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

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

FRENDS Crew Signature Session Day 1 At High Cascade

Words: Joe Carter
Photos: Joe Carter

This session up here at High Cascade is gonne be a good one. With all of the FRENDS crew and Jamie Anderson here for their signature session at High Cascade all week, things might get a little crazy. Today on the hill was a mellow one, but it’s safe to say having all these riders here the level of shredding will be pretty damn high. Just make sure you are checking in every day on snowrev to get the inside scoop on what’s happening this week and the rest of the summer.

- Jack Mitrani just trying to get a better view of Mt. Jefferson from up there

- Luke Mitrani and Snook hanging with some of the campers

- Mason Aguirre

- Mason 50-50 to back lip on one of the many digger creations

- There is no better meal in Govy after a long day of riding than Cobra Dogs. Gigi Ruff and Bobby Meeks know what’s up

Some of the FRENDS crew came through Portland Thursday night for the new Burton movie “It’s always snowing somewhere.” I skipped the movie but meet up with everybody at the bar post premiere.  Jack Mitrani, Keegan Valaika, Kevin Pierce, and Danny Davis where all hanging being bombarded by fans putting down autographs and drinks with lightning speed. A great night with the FRENDS crew from what I or anyone else remembers…. Make sure to check out thisisfrends.com to see what else these guys have been up to.

If you want a review on the movie check out the SLC premiere HERE

- A little pre-game at Jared’s house, check out Herny’s hops

- Danny Davis made the trip up with everyone from Salt Lake the night before.

- Gettin Loose

- Keegan, Kevin, and Danny signing away

- Who didn’t remember getting this photo taken of them? Me.

- Danny and Kevin later’d in the night

Tags: burton, Danny Davis, FRENDS, Jack mitrani, Joe Carter, keegan valikia, kevin pearce, portland