“One for the Road” by Teton Gravity Research
Two Showings at the Orpheum Theater
1st Showing – 7:00PM
2nd Showing – 9:00PM
Doors Open 30 Minutes Prior To Showtime
**Tickets Only Available at the Door**
Tickets are $8 for Students with Student ID
or $10 for non-Students

“Is this real life?” Yep. Thanks to Teton Gravity Research (TRG), we get to see what it’s like to not only live on the edge, but what it’s like to live off the edge, flying, falling, climbing… “One for the Road” follows world-class snow athletes in pursuit of challenging nature, physics, the human body and spirit. This film captures what most people will never get to experience. L-I-V-I-N!

Shot on location with some of the world’s most progressive snow sports athletes, TRG brings home epic footage of winter adventures using some of the world’s most technologically advanced cameras including Phantom, RED, GoPro HD, and Canon DSLR. From a record-breaking season in Jackson Hole to Iceland and the Balkan wonders of Macedonia – watch these athletes explore more as they continue through Montenegro, while shredding deep pillow lines at Baldface Lodge and uncover first descents in Pemberton, BC.

Only a select few cities have the privilege of seeing this in the theater and Flagstaff, Arizona is one of them. Tuesday, November 15, 2011, Kachina Peaks Avalanche Center (KPAC) is having its annual fundraiser at the Orpheum Theater. “One for the Road” will have two evening showings, 7pm and 9pm. Proceeds go to KPAC’s avalanche awareness and safety clinics. There will be raffles and silent auction items – and of course an amazing film being shown in a theater with some really great people.

Come support KPAC and experience an unbelievable adventure while sitting in a cozy, warm seat at the Orpheum Theater.

Athletes: Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Ian McIntosh, Todd Ligare, Griffin Post, Chris Benchetler, Dylan Hood, Dash Longe, Daron Rahlves, Sven Kuenle, Erik Roner, Nick Martini, Dana Flahr, Rory Bushfield, Callum Pettit, Rachael Burks, Shroder Baker, Byron Wells, Andreas Hatveit, Tom Wallisch, Mike Riddle, Grete Eliassen, Josh Dirksen

Locations: Iceland; Macedonia; Montenegro; Pemberton, BC; Baldface Lodge, BC; Jackson Hole, WY; Juneau, AK; France; Utah; Squaw Valley, CA

If you can’t make it to the show, consider donating to KPAC.

This has been one of the best snow seasons for Arizona in many years. It would be a sin for me not to test out the fresh layers of powder snow blessing the sacred mountains of Flagstaff, Arizona. Sometimes living in Arizona, especially The Valley (Metro Phoenix), can feel a bit monotonous and even look monochromatic without the apparent changes of seasons. But really, Arizona’s best characteristic is its outdoor adventure potential.

A few weeks ago, I was posting the Flagstaff snow report on this blog and noticed that we were expecting another 4-7 inches of fresh snow. All right, for you Utah and Colorado ski elitists, that is nothing. But for us Zonie snowboarders, it means packing up the snowboard and heading up to the mountains immediately. I would have gone that night, except every place I called was completely booked already! When you only live less than a couple of hours away (again, the beauty of Arizona is being only a short road trip away from everything like beaches in Mexico, Las Vegas, one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World – Grand Canyon) everyone gets a move on real quick.

A couple of my roommates and I stayed in that Friday night and rested up for the early drive to Flagstaff Saturday morning. The drive was a sight to see; the rain had brought the desert to life with blooming cacti, wild flowers and grass lining the highway. It was strange to see so much color across the horizon leading into the now green hills of the desert. I do love the aromas that come with desert rain. If you are visiting Arizona and happen to be here when it’s raining, don’t curse because your golf game was ruined. Consider yourself lucky to be experiencing something uncommon for the area and enjoy the rare scent the desert exudes just after the rain stops. It truly is unlike any other.

After climbing into the hills on I-17, we reached the scenic stretch that descends into the Cottonwood area, only to find the whole town hidden by a low, ocean of clouds.

Snowboarding at Snowbowl

To be honest, I had a great time snowboarding at Snowbowl. This place gets a lot of mixed reviews, but here are a few things to keep in mind so you know what to expect.

1) Snowbowl is great for families.Big Bear borders will not find the same “hell yeah” music being blasted from the lodge, nor Red Bulls being passed out like nudie fliers in Vegas. There is a college-age population though, being that Northern Arizona University is right there. But for the most part, this place is good family fun.

2)Black slopes are more like blue slopes & blue slopes are short. There are a few really great runs. This is a very good place to take yourself to the next level if you are still learning to snowboard. If you are experienced, you will find yourself at the top portion of the mountain the whole day with not a ton of options. But as snowboarders, I bet you can find a way to entertain yourself.

3) Ski lifts could be better. The green ski lift is a 2-person ride, so the line is slower if you go on a busy weekend. If you can handle it, go to the blue ski lifts. Those are 3-person and they haul ass. If you are going to the black slopes, you have to get off the blue lift and catch a black lift, which means you have to wait in another line. There is no express lift to the top. My suggestion, bring a flask, turn up your i-pod and relax. The sooner you accept the lift issues, the better your experience will be.

4) Training Park is good for beginners. In other words, it’s a pretty sad set up for boarders who have the slightest idea of what they are doing. There are a couple of boxes, no rails if I remember correctly, and maybe a couple of other obstacles. My suggestion, bring a flask and turn up your i-pod.

5) Book your hotel and rent your snowboards right away if there is new snow. Great snowboarding seasons can be rare. So if you hear that there is going to be new snow in Flagstaff, the chances are that everyone else in Arizona has heard the same. Book your Flagstaff hotel right away.

Nice post over on the Arizona Snowbowl blog today about the first snow falling on Flagstaff.  David Smith describes the 14″ to 27″ snowfall at different parts of the mountain and gives an estimate of mid-December for opening of the ski resort.  We’ll keep you updated with the Snow Report.

FYI: Six to twelve inches of new snow  – and more expected this week – was reported on the website for Sunrise Park Resort, located in Arizona’s White Mountains near Greer.  We’ll keep you apprised of their snow report as well.