Dong, myself, Claire, Tim, and one LeBrainest are off on a wild adventure to North America's second highest lake, the great Tahoe.
Resort of choice on this most rustic of trips? Of course the Mont Bleu Casino at the base of Heavenly. Giddyup. I'll of course, be way lame and spend more time updating the Boloney blog about our antics than boarding so stay tuned.
To all the Boloners left on the Island and one DiK near the good lake Champlain, we'll have an extra drink (or seven) for you!
(The picture to the right is the first result for a google image search on "heavenly." A French metal band. HA)
And as a special present to all those viewing this, straight from the lodge after the epic Belleayre mission yesterday, is BP eating a full bag of oysters. Note the crackers exploding out of his mouth at several times.
While it looks like the East Coast doesn't get to ski this year, there is still much in the Wide World of Shred to report.
First, Heavenly (where the gang is off to in March) is opening ahead of their original schedule, on Friday. They decided to make a web series all about snowmaking and their snowmaking crew, and I've gotta say, It is awesome. If you enjoy Deadliest Catch, Loberstermen, Axe Men, Ice Road Truckers, or another show about Guys that Do a Job that Doesn't Pay Much, you'll love this shit. Frankly, the slick editing and lack of a crappy song for the intro already make this better than half of the "real" shows. I've posted the teaser, but the full first episode is available at the Heavenly link.
I have now begun a news embargo on the East Coast until it is positive, so instead, I'll comment on Antarctica - perhaps the last frontier of shred remaining.
Jeremy Jones and crew are continuing to film for their two year project, TGR's Deeper, and they've posted a photo spread from Antarctica. Deeper is Jones' attempt to get back to what he thinks is the heart and soul of free riding - literally hiking every run. No snowmobiles, no helicopters. If you want your turns, you have to earn them. And it's not like he is hiking at resorts. He's picked places with unknown lines in the Alps, and spent months exploring vast stretches of AK. So, why not hit up Antarctica. That sounds reasonable.
Jeremy Jones, is of course the king of Free Ride. Check out some of his various hits. From That's it That's All last year, a custom edit with just him in there. Or how about his segment from Under the Influence?
I've attached two of what I think are the craziest shots. Remember, these guys are sleeping in tents there and then hiking step by step with full gear. No sherpas, no nothing. A board, boots, and all the gear and food they need to hike up the run, strap in, and then launch back down it. Who knew there was so much to Antarctica beyond penguins and cold? It certianly seems closer to a hard pack then POW, but these pros can handle that for sure. Check out the full article here to get the rest o the photos and a much better written article.
Holy crap! I think I'm not even going to bother bringing my board to Heavenly in March. No one told me that they have the longest zip line in the continental U.S. I have no idea how much it costs to ride, but I don't particularly care. I will go "zipping" along the resort on this thing. Check it out!
While it is only October 6th, mid season trip plans are already in place. Where to you say? Tahoe of course! More specifically South Lake Tahoe, at Heavenly. Perhaps you'll remember some of the other epic Boloney adventures out West. Take, Breckenrage, Snowbird, or Jackson Hole for starters.
First off this year, just think of this, we're staying in Nevada, in a casino. The casino is walking distance to the gondola. Oh yea, there's also an indoor pool grotto. I can't see how any of this could possibly be a bad thing.
Tahoe of course straddles the California/Nevada border. When we board, we will literally be crossing the state line back and forth. The town itself is divided right down the middle (or third actually).
How about some data points? There are 6 24 hour casinos (we're staying in one of them) - making for 7,051 slots and 411 card tables.
Fun fact: Lake Tahoe is the North American Continent's largest Alpine lake and is 22 miles long, 12 miles wide, and covers a surface area of 191.6 square miles, and has 72 miles of shoreline. And the lake is 6,226.95 feet above sea level and the natural rim is 6,223 feet above sea level - I'm having a very hard time wrapping my head around that one. It is also second only in size and age to Oregon's crater lake (formed by a meteor impact).
This is a neat one: Although the summer's heat can warm the upper 12 feet to a comfortable 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Lake Tahoe never freezes over in the winter; this is due to the constant 39 degrees Fahrenheit, maintained at depths below 700 feet, largely because of the constant movement and volume of water.
(I've stolen most of this from the Heavenly website)
Some facts on the mountain itself: A vertical of 3,500, a summit over 10,000 feet, 4,800 acres of ripable terrain. They also claim to average between 350 and 400 inches a year. I like the sounds of that.
And the pictures all around were taken yesterday when Heavenly received its first blast of the season. 2-3 at lake level, 4-8 mid mountain to summit. They aren't even planning on opening for something like 60 days, and the snow is already coming. Maybe it will be an epic season all over the country.
All we know is that Boloney Moguls will hit it up the first week in March this year and much shredding, gambling, and debauchery will be done.
For some final inspiration, check out a powder video from last season.
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