The Life Unbound is a web series based around the experiences that have brought Weston and I together and which perpetuate our desire to continue reaching for our dreams.

Each 3-5 min Webisode will be jammed packed with imagery, action, and adventures that evoke a sense of what it takes to live the Big Mountain life style. From skiing epic big mountain lines, to down days, and night jobs we go beyond the glossy cover shot or film segment to the stories of hardship, joy, humor and success.

With a new Canon 7D, a few GoPros and a some help from our buddy/ photographer/ Mtn Ranks Owner Ross Downard we hope to capture images and stories that will captivate and inspire our viewers.
HUGE THANKS TO OUR SUPPORTING SPONSORS FOR MAKING OUR DREAM A REALITY!!!

TREW         TWENTYTWO DESIGNS      BACKCOUNTRY ACCESS  

BLACK DIAMOND             SCARPA           4FRNT

BACKCOUNTRY.COM       HESTRA         SMITH OPTICS      CW-X

Here are a couple images I am super stoked on that are a part of the issue. Check em out! Then go get your own copy so you can experience the best Issue yet!!!

Thanks To Telemark Skier Magazine for publishing this image in a format that does it justice!

Thanks To IceFall Lodge, BC for giving us the opportunity to be there!

Thanks to Paige Braidy, Candy Froerer, Martha Burly, and of Course Photographer and Great Friend Re Wikstrom For Capturing the Biggest Cliff I have ever hit.

The next Image was the only day I went out to shoot photos last season before tearing my ACL. The first sizable cliff of the season. The first run of the day.  And the first shoot and first shot that I have ever done with Grant Gunderson.

I’d say it turned out pretty well!!!

The Photo Annual is just dropping! With more great content written by fellow athletes and advocates, it marks the culmination of a lot of hard work by last years TSM Crew.

It was a wonderful team to be a part of and I think we all crushed it last season! Looking forward to seeing what the new Crew creates.

I am truly lucky to have such amazing sponsors that hook me up with the hottest in threads and gear. Here is a little sneak peak of what I will be rocking this year…

The boys over at Trew have got it going on! Their outerwear is insanely technical yet beyond stylish. Bringing a little bit for everyone from loud colors to mellow tones, they have what you are looking for!

Smith Optics has been a leader in eye wear for much longer than I can remember. From fun sunglasses that will flare up your day or night to super technical goggles that will have you seeing clear through the storm these guys do the job right!

Hestra makes some killer gloves and I just love the way they feel. Whether skinning up on a cold morning, or skiing epic blower they keep my hands dry and warm.

CW-X has been helping me come back from tearing my ACL last season. With there anatomical fit that supports muscles both as they develop and to help aid in fatigue, these keep my body warm and muscles feeling strong.

I have been working with Scarpa for about 5 years now and there is no other boot that I would trust to hold up to the big airs, steep lines, and long skin tracks that make up my days, weeks, and months of the ski season. The T-race is the best 75ml boot on the market hands down. If you like to charge hard and haven’t gotten on a pair I say give it a whirl and you will never look back!

The boys of 22designs have been leading the charge on the big mountain circuit for quite some time. The Axl is your do it all free pivot touring binding, that is agile enough for those long approaches, yet burly enough to ski whatever you dare on the way down.

BCA has been a leader in snow safety equipment for quite some time, but recently they have started really building on their backpack line. Offering comfortable, smart pack designs which have obviously been built by and for people who spend much time out of the resort. Whether you are looking for a small Stash pack for your slack country adventures or you are going full boar with a Float airbag pack you will not be disappointed.

Head on over to www.backcountry.com to view more styles and get your fall gear geek-out on!

The Wasatch

The mountains are ablaze with the colors of fall. Their vibrancy hits me like a blaring siren. Screaming that winter is just around the bend. As the fall’s flashing colors send my head spinning I think back on my summer months….

First there was the “Big Thaw”.  A month long Road trip down HWY 1 in which surf, Redwoods, and the simplicity of beach life helped lay the foundation for a full recovery after a long winter.

Nelson Enjoying the Sunset

Tonka Hits the Beach

Sunset over the Oregon Coast

Truck Life

Then bikes…. The first activity that I was able to get back to. And was I ready to get back!!!

Early Season Ride

Testing out the new Knee

Then there were the Hikes… Such a simple form of getting out in the mountains and so rewarding.

Mom and I atop 10420

Bald Peak

Timp Showing it's colorful side

Summit of King's Peak

And then more bikes… Why? well they are just too damn fun!!!

Jekyll Love

Love those fall rides

While the summer has been a time of rejuvenation for mind, body, and soul.

Sand Waves

The season of anticipation is upon us.

It is a time when we dream big, but often have sleepless nights due to the endless flow of eager energy circulating through our beings.

Enchanted aspens

Will this be another La Nina season of record breaking proportion? Are you gonna be ready when mother nature calls?

Reeping Mother Natures Bounty

Yes the colors blare

and dare us to dream big,

train hard,

and get ready

for that blanket of white freedom!!!!

As many of you know I have been working my way back from having torn my ACL in January. Over the past 6 months I have been doing a lot of thinking about what skiing means to me? what it represents? and how I have come from being a little girl with a crazy dream to a grown woman now in the midst of that dream.

I decided, since I did not have much footage from this past season, to go back to my 2009-10 season where I played all over the mountains of North America with some of my best friends in the world and had a blast with each turn!

The edit is a celebration of the beauty, freedom, and exuberance that skiing offers!

Openning Day at DV

The long and Windy Road to Recovery (aka little cottonwood)

Last I wrote I was well on my way to diving into teaching AIARE Avalanche courses through White Pine Touring, I was looking to Shadow some backcountry ski guiding companies in the Wasatch, and I was just about to sign a contract with Telemark Skier Magazine.
Well, as life often does… I got thrown for a BIG loop and many lessons to follow.

While doing some soul skiing up at Alta with Weston D. I tore my ACL.
No, it wasn’t that simple, but it was that strait forward. Before you ask- No I was not hucking my meat or skiing some spectacular line, I was simply enjoying the first significant storm after our January dry spell. We had about 15″ of fresh, slightly wind affected snow on top of a sun/rain crust. I simply hit the icy layer underneath and sat back, giving a bit of a butt check, when I stood up POP!

Madsen and Weston D. hanging out post surgery

That was the end of my season. It took about two weeks until my denial and that of my physical therapists broke down and we decided I should go in for an MRI. Of course the outcome showed a full tear of my ACL, with surgery and the inevitable end of ski season being the outcome.
It has been exactly one moth since surgery and I have been on a wild journey of sorts. I am not going to dive into the dark places I have gone or the emotional roller coaster that has been the product of a super athletic and physical being, being kept from the only form of meditation and emotional outlet they have ever known, but I will say it has been a struggle, one that I was not really prepared for, but I guess no one ever really is.

Behind the Lense

Since tearing my knee I have managed to do a few cool trips. I went and supported the Telemark Freeskiing National at Alpine Meadows. There, I was able to catch up with a bunch of my friends that I only really get to see when competing. It was actually a really cool experience getting to go to the comp, cheer on all my friends, film a bit for Telemark Skier Magazine, and have a place in the community even though I was on the sidelines (which has never really been my favorite position).

Lunch fest at the ski test

Last week after being cleared from using crutches I headed up to the Telemark Skier Magazine Ski Test in Powder Mountain. Of course I was not able to partake in the physical test, but after expressing my need and desire to stay as connected to the goings on of the industry to Josh Madsen ( friend and editor of TSM) we decided that I would head-up the writing of the 2012 Gear Review. This meant I would take notes at each nights debrief, compile all test sheets, and create an incredible list of the most tantalizing gear you must have! It was a super fun four days of obligatory libations being funneled through a plastic flamingo lawn ornament, AKA the BeerMingo accompanied with great new faces and tons of laughs not to mention a bunch of skis, binding, and boots that I am drooling to get on next season.

Weston D. filing out his test sheets

Tony Gill feeling the affects of a late night and an early morning

The Crew

Madsen and Cody Smith Pondering life

BEERMINGO!!!!

What's a Tele gathering without some dirt musicians. Alex, Zeph, and Madsen getting after it!

Alex scerinading the crowd

Again, being in the periphery has been a challenge, but through a hopefully increasing sense of clarity I have found that if I truly love this sport, then I just have to push a bit harder to make my physical inactivity disappear behind my motivation and drive to continue being relevant through other means.
There are so many lessons and realizations that I have had through all of this. That is not to say that I have become enlightened though it, more like dumbfounded by my own habitual behavior that now doesn’t work. I have gained a new awareness, that I have to learn some new tools, because the old tricks don’t work so well when trying to bend with the braided lattice that is life. So I am on another sojourn and I am sure lessons will continue to trip me along my path, but with each stumble I will gain more balance and continue to gain strength and perspective.

Huge thanks to all my friends, family and sponsors who have been so supportive!

Photo: Re Wikstrom

San Juan

For the past four years I have taken December and January to be a time of not only building my legs, and excitement but also building my understanding of the snow and mountains, where I spend most of my days. This season I chose to take my knowledge and dedication of understanding our snow to the next level.

Jayson & Mike demoing a pit profile

Previously I had taken the level 1 AIARE Avalanche course, the Freeride Avalanche Summit over at snowbird, and countless refreshers, beacon clinics, and snow study discussions and seminars. This season, however I have decided to embark on a path a little more involved, marking the beginning of my long sojourn into the world of backcountry guiding.

Companion Rescue under the Shadow of Mount Crested Butte

There are many ways to approach such a career, but I thought there was no better way to begin this process than by working on becoming a snow science educator. The way I see it, if I am going to make a life out of being in the backcountry I want to make sure that the people I share that environment with are equally in the know of the potential hazards, proper travel and rescue techniques, and have and know how to use their avi rescue gear, because

…well, you never know who might be the one there to save you.

Probing On a line

DIG!!

So, the first step was to take my level II Avalanche course. I chose to go through Crested Butte Mountain Guides as they have some of the most highly experienced and accomplished instructors, not to mention that learning the science of snow in some of the most dangerous and unstable snowpack in the country seemed to be an excellent opportunity to really get my hands dirty.

Weston D. Looking Studious

So on the 16th of December I packed up my truck and headed out with Weston D. for Crested Butte, CO.

Staying warm in the shadows

I am not one of those people who loved school, or even excelled in the classroom environment, so needless to say embarking on this more classroom and science oriented program was more than slightly unnerving. Never-the-less I pushed on, following my desire to become a professional in the outdoors (beyond my career as an athlete).

Breaking Trail

With a new notebook, my BCA snow study kit, beacon probe, shovel, saw and a mind ready to be filled with terms, data, and concepts I headed into the classroom.

Column Test

During the course of our Level 2, C.B. proceeded to get hammered with a southwest flow, locally known as “The Pineapple Express“. We received over 5 ft of snow in our three days and the storm could not have provided a better venue for learning and exploring in depth the bonding, layering, metamorphic process and a slew of other topics and concepts.

The Face Test...Yup tasty!!!

Weston D. Getting a quality education

With a mind full of new dorky data and information based around snow crystal type and temperature gradient, I returned home to Utah just in time for the holiday season to kick into gear. I waded through the onslaught of family and friends all vying for attention, tried to catch a couple pow days in between, and just surrendered to the fact that, until  my AIARE Instructor Training Course in January, my life was gonna be hectic.

Hoodoo Tele Fest

Josh Madsen and Cody Smith Manning the NTN/ Telemark skier Demo Tent

Michelle and Shahib Just a couple of the charicters at the Fest

Jarl Berg all smiles after putting on another successful tele fest!

So on it went, and yes it was quite crazy, even managed to squeeze in a trip to Sister’s Oregon for Hoodoo’s annual Tele Festival. But, like you always do, I managed to make it through.

So here I now sit, having just completed my Instructor Training Course.

The view from Montrose

Being re-inspired by developing a new goal and vision for my future has been a really exciting process, one that started this past summer. However, I have decided that I really have to make sure that this “vision” I have for my future actually feels right in reality. While the Level 2 was the start and a prerequisite for the ITC (Instructor Training Course), it was not indicative of my hoped future career.

Red Mountain Pass

The real test was heading to Silverton, CO for my ITC. I headed out there alone, with the only familiarity being the Triangle Motel where I had stayed last year with the Trew Crew, and was staying again. It is interesting, when you come out of a period of feeling a bit lost and fragmented, those pieces tend to realign themselves, offering such clarity. And that was the space I was in heading out to Silverton last Sunday. I headed out with the only expectation of experiencing something new and by the end of the course feeling out weather my supposed path was holding up to reality.

Silverton

The course could not have been more inspirational, educational, and valuable. Tom Murphy, Tim Brown, and Ben Pritchett came to the table with years of invaluable experience, clear teaching techniques, and a free flowing concept of a continued development framework that highlighted AIARE’s dedication to the continual growth a progression of Avalanche awareness and education.

Pulling into town

It was an intensive 3 day course with each student teaching one mock level 1 section and an overall frame work of learning the Level 1 curriculum, Teaching techniques and skills, and then furthering our professional development on all aspects.

Ben Prichett leading classroom discussion

Tom Murphy leading Day two in the field

Josh, cleaning the walls

With only three days it is hard to imagine that so much could be accomplished. I was quite fortunate to be in a group and a class filled with seasoned guides, educators, and rescue workers all who had previously been in professional leadership roles dealing with backcountry safety. Now, at another point in my life (or even two weeks ago) I would have felt completely in adequate and self conscious. However, with my newly re-acquired perspective I was able to feel only inspired and look up to each of my classmates as mentors. With their experience they were able to ask insightful questions, add phenomenal first hand accounts that were applicable to the topics, and provide analytical commentary.

Murphy giddy with his EXTREME Saw

Tilt Test

The course came and went and I felt like a sponge trying to soak up each morsel of information. I am not sure anyone could absorb, in entirety, the multitude of ideas and concepts of the three days. However, I do know that I have been inspired!

Pre Trip Meeting

Green team gathering at the trail head for our final day tour

Tim Brown guiding us through a Level one "perfect tour"

On the March

It is now the middle of January and I am finally feeling the flow. I have completed the first major step on this new journey and am hungry to start practicing my new skills and see where this all will lead.

Up Track

Getting deep at Alta

Early season is one of the most exciting times of the year. Not only is the hunger for the snow at its peak, after 4 grueling months of playing in the dirt and rocks biding the time till the snow returns and offers that soft and fluid canvas once again, but the onslaught of new toys and gear that taunt you in every magazine and shop begin to call you to purchase and play… Or in my, very fortunate case, the gear just starts showing up, like a preemptive Christmass, in brown boxes of all sizes.

Weston D. Climbing Up to Gunsight

pow

I kicked off this season, like most, by attending the Utah Avalanche Organization‘s Conference down in SLC. The conference is held each year to review incidences of the past season, new procedures, protocols, theories about snow safety and/or study, and as a general refresher to blow out those cobwebs that may have built up over the summer months. This is a great way to remind yourself that what we do is quite dangerous, but by TAKING A COURSE and PRACTICING with you beacon, shovel, and probe we can mitigate that risk and have a fun and safe winter.

winter is here!

The UAC offers plenty of resources on their site to aid you in finding an avalanche course that is right for you, as well as many other tools such as a glossary, list of past avalanche activity, and much more.

http://utahavalanchecenter.org is the first piece of gear in my 2010/11 review and it gets 5+STARS:

Itis not only is free but it is an endless resource that can save the people you ride/ski with and your own life.

Avalanche Course

It is not enough to sit at home with a hot cup of coffee or a cold beer and read about the snow pack, what a beacon is, or how to ski cut a slope, rather we need to be a bit more proactive when it comes to ensuring that every day we get to go home and wake up tomorrow to play again. This is where an avalanche course comes into play. Not only are you spoon fed crucial information in a classroom environment by some of the most qualified snow safety professionals, but then you are able to apply those skills on the mountain in a controlled environment where you can feel what it would be like in an actual avalanche scenario.

Backcountry Access Tracker 2

BCA is a leader in snow safety tools and equipment and last year they revamped their beacon, with faster triple antenna processing, sleeker profile, and easier search mode, while keeping the simple interface and proving once again that simplicity is quite sweet.

**The best beacon is the one you know how to use and practice with**

BCA Arsenal Stash Shovel

Weather you go with the Arsenal probe or saw stash, this is a great system, that not only saves space in your pack but also saves crucial  seconds when rescue is needed. The saw and probe system do not require you to dismember the shovel to access them, allowing the shovel shaft and blade to be fully functional with or with out the probe or saw in, which means you can probe, find your buddy, and start digging right away!

BCA Stash BC

This pack will have you cruising up the skin pack knowing that you have all the necessities for a fun day of bagging your local peaks without bogging you down or making it so when you take the skins off you feel that you are pulled to the back seat, causing you to wonder why you just hiked for 4 hours to make quad burning survival turns down an open face of pow. The Stash BC is back this season with a sleek, no muss-no fuss exterior that has a sweet noose ski carry system, stowable/removable helmet carry system, mud room pocket (for probe, shovel, saw), hydration system, and many more features that will save you from looking like you are having a garage sale every time you want to grab a snack or another layer.

TwentyTwo Designs AXL

This binding will rock your world!!!! As the winner of Telemark Skier Magazine‘s editor’s choice award it has a free pivot tour mode that will have you screaming past your buddies on the skin track and the super responsive spring system will blow their minds as you rip fast, huge lines and stomp every landing.

Scarpa T-Race

The kick-ass boot has just got even more kick ass!! The 2010/11 T-race not only went back to its roots with the red and black color scheme, but Scarpa revised the retro concept of a tour mode on a burly, super stiff race style boot and nailed it! It has been years since I have skied a boot with a tour mode and I have to say I did not realize how much I have missed it. From long skins to even walking across the parking lot I am loving the optional walk mode. But the best part is that when you lock them into ski mode, you don’t feel like they have a walk mode! That coupled with the new intuition liner has me raving and saying kudos to Scarpa.

Rossignol Super 7

Unless you have been living under a rock or in the desert for the past three years, chances are you have read about, heard about, seen, and probably skied the S7. This season, Rossi took it one more step and created a rough and tough, AK ripping big boy- ahchemm… Girl- Ski. Offered in only one size (195cm), the super 7 has been stiffened with metal laminates and a slightly wider platform (117mm)  to give it the rigidity and stability that big lines require.  That coupled with the same side cut ratio as the S7 leads this ski to be the all around big mountain machine that can blast through crud, stay under your feet when mocking, and is nimble enough for those last second directional changes as the terrain unfolds.

So there you have it! That is what I have and will be rocking on all my adventures this season. Start making you Christmas wish lists and/ or saving the change under the couch cushions then go to backcountry.com and feed your addiction!!

Soft Goods!!

Keep checking in as I will be adding a soft goods review, and other reviews as the season progresse as well as more on avalanche and snow safety and as always more travel antics and stories.

Face Shot