• Absinthe premier tomorrow night!!! #
• Now/here is amazing!!! Go see it!!! #

NowHere trailer by Absinthe Films from Absinthe Films on Vimeo.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW MILLER

So the LP crew just finished another week at ALYESKA’s summer camp. This was the first year resurrecting their summer program after laying dormant for a number of years. The kids and the staff were beyond stoked and this is something that is going to grow from year to year. They are already planning for a larger camp next year. We will keep you posted as new developments come up for next summer but take it from us…You wont want to miss this camp.

Not too many camps that have the potential to stay open until midnight or have runs that face towards the ocean. This place has some awesome potential!!

Our crew spent a few nights staying after hours to shape things just how they wanted and tried to take advantage of the long daylight hours. We can’t emphasize enough that it is crazy to be out shredding from ten to midnight and it looks like 5pm anywhere else.

Jules explaining to Jeremy how to use a chainsaw

Jeremy Thompson had to head back home to get ready for the big air comp in Whistler but not with out getting a few more shots utilizing the ocean back drop.

Matty Mo was also on his way out to start slanging Cobra Dogs to campers at HCSC but not with out getting a few more shots before his plane left.

Matty Mo getting his jib on before his plane ride back to Portland.

Bode joined in on the mini sesh on over the sign. Bode had to leave to go edit his part in Hawaii with the Absinthe crew.

It’s always cool to roll into a new scene and come out with some new homies.

Jeremy,Bode and Matty all had to bail on the same day for previous engagements….so soon it was just Jules left to shred the camp.

Jules went to work shaping the lip to the wall ride.

After a little shaping and a few speed checks Jules was able to make it to the top of the wood and kept all the tourists well entertained.

Jules had no problem staying motivated even after the other homies bailed. He took full advantage of the summer slashing in AK.

For someone that just learned how to do inverts it looks like he’s been doing them on a vert ramp for the past 20 years. We lost count after a few hundred on the 1/4 pipe. Jules has a style all his own!

You can tell how much someone loves riding when they are oblivious to being the only one on the hill and laughing every time they strap in. Jules is always stoked to be on the snow and 100% defines the word PRO.

By the end of the second session there was steel placed from the top of the run to the bottom that provided over a mile of features to ride. You can’t see his face but you can guarantee that Jules is smiling and laughing.

There were a number of brands represented at camp but no one through down as hard as YES! They gave away 4 boards on hill and another two in a raffle. Jules hand picked the kids that he said were having the most fun and shredding the hardest.

DAKOTA MCKENZIE
JARED WOLFE
JUSTIN WOLFE
RYAN ROBERTS

Were the only 4 kids to stay after camp was closed and basically have to be kicked off the hill to stop from shredding. It was a no brainer to hand each one of them a YES. Big ups to LP team riders ROMAIN DEMARCHI and JP SOLBERG for throwing down!

A big thanks to the  resort for putting us up in the HOTEL ALYESKA . It is more like a castle than any hotel that we have stayed in. This place is as nice as it gets and the service is incredible. Everything from amazing meals to dropping off chocolate and bottled glacier water to you every night!

Jules took full advantage of his stay at the hotel. Robe,slippers and a red carpet….not too shabby!!

BIG BOSS JULES REYMOND!

always smooth!

No complaints when you are put up in a hotel this nice. Take it from us…If you are going to visit ALYESKA make sure you stay at the hotel. You will not find a nicer place in Girdwood to complete your stay.

Thanks ALYESKA!!! SEE YOU NEXT SUMMER!

Photography by ANDREW MILLER

Jules Reymond shredding at 11 pm

For the past week the LEVITATION PROJECT team has been attending ALYESKA’S summer camp in Girdwood Alaska. Going shredding in the summer is always a big plus but when its in the Chugach mountain range it’s even better.

The crew consisting of Bode Merrill,Jules Reymond,Matty Mo,Jeremy Thomposon, Andrew Miller and Nico Nolan have been posted up at the hotel Alyeska. Alyeska is the perfect place for a summer camp in June. The mountain can typically see 600 inches plus of snow a season and during June the sun is out until midnight….it really doesn’t get any better. Here is a look at week 1 of a camp. If you want to shred this next week Camp is open from Monday-Friday click here to find out more about times and prices ALYESKA SUMMER SHRED

The tram is connected to the Hotel Alyeska so it’s just a quick walk down the hall way from your room.

Just a few minutes and you are boosted by the tram 2300 feet up to the chair lifts…Remember you are basically starting at sea level.

After a tram bump you are on the chairs and ready to shred with an Ocean view unitl midnight. Camp hours go much earlier in the day so we made arrangements to take advantage of the longer hours.

Bode Merrill taking a dip in the pipe.

Jeremy Thompson is the newest addition to our crew and is fitting right in. This is his first trip to AK and his first air to fakie at 11 pm with an ocean backdrop.

Jeremy and Matty getting a ride in the cat to the next feature.

Matty Mo testing out the Q P

Bode doesn’t ride pipe…can you tell?

Jeremy and Nico reviewing some shots

This mountain has it all for a summer shred camp…From the 1/2 pipe to the 1/4 pipe or the jump run and then the jib runs but the natural terrain has been a big plus with dirt gaps sprouting up all over the mountain. Jeremy Thompson taking full advantage of the dirt gaps with this smooth front 3.

Bode with a wildcat tail grab.

It is really crazy to be out shredding when the sun sets at Midnight.

Jules Reymond scoping what he’s going to hit next.

There is a DJ playing music the whole time we are on the hill and Jules being from Europe just can’t help but to take his shirt off once the music starts to play. Jules  says this is “one sexxy invert”

Bode often forgets to strap in his back foot but it usually seems to work out ok for him.

We have been able to work closely with the park crew and help with ideas for building features. It is always nice to give you your input and ideas and see them added to the hill.

Every day there are a few new features popping up and helps to keep the runs fresh.

Jules is always laying down some solid moves with a clean skate style.

Jeremy Thompson with a huge front 3 off this pole jam to dirt gap.

The crue

Matty Mo warming up for his summer slanging cobra dogs at hood-Alaska one hell of a warm up spot for hood.

The summer shredding here is amazing. The snow is fast! really fast!! and the runs have a long flow to them. You would have a hard time finding a faster smoother run anywhere in June.

Jeremy Thompson with a proper frontside invert.

According to Jules this was the first time he ever tried doing inverts…Once he started he couldn’t stop. He was running up the hill every time to get another shot after Andrew gave him a peak at how they were turning out.

Fast fast summer snow!!!

Not a bad view

Leaving the resort with hours of light left leaves the rest of your day wide open after a full day of shredding.

The crew going for a hike out of the resort at 9 pm

Bode …what more can you say

Bode hovering above some really cold and fast moving water.

This place is surrounded by some awesome terrain

AK RULES

After a full day shredding it’s always nice when a LIMO picks you up to go to Anchorage-but that’s another story!

Stay tuned for more posts from ALYESKA

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW MILLER

The TRAM maybe closed but that’s even better when its a May pow day and you have use your own two feet to get around. Andrew Miller enjoyed a day off and took a little walk around LCC.

Not a bad view as your are about to drop into the BIRD.

An even better view on May 12th. UTAH IS STILL RIPPING. The bird will be open this Friday-Sunday. Check their site for more info SNOWBIRD

Photography by ANDREW MILLER

First and foremost we have to thank everyone that made this session possible. From the SNOWBIRD marketing department and Snowbird Patrol, Absinthe films and Snowboarder mag….It was a huge team effort to make this possible and everyone pulled together to get er done.

Wyatt Caldwell just drove 5 hours to hit the hip. The night before he was shredding 10,000 foot peaks in the Idaho backcountry. Came in from a 3 day camping trip and drove straight to the Bird.

It’s one thing to build a jump in the backcountry but when you get resorts involved it takes a lot of work to make it happen. Everything from the logistics to a MILLION DOLLAR insurance policy. The feature we wanted to build was a hip on Little Cloud that is most commonly known as the” TERJE HIP” obviously named because TERJE HAAKONSEN blasted  this hip over a decade ago. After going through all the proper channels and some successful meetings with both patrol and Marketing we got the green light to start building.

Two days of shoveling and things are starting to come together.

All the way from Switzerland-the newest member of LP family JULES REYMOND.

It’s all about working together to get a build like this going. Wyatt Caldwell and LP homie Dan Brisse putting in some work on the landing. Working in spring conditions is tricky with all the temperature changes throughout the day. In the am its too firm to even get your shovel in the snow and by the afternoon its too soft.

Prep work is done and the homies are stoked….Spent the next few hours waiting on the legal issues and insurance but it all worked out.

Cameras ready!

Big thanks to E-STONE and PAT BRIDGES from SNOWBOARDER MAG….The insurance policy comes in and ski patrol gives us the thumbs up to start the sesh. JULES signs the waiver along with the rest of the crew and its go time.

Building the hip was the easy part…That just requires some shoveling. Getting all the other paperwork in order is the most critical part to Resort building for a shoot. Snowbird was 100% eager to make this happen.

Looks like it was worth the 5 hour drive for WYATT-

Big big shout out to the Snowbird patrol for giving these guys sled lifts. JULES was so hyped!!

HIGH TIMES for JULES at Snowbird.

WYATT with a proper CAB 5-

JULES continued to blast the hugest methods.

Jules’S methods are almost as hard as his ink.

Unfortunately Jules tweaked his ankle on the hard snow and had to sit down and take a breather for the rest of the session.

Wyatt heading back for one more.

Wyatt Caldwell sending it!!!

Wyatt and Nico reviewing the shot- Wyatt was stoked on his shots and ready to call it a day. The landing to the jump was in the shade for hours and became rock hard. All in all we got to sesh the hip for 2 hours. The forecast for the week is calling for FEET of snow to pound the Wasatch so next time the landing will be a little softer.

Wyatt Caldwell, Sylvain Bourbousson, Dan Brisse, Cale Zima, Jules Reymond and Forrest Sheerer are all some good homies. Big shout out to everyone that made this happen. ABSINTHE, SNOWBOARDER and SNOWBIRD PATROL /MARKETING….Couldn’t of done it with out you. Look for more photos at Snowboardermag.com and keep your eyes on the SNOWBIRD’S SNOW REPORT

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

ANDREW MILLER

The heli scene is just one small part of the AK shred program. The sled access here is UNREAL. You can essentially ride to some of the same zones that people are flying to. The hardest part about shooting while sled/shredding is that the sled part is so damn fun less snowboarding goes down some times. Here is a look at 24 hours in Haines, Canada and then back to Haines.

The sled day typically starts early and goes well into the dark. It’s nice when you are in control of when you go out and go in and having some gas cans and head lights makes for a solid day!

Andrew and Wyatt toasting to another HAMMER day in South East Alaska.

No AK experience would be complete with out getting ALL LIT UP from the NORTHERN LIGHTS. Again this is one of those things you just need to see to really understand. The light just dances across the sky and gives everyone that sees it an overwhelming feeling…ITS SO AWESOME !!!!  We hadn’t seen the lights until just a few nights ago and then they just kept coming every night after. Here are a few snaps ANDREW captured during Sunday nights GREEN SHESH.

Sometimes its starts out as a dull light in the distance and just grows to these huge waves that just dance across the sky. It will stay in one spot or just take off flying over head and then be gone in seconds. This place is as Magical as it gets!

Why/how ?

In northern latitudes, the effect is known as the AURORA BOREALIS, named after the Roman goddess of dawn, AURORA, and the greek name for the north wind, BOREAS. Waves of light are created when fast electrons from the solar wind slam into the rarefied gas of the upper atmosphere. The mechanism of action is similar to the way electrons in a television generate specks of light when they impact the phosphor-coated inside of the screen.  This only happens near the poles because of the magnetic fields.

If you want to know the schedules of the lights go to this site NORTHERN LIGHT FORECAST So not only are you checking the weather for the most insane riding on the planet you can all see how LIT UP your gonna get!!!

Always need to stop and check out the local native art!

After a night in AK you’ll probably need to be pounding some water to go shred or sled the next day….. there is plenty of fresh glacier water from the run offs on the side of the road.The only thing better than Glacier water are stiff drinks with Glacier ice cubes…so smooth!!!  These mountains never quit giving it up in one way or another.

After fueling your self with some fresh mountain water its time to fuel the sleds with some high octane. Wyatt is stoked to be heading to the pass. The CANADIAN pass is just a 40-50 minute drive up the road and it is a massive ocean of pow. A sledders paradise and the terrain there is so sick to ride.

Wyatt is seconds away from having ONE HELL OF A DAY!!

Nothing like a STALE FISH for breakfast-Wyatt always down for some fish in AK.

You can get into some good shit up here….just a little throttle and its on!!

and thats how you end your AK trip. Just a quick rip with the sleds for a few more memories. THANKS ALASKA for being SO BAD ASS!!!! Back to UTAH for spring booters!!!