For our fourth interview of the Frame of Mind Series, we spoke with Solitude Ambassador Harrison Hogan Holley. Harrison is hands-down one of the nicest guys you’ll find on the mountain and is very much responsible for helping the Spread Stoke crew fall in love with Solitude Mountain Resort. Born and raised in Park City, Utah, Harrison grew up competing in freestyle moguls on the Park City Freestyle Team. He then started competing on the Freeskiing World Tour and continues to compete on the Freeride World Tour this season. Between competitions and work, he also spends all season making us drool with his pow shots on Instagram.

Harrison Hogan Holley at Solitude, Utah | Photographer: Eric Dyer

Spread Stoke: Where is your hometown?

Harrison: Park City, Utah.

SS: Who can you usually find yourself on a chairlift with?

Harrison: My good buddy Eric Dyer aka Derr, Benny Mikes, the Spread Stoke ladies or any other members of the Solitude MYST.

SS: Conditioning off the mountain is an essential element to performance on the mountain.  Do you have any training techniques (whether physical or mental) you would like to share?

Harrison: Hate on it as much as you want, but CrossFit has gotten me in the best shape of my life. I haven’t been to any other gym other than Alpenfit in Park City so maybe other gyms fit the “bro” mold that is associated with CrossFit’s negative image, but the coaches at Alpenfit are nothing short of amazing! They focus on knowledge and progress in life outside the gym, making you a better athlete in whatever discipline you enjoy. If you want to get in shape for skiing give it a shot, I swear by it.

SS: What’s been the most challenging aspect of being an athlete?

Harrison: The mental aspect of competitions is by far the most challenging aspect. Nerves can really take over when you are competing. I always say that the worst feeling in the world is standing on top of a comp venue waiting for your start and the best feeling ever is being at the bottom after stomping a good line. Focusing on skiing and having fun in comps always seems to help me ski better.

Harrison Hogan Holley at Solitude, Utah | Photographer: Eric Dyer

SS: Besides shredding the white wintry wave, what else do you enjoy doing?

Harrison: In the summer I love to mountain bike and whitewater raft. Mountain biking helps me keep in shape and there is nothing like rafting to help escape reality.

SS: What is your life motto?

Harrison: “Send it before you send it”. The phrase was created while on tour with my good buddies Connor Pelton and Connery Lundin. It basically means don’t let the present hold you back from the future or vice versa, live life to the fullest, do it all!

SS: What fuel goes into your body before and after a day on the hill?

Harrison: Before skiing: Coffee and a smoothie. After skiing: Beer and mostly pizza.

SS: What does skiing do for your soul?

Harrison: I love getting away from crowds by exploring the mountains which is often the case while skiing (especially since there are no crowds at Solitude), but I don’t see skiing as anything ‘spiritual’ like many people talk it up to be. I think it was a quote in an old TGR or Matchstick movie that said something like “everyone talks skiing up to be this spiritual cleanse, but I look at it more of a funny concept that we hike up a mountain just to go back down and if we are lucky we will have sh!t hit us in the face the whole way down”. I guess I always try to keep things light and comical while on the hill. I’m not very mature.

Harrison Hogan Holley at Grand Targhee, Wyoming | Photographer: Jasper Gibson

SS: Solitude, it’s all in the name.  What are some of your favorite attributes of Solitude and how is it unique from other Utah resorts?

Harrison: More powder per person. There is never the powder panic you get at other resorts where people freak out, push and shove, cram like sardines into trams or track an entire mountain out in an hour. The overall atmosphere is laid back and fun, which is exactly what skiing should be. You can ski untracked snow in Honeycomb days after a storm or get into some of the steepest most challenging inbounds terrain offered anywhere in the world.  If you disagree go hike Fantasy Ridge.

SS: What goes through your mind before, during and after executing or capturing a technical line or feature?

Harrison: Before: Nerves. During: Blackout and/or concentration, I usually can’t remember. After: Stoke! Or a need for redemption. Or, where are my skis?

SS: When you’re not on the hill or working out, what can we most likely find you doing?

Harrison: I bartend at Highwest, so come stop by and grab a delicious Old Fashioned from me and I’ll tell you how much better of a skier I am than you. Just kidding. But really, the Old Fashions are delicious!

SS: Let’s talk 2017 Goals: What can we expect from you for the rest of the year?

Harrison: #1: Stay healthy. #2: Ski often. #3: Defend my title at the PCMR Chinese Downhill.

SS: As athletes, you serve as role models in the outdoor industry.  Any advice, reflections or ideas on the types of things you would like see the outdoor industry strive for?

Harrison: Being from Utah, I would love to see the state recognize the value of its open spaces. This article by Black Diamond Founder, Peter Metcalf perfectly sums up my point.

Harrison Hogan Holley at Solitude, Utah | Photographer: Eric Dyer

SS: What’s bumpin’ in your earbuds?

Harrison: I like my beats like I like my cereal, crunchy.

SS: Spread Stoke’s values are: Do what you love, leave this world a better place than you found it, and spread stoke to those around you.  How do you demonstrate these values?

Harrison: On the mountain I always strive to be the person who brings the morale of the group up. That may be pumping a buddy up on a cool line or most often cracking terrible jokes. Everyone talks about not leaving a footprint on the world insinuating a footprint is a bad thing. I think everyone should strive to leave a footprint on the Earth, but have that footprint be an improvement in whatever you enjoy.

SS: Do you have any shout-outs to sponsors?

Harrison: Sego Ski Co., Soul Poles, Solitude Mountain Resort and Spread Stoke for putting this together. Looking at the list above, I guess anyone else that has a company that starts with an “S” please contact me for sponsorship.

We hope you enjoyed our Frame of Mind interview! Be sure to say “What’s up!” to Harrison on the hill this season and give him a follow on Instagram @harhoghol (seriously though, he ALWAYS gets the shot!).

Stay tuned for our next Frame of Mind interview. If you know someone who should be featured, let us know.

 Just a quick post; had a fantastic time visiting the Coast Gravity Park in Sechelt, British Columbia this past weekend. Video and Picture are from a portion of the trail “Flight Deck,” which truly lives up to its name. Full of lofty mandatory jumps and a fun berm at the bottom, it’s a great way to finish a lap from “Coastal Cruise,” the more technical but still flowy upper pro line that feeds directly into the fast, floaty line of doubles that make up Flight Deck. Spent the evening celebrating my good friend Michael’s recent birthday around the campfire in Porpoise Bay Provincial park. Whiskey and a rowdy day on bikes made for a wonderful weekend.

Flight Deck Quick Clip

 

Prying my eyes open in complete 5 a.m. darkness, stumbling across ski bags and gear tossed in duffle bags the night before, out into an empty hallway, and down the stairs to frigid winter Gunnison air.  It’s the same routine every big mountain competitor repeats for each trip, but when I round the corner the energy changes.  Half the Western State Freeride Team is already at the van, jamming skis and bags into every nook and cranny trying preserve precious legroom.  Cold and tired, collectively we’re in it together and the mood improves every time a new face comes around the corner.

A few hours into a twenty-something hour drive to Canada we roll into a sketchy gas station in the middle of nowhere.  The team swarms the convenience store for snacks.  Although traveling together in a small, cramped space can be grueling, it builds friendships and connections like I’ve never experienced.

Up on the mountain the camaraderie is even stronger.  The team pre-inspects the venue together,, sharing thoughts and ideas on various line choices and encouraging each other with positive vibes.  Every athlete is nervous and scared standing in the start of a comp run, but having coaches and teammates by your side is calming and reassuring.  Whether you stomp your run or crash, there’s always someone at the bottom giving out high-fives and hugs.

The freeride community is small, the stoke runs deep and everyone is friendly and supportive.  Having a team surrounding you makes it that much better.  Shared meals, victories, defeats and injuries, we’re in it together, cheering each other on with plenty of laughs, high-fives and hugs.

Overall I had a super successful and more importantly fun season!  Thanks to everyone who was a part of it!

This December and January have truly been ones for the books. Epic pow conditions were abundant and while avalanche stability was less than great the skiing in bounds has been the best that I’ve seen in many moons.

Wake up, roll into a room full of gals in their thermals on colorful yoga mats. The air outside is crisp and ski patrol are headed up the mountain. Coffee is sipped, smiles exchanged and first yoga position is initiated by Kaari Rowberry of the SLC FIT Collective. As the chairlifts start to spin, everyone arises calmly from their mats and begin to buckle boots, strap helmets and head out the door to go… time to shred. Once on the hill, personal stories are being swapped and friends are being made faster then the cute lifty boys can turn their heads, gazing as a flock of skier babes go by. Finally, we are apart of an event that introduces bad-ass female shredders to other bad-ass female shredders. At Solitude, you will find many of these events.

The W.O.W. Series (Women of Wasatch), is an on-going event series this season that not only aims to bring together female athletes and have a ridiculously good time, but it also strives to increase technical skill on the mountain. This past W.O.W event we were accompanied by Pro Skiers Grete Eliassen and Maude Raymond, whom gave us tips on how to ski steep lines and get air. Both Grete and Maude were awesome guides and instructors, giving positive feedback and encouraging advice. After ripping all over Solitude, we then met up with Laura, from Solitude Ski Patrol, for a basic run down on backcountry awareness. Laura pointed out several areas which included steep chutes and untouched snow that had everyone frothing from the mouth, but quickly reminded us the importance of knowing your terrain and having the proper equipment to access these zones. Laura had everyone practice with their beacons at Solitude’s Beacon Park located next to the Eagle chairlift.

Mid-day we stopped for lunch, which was included in the W.O.W. Registration, and mowed down on some delicious pasta and salad. We met with some other local pro-athletes and exchanged skis and boards that we had demoed earlier from Palace Boards and Kitten Factory Skis. Don’t miss the next W.O.W series event – “Explore the Mountains with Solitude’s Mogul Mama, Shannon Burk” , February 21st.  Pre-register to hold a spot!

Photos courtesy of Corey Kopischke.

The air is becoming crisper and the wind is transitioning from welcomed relief to the bringer of chills and goose bumps. Winter is upon us and if I have learned one thing from my time in Utah is that winter can sneak up on you like a gangster doing a drive-by in a Prius. These coming signs of winter combined with a recently announced contest by Go Pro gave me enough motivation to make the trek down south to Green River.

This trip would mark my 9^th trip down to the River of Green but I’ve always stuck close to the car and if I ventured out far, it was only to ride a line with enough time to head back. I’ve always wanted to pack out, set up camp and spend the night out which would allow me more time to explore and travel out further than previously possible. Recently, I acquired a legitimate backpack for long backpacking excursions and decided to give it a whirl.

Between my normal job and doing the odd job for my landlord, I was able to sneak away for two days. After completing some early morning work, I packed up and ventured south. Driving as far as the BLM roads would allow, I ended up parking my Subaru into the general area where I wanted to explore and packing in from there. This was a learn-as-you-go process for me and it was an unusual sensation walking a bike out with 60lbs of camping and riding equipment on my back.

While I’m not sure how far out I hiked out, this gives some perspective

About an hour into my journey to Mordor, I found myself walking through a gully that dumped into a riverbed. This seemed like a cool way to finish off a line so I set up camp on the edge of the dry riverbed and begun my hike up the hills to see if a line could connect into the gully. To make a long story short, I found one. After a couple hours of hiking about, the sun began to set (approx. 5:45 PM) and the temperature dropped dramatically so I decided to return to camp and hunker down for the night.

The camp spot at dusk with the full moon rising in the back

Awaken by the ambient light of the sun reflecting off the orange and tan rocks at the base of the next mesa over, I began the morning ritual of kratom, granola bars and water. Eventually the sun crested and bathed my tent in its comforting warmth equivalent to an embracing hug from a loved one. It was time to mount the iron steed and to attempt to ride the line I scoped out from yesterday.

The top of the line starts out steep and loose with shale rocks peppering the landscape. With no discernable line, I had to aim towards recognizable areas with hopes I wouldn’t run into a rock poking out at an odd angle. Afterwards, the line dumps you onto the classic Green River spines where you eventually were dumped into the gully. Mini-wallrides to be had, the gully was the icing on the cake.

An overview of the line

When hiking this far out by yourself, being safe is a top priority and in this case, there was only enough time for one attempt. This one attempt was further rushed by the fact that due to my location, the sun had already begun to set behind the mesa at a rapid pace at about 1:30 PM. After reaching the top, I took about 5 minutes to get my gear on before dropping in.

View from the top of the line

My ride down wasn’t near clean as I had to dab my foot/dismount my bike in the top section and in a lower portion during an awkward climb up to a narrow traverse across. These dabbles disqualified my footage from being included in the Go Pro contest so I’ve included it in this bastard child of a trip report.  Hopefully next time I’ll be able to clean this line which I’ve dubbed the Gutter Slut. Thanks for the name inspiration Stan (Dan) Brown!

Editor’s Note: Check out Scott’s other bike edits on his Vimeo channel.

It’s funny, once the ski season ends most people are talking about summer plans and how much they’re over the cold weather. However, for a few of us, we look at oncoming summer with a sense of dread. Sure, we love wearing flip flops and seeing girls in bikini’s for maybe a week, but we soon find ourselves getting intense winter withdrawals. Some people are lucky enough to travel south to Argentina and Chile and keep their season going almost indefinitely.

For those of us who are not lucky enough to make to the southern hemisphere, there are several ways to cope. One is curl up in the fetal position and cry until next season. Or you can look at all your old footage from last season and make something with it! Hey it may not be actual skiing, but it sure does help. Plus, flip flops and girls in bikinis doesn’t hurt either!

Tram laps in the Summer? Dreams do come true! Snowbird Resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon dropped a stoke bomb on mountain bike fiends this week announcing the grand opening of their brand-spankin-new Big Mountain Trail. Needless to say, we’re aching to get to Snowbird ASAP to do some laps on what will certainly be a premier must-do trail when visiting the Wasatch.

According to the Ski Utah video (see below), the trail is approx. 3000 vertical feet, 7.5 miles long, and takes about 1 – 2 hours to ride depending upon rider experience. So that means it’s a <10 min. ride up the tram for a massive descent back to the tram deck. CAN.NOT.WAIT! From the video, it looks like there are lots of smooth berms to rail, a few wood features, and a mix of high alpine and aspen single track to give even the most spoiled of riders a mega-fix of downhill fun.

Here’s some beta directly from Snowbird.com about the trail:

• Hours: 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Access: Hidden Peak (Tram MTB ticket required), Down-traffic ONLY after 11 a.m.
• *Trail Rating: Blue (intermediate)
• Distance: 7.5 miles from Hidden Peak to the Snowbird Center via Dick Bass Highway.
• Trail drops 2,900 vertical feet with an 8 percent average grade. Wide-open straightaways, tight forested turns, small earthen tabletops, wooden bridges and amazing down-canyon views. Very little pedaling required. Helmets required.

• Adult $19 Half-Day, $29 All-Day
• Child $16 Half-Day, $24 All-Day
• Snowbird season passholders (winter 2013/14 and 2014/15) $10 All-Day

For more information about Snowbird’s mountain bike trails, hours, and ticket prices, visit Snowbird.com.

Deer Valley lifts opened last Friday for lift accessed mountain biking ( AKA downhill cruising)!  I went out with some buddies to do some filming which resulted in lift story telling, encouraging each other to try new features, launching over handlebars, flying on buffed single track, and lots of laughs.  The black and blues were well worth it, not to mention the incredible Peach Manhattans from the Glitretind Restaurant at the Stein Eriksen Lodge.

Check out the good times…

Cheers to lots of biking this summer!

Video courtesy of John Parry.

After his death-defying tumble over a 30 ft. cliff at Red Bull Rampage last October, Dustin Schaad spent the next two months in Tahoe mending a dislocated ankle and a sprained wrist. Pretty minor injuries considering, some might argue, Dustin’s err “might be the most hideously spectacular crash in the history of mountain biking.” But, Dustin was broken more by his failure than the actual impact of the crash. His biggest injury was the living nightmare he experienced, replaying itself in the back of his head during those two months of rehab. See Dustin’s Wild Crash here.

A few weeks of physical therapy allowed Dustin to get back on pedals near the end of November, but there was still only one thing on his mind. Late autumn dirt was riding well, and with only a couple days back in the saddle, Dustin was quickly over the tease of the trails and oozing at the idea of some big mountain freeriding before winter. The replay continued to bother him though, and he knew the only way to rid himself of the bad memory was to replace it with a better one. He had ridden cleanly through his line in practice the day before qualifiers. He knew he could do it again. The hurdle was convincing himself once more.

Plans were made for redemption. The mini-van was packed to the brim, and Dustin and I headed south from Salt Lake City to meet up with videographer Adam Clark at the Rampage venue in Virgin. It was the first week of December and none of us had ridden in the Utah desert that late in the fall, so we weren’t sure how conditions would fare. The weather was calling for lows in the teens and a possibility of snow. Dustin seemed determined not to end his season with the bad memory lurking, so we decided to play down the forecast and take a chance on adventure.

The original plan was to scope some terrain near Green River to warm-up on, but as we got halfway through Spanish Fork Canyon, our concerns about the weather became a reality. Snow blanketed the mesas and a deceivingly thick mud by the roadside looked challenging enough for a four-wheeler, let alone a two-wheel drive mini-van. We pulled over and sat in silence for a bit contemplating the chances of similar, unrideable conditions farther south. Another 5 hours on the road to get skunked didn’t seem too enticing, and I could see the disappointment eating Dustin up inside. He finally broke the silence and asked if we should turn around and wait for spring. There was only one question I needed to ask to get an instant decision – Do you wanna ride bikes or not?

When we rolled into Virgin, chance turned to fortune. Blue skies and dry dirt welcomed our arrival, and the stoke meter was back to 10. We cracked a couple beers and setup camp as the sun sank behind the Red Cliffs Conservation. An early sunset made for a long cold night by the fire, but a little tequila and some local entertainment in the form of shooting stars and coyote calls helped pass the time as we made plans for morning.

A huge temperature gradient had turned the dirt to frosted concrete overnight and unfortunately, frosty dirt thaws to a thick, sticky peanut butter. A little maintenance was needed to scrape the mud off some of the in-runs and lips receiving direct light in the morning. It was a little concerning until we realized the sun was baking it back to tack as the temps rose out of the teens and into the sixties by midday. West of camp though, snow from a couple days prior was still visible on the taller mesas, and an updated forecast showed a huge winter storm from the north would be arriving soon.

We worked our way up the venue removing mud on a few lines for Dustin to warm-up on. A grimace here and there was evidence of the lingering pain in his joints, but it wasn’t going to keep him from accomplishing what he came back to Virgin to do. There was no contest pressure, but Dustin did have a few challenges to overcome. It was his first time back on a big bike after the crash, riding solo in one of the gnarliest freeride locations on the planet, and trying to grease the line that almost ended his season if not more.

Once Dustin felt comfortable enough to give it another go, he rode into the top section a couple times, stopping at the beginning of the technical cliff he had fallen down in qualifiers. Below him he could see the bomb hole his body had left in a small patch of dirt, surrounded by bone crushing rocks. Dustin laid his bike down and crouched at the edge of the cliff for a while to meditate before hiking back to the top.

Goggles on, helmet buckled. With a deep grunt and a big exhale, Dustin was ready to reconquer. Once more he dropped into his line with speed, slashing the berm above his fall zone to setup his approach. Creeping over the edge, he let it loose, gaining momentum through each of the three drops before railing the bottom turn with power.

A huge weight had been lifted, and after a couple celebratory fist pumps, Dustin was ready to have some fun sessioning the rest of the venue. By the next day, storm clouds were visible to the north and we new our time in the desert was coming to an end for a few months.

Dustin finished the trip by freeriding a line he had never done just outside the venue. By the time we got back to camp in the afternoon, the wind had picked up and a cold sprinkle began to fall. Winter was upon us, but too late to keep Dustin from redemption.

Witnessing his crash in qualifiers, I was blown away when Dustin walked out of the venue with merely a scratch on his body. Almost more impressive though was his immediate return to Virgin to reconvince himself of his ability. The goal of this conquest was to be able to move on. You have to confront and conquer, and Dustin did just that. He knew he needed to recover quickly and return to face a demon that would only get bigger with time. Now, the only thoughts on Dustin’s mind are about the next adventure, the next big thing.

View Dustin Schaad’s Desert Redemption video footage: DUSTIN SCHAAD’S DESERT REDEMPTION

The Coastal Crew and Anthill Films brings you a 2nd Base Films production filled with sick footage of freeriding badassery like you’ve never seen before. This is now available on itunes for download, so instant pleasure is available. Grab a beer, download Arrival, and drool a bit.

From The Coastal Crew:

“ARRIVAL will bring viewers into the reality of a new generation of freeriders and racers. Starring Steve Smith, Logan Peat, Mitch Ropelato, Ryan Howard, Matty Miles, Bernardo Cruz, Kyle Norbraten, Dylan Dunkerton and Curtis Robinson. Presented by RockShox, in Association with Specialized, Clif Bar and Pinkbike.com, and with support from Trek, Whistler Mountain Bike Park, Devinci, and Evoc. Written, directed and edited by the Coastal Crew, ARRIVAL also features the talents of a new breed of mountain bike filmmakers and photographers – including Nic Genovese, Matt Miles, Matt Dennison and Haruki “Harookz” Negochi.”

Available on DVD+BluRay Combo Pack and iTunes.

The Wasatch mountains been dry for the last couple weeks, so a crew of friends and I recently took a relaxing trip to the desert. Camping during this time of the year is always a great distraction while waiting for winter to begin. When we came across this possible line, we were stoked we brought our bike gear. Freeriding near Capitol Reef.

Photos by Colter Wade