george crosland photo blog

As always, when you go on snowboard trip you try to enjoy the whole experience

High Power Lines taking juice to So Cal in the Owens Valley pre dawn light

Sometimes you feel like camping! I slept at these hot springs from about 1 am - 6 am. Sat in here drinking Keystone Light from 11pm - 1 am. Just sitting there, sipping on beer alone watching the night sky and a LOT of meteorites - Ownes Valley, about an hour from Mammoth

bed for the night

For whatever reason I awoke way before dawn. It was well below freezing and tough to get out of “bed” The sune was nice on the mountains so I wandered around and took some photos. Right about the time this photo was takling some sketchy ass couple drove past me, did a donut, drove to another camper a few hundred yards away, did another donut. Then proceeded to drive like a lunatic back to the hot springs and within minute they were bangin’ and fightin’ at the same time. I heard her moaning and then heard him saying “you better behave or you are walking home” Yes, they did disturb the pre-dawn quiet but it was worth it to hear the drama, too funny

Any real snowboarder has seen the dawn on some mountain range after an all night drive or possibly airplane flight. Dawn is always trippy. Dawn is the beginning of the new day, whether you are on your way to shred, surf or regretting what you did the night before and wishing the dawn would stay away, dawn will always be there. The White Mountains

It had snowed about 20″ in mammoth the day before

The noids - not really rideable yet but kind of - bring an old board and helmet

Elk on the side of the road in the Owens Valley

Is this California or Montana?

Adam Lovejoy made a snowboard movie called That Snowboard Movie. He had a little premier at Whiskey Creek. The movie was pretty sick with riding by lot’s of heads; Gabe Taylor, Pat Bentcheley, Matt Mo and even Snowboard Revolutions own Johnny Centi. Here is Adam with his chick Nicole. The movie is definitely better than watching RSN so get a hold of one if you can

Snowboarder and DJ Matt Mo (Moriarity)

For those curious about the riding, here are some snaps from around Mammoth - top of 3, Sunday Dec 9

Some little hits in the Forest Trail Intermediate Park

Main Park Hip

Main Park “big” jump

Jibtastic part of the main park, on Sunday they also opened the PBRJ venue to the public, now that was cool

The top was open. Temp 5 degrees, wind 20-50 mph

Mammoth doing it’s best impression of Europe with the Gondola popping out of the clouds

Cornice was the way down from the top with the best coverage - by far

If you saw Aaron Bitners top 5 in Transworld. They ask about his top five metal bands. His response: I dont like that crap, sorry if that offends, if I had to pick Slayer, Gwar

Now I like to think that response was directed directly at Snowboard-Revolution since when we were up there shhoting with Bitner my boss and I kept saying metal this and metal that. Aaron was diplomatic in his response in Transworld, He said what hwe believes in apolite way. He is a good kid and fucking ripper for sure. In way, his response was kind of metal

I can’t blame him, not everyone grew up in the 80’s, ha

www.mtbaker.us

For a while Shaun White earned the moniker, the flying pirate. I think it was the first X Games at Aspen where Saun took the Ski Patrol flag at Buttermilk, which happened to be a pirate flag, for a spin through the slopestyle course.

So sad to see the season end. Finally hooked up with Johnny Centi, Lonnie Kauk and Andrew Miller. So fun to ride with those guys. They make the most out of everything. There were parties all over the mountain, girls chugging JD, lots of costumes - very good vibes. Andrew took some INSANE shots so here are just a few of mine. I only took my elph

The flag and smiles

Johnny Revoultion - Shredding the jump made of pallets

Lonnie Kauk and Marie, from Japan. Lonnie may get some footy in the new Standard flick

Over the rocks and through the creek led to the terrain park

Party at 11,053 feet

Until next season - cheers

Went up to McCall Idaho this past weekend. It was supposed to be the closing weekend at Tamarack but they closed the week prior. No problem, there are lots of things to do in the Idaho mountains in the spring.

Price Valley Idaho in the spring

My good friend Jim moved from mammoth and has a great life up there. You can ride dirt bikes from his house. In the distance on the right is Brundage Mountain

We found a dog in the middle of the woods and it walked right up to us, we gave it a ride to safety

McCall has a great Grindline Park. Good street area, flow area and a few bowls

There Door Bowl

Lucas, from Boise goes through the door/cradle, the only oververt door in the world

Lucas again

Goose Creek falls

Another ride - 15 miles from the pavement, looking for a lookout tower, in the rain, in the Alpine zone, nothing but large trees, elk tracks, water and fog

Boulder Creek Idaho

Puppy

Meanwhile, back home in So Cal

My friends at the X Games asked me to do a little piece on Lines, a big mountain riding movie and interview the film maker/big mountain rider Axel Pauporte for their website. It is a sick film.

Check it out here

http://expn.go.com/expn/story?pageName=lines

This past weekend was closing weekend up in Big Bear. Both Bear Mt. and Snow Summit closed up for the weekend. Sorry to see the season end but man, it was one of the crappiest years in So Cal in a long time. A far cry from two years ago when I was making turns on Mt Baldy at the end of June. Ah, well when you are complaining about not snowboarding enough, things could be worse

Started off at Bear Mountain, things were pretty slim but fun. The snow was really slow and soft but they had some fun obstacles set up

Here is the scene at the top of the quad

Tindy grab off the slow big jump

Getting into the Easter spirit

Nose press

Bunny getting gnarly

Good bye to the snow, so sad to see you go

Also cruised by Snow Summit for a few runs

Took off in the afternoon down a 40 mile dirt road through the mts to the desert. Here is a 100 year old mine overlooking Baldwin Lake

Took off in the afternoon down a 40 mile dirt road through the mts to the desert. Here is a 100 year old mine overlooking Baldwin Lake

Home to lots of Rattlesnakes

Also home to good hippies at the Bowen Ranch, gateway to the wonderful Deep Creek hot springs

Here is a beautiful swimming hole used by naked hippies and spring breakers

Surrounded by hot springs that are a great place to spend the night

Let’s not forget the desert pipes. These beauties over look the Mojave desert and are about 16 feet tall

This set is shorter, like 12-14 feet but are way longer and connected so you can transfer

Good times, live life to the fullest, so long desert, till next spring

Got to cruise arounf the slushy Park City slopes with Kimmy Fasani today. She is a rad chick that snowboards with some style and skills. We will do an interview soon

Cool old motel

The sun set over the Great Salt Lake from my motel room. I love what you see when you are on the road

Northstar At Tahoe