Mammoth Mountain Opening Weekend 2009

Words: Joe Carter
Photos:Joe Carter

Usually this time of the year we are all just waiting to see a few flurries fall from the sky. Last week a freak storm rolled into Mammoth giving them a solid blanket of the snow on the mountain for them to open on Friday. The second earliest Mammoth Mountain has ever opened ever. Thursday night we piled in the RV from San Diego with Jack Mitrani, Nick Russell, Elliott Levitt, Tyler Flygar, and myself to get into Mammoth right in time to make it for last call at the bars. Then we headed up to a night of rest up at the Main Lodge parking lot so we could wake up nice and early for Friday for our first day of shredding this season. To make things even better on Friday Mammoth decided to celebrate the early snow mother nature put down with giving everybody that showed up free tickets. Something that I thought would never happen, especially at a big resort like Mammoth. I think that most of the people there made up for it at the bars. The conditions were some of the best I have seen for an opening day in years. With warm sunny skies and enough snow to take runs all the way from the top of the mountain. Then towards the bottom on one of the runs there were some boxes set up for some fun early season jibs. After shredding all day we ended up camping out for a great night with plenty of frosty brews and then of course for a big night at the bars. Saturday morning got off to a late start because some of us were feeling a little under the weather, but we made it to the mountain for another solid day of riding with a solid crew. So make your way up here when you get a chance for some of the most fun early season snowboarding you will ever find this early.

- Prime parking spot right in the front

- Lots of C-Lo in the back

- There was a lot of this going down

- Posted up Thursday night in the Main Lodge parking lot ready for the morning

- Nick Russell pumped to do some chairlift boarding

- Free tickets for Friday really brought people out of the woodwork

-Nick Russell, Myself, Nate Farrell, and Greg Bokenkamp

- Greg poking a stalefish around the back of chair 3

- Greg

- Beers for breakfast in the liftline with Sticky and friends

- Plenty of snow up on chair 3

- Free tickets brings quite the crowd

- Nate Farrell and Nick Russell

- Matty Mo blasting a method looking like he’s back on the east coast with this little sidecut jump

- Ashbury’s Lance and Mike Hakker

- Jack Mitrani on the sundeck

- Matty Mo front boards on one of the many new jibs Mammoth has just made

- Matty getting over some rocks with a mandatory landing or else he would be tumbling into rocks in the landing

- Same run nosebonk on the slanted box

- Great opening with plenty of snow

- We had a legit campspot. (L-R) CBass, Tyler, Ben Gavelda, Danny Davis, Pat, Nick Russell

- Jack feeding Layla some weiner

- Jack getting up some wood

- Tyler making a natural fridge

- Tyler about a hour into partying

- Layla, Danny and Nick

- Nick walking the plank

- Getting ready for another amazing day of riding Saturday morning

- Danny boardslide on the slant box

- This thing will probably be fully buried with snow soon. Danny getting after it while you still can

- Amazing site for October in Mammoth

Tags: Ashbury, Ben Gavelda, CBass, Danny Davis, Elliott Levitt, FRENDS, Greg Bokenkamp, Jack mitrani, Joe Carter, Lance Hakker, mammoth, Mammoth Mountian, Matty Mo, Mike Hakker, Nate Farrell, Nick Russell

Let Loose Tour SD to SF

By: Joe Carter
Photos: Joe Carter, Cody Rosenthal, Luke Mitrani, Elliott Levitt

As we are about to get into full blown winter coming up before we know it. There was an idea floating around that it would be a good time to have one last RV trip. However this one was much different than all the others. There will be no snowboarding going down. No video premiers. Some fun skateboarding, and on the way there have very loose plans about getting up to San Francisco. Oh, and we did a bit of partying too. Hence the name, The Let Loose Tour. The trip started out in Carlsbad where we headed up North with Cody Rosenthal, Mike Casanova, Elliott Levitt and myself. Then we made a random spot in Ventura to Meet up with Harrison Gordon, where we convinced him to jump in for the party on wheels. Our first official stop for the night was in San Luis Obispo to meet up with Luke Mitrani, Josh Warnick, Matt Hooper and more for a party we were throwing with some of the kids that go to school at Cal Poly. Stocked up with a few kegs and the finest plastic bottled handles, keeping it real classy. Thanks to everyone from Cal Poly snowboard and ski club people for helping us with a good time and setting up a house for us to rage at.  Great times.

The next morning started a little late but we had made our way up to San Francisco for what we were getting there for. A three day bluegrass festival taking place at Golden Gate Park with six stages and great tunes blaring throughout the whole park. Again there we would meet up with many more of the homies that cruised out from Tahoe with Danny Davis. Making our entourage of party animals a much larger herd for great times with great people. Let loose.

- Pretty much the whole drive up there were views like this. Not too shabby (P: Joe)

- Cody recovering well from his back injury last May at Superpark. (P:Luke)

- Nova and Luke posted up. (P:Cody)

- Double Documentation on this trip (P:Luke)

- Harrison jumping in for the tour

- Guzzlin

- If you have seen many of the other stories about our travels in the RV you would probably know by now this is pretty standard

- Making our stop for the night in SLO. I think Nova ran down there and tried to wrestle some of these things. (P: Cody)

- Not too pumped(P: Cody)

- Harrison Garfield

- It would probably be no big deal for this bird to peck your eyes out.

- Just hanging out

- This guy was chill. Letting me get really close

- Finally getting some skating in. Harrison locking into a backside nosegrind

- Time for a dip

- Luke is down

- Now the night begins

- Rollin Up

- Since we are at a college party it’s only appropriate to have some keg stands right off the bat

- Josh Warnick

- Getting off with some product

- Squid cutting up some rug

- Elliott starting out the first night in SF

- Teamwork shot (P: Elliot)

- Not exactly a trolley that you expect in San Fran, but the bus is cheap

- The buses in SF are really big, so if you want to drink beers, you just have to go to the back. Amazing

- Parking a big RV in a city is not always the easiest thing. So I parked it in the back of a funeral home when we were in a sketchy part of town

- Lots of awesome music

- Too damn drunk to remember who this was, but they were pretty sick

- Danny Davis having an awesome time

- Partying

- Nice gear Luke (P:Cody)

Tags: Cal Poly, Cody Rosenthal, Danny Davis, Elliott Levitt, Harrison Gordon, Joe Carter, Josh Warnick, Let Loose, Luke Mitrani, Matt Hooper, Mike Casanova, San Francicso

Tales from The Trips Ptown to SD With FRENDS Part 5/6

Words: Joe Carter
Photos: Joe Carter & Other people I don’t remember

So all the premiers are finished and Luke, Jack, and Danny all had flights Sunday morning so we all went for it Saturday night with starting the night with some amazing sushi to fill up for a huge night of running wild downtown.

- Sam looking ready for battle as he sharpens a butter knife using Cody’s back brace as his armor

- It’s always good to start a big party night with sushi and plenty of drinks before you hit the streets of San Diego

- Cole and I really having a good time

- Olympic Hopeful Luke Mitrani

- Cole taking it up a notch triple fisting, while Jack, Sam and I are only doing doubles

- Definitely do not remember who took this one

- Jack and Benji Ritchie

- road sodas

- Cole Barash on the other side of the lens

- Me and Sam Spedale

- Hey, can you fill me up? Hobo beer bong

- I have no clue what’s going on here. Cole Barash, Benji Ritchie, Mikey Rencz, Danny Davis, Amber, and Jack Mitrani

- There was no way I was not going to put this picture up

- Danny Davis killing it

- Jeremy Grendahl and Roy is looking sooooo sketchy in that backround

Tales from The Trips Ptown to SD With FRENDS Part 4/6

Words: Joe Carter
Photos: Joe Carter

You would say that after the premiers the night before most of the snowboarders in San Diego have a rough Saturday morning. I had no intentions of heading to the ASR tradeshow this year and stuck with them. Luke, Jack, Danny, Amber, and I headed to the convention center to meet up with Keir Dillon. We got there just in time for them to close the doors and tell us that registration was closed and no more badges to get in where to be given out. So now what? Might as well head across the street and grab some drinks.

- Almost made it to the show, pretty pumped I didn’t

- FRENDS downtown in SD

- Keir is not afriad to have a camera pointed at him

Tales from The Trips Ptown to SD With FRENDS Part 3/6

Words: Joe Carter
Photos: Joe Carter

Friday we made it to downtown San Diego for what I was really coming down here for. Heading out to some of the new flicks for some mind blowing riding, and of course the parties that come along with video premiers. Both the Forum and Standard movies were of course insane. My favorites of the night were Jake Blauvelt, and John Jackson in the Forever Forum video. As for the Black Winter there some of the sickest pow riding by Sammy Luebke, Mark Landvik, Eric Jackson, and the best surprise of the night was Lonnie Kauk had the closer. Hell yeah Lonnie.

- The venue for the night

- Danny Davis, Ben Gavelda, Liam Gallagher, Daniel Ek, and Jack Mitrani

- Kramer, John J, and Nic Drago

- Always a treat to see Tyson at the bar

- IAM owner John Makens and Sammy Luebke

- Another one bites the dust from Grenade. Kevin Casillo is now the new Spy Team Manager

- Sammy and Kramer looking like they are having a great time

Tales from The Trips Ptown to SD With FRENDS Part 2/6

Words: Joe Carter
Photos: Joe Carter, Jack Mitrani, Danny Davis

After a full day of not feeling to well from the previous nights activities Thursday morning was time to get back on the road for the second half of the drive. With a few stops at Airports in Sacramento, then LAX. Then a stop in the middle of nowhere for the FRENDS to make a skit for Fuel that should turn out pretty hilarious. The final destination of our night was to end up at Kevin Pearce’s house in Carlsbad. Where we would meet up with Cole Barash, Eric Warner, Sam Spedale, and Cody Rosenthal. Who is recovery well after his brokeback injury at Superpark.  You can still help out by checking this link out http://www.snowboard-revolution.com/news/Love-for-Cody-Rosenthal-_-Back-Fundraiser.html

- Luke enjoying the 95 degree breeze of Interstate 5

- Danny, Hayley, and Jack

- Danny ready to find the closest watering hole

- Boner pills for chicks? What will they think of next?

- Middle of fucking nowhere

- Jack, Luke and Dan looking or a ride

- Amber getting the shot and showing some sideboob

- For lots of videos and more check out thisisfrends.com

- Nice stance Danny

- Trippy man

Tales from The Trips Ptown to SD With FRENDS Part 1/6

Words: Joe Carter
Photos: Joe Carter

Hello there boys and ghouls. Tales Tales From The Trips are coming back this season with a vengeance. All year long you will be able to check out plenty of shredding, stories from the road, some antics, good times, and a whole lot of getting loose with some of your favorite riders and yours truly. To start out the first entry of this year, after an amazing summer at Mt. Hood I saddled up and hit the road out of Portland by myself in the Snowrev RV. With plans of shooting strait down to San Diego so I can make it in time for Transworld’s Get Real video premier. As I hit Sacramento my plans immediately changed for a big party night in Truckee for one of our buddies 21st birthday party with all the homies including Luke and Jack Mitrani. Along with  Danny Davis hosting the rager at his pad . Everybody else had been partying solid for hours. Luckily for me, after a long drive from Oregon I tend to be pretty good at catching up when it comes to putting back beers down. Great way to start a solid bender.

- Satan’s Chariot

- Looks like I need to make a stop

- There’s other things in Weed other then homegrown

- Steep trannies and solid views of Mt. Shasta. Amazing park

- One of the two local dudes there, frontside air in Weed California

- Taking the I-5 through Northern California is amazing

- More solid views

- Taking pictures on a tight bridge in a 30 foot RV is sketchy

- Dave, Dakota, and Dubbers fully tuned up

- This must not be too late into the night because there is still some beers around

Mt. Hood Daily Update July 1st

By: Joe Carter

As we say goodbye to June and hello to July, the action up here on Mt. Hood can’t be better. Timberline still has plenty of snow for top to bottom runs, for a little longer, and both High Cascade, Windells, and even public park are in good shape.

- Gigi Ruff really getting extended riding the High Cascade mini pipe. Andrecht to fakie

- FRENDS, (L-R) Snook, Adam Pearce, Danny Davis, Luke Mitrani, Jack Mitrani, Keir Dillon
www.thisisfrends.com

- Danny Davis gapping to back lip on the High Cascade kink rail

- Eiki Helgason making an appearance this week to ride at Windells

- Scott Stevens has got frontside inverts better then you do

- Over at Windells Austin Hironaka putting down a switch backside 540 as he calls it a day and heads back down the hill

Tags: Adam Pearce, Austin Hironaka, Danny Davis, Eiki Helgason, FRENDS, Gigi Ruff, High Cascade, Jack mitrani, Joe Carter, Keir Dillon, Luke Mitrani, Mt. Hood, Scott Stevens, Snook, Timberline, Windells

FRENDS Day 3 On Hill At HCSC

Words: Joe Carter
Photos: Joe Carter

For the third day on hill with the FRENDS this one was the most heated session yet. With the pipe freshly groomed and a clinic going on everyone was throwing down. Take a gander at the most photo heavy day so far with the FRENDS Crew and keep checking in for plenty more.

- Luke Mitrani blasts a huge Michalchuck on his second run through the Superpipe

- Luke again this time with a massive cab 7

- Campers pumped to watch Scotty Lago destroy HCSC’s Pipe

- Scotty has maybe the coolest looking frontside 9 ever contorting with a nose grab

- Jamie Anderson taking a little stroll up the deck

- Jamie cruising through poking out a stalefish

- Jack Mitrani gets over fellow FREND Scotty with an ally-oop nosegrab

- Scotty boning out a front 5 while Ross gets the shot

- Scotty again going HUGE!!! Frontside 7

- Mason Aguirre

- It would suck to get stuck in the air like this. Good thing Mason is good at Cripplers and stomps this one with ease.

- Danny Davis

- Danny tweaking hard like many of the meth heads located around Oregon

- Danny Switch backflip

Tags: Danny Davis, FRENDS, HCSC, High Cascade, Jack mitrani, Jamie Anderson, Joe Carter, Luke Mitrani, Mason Aguirre, Mt. Hood, Scotty Lago, Timblerine

Kingvale Kingstock 4/20 2009
Words: Joe Carter
Photos: Joe Carter

- Finally after a long drive from SLC we made it to the party

- You know when your first action shot is a doobie pass first run.

- Word traveled fast since they only planned this two weeks ago.

- Mason Aguirre came out with his party boots on to get sideways.

- Cornell and Binky while he looks important texting.

- Jimmy Tomer and Pat Lee getting some new lounge chairs

- This kid’s fucked up right here. Kyle Earl Miller Flip over the big barrell

- Curtis Woodman, not only good at riding snowboards

- Mitch and Joseph getting vertical at Kingvale while Rory rolls up in the back.

- Ride team manager Matt Sickels getting frontside very high on the hill.

- No hiking to the top for these guys

- Pick your poison

- Partying

- Not too much riding for Danny today but he had just as much fun as everyone else.

- Yancy Caldwell tweaking some tail

- Kyle was hammered the whole way from Salt Lake to Tahoe. Today he just made sure he got real high and basted out some nuclears too.

- Nate Farell sends his pickel over the nicely trimmed lip

- Kyle giving his best Terje impersonation

- Tahoe’s John Foy getting high on his homegrown turf

- Nate signature, the Heinous Chuck

- Pat Lee snatched some knows on an air fakie

- Binky on the camera now too. Who says potheads can’t be productive.

-Curtis won the one of a kind Kingstock board as his trophy for sending it on the quarterpipe.

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