Stevens Pass: In the Mix

By TGR420 | May 22nd, 2009

In the mix. That’s what we call it when we are tinkering around the edge. It is typically used to describe hanging out in a super intense zone. The phrase is tied to big spine walls, heavy avalanche terrain, and massive jumps with serious consequences. Occasionally you will hear one of the boys say, ”We’re in the mix now.” We use it when we are getting it done and everyone has their “A Game” on. It is like being in the zone, but with a little bit more on the line.
    We just wrapped a two week shoot at Stevens Pass. I was on the team to do the aerial cinematography, which is an area I have spent a ton of my film career devoted too. To give some perspective, I have flown with over 50 different pilots for hundreds of hours in the air. Some crazy stuff has gone down over that time. Helicopters are amazing because they defy logic. They are the ultimate tool. They can put us in places we could never imagine being and help us get incredible shots we could only dream of. Helicopters are also extremely dangerous. One mistake and it could be all over. The typical rules when flying in helis involve staying away from trees, wires, chairlifts and staying high above the ground.
    Over the last ten days, we bent these rules on a continued basis. We have been filming for our new movie Re:Session up on Stevens Pass. We have had a ton of our athletes rotating through, as we film different mega features. I have been teamed up with an amazing pilot named Kent Jura from J R Helicopters. We have been flying low to the ground, in between chairlifts, trees, and cables at high speeds getting the flight patterns dialed that make the perfect shot. We have been doing this for days on end. It is some of the most intense flying I have ever done. I have trust in my pilot that he is aware of all these hazards at all times. He is a specialist in this type of flying. I am constantly asking for subtle adjustments that alter the path we have just dialed in. It is a dynamic, ever changing world. We have flown hundreds of different patterns and gotten some of the best footage of the season. As we landed yesterday at the end of the day I threw a high five to Kent the pilot, said goodbye, and watched him lift off on his way home. I turned to my friend Chris who was in the ship shooting stills with me, “I am stoked that is done with for now. That was a lot of time in the mix.” I said laughing with joy and relief. Countless hours
    Being “In the Mix” is a place you want to be in. It is when your senses are alive and your actions effortless. We look all over the world for that tiny space, but you have to know when to back away from it as well. I had tasted it plenty on this shoot and it was time for a new flavor. It was time to call it a season. Stop filming. We got it in the can. We have the shots to make an epic film. Edit season is upon is. Bust out the shorts and flip flops and crack a cold one. The photos can explain it a little better.

**Here we are looking around at film patterns and different angles. We have two chairlifts and alot of trees to think about.**

**It looks like we flew under the chairlift. Maybe we did?**

**This is the film set for the Sammy Carlson barrel bonk jib. We always do a bunch of test runs so Kent can get familiar with the surroundings.**

**Here is the barrel bonk feature. The chairlift gave us some incredible perspectives when filming.**

**Here is my view from the heli. You can see the riders off in the distance. This was our starting gate for one of the patterns. From here we send the athlete, they drop and we turn the ship between these trees, pick up the rider and then pull hard left between the jump and a tree for a wrap around view.**