Cold Smoke veteran Pete Jessen enjoying the films.

As far as People’s Choice venues go, Cold Smoke definitely has a home-town advantage at The Cat’s Paw.  The event was packed, with roughly 300 people coming out to see local Montana heroes and bigger names alike in the 8 films that were featured at the show.  The degree of crowd participation during the films made the entire Cat’s Paw show an extremely energetic experience.

Milton Menasco & The Big Fiasco rocking out to some ski stoke.

After the films, Milton Menasco and The Big Fiasco kept the party rocking in a manor unique to Bozeman.  Big Sky Brewing allocating just as much beer for this show as they did the 900 person venue at SIA speaks to the degree of rowdiness that this party operates at, and it selling out in about half the time only solidifies the stereotype.

Tatanka

The ninth stop of the 2012 People’s Choice Tour was held at Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom in Denver, CO in conjunction with TREW Gear and Bomb Snow Magazine’s SIA Trewly Bomb Show.  In addition to a plethora of films, cheap beer, and great prizes, this PCT stop also incorporated music into the experience.   The evening kicked off with a performance by The Funky Monks which, along with the copious amounts of Big Sky Brew allocated for the event, got the crowd amped up to see the the films.  After the films, dub-reggae band Tatanka got the crowd primed for a mind blowing performance by Supreme Action League.

The turnout of the ski and snowboard industry was apparent, as the first free keg of Powder Hound Winter Ale was gone before the films even started.  This didn’t phase the notoriously festive crowd though, and they lit up the dance floor at Cervantes until the lights came on at 2:00am.

The Denver PCT stop was a great reminder of how strong the winter culture is, and that it can thrive even outside of core mountain communities.  The turnout of our contemporaries was great, but the bands that were incorporated in the show also brought their own followings through the door.  These urbanites were captivated by the films that we showed in the Mile High City, and they truly embraced and appreciated Cold Smoke’s purpose for existence.

Wompers Womping at the Womp.

Durango:

Bringing the Cold Smoke People’s Choice Tour ski towns in Colorado is a no-brainer, but it wasn’t until we caught wind of an event called WINTER WoMP that Durango showed up on the radar.  WINTER WoMP is a traveling event that brings wompy electronic music, intense lights, dancers, and winter spirit to venues all over the west. The dub-step music scene is blowing up everywhere outside of Montana, so we hopped on WW’s bill at the Abbey Theatre in the name of inclusiveness.  The show attracted an unusually diverse audience, even by Cold Smoke’s standards.  From denim to dinosaur costumes, you name it and “that guy” was there.  Throughout the evening the Montana-flavored film festival transformed into a Skittle-flavored womp party with J.Wail and Prophet Massive, and it was embraced by all those in attendance.

The Fundra outside of The Grand Imperial Hotel, Silverton, CO.

Silverton:

All womped out, the Cold Smoke crew fled the big city and took refuge in an old mining town in the San Juans known as Silverton.  The eighth stop of the People’s Choice Tour was held in the wonderfully preserved bar room of the Grand Imperial Hotel.  Originally built in the late 19^thcentury, the G.I. once stood to provide warm shelter to miners, outlaws, and women of the night from southwest Colorado’s harsh climate.  The hotel’s artwork, architecture, and genuine hospitality speak to a small town feel that is extinct in much of the world, but is still very alive in Silverton.

The few, the proud, the residents of Silverton.

The crowd at the G.I. couldn’t have been more ideal for a Cold Smoke event.  They were more involved in the show than any other audience on the tour thus far, and it was apparent that everyone there was either living in or visiting Silverton solely because of their love for winter.

This became familiar scenery in Silverton after a 28" storm.

The San Juans are Colorado’s biggest, snowiest, and most hazardous mountain range.  Since the decline and fall of the local mining industry, these attributes have caused Silverton to become a hub for some of the most badass backcountry enthusiasts.   The Cold Smoke crew got lucky enough to hook up with a said badasses, Sally and Mike Barney, for a ski tour on a 28” day.  The extremely heavy snow load on top of a deeply faceted snow layer made for the most active avalanche activity that anyone on the trip had ever experienced.  People in the group were remotely triggering slides 100 feet away on every aspect imaginable. The crowns were as deep as 30”, and some of the fractures propagated up to 150’ in length.  Although these conditions drastically limited the terrain that the group could travel to and shralp on, plenty of face shots were claimed, and plenty of hoots were hollered.

Silverton local Mike Barney in a very unstable white room.

Jonas Grenz gettin' some on Alberta Peak at Wolf Creak Ski Area

Wolf Creek:

Due to the crippling avalanche conditions, the crew hit the road a day early in search of stable snow.  Wolf Creek sounded like the place to be; partially because it was on the way, but mostly because they get more snow than any other resort in Colorado.  At first glance, Wolf Creek appeared to be a fairly mellow, traditionally operated ski hill.  This conception remained prevalent among the group until we discovered the terrain accessible from Knife Ridge. Here, you can hike a mere 100 vertical feet from the top of the Alberta lift and find untouched, rowdy lines all day long.

Spending time in places like Wolf Creek and Silverton lends significant of insight to what keeps winter recreation alive and evolving.  It isn’t resorts with $140 lift tickets or fancy spas, it’s the people who love living in the mountains and are constantly making personal sacrifices to keep the dream alive.  In an age of financial bailouts and shows like Jersey Shore, reconsidering the American dream can be a worthwhile endeavor for anyone who hasn’t already found bliss.  Who knows, you might have an epiphany someday and end up in the mountains with the rest of us.

A cluster of happy Brewvie-goers before the show.

If there is one thing that Salt Lake City isn’t known for, it’s an abundance of fine beer drinking establishments.  Brewvies Cinema, however, is one of the coolest watering holes out there.  Brewvies isn’t just another cinema that serves beer; it’s a great pub with an extensive beer repertoire that also shows movies.  The venue serves a dozen or so Utah microbrews on tap, and also offers several higher-octane options in bottles.

Producer Jason Shahinfar enlightening the Salt Lake crowd on his masterpiece: "A Short Film About Ice Fishing".

The Salt Lake show was sponsored by Moab Brewery, who provided the audience with high quality beer at third-world prices, and of course, tons of swag.  Local sponsor Panda Poles also jumped on board and gave away some great prizes throughout the night.  People’s Choice filmmakers Jason Shahinfar of A Short Film About Ice Fishing and a few RadBots from We’re Just Like You graced the audience with their presence, which emphasized the interactive experience that Cold Smoke strives for.

The crowd Alta's Bobcat lift watching patrol bomb some snow.

Before leaving town, Cold Smoke headed up to Alta to ski 14” of fresh snow.  The heavy load was the first the mountains surrounding Salt “Lake City had seen in some time (by their standards, anyway), and served as a catalyst for substantial avalanche activity.  The widespread instability allowed the Alta Ski Patrol to put on a powerful show for the gaggle of jonesing skiers waiting for the Bobcat and Collins lifts to start turning.  They triggered a slide on Alf’s High Rustler that ran clear over the cat track, which gifted Alta’s snowcat operators with an unplanned mid-morning project.  The queue could have grown disgruntled as a result of the delayed opening, but the resulting joy of the first powder day in weeks was contagious and the majority of the crowd understood the circumstances.   Once open, the resort was saturated with fair-weather yelps that had been absent from Little Cottonwood Canyon’s airspace in for weeks.  Life in the Wasatch is back to normal,  thank Ullr.

A cape is all the confidence this 4-year-old skijor master needed to slay the course.

Victor, ID:

How come you never hear about an epic snow year until it’s over, but the chatter about a terrible year is constant as it unfolds?  This season’s sparce snowfall has had an impact on all walks of winterites, the lack of snow even forced the Teton Valley Winter Festival’s annual skijoring event to be relocated from it’s scheduled Main Street venue to the outskirts of Victor, Idaho.  Regardless of location, the event drew a sizable crowd from all over the Rockies and provided a uniquely western experience to all those who attended.  The talent at the event varied from beginners to professionals, which made for a wide range of results across the score board.  Cold Smoke was there to cheer on Bozemanite Toby Lamar, who placed 1st in his division with Team Whitefish.

Visibility like this is a rarity in the Tetons.

We arrived in Victor early enough to size up our venue the night before the show at The Knotty Pine Supper Club.  The bartender, Adam, lent an optimistic assessment of the local snow conditions, which sharply contrasted with everything we had seen and heard up to this point in the trip.  He described the skiing as “pretty good”, which by a Targhee local’s standards translates to “really soft”.  This news was very welcomed, as the resort is often home to some of the least-traveled sidecountry terrain in the west.  The 72 hour-old snow was soft, fast, and smooth.  Combined with abundant high pressure, the conditions at Targhee were the best that the crew had ridden in weeks.

The Cold Smoke Fundra outside Idaho's most happenin' supper club.

Adam also predicted a “pretty good” turn out for the show, and it went off.  The Victor stop was a genuinely energetic celebration of winter culture; precisely what the Cold Smoke People’s Choice Tour strives to achieve.  Locals came out in full force to support Brandon Gust’s film On Snow, Rock, and Ice, and KGB’s Wyoming Triumph.  Most of the crowd would have preferred something light and cheap if you had asked, but they embraced change and annihilated a keg of Big Sky’s Powder Hound Ale in no time.

A KGB fan rocking her sweet new Wyoming Triumph hat.

Wilson, WY:

On Saturday, the 2012 People’s Choice Tour over the pass to The Stagecoach Bar in Wilson, WY.  The quiet atmosphere was quickly transformed by the presence of the KGB crew, Full Room Productions, Stormshow Studios, and a group of French tourists.  Even the bartender had killer segments in two of the films, it very apparent that we were in Jackson Hole.

DJ Craze spun the night away at The Million Dollar Cowboy bar after Yelawolf's set.

Operating in the shadow of the greatest annual party in the snowboarding community enabled the crew to wrap up the show in a timely manner.   We checked out Jackson Hole Snowboarder Magazine’s issue release party, a production that echoed the quality of their publication. Shady Records’ Yelawolf played a set that thrilled the Wyoming crowd by integrating classic rock with fresh beats.  Word has it that the current issue of the magazine will be the last, but Jackson Hole’s snowboarding culture has become incredibly strong over the magazine’s seven year run.  The community is very alive in Jackson, and is likely to quickly regroup and create a ‘zine of equal quality in the near future.

Corbet's couloir looking a bit hairy...

Sunday brought bluebird skies and comfortable temperatures to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, and the Cold Smoke crew was able to walk right onto the tram and turn laps all day long.  Skiing isn’t supposed to be easy, and the abundance of hard pack and loud powder made for a very exciting day on the hill.   Conditions of this nature regularly emphasize a skier’s mistakes, but also do work to reward those who are willing to embrace them for what they are with an elevated sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.  Winter isn’t always the easiest season to love in Jackson, but it’s impossible to quit.

Sun Valley may not be known for its abundance of cold smoke snow, but what they lack in accumulation they make up for in consistency.  The meticulously maintained terrain combined with 3,000 vertical feet of terrain makes for one hell of a skiing experience.  In fact, the resort is probably some of the best skiing in the west right now.  With many western ski areas struggling to stay afloat during this sub-par snow year, spending time at the resort with the best snowmaking and grooming in the world is beyond ideal.

Tona Majors takes a minute to appreciate Sun Valley's heritage.

The history is rich in Sun Valley, and Adam Majors, a lifetime resident, insisted that our experience wasn’t complete without a tour of the Sun Valley lodge.  We took his word and enjoyed a narrated tour of the lodge’s lavish halls to the faint tune of a classical piano leaking from the nearby Duchin Lounge.  The Cold Smoke crew spent the evening reading Hemingway’s last letter, gazing at photographs of historical figures from Robert Kennedy to Warren Miller, learning about North America’s first chairlift, and drinking cans of Big Sky Brew.

Kicking off the Sun Valley People's Choice stop with a bang!

After a great day skiing at the resort, we hosted the third stop of the 2012 People’s Choice Tour at Apple’s Bar and Grill. The show kicked off in true Cold Smoke fashion with a surprise  landing in front of the venue by some local speed flying pilots.  The restaurant sits on some of the most prime real estate in town, but maintains a fun and casual vibe.  This genuine atmosphere combined with the presence of local hot dogger Axle Peterson made for a great time in an intimate setting.

Face shot in an irrigated alfalfa field.

Earlier that day, we hooked up with Launch Box Magazine speedflyers Adam Majors, Dan “Danimal” Hoffman, Karel Koudelka, and their crew.  We witnessed some truly awesome flights, including a cut-away flight by pilot Will Burks.  Speedflying is one of the most progressive sports of today, and these guys are on the leading edge of it all.  When the Launch Box crew isn’t out pioneering flights or dialing insane maneuvers, they’re spending their free time to promoting the growth of this exciting new sport.

The trusty Cold Smoke Toyota "Fundra" outside of the historic Sawtooth Hotel. Stanley, Idaho.

Later in the week, we ventured north to Stanley, Idaho to do some speedflying with the Launch Box crew, Nick Greece and Matt Beechinor.  The landscape was comprised of rolling sagebrush foothills that gave way to wide open frozen wetland.  It couldn’t have been a less intimidating venue for aspiring pilots. This ideal setting and world class instruction made for an incredible experience.  Speedflying can be appreciated by anyone who loves recreating in the outdoors, not just professional athletes and adrenalin junkies.  Even so, the sport requires an elevated level of determination and a whole lot of know-how to do safely and properly.  Sun Valley is shaping up to be the mecca of this rapidly growing sport, so keep an eye on Launch Box magazine for the latest developments in speedflying instruction and outfitting.

The second stop of the 2012 People’s Choice Tour brought the Cold Smoke crew to The Badlander in Missoula, MT.  This town has one of the most laid back atmospheres of any mountain town in the west and our January 5^th stop only further solidified this conception.  Of all of the different walks of life that converge in downtown Missoula on a given Thursday night, The Badlander show brought in the best of them.  The audience raved about the films, were stoked on all of the raffle prizes we gave away, and made quick work of the $2 Big Sky Brewing pints.  Some local break dancing talent showed up after the show and kept the crowd amped all night.

A view from the bottling line at The Big Sky Brewery in Missoula, MT.

The morning after the show, Charlie Brodell treated us to in-depth tour of the Big Sky Brewery.  Talk about an incredible operation.  There are many micro-breweries that offer tours in Montana, but none that operate on the level that these guys do.  The engineering marvel that is their production line is absolutely mind blowing, and the company’s goals and values are equally as notable.  The crew even got to sample a tasty new take on Big Sky’s popular Scape Goat Pale Ale.  The new beer is brewed with Australian Galaxy hops and will be known as Space Goat.  Also notable is Big Sky Brewing’s ability to run such a tight ship at maximum capacity.  It is not uncommon for their brew house to run 24 hours a day for weeks on end, and the staff still manages to keep it looking like a museum.

Sillsy drops some yeasty knowledge on the Cold Smoke crew.

After the tour, we loaded up our Toyota Tundra with enough beer to convince strangers that we have good taste for 3 weeks of après scenes.  We also picked up Chris Sill, a member of Big Sky Brewing’s marketing staff from the brewery.  Sillsy is coming along to make sure that the beer stays cold, wet, and available for the rest of the tour.  We are really excited to have such a genuine representation of Missoula on the team, and will surely benefit from his passion for good times.

Ullr showing his stoke for Cold Smoke

Putting on a show in your hometown can be a tiring experience ridden with angst.  Making a fool of yourself in front of a bunch of strangers is one thing, but nobody wants to blow it in front of a bunch of familiar faces.  The first stop of the 2012 Cold Smoke People’s Choice Tour could have been one of these stressful ordeals, but our hometown crowd lives in Big Sky, Montana.

Aside from a few very minor technical difficulties, the People’s Choice stop at Lone Peak Cinema in Big Sky went off without a hitch.  The show sold out entirely in pre-sale, the crowd was fully immersed in the films, beer flowed like wine, and the venue (especially the staff that primarily consists of Big Sky Snowsports School instructors) was top notch.

The Lone Peak Cinema staff holding down the concession stand.

By founding Lone Peak Cinema in 2011, Scott Fisher and Sally Patrick have made an enormous contribution to Big Sky along with winter culture as a whole.  This isn’t your typical movie theater; the venue provides a place for vacationing families and locals alike to enjoy a wide range of films and events in the Big Sky community.   It will also soon be the first establishment of its nature to hold a liquor license in the state of Montana.  So matter what brings you to Big Sky next time, be sure to stop by the theater to see what’s going on.  Chances are it’ll be right up your alley and worth your while.

Cold Smoke People’s Choice Tour video blog episode 1 from Cold Smoke on Vimeo.

Heads up!  The Cold Smoke Awards is hosting a POV contest.

Cold Smoke’s People’s Choice Tour is coming back to mountain towns all over the Rockies this year and we want to show everyone how rad it is to be in your driver’s seat. We want to see that edit you’ve been slaving away at all summer…or the one that you’re just going to throw together after discovering this.  The winning vid will come along with us on Cold Smoke’s 2012 People’s Choice Tour, and will also be officially entered submitted to The 2012 Cold Smoke Awards for judging. The winner will also receive a prize package including 2 all-access VIP passes to the 2012 Cold Smoke Awards in Bozeman, MT, 2 lift tickets to Bridger Bowl, and 1 year subscription to Bomb Snow Magazine.   Contest starts Nov 21st (Monday).

How to submit your vid: Yourmust post a link to your vid. on the Cold Smoke Awards Facebook page.

Click here to see the entries: The Cold Smoke Point of View

Rules:

Your submission must be uploaded to vimeo.com (youtube videos will not be accepted).

You must post a link to your vid. on the Cold Smoke Awards Facebook page to enter

Entry Length:  3 minute max

Submissions due by Dec 16th

Must be winter-related, but not necessarily just skiing/snowboarding/snowmobiling *

Must be filmed with a POV camera, although creative angels are encouraged.

* We are accepting all submissions that are a result of your infatuation with winter culture.  If context is needed, please include it in the video, not in an explanatory e-mail.

The Sherpa’s first feature, A Fine Line accomplished something previously unattained; it created an action sports film serving a purpose higher than just being fun to watch, it educated and motivated people to learn avalanche safety.

Sherpas on the Freshfeild. All photos courtesy of Sherpas Cinema

Expanding on this accomplishment, the Sherpa’s have gone even further in their latest endeavor. With the education objective soundly accomplished by A Fine Line, ALL.I.Can is hyper focused, and strives to inspire.  It engages its audience in a multi-faceted tour-de-force of narrative, imagery, music, and of course, mind blowing action.  Writer-director-cinematographer-editor Dave Mossop has re-defined what it means to be a snow sports filmmaker on more levels than one.

Visually Mossop has captured our planet in it’s purest form: a living, breathing, volatile and wildly un-predictable haven for our spices, and every other.  Viewers are griped by stark imagery showcasing the delicate balance of human life standing narrowly in some of the most formidable environments on earth, juxtaposed with the destructive creation that is human civilization.

The Sherpas getting deep.

Volcan Puyehue erupts

A wildly creative scene of time, seasons, and fabulously deep Canadian powder repositions the audience from the edge of their seats to the familiar and giddy laughter of an epic powder day. Jumping to the exotic location of Volcan Puyehue, the Sherpa’s take down never before skied lines into the interior of one of Chile’s largest volcanoes, ending in an event that will make their tracks the first, last, and only ever to be laid on this terrain.

The narrative Mossop weaves is dead simple in its premise.  It raises a question about humanity and its current situation on our earth.  It points no fingers, and offers no specific solutions.  Some have said that All.I.Can is an “environmental ski film”.  In a way, it could be viewed as such.  However, at its core it is a film about people, and the individual’s ability to make a stand, taking action in a direction they know to be true.

Some things dont need language to be said.

Without spoiling the film I can only say, All.I.Can ends with a proposition that one can only describe as truly inspiring.

Our staff here at the Cold Smoke Awards is very proud to be hosting this film in cooperation with Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Association. We honestly feel All.I.Can is quite possibly the most important film to come out of the world of snow sports in the 8 years the CSA has been in existence.

If you like creative film, or snow and mountains, or you would just like to be inspired, come watch this film on November 11^th at the Emerson Cultural Center in Bozeman.  Thanks for reading (and hit that “like” button below to share with your friends).

More details at: http://www.coldsmokeawards.com/events/sherpas-cinema-all-i-can-premier

By Anjin Herndon