Continued from: Go Deeper: The Jeremy Jones Interview Pt.1. If you haven’t read it already, you might want to go there first.

Jeremy Jones rappelling into a chute. Photo: tgrsnowboarding.com

SBG: Speaking of Deeper, your personal convictions about the environment prompted you to change your own lifestyle and riding habits, and this has led to what we keep hearing about as a different video. What can you tell us about Deeper?
Jeremy: Deeper is something that I’ve wanted to do for a while. Over the last couple of years I’ve realized that the biggest high I get in snowboarding is getting away from everyone, into these new worlds, and hiking what I ride. It’s always been a huge part of my snowboarding, it’s just that the snowboard world only sees 10% of that time; the Alaska time basically. A lot of the spots I was filming had gotten pretty crowded for us; we we’re battling with lots of other helicopters, and the exploration side of things was no longer there. There’s really this small little piece of terrain that everyone battles over, and I just wanted to get past that terrain and into the vast unknown; to get away from helicopters and get back to first descents.

SBG: How was the transition from helis and snowmos to accessing all of your terrain on foot?
Jeremy: The actual going out and hiking and riding has made up the majority of my winters in the past, but when it came time to film I would hop on a snowmobile or go take a helicopter, so it was a more a mental change. For instance, when that “Day of Days” would come into Tahoe, we couldn’t just jump on a snowmobile and have 5 shots in the can before 11. It was changing my mindset from that to going out the day before, camping, and putting so much energy into hopefully getting one or two shots that day. Same with Alaska, we couldn’t set up camp until it was sunny, because we’d take a plane and land out there to get set up. To get to where we were going we flew through the heli zone, and it was run after run after run of lines that I’ve been on in countless movies. It’s where I’ve done a lot of my work, and if I was in a helicopter, I’d be landing and be  snowboarding right away. Instead, I’m in a plane, and I’m going into the unknown and having to set up, and I’m at the minimum a day away from even thinking about dropping into a line of any seriousness. The change was mental.

Jeremy Jones' definition of Snowboard Camp. Photo: tgrsnowboarding.com

SBG: Was it hard to get filmers on board to hike with you and capture the footage?
Jeremy: The existing film crews had their reservations already, which is why it took me a little longer to make this change and it didn’t come instantly. I realized I really had to do my own thing and find my own film crew. There are a ton of filmers out there who love the idea of camping and getting out deeper. Some of them have worked on existing snowboard movies for years and some are a little new to the game. I wouldn’t try to talk someone, whether a rider or filmer, into a trip. Either they were jumping off the roof to do it, or I was going to find someone else.

Jeremy with some deep thoughts. Photo: tgrsnowboarding.com

SBG: Last year’s film “My Own Two Feet,” from Leeward, started down this path you’re following with Deeper. Did Leeward’s film inspire “Deeper”, or was the concept something you had already considered? How does Deeper continue the story?
Jeremy: Last year I did 5 movies, I think, one of them being Leeward’s, and it was really the one movie that I was most looking forward to at the beginning of the season, and the one I had the most fun working on. I had been wanting to go in that direction, but as a pro snowboarder my job is exposure. I can’t just draw a line and say “I’m done working with all film crews.” What Leeward showed me was that the project could be done. It was great working with Chris Edmands from Leeward. That helped give me the confidence to go in a direction that I had been longing to go in.

SBG: Next, the hot topic: Jones Snowboards. You were with Rossignol for a long time, is there more to the story in that split that you can’t talk about or aren’t talking about, or were you just ready to do your own thing?
Jeremy: I have had a growing desire to do my own thing, it had been building for the last year or two. Rossignol has had some tough times with ownership changes in the last couple of years, and the combination of issues really inspired my decision.

Jeremy Jones Tahoe Steeps. Photo: Seth Lightcap

SBG: Did you already know that you wanted to work with Nidecker, or did you go through a selection process?
Jeremy: I talked with a few others, but Nidecker gave me the confidence to start my own company. With all the situations I was considering it was clear to me that working with Nidecker would result in the best boards.

SBG: What will differentiate Jones Snowboards from everything else on the market? What’s your selling point?
Jeremy: Jones Snowboards is 100% focused on freeride boards. I feel like there’s a lot of room for new design coming out, and we’re very focused on the freeride market. The whole company is set up towards freeriding, instead of most of these other companies that have a single board in their line and it’s a little bit of an afterthought.

SBG: How will you be working your environmental principles into the company?
Jeremy: For starters, Nidecker is doing some pretty cool stuff with their factory; they’re pretty advanced compared to what some other companies are doing. It all starts with the production and goes to the product. In year one, all of our boards will be at the top-end of the environmentally friendly scale. I can’t say we’ll have the single most environmentally friendly board available, but as a whole, if you compared our board line to another company’s board line, our line will be one of the most environmentally friendly. And that’s just the baseline to start with. It was important to me with that Nidecker wasn’t done moving forward on this front, and they’re not; we hope to continue progressing in that area. They’re will also be a big connection to POW, with a percentage of sales going to support them. We’ll be working to follow through on all facets of the company.

SBG: Often, new board brands are just the same boards the manufacturer is already pressing, but with different graphics. Are we going to be looking at re-packaged Megalight, or are you doing your own board design.
Jeremy: I will be doing totally different board designs, start from finish, with new presses.

Jones Snowboards' Splitboard Prototype? Photo: Seth Lightcap

SBG: What do you want to be putting out in your boards that isn’t on the market right now.
Jeremy: I’ve been really involved with my Rossignol snowboard design in the last 10 years and taking steps forward. The board I’m designing now is the next phase in this evolution that I’ve been working on. One thing that’s frustrating with snowboards, all snowboards, is that it’s really hard for us to develop new, un-proven designs because the cost of molds is so expensive. So for example, with Rossignol if I make a new mold, I can fine tune that, but I’m basically stuck with that mold for the next 3-5 years. I’m pretty excited to make a step that I would have normally had to wait another 3-5 years to take with the evolution of my freeride board. We’re still in the testing phases for the powder board, but it will definitely be very unique to the market. We’re doing a splitboard; there’s not a lot of options out there in splitboards, so we’ll be bringing in fresh shapes and stuff into those boards. Then we’re doing a freestyle freeride board; we’re in this testing process and I’m all over the map with different profiles. Everything is open and on the table, and it’s great because where that testing process ends up, I don’t know yet.

Jeremy Jones Tahoe Barrel Photo: Seth Lightcap

SBG: Are you doing much with rapid-prototyping? Is that technology there yet for being able to test snowboards shapes?
Jeremy: Not as rapid as say the surf industry. Certain companies can do stuff faster; Nidecker is willing to do that. It just takes more time and man-power, so if a company is more strapped on time, they can’t go down that road, but Nidecker is really excited and is putting in the energy to develop next level stuff.

SBG: So going forward with Jones, do you think you’ll have less than that 3-5 year period to continue bringing out new shapes?
Jeremy: I do, and just in this prototype phase for example, each of these models, the difference between model one and model five is really drastic, and we’ll get into the fine-tuning sidecuts and flexes along the way. In the past you’d get five boards made and they’d have this teeny little change; you’d spend half the time just trying to figure out what the difference was between to boards.

SBG: Will you have your full line at SIA in January?
Jeremy: Four model line in January is our goal.

SBG: When you get knocked down, what motivates you to get up and try again?
Jeremy: I’d say the motivation for me is in snowboarding. I feel like I’ve been given an incredible opportunity, I know a ton of people would love this opportunity, and I think it’s a disservice to not give everything I have to it.

Jeremy Jones. Photo: tgrsnowboarding.com

SBG: Shout-outs or final comments?
Jeremy: Huge thanks to my family and my sponsors, without both of them I wouldn’t be able to live this life, and a big shout-out to Chris Steinkamp, Executive Director of Protect Our Winters.

This interview is transcribed from a live interview on October 9, 2009. The questions and answers have been edited for clarity and readability.

Thanks to Teton Gravity Research (TGR) for use of their images.

For more information about Jeremy Jones and his projects you can check out:
Jeremy Jones’ Website/Blog | Jones Snowboards | Protect Our Winters | Teton Gravity Research

Tara Dakides at Mammoth. Photo: Julien Lecorps, Mammoth Mountain

SBG: What’s the park setup for opening day?
Mammoth: 8 boxes on Forest Trail, no rails or jumps yet.

SBG: What terrain/runs are open for beginning riders?
Mammoth: Forest Trail, Mambo, St. Anton

SBG: What terrain/runs are open for the park riders?
Mammoth: Forest Trail

SBG: What terrain/runs are open for the freeride riders?
Mammoth: Cornice Bowl, Broadway, Fascination

SBG: What should visitors to Mammoth over opening weekend look forward to?
Mammoth: Skiing/Boarding from the top of Mammoth Mountain in October. Snow conditions up high are very good right now.

SBG: Anything else our readers should know?
Mammoth: We have a big celebration planned around what our originally scheduled opening day was. On November 14th, we will be premiering our new video “Hot Laps” for free in The Village at Mammoth followed by a concert by Shiny Toy Guns at Canyon Lodge. More info: http://www.mammothmountain.com/ResortActivities/SpecialEvents/OpeningDay/

For more information on opening day you can read the official press release. For more about Mammoth Mountain, visit MammothMountain.com or call 800.MAMMOTH.

Jeremy Jones. Photo: tgrsnowboarding.com

Age: 34
Year’s Riding: Last time I did the math it was 26 years
Home: Lake Tahoe, California
Sponsors: O’Neil, Scott, Swatch, Cliff Bar, Backcountry.com, Highball Energy Water, Bern Helmets

SBG: 26 years ago, what made you decide to take up snowboarding, and how did you learn?
Jeremy: 26 years ago I was obsessed with skating and surfing, even though I didn’t know how to do it. I had been skiing, and when I saw my first snowboard I remember being like “It’s about time, I’ve been waiting to stand sideways on snow.” It took me forever to learn; probably about 4 years before I linked my first turns. I’d never seen anyone do it before and had to figure it all out myself. Basically self taught at the beginning.

SBG: After a few years of laying somewhat low and doing your thing, you’ve been generating quite a bit of buzz this year, and it seems like there’s a whole new batch of people confused about there being two Jeremy Joneses. A few days ago I overheard someone saying “Yeah, I guess Jeremy Jones left Burton to start his own snowboard company.” Do you get a lot of that?
Jeremy: I think it’s something I’ll always have to some extent, seems like it’s mellowed out from what it was 10 years ago, but there’s still confusion out there.

Jeremy Jones in the High Sierras. Photo: SethLightcap

SBG: Describe your perfect day:
Jeremy: The perfect day for me is to wake up in a tent in the dark, far away from everyone. Start hiking to a peak I’ve been looking at for a long time, getting on top and shredding a sick line. Come home to a warm tent and ready to do it again tomorrow.

SBG: Let’s talk about your non-profit organization, Protect Our Winters. There has been a good bit of research coming out in the last few of years that speaks directly to the snowboard industry, saying that within 10 years there may not be enough snow at mountains below 5,000 ft to have much of a ski season. What was the eye opener that led you to become involved in the environmental side of things and led you to start Protect Our Winters?
Jeremy: It had been an ongoing thing, but I was walking at a resort in the middle of February with a guy that was 30 at the time, and who had grown up skiing at the resort. It hit me how this guy who is relatively young had seen so much drastic change at his local mountain. The resort had closed 5 years prior, we were walking on grass, and there was a golf course at the bottom. That was an eye-opener.

Jeremy Jones emerges from a powder cloud. Photo: tgrsnowboarding.com

SBG: What do you think about real vs fake environmentalism in the ski and snowboard industry? What I mean by that is there is the “eco-friendly” fad: the boards that are “better for the environment,” and the resorts advertising which of their lifts are wind powered; the marketing gimmicks. But then there is also the group of riders, the soul snowboarders, who are quietly living it.
Jeremy: I think a lot of companies have good intentions about doing things more environmentally, and a lot of them have taken the first step towards cleaner products or cleaner mountains, or what have you. However, I think that if they keep waving this big environmental flag, but don’t continue evolving their products, then the truth will come out in the wash. I think it will all work itself out naturally. A year or two ago it seemed like a lot of people felt like they had to be doing something environmentally to be in the industry, and I think that over the next couple of years it will become really obvious which are really serious about it, and the ones that aren’t serious about it won’t be waving that flag.

Jeremy Jones Donner Summit. Photo: Seth Lightcap

SBG: What’s is your vision of a more ecologically friendly snowboard industry? What’s your ideal?
Jeremy: The thing with the environment is that it’s everything, so all aspects, from products to resorts, how we get there, what we’re eating at the cafeteria, every facet of it. If the industry improves just 10% in the next 10 years that’s huge. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s a start. You have to look at it in long term, say 50 year chunks of time, because these results will take a long time. We’re taking the first step and we have a lot more to take and some take a long time.

SBG: Which resorts do you think are actually doing a good job at making themselves more environmentally friendly? Who gets the A’s?
Jeremy: Of the resorts that I visit and go to, Grand Targhee is doing a phenomenal job. Protect Our Winters works very closely with them, so I’ve gotten to see first-hand, not only what they’re doing now, but what’s in the plans for the future, and it’s been pretty wild watching the changes at that resort the last 5 years. The other ones, and not quite at the Grand Targhee level, but I’ve also been excited to see the changes that Jackson Hole and Squaw Valley have made over the past 5 years. Past that I know Aspen puts a lot of energy towards it, and I know there are a bunch of other ones out there.

Jeremy Jones uses a rooster to shield him from a Sierra Death Ray. Photo: Seth Lightcap

SBG: A few years back we started looking at adding a quarterly print edition of SBG. We eventually decided against it, and one factor for us was that environmentally, glossy photo magazines are pretty bad; even on partially recycled paper. We find areas we can make a difference, for example, we host our site with a company that’s aiming for net-zero and we ran a bunch of free advertising for POW last winter. What should snowboard media be doing to promote more environmental awareness, and to be more eco-friendly themselves?
Jeremy: The magazine has been around for a long time, and I don’t think it’s fair to just dig in and say how lame all mags are, and they are doing better stuff, but I would like to see more from them. They’re pretty powerful and they have ways to get the message out, they obviously can’t make their whole mag about it, but starting to implement more content, maybe highlighting companies that are doing good stuff environmentally, or ways that snowboarders can reduce their footprint. Things that we’re seeing a little bit of already. Protect Our Winters was a part of the Transworld Rider Poll award last year, and we raised $10,000; that’s an example of the power of these companies. It didn’t take a lot of their energy to do something like that and that money went far.

Jeremy Jones ripping down Shackelton Spine. Photo: tgrsnowboarding.com

SBG: You have a great list of general purpose tips for saving energy and living more environmentally friendly on the POW website [read 10 Things You Can Do Now on POW]. What are one or two things snowboarders can do within the industry to encourage the development of a more environmentally friendly industry?
Jeremy: Support companies that are putting in the effort to make sustainable products and run a cleaner business. Every purchase is a vote with your dollars, and this is the only way to really get companies to become more eco friendly. The same goes with the resorts you choose to ride; if your home mountain is coming up short, let them know with a comment card. Lastly, I encourage everyone to become a member of Protect Our Winters. Our strength is in numbers, and the more members we have the more it shows the industry that the environment is important to riders.

SBG: Looking forward to this year, what will be your highlight of the winter?
Jeremy: I’m so excited for year two of filming Deeper. We’ve got an incredible team in place now, and we’re continuing to refine our process; we’re learning a lot about going deeper, and I’m really excited to continue down that road.

Continued in “Go Deeper: The Jeremy Jones Interview Pt.2″

In part two of this interview, coming later this week, Jeremy talks about his two year video project, Deeper, and his new snowboard company, Jones Snowboards.

This interview is transcribed from a live interview on October 9, 2009. The questions and answers have been edited for clarity and readability.

Thanks to Teton Gravity Research (TGR) for use of their images.

For any readers not in the know, there are two Jeremy Jones. The Jeremy Jones we’re interviewing is best known for his contributions to big-mountain freeriding, and his company Protect Our Winters, a snow-industry focused non-profit working to unite and mobilize the winter sports community with the goal of having a direct and positive impact on climate change.

Name: Kimmy Fasani
Age: 24
Years Riding: 12 years
Home: Mammoth Lakes, CA
Favorite country you have visited: Japan
Favorite non-snowboarding past time: Gymnastics
Sponsors: DC, Smith, Clif Bar, Skullcandy, Elemental Herbs, Purl Wax, CTi
Music: Tupac, Lil Wayne, Britney Spears, T.I., The Beatles, M.I.A, Madonna

SBG: Always fun to stand in line and chat with you while waiting for Chinese food! When we last talked, you were relatively new to the DC Team. How has that been going?
Kimmy: Being on the DC team has been amazing! Within the last two years I have been given so many opportunities to snowboard in places that I have dreamed about. I have been able to become the rider I have always wanted to be because I know that I have a company that fully supports everything I do. This confidence makes me want to push myself to a higher level each time I go out on the snow!

Kimmy's board, the DC BFF.

SBG: I rode your board in Keystone at On Snow last winter and found it to be a solid ride. That said, in the first year of a board’s existence, there are most likely going to be suggested changes. What was your experience on the board and what do you plan to have different for a future board?
Kimmy: This board has been a collaboration of ideas and I am so glad to hear you enjoyed your experience. Overall I have been very satisfied with how this first round of BFF’s turned out. There’s pop and reliability in the board’s ride when I am hitting jumps, riding powder, and/or carving on groomers, however, I feel equally as comfortable hitting rails because I knowing that this board can do anything. The success of this board has inspired DC to develop a girls twin board, which will allow this BFF board to be more of a free-ride specific and the twin can be more park specific.

Editor's Note: You can read and write reviews of DC's BFF here: DC BFF on SBG

SBG: Being female and ever so attracted to graphics, I am wondering what you see for the graphic future of the board? What are your favorite colors and what would your ideal top sheet look like?
Kimmy: Graphics are a big part of how a board makes a girl feel and personally I love bright, poppy colors on my snowboard. I love blues, greens, browns, and pinks. The future graphics for this board will be bolder and more detailed in order to captivate a woman’s attention right off the shelf.

SBG: What is your favorite piece of DC outerwear for this up and coming season?
Kimmy: My favorite piece of DC outerwear for this up and coming season is the STYRO jacket in Raspberry Plaid. This jacket is bright, comfortable, and perfect for photo shoots.

Kimmy BS 3 Superpark @ Mammoth (c) DC

SBG: How was summer? Did you ride or take a break?
Kimmy: My summer was awesome and pretty mellow. I went to Hawaii in June, followed by a snowboarding trip to Whistler for a DC shoot, and in August I went to Australia for some down under shredding. All my in between time was spent hiking and biking in Mammoth.

SBG: Getting back into the snow season, what tips do you have for riders to prepare for once again being on a board?
Kimmy: Getting back on snow is so exciting but I definitely recommend strength training your legs and core before the season starts. This way you are ready for a strong start to the season. Once the mountain opens do a handful of laps just carving down the groomers in order to get your legs back. This seems like such an easy thing to do but when you’re off snow for months at a time your muscles forget about reaction time. Taking laps will help get your muscle memory back and this will make you more comfortable jumping back into the season.

SBG: How is riding with the DC Team different than riding with your female friends?
Kimmy: The DC team is extremely motivating and together they consistently inspire me to push and progress my riding. When I ride with the guys I try to do what they are doing or step up to features that they are hitting. When I am riding with ladies I feel like I push myself but not as hard because we are all working on similar tricks and the guys are the ones to push us to the next level.

Kimmy BS 3 Superpark @ Mammoth (c) DC

SBG: What first got you into snowboarding and where did you first try it?
Kimmy: I had a good group of guy friends that I would ski race with when I was about 7-12 years old. These guys picked snowboarding up as an after skiing hobby and I wanted to try it. When I was about 8 years old my mom bought a snowboard for me so I could play around after racing. She also treated me to lessons at Soda Springs up on Donner Summit, so fun! When I was 12 years old I gave up skiing and started snowboard on the weekends, soon enough I fell in love with the sport and this is where it’s brought me.

SBG: What is your favorite resort to shred?
Kimmy: My favorite resort to shred is Mammoth because they have a little bit of everything; parks, pow, pipes, fast lifts, and the resort is only about 5 minutes from my house.

SBG: If you can leave one footprint on the snowboard industry, what would it be?
Kimmy: I hope to leave a footprint of progression. I want to be a rider that is remembered for progress women’s snowboarding to a new level.

SBG: Anything else you want to add?
Kimmy: Thanks to my mom, Chris Benchetler, friends and family, sponsors, team managers, and everyone out there that loves the snow as much as I do.

SBG: Thanks for your time Kimmy, have a great season and we’ll see you at SIA.

Photo Credit: Mack Dawg Productions "Picture This"

Age: 26
Years Riding: 16
Home in the US:Newport, my boardbag
Home in Norway: Oslo
Sponsors: Vans, Nitro, Rockstar, Electric, Protec, Heavenly at Tahoe, Raiden bindings, Vestal, Grenade, Active, Neff
Music:ACDC, The Cardigans, Buckcherry, Marion Raven, Royksopp,
Favorite country you have visited: Italy

Photo Credit: Mack Dawg Productions "Picture This"

SBG: What made you decide to take up snowboarding and how did you learn?
ANDREAS: I was alpine skiing in on the local hill when I was young. I was also playing around with a small type of plastic ski you stand with both your feet on. It was almost like a little snowskate. But, I thought snowboarding looked like way more fun so I wanted to try it. Even though almost no one snowboarded back then, I bought a snowboard and put the skis away for good. I grew up riding at a really small, icy resort where the slope was about a 1,000 feet long. I guess I learned a lot from doing that run over and over. I didn’t have any trainers so I just learned from watching other riders and finding out for myself.

SBG: What was the first set of gear you rocked when you started riding?
ANDREAS: I bought a Craig Kelly 151 that was longer than me and just way too big for me! I think I was rocking Helly Hansen pants and some random jacket.

SBG: What change or advancement in technology in the snowboard industry do you most appreciate and why?
ANDREAS: When companies started making twintip-shaped boards (or close to), snowboarding took a big step forward. The riders got more technical and also started doing tricks switch.

SBG: Least appreciate and why?
ANDREAS: For a while there was such a big hype about step-in bindings and a lot of people thought step-ins were going to take over the whole binding market. It just didn’t look good at all, and it didn’t feel good either. But nowadays it’s a good alternative for rentals.

Photo Credit: Mack Dawg Productions "Picture This"

SBG: The strength and spirit of your riding will be what it is no matter what you’re wearing. But, of all the looks that are out there amongst snowboarders, what patterns/ colors/ materials/ “look” do you most identify with?
ANDREAS: I like stripes a lot, especially sideways, because it’s something I identify snowboarding with. I don’t exactly know why, but I just do. I like wearing dark pants, black or grey, because I don’t like it too much when the pants steal too much attention in photos. I also like plaid patterns, but in dark colors. Red is one of my favorite colors and I’ve worn red jackets a lot in the previous years. It looks good in photos, but at the same time you don’t look like a construction worker.

SBG: You spent time riding big mountains this year in Alaska- what were some of the gear-related preparations you had to make and were there any differences in preparing for Alaska compared with other backcountry experiences you have had?
ANDREAS: I went to the store and bought three things before I went to Alaska: Snowshoes, an Avalung and a harness. I didn’t really need the snowshoes as much because we didn’t really hike much. I could have brought them with me in the helicopter but it would have been one more thing to think about when we loaded and unloaded. The Avalung, on the other hand, was really good to have. Even though I didn’t need it, I felt safer knowing that it would help me a lot if I would get buried in snow. An Avalung consists of a mouthpiece and a filter that you strap around your chest. If you are buried in an avalanche, the Avalung will transport the CO2 away from your mouth and over to your back. A filter catches up CO2 when air goes through it on the way out. I’ve been told that you can breathe four times longer with an Avalung when you are under the surface of the snow. We always wore harnesses when we were using the helicopter. Here is the reason why: If you fall into a crevasse or get stuck somewhere else, the helicopter can lift you up.

Photo Credit: Mack Dawg Productions "Picture This"

SBG: Any favorite travel stories from Alaska?
ANDREAS: Well, we played poker 21 times and I only won once. I guess that’s not really a good story, but it was fun to play anyways. The funniest thing was the last day. We went to this random bar in the mountains and had some drinks and played some poker. As the night went on and things got more crazy, the bartender started partying with us. So after a while, Wille Yli-Luoma and I took over the bar and bartended the rest of the night. I don’t think the drinks tasted as good as usual that night.

SBG: Your part in “Picture This” is magnificent! What were some of your goals for filming this past year and did you reach them?
ANDREAS: Thanks! I put a lot of effort into contests this year, but I was trying to film quite a bit in between. My goal this year wasn’t necessarily to film a long video part, but to have a strong, short segment in the movie. The main goal was to get a trick I haven’t done before, and I got it the last day we were filming, so I was really stoked on that.

SBG: What motivates you to get up and try again?
ANDREAS: You can always do the trick better, and that’s one of the things that motivates me the most. It’s just such a good feeling when you land a good trick and get it exactly the way you want. That is motivation enough in itself.

SBG: I recently attended a conference on climate change and the International Polar Year that focused on similarities between Alaska and Norway. Climate change is the new buzz in the snowboard industry, which also promotes the latest and greatest gear. Where do you see the line being drawn between consumerism and being ecologically sound?
ANDREAS: It’s really hard to draw a line because consumerism is good for the snowboarding industry, but not good at all for the environment. I think people still should be able to buy new products without feeling bad about it, but at the same time think about which companies they are buying from. Companies have to focus on producing product in more environmentally friendly ways even though it might be more expensive. Also, as gear is better quality nowadays than it used to be, people can use the equipment longer. But as I said, it’s hard to know where to draw a line here. Snowboarding is dependent on the climate, and that has to come first in line for sure.

SBG: Have you noticed much change in climate from experience snowboarding in Norway?
ANDREAS: I haven’t noticed too much of a change because the winter is really unstable in Norway anyways. It seems like resorts in lower elevations are having trouble with the snow conditions every year now.

Photo Credit: Mack Dawg Productions "Picture This"

SBG: If you can leave one footprint on the snowboard industry, what would it be?
ANDREAS: It would be cool to be remembered as a rider who helped the sport evolve and made a difference.

SBG: Thanks for your insight and time, Andreas! Wishing you many more good lines.

Photo Credit: Sandbox Films "Time Well Wasted"

Name: Kevin Sansalone
Age: 32
Years Riding: 20
Home: Whistler and North Vancouver BC, Canada
Sponsors: At my age I have seen the full cycle of sponsorship: first I was getting flow, then I turned pro with signature series stuff and now I’m back to flow again. Sandbox/Skids, Etnies, Thirty Two, Dragon, RDS, Shark Energy Drinks, Predator Helmets, Whistler/Blackcomb
Music: All kinds of music for every occasion

SBG: I seem to always run into you at SIA, and nowhere else; so when I think Kevin Sansalone, it’s all in one-year SIA snapshots, from Alterna films to Skids 1 and 2 to Never Trust…, and then to Sandbox projects for the past three years. What’s that journey been like for you, balancing between traveling, riding, filming, producing, etc?
Kevin: That’s the key to life – balance. Sometimes it gets way too crazy and you lose control of everything but then you just have to refocus. Business or school, or whatever it is you have to balance work and play. I guess my work is mostly my play as well, so that’s why it seems I can still keep doing it all and not go totally insane.

Kevin, Juggling life. Photo Credit: Sandbox Films "Time Well Wasted"

SBG: As part of that walk, you’ve faded into the background a bit, moved more into a behind-the-scenes role, while seeking out some great new talent for your films. What’s your relationship with the kids you’re bringing into the fold, are you mentoring them to become the next bad-ass Canadian crew?
Kevin: The new guys in our crew are amazing. They really are a funny and very different crew. We have old guys and we have young guys it’s a really good mix. They are bad ass enough, they don’t need any help from me, if anything I’m trying to chill them out most of the time. But I guess I still have my moments too. I got kicked out of my own movie premiere in Seattle last week; I guess we go out of hand, but it was all good because Mike Ranquet was there. I think I was showing off for my mentor.

SBG: Was there a point in the last year when you suddenly realized just how great Time Well Wasted was going to be?
Kevin: It wasn’t actually until the very end when we even thought we had a movie. We had a lot of snow this year but no sun, so we didn’t have too much footage until the spring rolled around. It was kinda scary for the riders but they pulled it off at the end with some really nice bangers

Photo Credit: Sandbox Films "Time Well Wasted"

SBG: What inspired the intro, how long were you all cooped up in the warehouse?
Kevin: We saw a similar concept on a director’s real, so we kinda stole it and took it to the next level. We were in the warehouse for a freaking month. It was a real challenge for us to shoot in a studio setting as compared to the outdoor elements we deal with everyday.

SBG: Watching your videos always makes me feel like I’m hanging out and riding with the crew I grew up with in Alaska. Is there something about the North (Canada, Alaska, and I guess the scanners too) that grows those types of people?
Kevin: Maybe it’s like we just have the winter stuff in our blood. Like if you go to Norway or scando countries there is just snow in the blood you know. So maybe we just seem to be really comfortable out in the elements and look and feel at home so it’s kind of an inviting feeling to the movie.

SBG: We like to dig a little deeper, you know, ask questions other than what’s your favorite color. Climate change seems to be all the rage in the snow industry right now, it almost feels like a fad. Do you think there’s an actual commitment to environmentally friendly policies building in our industry, or is it all a marketing cash-in?
Kevin: I think it’s a little of both, but the bottom line is we have a cash-incentivized obligation to be environmentally conscious and to make an effort to protect the environment. Does that even make sense? We’ll have no business if there is no snow, so let’s get into the fad so we can cash in. Ok now I’m really talking in circles. Let’s just do our honest best for the planet and hope it keeps snowing; how’s that?

Photo Credit: Sandbox Films "Time Well Wasted"

SBG: So what’s your favorite color?
Kevin: Black – I know its not even a color

First words that come to mind:
Hardingham: Maniac
US Customs: Look out
Contest: Done with that
Interviews: Too long

SBG: Your pro-models have always been at the top of the pack in terms of look and style. How involved are you in your board design process, and what inspires your graphics?
Kevin: I am just an involved kind of person. If it has my name on it or reflects me in any way I want in on the whole process. It was great making boards and graphics a really cool part of our industry for sure. I now have started my own company, no name yet but it’s gonna be really small and you can only get them from me right now, cool hey. Maybe gonna be called Whitegold. whooooooo

SBG: This winter we’ll be adding tools on our site targeted to new or future snowboarders. What made you decide to take up snowboarding, and how did you learn?
Kevin: I was going into high school and me and my friends wanted to start something to be social and to have stuff to do on weekends so we were going to start skiing. But then we heard the mountain was going to let snowboards so we thought we would try it out. That was 1987, haha.

SBG: After a wreck, what motivates you to get up and try it again?
Kevin: That’s just how it is. If you want to move forward you got to get back up and try again.

Photo Credit: Sandbox Films "Time Well Wasted"

SBG: Thanks for your time, and for yet another excellent video Kevin,
Kevin: Thank you

Photo Credit: Sandbox Films "Time Well Wasted"

Name: Andrew Hardingham
Age: 21
Years Riding: 15
Home: Banff Alberta Canada
Current Ride: I do the Ride TMS 158cm
Sponsors: WESC, DROP, RIDE, Bruxe, Vonzipper, Etnies, 32, Crème, Rudeboys
Music: old school & dark electronic

Photo Credit: SBG

SBG: Andrew, the last time I saw you was at a booth at SIA.08. You had just finished adding red lips and a lollypop to a stretchy facemask, as pictured with Maggie. Did you end up wearing it on snow?
Andrew: Ya damn rights I did. I’m all about looking sexy for my mountain. It gives me so much that I just want to look good and sexy for it all the time. You know keep it from straying from me.

Photo Credit: Sandbox Films "Time Well Wasted"

SBG: Your video features an equally out-there full-face mask, what inspires your outerwear choices?
Andrew: Well of course staying warm has a lot to do with it but also trying to stay away from the clone armies. Facemasks are so hot and they keep your lips warm when you’re hitting the kind of speeds I’m hitting. Warp 9 was the only time my facemask came off. There not designed for those kinds of speeds.

SBG: Your video parts are always fun, but this years section in Time Well Wasted is truly epic. What was going through your head while you were preparing for The 540?
Andrew: I needed one more trick to make the industry’s quota so I just hammered it out. I have always tried to get as far away from the “porno parts” you see in so many snowboard videos these days. It’s all just hit, spin, and land Time and time again. I was watching the same parts in the 90’s, so I’m out to give our viewers something a little more entertaining and still offer them some serious snowboarding. My parts truly reflect my year. I rode solo almost all season and sometimes I get some oddball ideas when I’m climbing a mountain all by my self. As soon as I’m done the line and a meet back up with my filmer we write it down and bring it to the part. There isn’t enough time to bring very much to the part but it still reflects the season well.

Photo Credit: Sandbox Films "Time Well Wasted"

SBG: The music for your part was pretty rad, but pretty different than what most riders use; how did you choose that song? Is that what it’s like to be in your head when you’re riding?
Andrew: The credit for the music is entirely the artist Die Form. They are this insane dark electronic band that has some of the coolest ideas I’ve seen and herd. They’re from France and there style is exactly what their music portrays. As for my edit on the part, I did it completely on my own. I wasn’t at the editing sweet or even in whistler. I just locked my self indoors for a month and worked on it and several other short films in Banff. Maybe that’s why it’s a little dark. I was just at a premiere last night in Calgary and got to see the public response to the whole movie and my part and it was really cool. I had a few hidden jokes in the part that half the theater responded too. One guy was yelling at the projector dude for screwing it up. Good times.

SBG: Word is you’ve taken the art of making tape-balls to a whole new level:
Andrew: I’m exploring new ways to do whatever I want. Its fun! When you’re in my position in the industry and by that I mean not as supported as many others you get something really cool. Freedoms to do what ever you think up. I’m not trying to be disrespectful or out of control but its nice being able to just try something with out the risk of consequence. I’m a political guy and I like including my opinions and views of the world in my work whether that be my snowboard part in sandbox, my photography or my writing. It’s worth being poor for.

SBG: If you can leave one lasting mark on the industry, what would it be?
Andrew: Be your self. That is an almost cliché thing to say but I really mean it. Everyone in snowboarding is looking at the top to base there style, image, and ideas on. Well fuck the top. They are all doing the same thing, watching everyone ells so they know how they will act in the future. Iv heard the industry take very negative opinions at creativity. I think that’s crazy; you should welcome it at all times. Especially now with suck a generic following. I am starting to see things change though. There are a lot of really cool riders out there now and not only are they picking there own lines but their fun to watch too.

Photo Credit: Sandbox Films "Time Well Wasted"

SBG: One area we’ll be working on this winter is to improve the resources on our site targeted to new or future snowboarders. What made you decide to take up snowboarding, and how did you learn?
Andrew: I started in 92”. It was something very new and had the buzz of not being a ski racer that I loved. See ski racing to me was more about doing trips and trying to get the racing over with so you could go hit on the ski racer chicks in the lodge in hopes to feel them up later. That was cool but snowboarding had an on hill presence that I loved. It still had the feeling up ski racers part but you were in no hurry to get there because getting sweet air time and inventing new things and that taking hard hits and getting up was crazy awesome. And then topping the day off with a sweet make out session or at least the pursuit of one was fantastic. Plus the pants were way cooler.

SBG: What motivates you to get up and try it again after a failure?
Andrew: I like horses so getting back on them seems to be the right path for me. Plus I hate being conquered outside the bedroom.

First words that come to mind:
Sansalone: exploration
Lift line: irregular
Corporate: focusing
Video parts: fun

SBG: Well thanks for spending the time with us Andrew, look forward to running into you again soon.

Photo Credit: Sandbox Films "Time Well Wasted"

Andrew: Tootles.