20 Years of the Salomon TenEighty


[YouTubeUlar] <— 20,238

The first two minutes of this Salomon TV tribute to JP Auclair and the history of the Salomon 1080 is filled with ridiculously awesome banger quotes. Take your pick, and enjoy the flick.

“JP JP JP JP JP JP JP” — Everyone

“I think the greatest thing you can do with one of your friends is to remember them in your hearts and in your minds… and here everybody is and I think it’s just the coolest thing ever. I really do.” — Blake Jorgensen

“Thank’s a lot everyone for coming out on the 20th anniversary of the New Canadian Airforce and honoring a great man … JP Auclair.” — Mike Douglas

“Here we are, Blackcomb wind lip session … it’s been a long time since I’ve seen something like this go down. It’s a throw back to the old days, the tribe has rallied… it’s just good to be here man, it feels like old times.” — Feet Banks

“It’s awesome to see everyone getting fired up, just sending it, just strictly out of love for him.”

“Vinny and JP’s and Szocs and Mike, they are just on the next level”

“Every single trick they did was groundbreaking and never been done before… and what really stood out for us is that a lot of the shots we saw were in Whistler”

Well, this is where we kind of learned a lot of this stuff. So to be back here exactly 20 years later is super super cool.” — Mike Douglas

“That was the first back flip mute I think I’ve done in about 10 years … that one was for JP” — Mike Douglas

“My back is sore, my shins will be sore… and I need a masseuse and a hot tub. I can’t do those hard landings anymore.” — Shane Szocs

“Back to 97 baby!” — Mike Douglas

“Back when skiing was just furry boots and malt cider and like kind of FIS bullshit, these guys stepped up, they turned it around, they took it backwards.”

“And that’s what made them rad.”

“A guy once told me that anything less than 20 years old is just news, it’s not history. And it’s been 20 years now since the TenEighty came out so… I guess we’ll see.” — Mike Douglas

“I sense snowboard coming really big two years ago like all new tricks I was like fuck man – should I change for snow board but, like I said in my mind – ah fuck there is something to do with skiing. There’s not because we got pole that we can’t grab so… last year I started to do flip like mistys and rodeo and I think skiings awesome and we can kick snowboards ass easily.” — JF Cusson

“Skiing was pretty much dead in the 90s, snowboarding was taking off.” — Jonny Moseley

“Skiing was your parents sport. Nobody — No one young with energy or that was cool was getting into skiing.” — Mike Douglas

“And the New Canadian Air Force came along and they invented twin tip skis … and that just like set it off.” — Jonny Moseley

Reading. Learning. Experiencing the Life of Andreas Fransson.

As I peek into the life of Andreas Fransson, a man I never formerly knew… I am absolutely blown away at the documenting and stories he was capable of. Andreas Fransson perished with my good friend JP Auclair on September 29th, 2014 in an unfortunate climbing accident in Patagonia. These two skiing and mountain adventure pioneers were onto something special and I can only explore how they got there through the help of Andreas Fransson’s unbelievable blog of documenting his life and meticulously thanking everyone he ever climbed with. In such the modern day of media we live in today, it’s amazing how the writing is what still truly tells the story.

“I’ve learnt a few things the last few months; Life goes on and how we want it to go on is a choice and even if we want to escape, there is no-where to escape so we might as well make right now awesome.”

– Andreas Fransson

Andreas Fransson Final Thoughts of Awesomeness 9383

Esto se llama Crecer. — This is called Grow.

This is the ending of the final post on Andreas Fransson’s blog from February 13th, 2014. As I’ve alway been interested in examining people’s final thoughts and postings prior to unfortunate accidents like this, Fransson’s final official blog post completely blows my mind.

How did he arrive at this thinking… I’m finding out. I’m only through 2 months of Andreas Fransson’s posts and I’ve already experienced amazing adventures through his eyes and completely unbelievable patagonia climbing adventures.

Andreas Fransson Portrait by Sandra Fransson

Andreas Fransson Portrait by Sandra Fransson

JP Auclair is going to be a little bit harder to read into, because for the life of me – I can’t recall how long he has actually had this for his coming soon website. UP1 Whaaaaaat!? I fucking miss you dude.

JP Auclair Website Since 2010

[Outside Magazine – Remembering the Skiers We Lost]

JP Auclair – Please Don’t Be True

Sad news today is crushing through the interManets about how JP Auclair and Andreas Fransson are reported missing and presumed dead in an avalanche that swept 700 meters on the face of Monte San Lorenzo which is located deep in Patagonia on the Chilean and Argentine boarder.

When I first heard about this I had to check JP Auclair’s last post and location check in via Instagram… and can only say I hope this isn’t true.

JP Auclair Posted 4 days ago on September 26th, 2014

“road trip down south with a great crew. back at it with @andreasfransson99 @bjarnesalen and @danielronnback for #apogeeskiing and ver much looking forward to the days ahead.”

JP Auclair Final Instagram Post from Patagonia

Looking a bit deeper into the goals for this trip it sounds like JP Auclair, Andreas Fransson, Sweden videographer Bjarne Salen and photographer Daniel Ronnback were starting up a new web series called Apogee Skiing that was slated to start dropping episodes this fall. It sounds like Auclair and Fransson were climbing a couloir nearing the peak of the 12,159 foot tall glacier when something moved above them. The length of the slide is estimated at over 700 meters and carried all the way to the glacier below. Salen and Ronnback were unaffected as they were shooting from another peak.

You can tell the level of excitement everyone had from their final posts before the trip. Winter was definitely in the air.

JP Auclair Posed 6 days ago on September 24th, 2014

“..that smell..
last bit of preparation before heading south with @andreasfransson99 @bjarnesalen and @danielronnback. #winteriscoming”

JP Auclair's Second to Last Post :(

Andreas Fransson’s final post on September 26th, 2014

“Our Patagonia adventure just started! I’m so looking forward hanging out with @auclairjp @bjarnesalen @danielronnback (photo credit) for two weeks in the wild! You will probably not hear much from us in a while, but it’s worth keeping your eyes open for #apogeeskiing project which is a collaboration between JP and myself with first webisode dropping later this autumn!

Andreas Fransson Final Instagram Post

Photographer Daniel Ronnbacks Instagram post leading up to the trip posted on September 24th, 2014.

“I really dont know what to expect from my 18 days ahead of me. Last time i was out with @andreasfransson99 @bjarnesalen and @auclairjp this was one of our runs. Time will tell! #chile @fstopgear @armadaskis @oakley @dynafitna @douchebags”

Daniel Ronnback's Post Leading to their Patagonia trip with JP Auclair + Andreas Fransson

I am super saddened by this news and can only hope early reports are not correct. Unfortunately I don’t believe this to be the case and the skiing community and I have lost another great friend :(. To Andreas Fransson, I can only hope someone can write about the final days of your life as well as you recapped the tragic death of your friend Magnus Kastengren from his fatal fall last November. Your writing is shockingly brilliant and you paid amazing tribute to the joyous last days of Magnus Kastengren. I wish I could have known your for this writing alone and could only imagine what you were about to write with my good friend JP.

To JP Auclair, I am so deeply sorry and know you were in your happy place creating amazing things when this occurred. From the days I met you resting your back and laying on the kitchen floor of Joel McCormick’s and my college hangout, to when I met Bo Bridges while picking you up from my garage to adventure you to Vail. I’ve done amazing things with Bo since then and I’ve done amazing things with you since the tragic passing of Joel. Edit parties, beach olympics and all night creative sessions, chatting and creating, chatting and creating… from across the world. Keeping in touch with you has meant a lot to me and you were one of the key initiatives into us moving forward with an idea that would spark the entire world of old school skiing with new school skiing. You were the only pro skier I confided with about the possibility of integrating Warren Miller into Level 1 Productions 10th film mixing the oldest audience in skiing with the youngest. The idea was a little crazy, and I wanted your honest opinion on whether or not you thought the ski industry could handle something so out of the box. Your response was so positive that we continued with the project of Josh Berman’s 10th film – Refresh integrated with Warren Miller. I wish you could have been at the premier on September 11th, 2009 at the Bluebird Theater in Denver. Greg Stump was there, we partied hard and when Warren Miller’s voice kicked in during the intro sequence, the crowd erupted in awesomeness. We created something unique and even though you probably didn’t think you were a part of this, you were. Just the same as you and John Decesare coming to Joel McCormick’s celebration and service back in 2003 – your presence was a major part of his service and I don’t think you ever realized how much of a positive impression you made on his family just by you attending. I don’t think people realize how much you actually created in this world or how artistic you were without skis on. The intro sequences to Session 1242 and Ready Fire Aim paying tribute to Joel McCormick were simply genius… along with everything else you put your hands on. I don’t know how to take this news of your loss, just like many others and I’m so terribly sorry and sad about this unforeseen accident that has occurred to you and your friends. My feelings are difficult to describe. May you rest in peace and realize your Alpine Initiatives of inspiring, connecting and growing is exactly how you lived your life. I will forever miss you… say hello to Joel.

Greg Hydle + JP Auclair

February 1st, 2014 – Greg Hydle + JP Auclair at Freeskiers SIA Sarah Burke Fundraiser

[BioBioChile.cl – Spanish]
[Early Ups – Translated]
[Snowheads Forum]
[Newschoolers]
[Powder Magazine]
[Adventure Journal]
[ESPN X Games]
[The Globe and Mail]
[Backcountry Magazine]
[Outside Magazine]
[Freeskier Magazine Tribute]
[Freeskier – Celebrating the lives of JP and Andreas]
[Skiing Magazine]
[Powder – Confirmed Update]

Kevin Pearce – National Geographic Adventurer of the Year Nominee


[YouTubeUlar] <— 9,119 Today Ashley Cooley and I purchased two tickets to the 2014 Craig Hospital PUSH Dinner where Snowboarding star Kevin Pearce will be the recipient of the Craig Hospital Inspiration Award. Pearce was recently selected as one of the National Geographic Adventurers of the Year amongst several other, and somewhat crazy adventurists... Adventure Educators - Amy and Dave Freeman
Alpinists – Raphael Slawinski and Ian Welsted
Big-Wave Surfer – Greg Long
Climber – Adam Ondra
Community Builders – Stacy Bare and Nick Watson
Explorer – Sarah Marquis
Long-Distance Swimmer – Diana Nyad
Skier – JP Auclair
Sky Runner – Kilian Jornet
Snowboarder – Kevin Pearce

KevinPearceCrashReel

If you haven’t taken the time to watch “The Crash Reel”, which documents Kevin Pearce’s recovery from a crash in Park City, Utah where Pearce sustained a traumatic brain injury, I would highly recommend you point your iTunes or Apple TV this direction.

Pearce was attempting a cab double cork while training in the halfpipe on December 31st, 2009 — only 49 days before the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Pearce spent 34 days in critical care at University Hospital before being transferred to Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colorado to begin his rehabilitation.

“The Crash Reel” documents Kevin Pearce’s remarkable recovery while educating about the effects of traumatic brain injuries specifically tied to Action Sports. Defining the art of snowboarding and tracking Kevin Pearce from childhood to a professional career as the only snowboarder with the ability to beat Shaun White, the dynamic story line of The Crash Reel brings together every emotion related to overcoming such incredible odds.

I personally can not recommend a better documentary film for anyone to watch and am excited to see what Jake Manley and the media team at Craig Hospital have created for the upcoming 2014 PUSH Dinner.

Hashtag – Love Your Brain – #LoveYourBrain

[2014 Craig Hospital PUSH Dinner]
[Love Your Brain Campaign]
[The Crash Reel Homepage]
[National Geographic Adventurers of the Year]
[National Geographic Interview of Kevin Pearce’s 2014 Running of the 2014 Sochi Olympics]

I Love Awesomeness – Backflip of the Week by Jacob Wester


[YouTubeUlar] <— 84,493 Indescribable. This makes me want to backflip on skis again... or just go really really really big, again. Holy shit :)

“While on a backcountry trip through Telluride, CO, Sweden’s Jacob Wester gives us a first-hand look at a 100-foot backflip off a mining trestle that was built in the 1920s. The crew was staying at the Alta Lakes Observatory nearby”

Jacob Wester, you win our I Love Awesomeness athlete of the week award for this ridiculous backie.

As JP Auclair states,

“You can’t go wrong with a backie!”

[Jacob Wester on Facebook] <— 5,940 [Jacob Wester Blog]
[Freeskier Link]
[UnofficialNetworks Link]

Mountains in Motion

[Vimeo] <— 80,200 Thanks to JP Auclair for finding this beauty. And thanks to the creators for sharing how they captured some of these full season shots with their DIY Solar Camera for multi-month time lapses.

Awesomeness.

[More Behind the Scenes]
[Mountains in Motion – Facebook]

JP Auclair – So Purely Played

[Vimeeeee-O] <— 6,536 No explanation needed... so purely played.

“Skiing, especially powder skiing, provides the ultimate experience of dynamic complex interrelationship between the members of a human group, the gravity of the earth, and the snow from the sky. […] One can never be bored by powder snow skiing because it is a special gift of the relationship between earth and sky. It only comes in sufficient amounts in particular places at certain times on this earth, it lasts only a limited amount of time before before sun or wind changes it. People devote their lives to it, “for the pleasure of being so purely played” by gravity and snow.”

Poor Boyz Productions – Revolver

[Vimeeeeee-oh yeah!] <— 8,008 A look back at Poor Boys Productions 2008 feature film Revolver — This gets me excited for snow to really start falling.

JP Auclair – All.I.Can

[Vimeeeee-Oh-Yeah!] <— 68,500 Finally able to watch JP Auclair's incredible urban segment in All.I.Can. When watching this film live in a theater - this was definitely a crowd pleaser and definitely one of the most entertaining skiing segments I have seen in quite some time. Strong work JP. Email reply from JP on December 5th, 2011 —

“Yeah.. pretty nuts.. the thing is going to hit 400K within the first week.. The Sherpas and I are still trying to wrap our heads around why it caught on like that. Must be the back flip, can’t go wrong with a backie!”

JP Auclair – Alpine Initiatives – Inspire

[Vimeeeeeo] <— 3,256 A year ago I challenged JP Auclair to take the time and make a show reel that encapsulates what Alpine Initiatives does for the launch of their new website. It's a difficult task - because to make something great takes a lot of time and organization... all while you are super busy doing other things — and JP is always busy doing other things.

Las week the new AI Site launched with this video as their visual point.

Congratulations JP. You have inspired. Now it is time to connect and grow. In the coming month we will announce a partnership between Alpine Initiatives and Blackbox Case that will continue this exploration.

“One initiative begets 10,000 initiatives”

Mountain lovers… Snow enthusiasts.
We thrive on exploration… Challenges… and innovation.
We believe that… Healthy environments need… Healthy communities.

Alpine Initiatives brings us together… to create a sustainable future for people and their environments around the globe.

Inspire action and participation.
Connect the people and the resources.
Grow a sustainable world.
Turn your passion into action.

Alpine initiatives
– Inspire
– Connect
– Grow

JP Auclair – Movie Time

I recently exchanged some quick emails with JP Auclair to see what he has been up to. Fall is approaching so I wanted to find out what movies I could expect his involvement in this year.

Below is a quick list of where he has been spending his skiing and editing time.

Sherpas Cinema – All.I.Can

I got involved with the sherpas later on… So , no involvement in the teaser. But I shot with them quite a bit last winter, mostly for a urban segment, we shot it with a slightly different approach then I’d been doing in the past (the seg will be about 4 minutes) I’m pretty excited about it.

And right now I’m trying to help out with the movie as a whole, so I’ve became pretty invested in it. Really cool project!

Seth Morrison – The Ordinary Skier

Sweetgrass Productions – SOLITAIRE

JP Auclair – Avalanche

[iDevice Link] <— 0 views. After consulting with JP Auclair on the soon to be released Alpine Initiatives website – I began sorting through the masses of media we used to share back and forth.

This video amazed me back in 2005 and it still amazes me today. Shot in April, 2005 while skiing little goat in Haines Alaska. After I acknowledge he could be dead, JP recalls…

“hmm.. hard to say.. Seth was on top behing me.. so I’m sure he would have got to me in time.”

Even with someone like Seth Morrison who is exceptionally talented in the backcountry, I don’t think I would like to get caught in an avalanche.