The twelth month

Well December 2010, has seen all extremes of weather and snow conditions, the season start, 2 camps, as well as all the usual festive shenanegans.

When snow started settling in Morzine late October and the feeling around town was good, by beginning of December it was ecxtatic. They opened avoriaz early for a weekend and the conditions where nothing short of epic. I can say that even though I was working, I got close enough to tell, as well as all the friends who kept calling me to rub it in how good it was. Even met one local who having grown up in Morzine was kinda over skiing and had not been for over 2 years, however that weekend even he saw it as too good to miss.

With conditions so good and spirits high we were very much looking forward to the camps a week later, but how nature can be so cruel and we got 3 days of rain, of which the silver lining is that we now have a solid base for future falls, but was quite depressing to see winter lovliness turn to spring dampness over night.

But not to be glum tings were still good and when the camps started all pistes were open and more snow was forecast. It actually worked well as we had good (if a little firm) pistes for the first couple of days, great for making sure your technique is upto scratch (less margin of error) then a small dump to freshen everything up and get off piste without the complications of it being too deep, keeping it super fun.

And then it dumped like you dream of, 50cm over night of good super light fluffiness. For some though it was too deep and became a lesson in confidence and how long you can let your board run straight for, keep that nose up. But such a good day with many first tracks laid and good demonstrations of what can be done when the conditions are good and your as talented and fit as Stenti, as he led the charge with the boys all day.

But alas at the end of the week everybody had to head home, which due to snow falling just about all over Europe was more of a challenge then it should be, with most campers having to spend a night in Geneva, some though took the opportunity and came back upto Morzine for an extra days shredding, like it.

Hope you all had a great christmas and a new Year that is just as good.

We will be thinking of you fom out here, where oh it has snowed again.

Happy birthday to me

Even got a present from Mother nature

Although the 4 hour delay at Geneva airport due to snow isn't so much fun

It just keeps on coming

I took a photo this morning of the snow that had fallen at the chalet over the last few days, haven't had the chance to get upto Avoriaz and see if the 50cm forecast had fallen.

This was 12 hours ago, it has been snowing of and on at the chalet all day, but when I got home midafternoon the snow had not yet started settling at our house some 300mtrs lower and 8km down the valley.

I just took this photo outside, it's dark so sorry about blur but you can get the idea.

This is the forecast for tonight.

That 25cm at 1200 can translate into twice as much at 1800.

Which ever way you put it thats loads of snow ( certainly more than the uk is getting ).

Along with (as yet unconfirmed ) reports of Avoriaz and Les Gets opening at the weekend, season is getting off to a great start.

Bring it on.

Just 4 Girls & Keep a Breast join forces!

It's always the first day

Whether on camps or normal weeks we always have to make the effort on the first day to remind guests of everything you need to take up the hill. It's perfectly understandable as your not in the practise of having it all to hand.

Well today me and a couple of friends took advantage fo a lovely suny day and recent snow fall, and hiked the Arare. although in the end it was a great success and got some good powder turns and had the whole place to our selves, Paul left his boots behind and I left the memory card for the camera in the computer, Doh!

well I will just have to go again soon to get the photographic evidence of how nice it is looking up there, damn.

still puts a smile on your face though, well it did mine. Bagged first turnsof the season.

Love it when you get snow, showers and heavy in the same sentence

Having had a good early start to snow fall this year, a warm front came over on friday and it rained everywhere. This has left the lower slopes looking a little bare but was not enough to effect the upper slopes too much, in fact causing it to freeze solid and help build a good base. So all we need now is some fresh snow on top and it's time to get the snow shoes out.
Oh and look whats coming our way.

TOMORROW - MONDAY NOVEMBER 15
Morning fœhn wind - becoming quickly rainy in the afternoon - getting colder
SKY CONDITIONS (cloud - sunshine) : cloudy with sunny spells in the morning - becoming quickly mostly cloudy to overcast in the afternoon - period of sunshine close to 60%.
PRECIPITATION : starting up in the afternoon - moderate - rain-snow limit towards 2000 m, dropping towards 1200 m at night.
WIND - aloft : SSW strong -> SSE moderate - fœhn still strong in the valley at first.
TEMPERATURE : min +3°C - max +12°C.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 16
Unsettled - snow showers - improving later
SKY CONDITIONS (cloud - sunshine) : overcast - becoming mostly cloudy - locally cloudy with fleeting spell towards the evening - period of sunshine close to 10%.
PRECIPITATION : frequent and locally heavy showers in the morning - becoming scattered in the afternoon - rain-snow limit between 1000 and 900 m.
WIND - aloft : E -> N moderate.
TEMPERATURE : dropping highs.

EXTENDED OUTLOOK UNTIL FRIDAY NOVEMBER 19 2010
Wednesday : fairly sunny - slightly milder. Thursday : disturbance crossing over from the west - snow showers. Fiday : fairly sunny and cold.




These were taken on the way upto Avoriaz on Thursday. Plenty ridable already, and loads of people were hiking up and around town.

Mervin makes fun

I have been fortunate enough to see round the Burton factory in Vermont and it was an impressive visit and I don't want to take anything away from them, as no denying they make great snowboards, but it's a very different place from what you find at the Mervin factory. Theres no denying these guys love snowboarding, they love making boards and making snowboarding better.

BSS 2010 Ep4-4 Mervin Manufacturing Factory Tour from Big Jump on Vimeo.

Kelly Slater still got it

I know it's not particularily snowboarding, but you've got to respect him for it. Kelly Slater has just made his 1oth world title, get on.

Snow glorious snow

It snowed today and is due to carry on through till Tuesday snowline hovering around 1000mtrs.
Thats good.
Watch this space

Just Snowboard Camps & Mint Snowboarding are stoked to announce a new collaboration with the Keep a Breast Foundation.


The Keep A Breast Foundation™ is a non-profit organization that uses art, events & educational programs to raise awareness of methods of prevention and early detection of breast cancer among young people. Their mission is to help eradicate breast cancer by exposing young people to methods of prevention, early detection and support as well as inspiring young people to adopt lifestyle choices that have long-term health benefits.

There will be two Just 4 Girls snowboard camp weeks running in association with Keep a Breast this winter:

* 11th – 18th December 2010, Just 4 Girls
* 2nd – 9th April, Just 4 Girls (Progression week)

Proceeds from the camps will be going to this very worthwhile charity and campers will receive info packs including a Breast Self Exam cards, as well as receiving a trendy bracelet from the ‘I love boobies’ campaign. There will also be the option of becoming a member of the KAB Foundation.

For more info on the camps go to www.just-snowboard.com/camps

Time to get the winter woolies out.

Winter is officially here, the last couple of weeks has seen a steady decline in temperature resulting in snow down to 1500 last night. So as I look up from my window now the Pleney, Point de Nyon and all up towards Avoriaz have a lovely new winter coat. It's due to stay cold with a heavy snowfall down to below town on wednesday.

The last time we had such a quick oncoming of winter was 3 years ago when they opened the lifts on 15th November ahead of an awsome season. Heres hoping.



In the run up to the season the resorts of the Portes du Soliel have been undertaking some major works to improve the system.

Les Gets has replaced the gondola from town, and upgraded one of our favorite chairs from the rickety old 3 man to highspeed quad, making so much easier to get to that fantastic view of Mnt Blanc, oh and all that lovely off piste.

The new Chamoissiere chair. Half the time, that means twice the runs, ooh gonna be good.

Work has started in earnest on the new indoor swimming pool in Morzine and major construction in Avoriaz that will include a swimming complex and replacment of the Prodain cable car with a much faster 20 man bubble, which will make a huge difference to getting up the hill in the morning. Unfortunately these works aren't sheduled to finish untill next year.

There is one part of bad news however that you maybe able to help with. Last year Snowparks Avoriaz built a 4th kicker and rail park through the trees next to the upper slopes in Lindarets. Now I know jumps and rails aren't everyones cup of tea, but for those that they are, Avoriaz has always been a popular spot as the first resort in Europe to have a park and been at the forefront of such facilities ever since. The Lindaret park was a great asset in a number of ways, one of the major bonuses was that being in the trees could be ridden on a bad weather low viz day.

Now there is a growing group of riders who would obviously like to see the Lindaret park this year and if you possibly had a moment spare it would be much appreciated by all of us if you could join the facebook group and help put the resort under some pressure to include it again in this years plans. thank you

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=150226005014801



8 weeks to go, ciao

Where did summer go?

It seems only yesterday we were at the board test. The season was over but we were still snowboarding. And now we are already looking back on the summer and getting excited about the fast approaching winter.

With camps kicking off in the first week we thankfully won't have to wait too long before we can introduce the refinements we have made and the fun they will bring.

We are happy to introduce a couple of new friends to our family. Joining Quiksilver and LibTech in supporting us we now have Ortovox saftey technology and Bluebird wax, who's products you will see in our offerings.

We have also pinned down photographer Damien, to join us for a session each camp and have a professional photoshoot, not only to experience what goes on but have some quality keepsakes to show you mom when you get home.

We will be back soon to keep you updated with preparations for the winter, but in the mean time if any of you are in the london area during the ski show we wil be in town and always looking for an excuse for a drink and to talk snowboarding.

Jamie Nicholls makes first cover in first on snow season

After just one season on snow 16 year old Jamie Nicholls has scored his first front cover on French magazine Snowsurf! From hitting his first powder kicker, making the finals of the Burton European Open to winning the Half Pipe and Slopestyle at the Brits , plus many photo shoots in between it's been an epic first season on snow, don't know how he found the time to come and join us at the camps. Go on Jamie, sure to be first of many.

We love you all

Can't beleive it all camps done for this year, which means the season is in it's final stretch.

But we can happily look back on some great times, good friends, and a super season.

Thank you to you all who came along, sincerely hope to see you all again as really enjoyed shredding with you.

Big love to Meena & Hannah at Quiksilver for their support and Team Quik for joining in and showing us why they are the pro's and not us.

The guys and girls from Mint & Mountain Mavericks for doing their jobs so well, and often above and beyond the call of duty.

Which just leaves us to get on and shred the spring time (I would say slush, but it dumped 30cm last night) and lookforward to seeing you all next year.

Watch this space to see what we can come up with.

Take it easy

Tammy & Olly

I now beleive it's true: Life starts at 30

Our last camp of the season, my is it that time already, well a nice gentle finisher with the ladies who share a common age characteristic. They are over 30, just some nice cruzing around in the sunshine and enjoy the spring.

wow, hold it we wanna go jumping, grabbing, spinnng, sliding and then drinking, please.

But can we start with some snowMAN abuse, please.

Which ended in a decapitation and the foundation of the NSPS.

Can we butter our muffins, please. no pun intended.

This carried on all week, but as I (being the bloke I am) massively underestimated the vavaciousness of our older ladies, you'll have to take my word for it they fought on through black eyes, broken wrists and more than a few hangovers.

I on the other hand succumbed and was at one point even found asleep on the hill, hence the lack of pictoral documentation from the park sessions and final day powder treat.

Big up the ladies.

I'm Freestylin'

Although we have covered freestyle in previous camps, this was our first freestyle dedicated one, and with a Performance lab running alongside we were able to mix in a little bit of everything for everyone.

Listen while Adam explains the recipe.

Start with a bit of kicker action and work it to release your pop.

Then add a little spin and slowly mix in the grab.

Cant' forget to sprinkle with a dose of jibbing.

Give it all a good shake down the boarder cross.

Then take it to the backcountry.


Might not be 'powder' but sure was fun.

Finally one great bunch of happy campers.

All having so much fun even Minty had to get his shred on.

Dawn of the Freestyle

The Chapelle park The Pipe

As I sit here at the airport awaiting the arrival of our first freestyle campers, I'm pondering the parks available to us and wonder whether everyone realises just how lucky us snowboarders are here in Morzine/Avoriaz.

The Stash

In Avoriaz alone there are 3 parks (4th started construction this week), 2 stash runs, pipe and a boarder cross. There are further parks in Mont Cherie, Crozets and Chatel all a short slide away. and with spring sunshine starting to poke it's head out I'm looking forward to seeing if I can still keep up with the kids.

Take a run through the proline park in Lindaret.

Photos courtesy of Burton snowboards and Avoriaz

X Games takes on Europe

Although gutted that avoriaz lost out to Tignes in the bid for the first ever Euopean X Games, stoked to have it happening so close. Tammy was there all week and the rest of our staff got over for a day (which unfortunately meant I had to stay home and man the fort, but I'm not bitter - much) and brought back great tales of snowboard achievments.

Gotta big up Jenny Jones, who made it an XGames hatrick, awsome feat by any standards, but certainly one that set some heights for uk riders. Check her run at

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4988423&categoryid=4978906

The slope style course boasted 7 kickers in a row making sure riders had to dig deep into their bag of tricks, and unsettling even some of the favorites. Quik, Lib legend Travis Rice only managing 7th in the mens Slopestyle.

Mathieu Creppel came in with a silver in the superpipe whilst Gnu tream mate Kaitlyn Farrington took the gold in the ladies in her Xgames debut. You can watch her run here;

http://gnu.com/index.php/category/gnu-girls-posts/kaitlyn-farrington/

Going Going!

Only 2 places left on March Perfomance camp, so don't delay get in touch today.

Also coz Tammy's out shredding with Meena from Quiksilver and I'm not so give her a call and gmake her do some work.

LIBeration Footy

Check out LIBeration Footy, new exlusive LibTech hidef film from Standard. EJack and Lando will make you jealous, at http://vimeo.com/9480870

Olympic round up.

Whether you think the olypmics are good for snowboarding or not, you cannot deny the halfpipe contest this week was a great show and good example to the world of how far snowboarding has progressed. Managing to take 2nd spot in the viewing ratings of all the events (2nd to the ladies figure skating, ladies tight suits frills, i can see that) amid rumors of a double cork ban and riders complaints about condition of the pipe, there was no huge suprise who took the top spot. Shaun cleaned the mens on his first run with the now famous back to back double corks. Aussie Roxy rider Torah Bright took the ladies. Big up has to go to Brit Ben Kilner, who qualified 7th in first heat and came in 18th after unfortunately falling in the finals, Quik/Gnu rider Mathieu Crepel who came in 10th and 19yr old Lib rider Gregory Bretz made it to 12th, rocking the power banana.
check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfPUkiteICs to see where piperiding has come to.
I'm gonna hit up the Avoriaz pipe tomorrow and dream of what it would be like to be able to.

Jamie Nicholls, takes it to the BEO

Jamie Nicholls is going from strength to strength during his first full season competing on the TTR circuit. After making the finals at the O'Neill Evolutions six star event in Davos on a very challenging course Jamie backed that up with a 13th place at the premier European event of the season; The Burton European Open. To put this achievement in perspective Jamie had to come through two rounds of qualifications just to get into the semi finals, competing against 119 other riders. Here the 32 invited riders joined the competition. Jamie qualified 10th for the final beating fellow Quiksilver rider and Olympic bronze medalist Markku Koski. The standard in the finals was rediculous with 10s and 12s and double corks going down, the top 10 riders all scored in the 80's out off 100 which I can tell you is unusual. It's only a matter of time before we see him on the podium!

Stenti's still got it.

Congratulations to Quiksilver Team Manager, Pro rider, Just guest coach and insipration to the over 30's snowboarder, James Stentiford, who came 3rd at the World Freeride Tour this year at Chamonix. James decided to enter the contest on a whim. He needed something to do that day...

"After two years of not competing I thought I should have another crack as the World Freeride Tour was coming to my home resort of Chamonix. As luck would have it they offered me a wild card into the event. Conditions were pretty perfect on the day, a load of new snow, beautiful sunshine and very cold. I felt pretty relaxed about it all until we heard on the radio that a skier had crashed and hurt himself. After an hour delay in the freezing cold it was finally time for my run. I was pretty happy with my run even though it didn't work out exactly as I planned due to the changing snow conditions. I managed to stay pretty fluid and do a backside three, a stalefish over a natural hip and then hit a medium sized cliff at the bottom. I didn't hang around to watch the other riders as the snow conditions were so good so didn't really have an idea of how I'd done. So I was pretty stoked when they announced the result.

I've now been invited to the next event which is being held this Thursday. I guess I'll have to put off retirement for another year!"

Friday

Suns out today, so lets all go to Chatel. Just down through these bushes.

Across the powder field.

Past the lovely view.

And down the steep bit. "you sure Olly?", "yes you'll be fine"

"not that bad actually once you get going", "wow amazing"

Thursday

How about we put those new found powder skills to the test and go exploring. All good.

Just traverse this way a bit.

Keep round to the left

And scored it.