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

1 year ago he was mowing lawns stressing about his upcoming winter….shit can change in a year!!!

Romain reppin and he doesn’t even know it….thanks JP!

ON TOUR!!!! JP, ROMAIN AND BODE LOOKIN STOKED

TORONTO

DCP and JUSTIN HOSTYNEK chillin.

MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT ABSINTHE’S NEW FILM NEVERLAND WHEN IT PLAYS IN YOUR TOWN.

BODE MERRILL has no idea he’s about to get the ender in the biggest movie of the year.

Friday night was a big one in the Salt Lake snowboard world with the world premier of Absinthe films NEVERLAND. This has probably been the most anticipated shred film to be released this season and it was well worth the wait. From start to finish it will be hard to find a film that can hold a candle to NEVERLAND. Keeping in the ABSINTHE tradition of quality filming,amazing soundtracks, clean editing and next level mind blowing riding this film will get you so stoked you’ll forget that the resorts don’t open for a few months.

JUSTIN HOSTYNEK, BODE MERRILL, MARK CARTER and CALE ZIMA getting the crowed stoked!!!

THE CROWD WAS HYPED TO GET SOME FREE GEAR

The film opens with some of the most insane pow footage from Japan…this is where the title of the movie starts to make sense. The SOLD OUT crowd at the TOWER had no problem yelling at damn near every shot for the first ten minutes. Summers in Salt Lake are nothing short of brutal so to be able to see your favorite shred idols globe trotting  and destroying everything in site is a nice break from the heat.

With out giving too much away it’s important to know that all your favorite ABSINTHE stars like WOLFGANG, ROMAIN,DCP,JP SOLBERG,TRAVIS RICE, NICOLAS MUELLER and GIGI RUFF just absolutely take shit beyond the next level. Along with some newer names to the ABSINTHE program. DAN BRISSEE proved that he is a man and is down to do some man shit. BRISSE’s part was full of some of the biggest gnarliest jumps and jibs around. CALE ZIMA delivered one hell of a section and his rail riding is just as awesome as his dancing skills…..With all the new DANCING WITH THE STARS rage this might be the next step for CALE. A shout out to Levitation team rider PHIL DAMIANAKES that had a few hammers in the mix too.

CHEERS!!!!

We are a little biased over here but the highlight of the night was realizing that all of the riders on the roster had been seen except for 1. BODE’S name came on the screen greeted to a roar of cheers from the audience. THE BODE MAN shut it down harder than ever. One of the heaviest/well rounded parts of all time. The kid has it all and didn’t hold back on anything. For the past few years due to one reason or another Bode has been plagued with not getting the credit he deserves and not getting the shot he is worthy of…..well that all changed at around 9 PM on August 28TH 2009. The world is finally about to see what this kid is made of. When you think that he filmed 90% of his part in Utah and had very little travel budget and nowhere near the sponsor support that other riders who have had the ender to an ABSINTHE film it’s impressive to say the least. No AK heli angles or monster features created just for him. Just true honest shredding at its finest. He has a natural part that shows every aspect of his talents from the streets to the backcountry.  Get ready because BODE is well on his way to helping the progression of snowboarding on a global level.

Chances are this film will sell out so make sure you go to the premier early or buy your tickets in advance. To check out times and locations click on this link SPHERE OF INFLUENCE WORLD TOUR

BODE and his Dad BACKCOUNTRY BOB walking out of the theater. Those are some pretty hefty grins!!!

NICO,PHIL DAMIANKES,BODE MERRILL,SHANE CHARLIBOIS AND PARKER DUKE getting ready for a big night.

The post film celebration started at Chris Grenier’s house and then moved to a new bar called the REPUBLICAN in downtown SALT LAKE. It didn’t take long for things to start to get rowdy.

TIM RONAN and PHIL DAMIANKES getting after it!!!!

Chris Brewster is looking a little faded or maybe it’s just the photo….nope BREWSTER’S FADED!!!

IT’S MERRILL TIME!!! The LP Team was there in full support sporting the MERRILL HIGH LIFE shirts. Corey Mac, NICO and PARKER DUKE looking like they just drank a beer as big as the one on the shirt.

Once the bar called LAST CALL we made a quick run over to the gas station and stocked up for the rest of the night. For the next half hour everyone just hung out on the sidewalk and shot gunned beers on state street. By the time it was all said and done there were over 10 30 packs piled up outside. PHIL DAMIANKES was down to do some judo kicks.

Shotgunning beers was the theme for the night and it went on for a few hours after the bar closed. PARKER DUKE giving it his all.

AUSTEN GRANGER stocked up for the rest of the night…..from here on out we can’t show much more and don’t remember much more.

YEAH ABSINTHE!!!!! YEAH BODE!!!! FUCK YEAH!!!!! GO BUY THIS FILM AND BE THE PROUD OWNER OF THE BEST FILM OF ALL TIME!!!!

FYI…Dan does not ride for us he is a homie and this is too gnarly to be ignored.

Dan Brisse road gap webisode from Absinthe Films on Vimeo.

GET YOUR TICKETS AT MILO!!! THEY ARE GOING TO GO FAST. CHECK THE ABSINTHE SITE TO FIND OUT DATES AND LOCATIONS. IF YOU SEE ONE SHRED FILM THIS YEAR…..THIS IS THE ONE!!!

LEVITATION PROJECT TEAM RIDERS BODE MERRILL AND PHIL DAMAIANKES ARE IN THIS ONE AND IT’S GOING TO BE ONE TO REMEMBER!!

CHECK OUT THE NEW ABSINTHE SITE AND THE TOUR SCHEDULE FOR THE NEW FILM NEVERLAND.

CONGRATS TO LEVITATION PROJECT TEAM RIDERS BODE MERRILL AND PHIL DAMIANAKES  WHO ARE BOTH FEATURED IN THE NEW FILM.