snow, you could spend years here and never tire of it. We had some of the best runs of our season in these 5 days and couldn't be more grateful to all the friends, old and new, that we got to share this time with.
Shot: Tim Marcour, Ian Hamilton, Philipp Mueller
Cut: Ian Hamilton
Music: Crossing Paths by Brock Berrigan
soundcloud.com/brockberrigan
brockberrigan.bandcamp.com/
After years of the Slopestyle circuit grind Ian had a gnarly crash at the World Tour Finals in Whistler that altered his perspective on skiing. He decided to take a different path and ski the way he wanted to ski instead of the way the judges expected him to. As the ski industry changes, becoming increasingly commercialized, digitized and popularized we can all benefit from reflecting on why we started skiing: To Have Fun. We hope this inspires you to get out and have a great time on your skis. Cheers.
For the first time ever, our winter schedules weren't jam packed with Slopestyle contests. Dean focused on big air this season and Ian switched to backcountry jumping and powder shredding. With some open time in the middle of the winter, Ian decided to roadtrip through BC for a month, ending in Whistler and visiting friends along the way. First stop was Revelstoke to visit some old friends who hadn't skied together in 8 years. The snow wasn't epic but we had a blast anyways, shredding moguls, groomers, park, and everything in between. This trip was a return to the basic reason why we started skiing in the first place. To ski with the sole purpose of having a grand ole time. It was week of laughing, hooting, hollering and all around merry making. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Last winter Dean Bercovitch and Ian Hamilton started the season full of ambition, set on making our first film. Little did we know that the highest highs and lowest lows of our lives awaited us. Just as we were getting in our groove in Whistler Ian landed awkwardly and felt a pop in his knee, kicking off a series of Peaks and Valleys that would only increase in intensity as the season progressed. With all that happened last year we decided to release our story in parts, so without further ado we present Act I: Setting the Stage.
Ian got the news from the doctor that his knee wasn't blown and proceeded to get after it in MT, BC and UT. Nothing is better than being back on skis after thinking you were done for the season. This Act is simply about how much fun skiing is and how grateful we are to be able to do what we do. Cheers.
At the end of last april we headed north, but with low expectations. The forecast was for rain at all elevations. We went anyways, determined to enjoy time in the mountains with friends. The snow gods must have felt our good intentions because they rewarded us not with rain, but with soft snow for the duration of our trip. Our short time at Fernie Wilderness Adventures was full of laughter, smiles and shenanigans. It turned out to be a week none of us will ever forget. So if you're ever on the fence about whether or not to ski, go ski. In our experience the universe rewards positivity and friendship.
From an epic backcountry trip at Jewel Basin Yurt to sharing their first podium, Dean and Ian were on the highest peak of their lives. What goes up, however, must come down. On one unfortunate night everything changed and the future of the Budhies was uncertain...
On the eve of a monster storm Ian was forced to depart Whistler to get his knee examined, fearing a blown ligament. The rest of the boys plundered the abundant snow that fell in the next weeks, jumping off everything they could find and even getting some park laps in between pow days. In this Act Dean Shows why he makes his home in Whistler, it's truly an amazing mountain that offers all the skiing you could wish for. For a well rounded skier it's an unbeatable paradise.
We were at an all time high, until we weren't. Dean sustained a severe head injury during a jump show in Montana and was immediately rushed to the hospital. All of our plans froze. In a split second we were unsure of not only our season, but of Dean's life. Only days after the hospital visit we were right back in, for a completely different emergency. Not everything goes according to plan, but in this case at least it did work out in the end. The Final Act of Peaks and Valleys: "Starting from the Bottom" will be dropping at 3:30 this afternoon. Thanks for following along with our Journey.
