george crosland photo blog

Spring riding is so rad cause it stays light so long and you can go do other stuff, especially around Mammoth. We saw lots of cool stuff and lots of animals; three bears, a lot of deer, birds, coyotes and stuff

high desert in bloom

Yosemite Falls

Royal Arches

makes you wanna run naked and have sex in the meadow

Of course there are lots of rules in Yosemite, Emma was not stoked on all the no dogs signs

Half Dome, Lonnies dad probably has climbed this

Woof

Yosemite Falls is the 3rd largest falls in the world

Ribbon Falls - mostly seen in the Spring only

Bridalveil falls in Yosemite

fresh snow on Tioga Pass

Tufa Towers

Mono Lake

Sage Canyon is an old trail that cowboys used to use, now it is rarely used. If you want to get away from it all, check it out

Went to mammoth to cover the last weekend but it was so good, it ended up being the lost weekend. Lost as in ignore the phone, just ride and enjoy it

Dibs on the plow!

The big kicker for the weekend, covered in snow on Saturday

too much snow and rain for the skatepark even so a nice walk in the woods around Convict Lake was in order

Bloody Mountain

Dumping on Sunday in Clark Canyon

7:35 am on Memorial Day. The “last” day. Before they decided to stay open until June 1

Chair One! It stayed like this for a awhile as everyone bypassed it for face lift

hopefully you can understand why I preferred not sit under a jump and take photos of people from LA doing 540’s on this day

right before the ski patrol opened the top

St Anton, no tracks and a foot of new

I was in like the 20th gondola car, here are some bastards on climax that beat me to it

anticipation in the Gondy!

What the hell, these are all skiers, are the snowboarders still sleeping while the skiers get the pow?

highway to heavan otherwise known as roadrunner with a little pow halfpipe the whole way

my line down Scooty’s, don’t worry I moved right and got no tracks

Sick pow in wipe outs - this is May?

Our dog Emma loves the snow, how cute huh?

Mammoth had a pretty good pipe set up. Rob Kingwill was there coaching some kids on how to do 1080’s. Also saw Tyler Flannagen, Billy Anderson, the Teter family and more but it was time to ride!

Vans Pro Josh Borden makes a sick ollie transfer in the combi pool. I was watching Fuel tv last night and Nicolas Mueller was saying that he does not like snowboard parks - “not creative” yea he was talking about snowboarding but this shot shows similar creativity in a cement bowl as opposed to just a ramp or maybe even a rail. You are not dependant on doing harder and harder tricks - just doing tricks invented over 20 years ago (in this case an ollie) in spots no one has done them before - sick

The Pro Tec Pool party at the Vans Combi pool in Orange county is kind of like your favorite skate video. Whether it is Fully Flared, Welcome to Hell or The Serch for Animal Chin; you were blown away when you first daw it and return to watch it over and over. Now in it’s fourth year the hype has died down a little from when it was the best contest of all time. It is still the best contest; with the legends and top current vert dogs. The players are basically the same and except for the top 5 pros, the tricks are kind of the same and everybody loves it. It is not only the action but the seeing of old friends and skating with the best skaters in the world!
Check out Vans.com for more!

Mimi Knoop stepped it up and won the girls pro event. Good for her she deserves it - frontside boneless in the square

Mimi again with a man sized frontside invert

Lyn-Z Adams put in a good showing despite the fact that she had to leave to go to prom - for real. Tweaked mute air towards second place

Jeff Grosso, Neal Hendrix, Salba and Lance Mountain - you think these guys can find lines in a pool?

Julie Kindstrand is coming on strong in the girls division, she had crazy lines in the pool - second place

Two terrors from Copenhagen - Rune Glifberg and Nicky Guerrero

You gotta pay to play - Bucky Lasek and Salba do something to reduce the swelling

Tony Magnussen prior to his collision with Buck Smith and the shoulder dislocation that resulted. Tony was so gnarly that he jumped back into the session straight off and dislocated his shoulder again

Josh Nelson maybe has the loudest grinds in the history of skateboarding

Ben Schroeder does a backside boneless on the hip. When Ben drops - get outta the way

Steve Caballero should be an inspiration to all - still ripping after all these years and one of the nicest guys, he got 2nd in the Masters division and 1st in the longest boardslide event

To see Chris Miller skate this event defies description, Chris made it a 4 peat and is again Pro Tecc Masters champion

You may remember Nicky Guerrero from his GnS days in the 80’s, Nicky got 3rd in the masters

Nolan Monroe, how many 15 years olds can throw varial to liens over the hip in the combi?

Brazilian hell man Bruno Passos, Bruno is super nice but his skating is from hell or maybe heaven

Chris Miller and the Pool party logo which is Peter Hewitt from a photo that I took

Tim Johnson did hands down the biggest corner air of the event, this stalefish was insane

Jake Piasecki is 100% skateboarder, the dude is at every transition event

Benji Galloway did about every pool trick in the book, one of the days he will get a podium at the Pro Tec Pool Party today he was stoked to get 5th

This shot of Cookiehead is a bail shot but what the heck Darin “Cookiehed” Jenkins is gnarly so we ran it anyway

Jimmy The Greek was going the no pads route, which is pretty crazy considering how fast you can go in the combi

Bucky Lasek looked like the sure winner in the qualifiers but ended up in third in the finals - frontside gay twist

Bucky again with a Guy Ritchie which is a nollie flip to Madonna

Rune Glifberg turned on the heat in the finals, tricks lick switch kickflips, back tail through the corner to shove it, insane moves everywhere in the pool and big airs like this tail grab helped. Rune is super intense when he skates, he means business

Rune throws in a backside tailgrab on his way to victory

Vans rider Josh Borden throws a kickflip down

Steve Reeves was another rider going the no pads route

Nolan Johnson, not only does this look crazy but it is alley oop too

Bob Burnquist surveys

If you went to Mars and found life, it may be Bob Burnquists dna because he is an allien.

Cab won the boardslide contest with 18+ blocks. Grosso said he did 27 in practice but hurt his back and was not in the contest

One of the original Daggers - Eddie Reatagui. The Daggers where the gang in the movie Thrashin

Chris Miller transfers via backside air

Thrasher photographer Mike Burnett watches Steve Steadham get fully upside down on this frontside invert

Ron Allen gives cograts to Chris Miller for a ripping run

Sergie Ventura with the move of the contest - a crazy transfer from the square to the round which has never been done before, until now, He did it in practice and not his run so it was not scored but it was an accomplishment none the less

Sergie gets congrats from Jeff Grosso

Rune Glifbergs riding had a light to it - ollie to truck bash

Omar Hasan had a run that was like 1 1/2 minutes long. Omar got second

Benji Galloway inverts the hip

Josh Borden and Sergie Ventura collide, Sergie rode out of it

Rune Glifberg flips to Indy alley oop over the hip, he won

Cab was stoked to win the Thrasher longest boardslide contest

Girls podium, l-r, Mimi Knoop, Julie Kindtstred 11 year old Allysha. Allysha got 4th but Lyn-z went to prom so Allysha was excited to fill in for her place

Masters podium, l-r, Nicky Geurrero, Chris Miller and Steve Caballero

Bucky Lasek, Rune GLifberg and Omar. It must have been very hard for the judges. Duncan said some judges had one guy in first and others had another guy in first but this was the end result

Results

Women
1 Mimi Knoop $4,000
2 Julie Kindstrand $2,500
3 Lyn-z Adams Hawkins $1,000
4 Allysha Bergado $650
5 Amelia Brodka $350

Masters
1 Chris Miller $10,000
2 Steve Caballero $6,000
3 Nicky Guerrero $3,000
4 Eric Nash $1,000
5 Lester Kasai $500
6 Pat Ngoho $200
7 Steve Steadham $200
8 Tony Mag $200
9 Buck Smith $200
10 Ben Schroeder $200

Pro
1 Rune Glifberg $25,000
2 Omar Hassan $15,000
3 Bucky Lasek $7,500
4 Bob Burnquist $3,000
5 Benji Galloway $2,000
6 Sergie Ventura $1,500
7 Bruno Passos $1,000
8 Josh Borden $800
9 Nolan Monroe $500
10 Adam Taylor $300

Longest boardslide
Steve Caballero – 18 blocks - $1,800

While I am burning bridges this week, lets just throw show some photos of a hot girl from San Diego named Sammy too. Next week - back to the business of just spreading the stoke on skateboarding and snowboarding. Have a good weekend, get out and shred something

Seeing Bucky Lasek at the Pool Party this past few weeks made me think, where are some old photos of him?

Oh man I know have some old photos of Bucky as a young skater on the outskirts of Maryland. There was a vert ramp there called the Hell Ramp it was massive at the time. I think it was 24 feet wide, 9 foot trannies and 3 feet of vert. There would be these crazy parties and the faction and other bands would play. The surface was metal. I hated that ramp actually, it was too gnarly for me. I prefered Cedar Crest with 9.5′ transitions, 18″ of vert and pool coping. Anyway I appreciated Hell ramp for the radness it was and went up there from time to time. I would see Bucky at age 13 doing some crazy shit. There also was a mini ramp nearby for a while and I would see Bucky there too. It was weird to me becasue Cedar Crest and Hell Ramp were only about 60 miles apart and there was not too much cross polination, people went to the Crest ot to the Hell Ramp. Everyone got along and stuff, I guess people just prefered one ramp tot the other. I lived about 30 miles from each but I always chose the Crest if I could. Anyway, the only picture I could of Bucky from thos days was one that I think Geoff Graham took in like 1988 of Bernie Odowd doing a layback with Bucky on the deck watching in the fucking snow. The photo is from house of steam website too, if you want to see some mid atlantic skate action from back in the day, check it out. Think Bucky has come a long way from that or what? Bucky is always cool and I think this this photos symbolizes why. Baltimore was a no bullshit city, you skated in the snow, crappy weather, whatever. Things are not handed to you in Baltimore and I think that when you grow up in that environment, you appreciate what you have when you get some success

Gotta find some of my old photos from back then, the above photo was stolen from thehouseofsteam.wordpress.com by me, hopefully they don’t mind. Mertworld.net also some sick phots from that era and some newer ones

Hampus with a styling method that does not pay attention to international boundaries

Hampus Mosseson is a Swedish stylemaster. His style is pretty much up there in the top 10 of current riders. Hampus has been the star in films for Robotfood, Mack Dawg and currently has a film company called Actionhorse films with some friends. Upon meeting him he is pretty quiet, he seems like he can spot a bullshitter coming a mile away. In a kind of european style he is always nice, polite but does not make any fake gestures to pretend he likes people he does not know too well. Super funny at times, seems smart, if you spend any time with hi you will likely be stoked there you go read the interview…

Name: Hampus Mosseson
From: Sweden
Sponsors: Quiksilver, Omatic, Grenade, Union and Meth
Years riding: 14 years

SR: You for sure have some of the best style out there today, how do you go from being little kid in Sweden to where you are now?
HM: I guess a lot of the big pros and snowboard scene happened in Sweden when I started snowboarding; like Ingemars big air and all that. Since then I have just following like every move of Ingemar, Terje, Jamie Lynn and dudes like that, you know.

SR: You go with what you like?
HM: Yea, I have a feeling in my body, if it feels good then I hope it looks good too. That’s what I go from, my own feeling

SR: Now you have a reached a point maybe where people are looking up to you, are you happy with your success?
HM: Well, I don’t feel that way. I can see my self as a kid and see like Ingemar and all the kids that looked up to them but I don’t think they [guys like Ingemar] would see it that way, because I don’t see it right now. I still look up to a lot of people, for their riding at least but I can’t see anyone looking up to me.

SR: Are you glad to be a pro Snowboarder versus say, working at Ikea, or whatever they do in Sweden?
HM: (laughter) Yea, I am glad to be doing what I am doing for sure. It’s fun to be able to do something you love so much

SR: Who are you influence besides the guys you already said?
HM: Anyone can influence me. I could see some random kid do a cool thing and I may want to do it my way. So influences now are spread out all over but in the beginning; Jamie, Terje, Ingemar and those guys

SR: Who do like to ride with?
HM: I like to ride with Jakob (Wilhelmson) a bunch with his good style and control; control is real important to me on a snowboard. When someone is one with a snowboard so to speak, that’s when I enjoy watching a person riding

SR: What has the 07/08 brought you:
HM: It started out terrible – I broke my back

SR: In Italy? You broke your back!
HM: Yea, and it could have pretty much ended it right there but a month later I was doing 720’s off kickers and shit, so..then it turned good again. We started filming for our project actionhorsefilms.com so it’s being going well now

SR: How do you come back from a broken back in a month, eating sashimi?
HM: (laughter) Yea, well what do you do. First of all you are at the hospital for a quite a while and then you…I don’t know relax I guess, that is the only way you can heal. Eat healthy, you don’t drink alcohol and you are fine

SR: When did that happen?
HM: 1st of December

SR: When did you come to USA
HM: Middle of January with the Actionhorse crew

SR: Where all did you go this winter so all the kids can no where a pro snowboarder spends his time
HM: Pretty much started off with some rails in Sweden after breaking my back. Rails are probably not the best thing to do. (laughter) After about two weeks I came over to the US to do the powder thing, riding riding kickers and stuff. You try to squeeze in some park stuff which I never really did this year.

SR: You just ride and fim then?
HM: I only entered one contest this year and that was the Travis Rice thing (Natural Selection) but I had the flu so it did not really work out for me

SR: So you are not really a contest rider?
HM: Well, some people say I am a contest rider but I would rather just film. I guess contests are fun too. It depends on how you feel, after breaking yoru back you don’t really want to deal with that scene. You just want to ride as much as possible with your friends

SR: What’s the deal with Actionhorse films
HM: Yea, Actionhorse films is me, Jakob and Per-Hampus Stalhandske. We just always wanted to do a video together. This year we collected some money and it’s just us cruising the world and filming the people we look at as our friends. The people we wanna film with. It’s so much more than just filming your regular video part because you are so much more stoked when someone else stomps their tricks too. You feel like the movie coming together and you really work hard to make it come together.

SR: Your riding seems skateboard influenced, can you tell us about that connection to snowboarding?
HM: Yea, I started skating before snowboarding, that’s pretty much why I started snowboarding because people told me I couldn’t skateboard and ski so I hopped on the board. People say I skate like a snowboarder which is not a good thing from the skateboarders point of view (laughter) I just like to cruise and have a good feeling, do something that feels rad

SR: What do you mainly skate?
HM: I used to skate a lot of street when I was younger but as I snowboard more I don’t really have time to learn all the flip tricks. So I am just cruising pools and mini ramps, lot’s of transition

SR: Where do you spend most of your time while in the US?
HM: I got a house in Utah

SR: You like it in Utah, more than Mammoth
HM: Oh yea, way more than Mammoth (laughter) couldn’t stand Mammoth

SR: You have more noteriety in the US or Europe
HM: Probably Europe because that is where it all started but I have not been in Europe for quite a while so people probably wonder where I am at

SR: People recognize you at airports? Girls at Disco? People ask you for autographs?
HM: It happens sometimes but I try to stay under cover

SR: What are you duties as a pro snowboarder? Do they say you have to do such and such or you are fired?
HM: (laughter) My sponsors are really good like that, they ask me like one thing to do and a contest every year. Other than than I just do what I do.

SR: Sick anything else you wanna ad
HM: Just thank everyone who has helped me out

super smooth

one fine day in Lake Tahoe - far from Sweden

Bridging the gap

spining over a gap or watching tv on a couch, it looks that easy huh?

Hampus and Louie Vito

The first Pool Party in 2005 was a highly anticipated event but no one really knew what to expect. Lots of stars showed up, like Lance Mountain here grinding off the hip from the square to the round

Bucky Lasek is always in the running with crazy ass tricks, good style and good lines. Here is Bucky in 2005

Chris Miller is the undisputed king of the combi, winning in 2005, 2006, and 2007

Omar Hassan always does some crazy 2 minute runs, he is insane to watch

The first pro podium, l-r, Dave Duncan, Brian Patch, Rune Glifberg and Omar Hassan

Bob again playing around with a tribute the old combi back in Upland, CA - backside boneless

The first event was a bigger success than anyone anticipated. Lincoln Ueda

Mike Smith rocks a Smith vert at the first event

Mimi Knoop shows us the Pool Party is not just for the boys

The first ever Pro Tec Pool Party pro winner – Rune Glifberg

Even Tony Trujillo was there and he skated so smooth

Al Partenen slides through the corner in 2006 at Pool Party #2

Here is Bob again at the end of the pro jam final, he is looking pretty exhausted

Bob Burnquist front rodeo 5 in 2006

Only Bucky can get this critical in an air to fakie through the corner

bucky with broken wrist in 2006

Bucky Lasek gets extremely slobby

The only Master of Disaster – Duane Peters

Jeff Grosso can rock and roll slide as far as…well uh, Grosso

the winner in 2006, Omar Hassan spins through a 540

L-r, Chris Miller (on phone), mc Dave Duncan, Rune Glifberg, Omar Hassan and Brian Patch

Rune Glifberg – backside ollie off the hip

Two concrete rulers, two generations, one contest – Salba and Rune Glifberg

Salba airs over a friend at the second Pool Party and check the crowd in the background – nuts

Benji Galloway is nick named session killer by Omar. Don’t know why Benji is the funnest dude to skate with, I just think he can do too many tricks

07menspodium L-r, Dave Duncan, Mr. Steve Caballero, Chris Miller and Jeff Grosso

07 propodium Rune Glifberg and Bucky Lasek

07 womens podium L-r, Mimi Knoop, Cara Beth Burnside, Lyn-z, and uhh, I forgot the 4th place finisher

you don’t more classic than this, Micke Alba Airs over brother Steve

Bob Burnquist – air to fakie in a tight spot

Geoff Rowley and Jake Phelps (Thrasher Kingpin) in the crowd

April Woodcock will be girl to watch for in 2008

You think Bob Burnquist can skate different types of terrain?

The Move by Bucky – 540 hand plant rodeo

Bucky Lasek presents to you the Combi Pool which will be sight of some amazing action again on May 17, 2008

You don’t more legend status than John Cardiel and Christian Hosoi – period!!

Holy F*&^ it’s Duane Peters with the trick he invented, about 30 years ago. Never say “frontside Indy” there is no such thing

Long live the Label – John Lucero and Jeff Grosso

Lance Mountain as classic in 2007 as in 1987

Classic Chris Miller

Vans rider Josh Borden and king of the combi Chris Miller

Lyn-Z doing her best Duane Peters imitation

Rare daytime Darren Navarrette sighting

Omar Hassan

Rune pays tribute to style

Rune pays tribute to Shane Cross

Ben Schroeder’s skating is so powerful it has to be seen to understand – crazy egg plant

At every event Steve VAN Doren will be out at the grill

TNT and You Tube star Jake Brown. Seriously Jake is one of the most talented skaters out there today

How about Sergie Ventura, Tyler Mumma and Bucky Lasek coming at you?