The White Goddess is Soon Upon Us

Yes, it was a dream. You weren't snowboarding, not yet anyway. Unless you happened to be in Utah and pillaged the few millimeters of slush that teased the snow junkies jibbing rails. But don't despair the season is right around the corner and it's time to get ready for the snow has fallen in the Rockies.

The fall season is always the hardest for me. The days become shorter and cooler. You know it's going to snow soon and the resorts will open, but when? And how can I get stoked for the winter as the Indian summer lingers on?

A great start to get excited for the snow would be to check the plethora of ski and snowboard videos premiers. Last year, as we all know, was not one to brag about. Thanks to global warming many resorts closed early and annual snow averages were way down, but somehow the filmmakers did it again and got the job done with unbelievable footage of your favorite athletes.

Last week Teton Gravity Research, also known as TGR, premiered their newest and greatest "Lost and Found" in their hometown of Jackson Hole. Words cannot describe the insane footage captured by the seasoned professionals at TGR. Each year the athletes push the limits. Just when you think it couldn't get any better, athletes like Candide Thovex prove otherwise. The sequence of the Candide Thovex Invitational is a prime example of the progression and future of both ski and snowboarding events. You have to see it to believe it. The final scene, and most epic, is that of legendary big mountain rider Jeremy Jones. If only I could be in his boots for a day. Don't miss this premier, which should be coming to a venue near you.

TGR are not the only ones to throw a banging party for the start of their movie tours, as Match Stick Production out of Canada one-upped the party with a free outdoor viewing in the Village at Whistler. Who could not get stoked viewing sick tricks and steep lines on a jumbotron with a thousand other snow loving fools?

So put on your new steeze, head out to a show near you and get ready because at the end of the day it's all about getting stoked to hang with your posse and shred the white goddess of pleasure.

Here are a few Web sites to check out for tour dates near you:
www.tetongravity.com "Lost and Found"
www.ragefilms.com "Enjoy"
www.mspfilms.com "Seven Sunny Days"
www.burton.com "Thanks in Advance"
www.blankpaperstudio.com "in short"
www.sandboxland.com "Time Well Wasted"
www.absinthe-films.com "Optimistic?"

Michelle Hunt is a former X-Games boardercross competitor and regular contributor to the First Stoke community. Check back regularly to read more articles from Michelle.

*Picture provided by Syndicate Bindings