The wind giveth and the wind taketh away.

**meatdrink9** · 02-22-2010, 04:54 PM

It's been a low snow year (roughly 50% of snow pack so far), but the wind has put the snow in the right places at times. I've been probing all the bigger features with each storm cycle... watching and waiting.

I've been hoping for an opportunity to get silly this season. On most of the bigger features you find rock about 4 feet down (another 2 feet plus wind and it will be game on), but Madness always scores on the wind deposits. It probed awesome last Tuesday, but I had to leave town for Silverton. I was hoping for snow while we were gone, but we only managed an 1" in the entire week.

That said my probe tracks from before were completely gone when we arrived today. The sky was blue, but the same wind that deposits so much snow at the base of the cliff was blowing full force. We waited and waited hoping for the winds to calm. We talked about potential outcomes of the wind. I hiked up and down the ramp 2 or 3 times hoping for a break and planning countermeasures for the wind. We decided more speed would be good. I was confident I could keep from getting tossed by the wind.

I stayed tight through most of the air. I assumed once down off the ledge the winds would be less violent. About midway through the air I started to open slightly. I was instantly spun sideways about 90 degrees. I'd never experienced that before. I then drifted backseat as landing on your skis checked to the hill after that much air would be very bad. Knowing how good the landing was kept me from freaking out. I landed. Popped up and skied away. It didn't hurt at all, but I also knew I didn't need to hit again today.

Here are a couple of the best pics from today. I'll try to post up a few others, but I've got a crazy busy week ahead. The helmet cam is just evil. You can hear us trying to talk on the radios, but the wind is just howling even while standing still. The camera cut out on impact.

First and last frame by GT40:

A new angle from MOE:

**coreyb** · 02-22-2010, 04:56 PM

sweeeet hayzuse das huuuuuuuuuuudge

**MTslackcountry** · 02-22-2010, 04:58 PM

caw caw caw

**GT40** · 02-22-2010, 05:01 PM

A fun day, but I was nervous & cold. Windchill -10F. We concluded that as a family we are not normal.

**SeatownSlackey** · 02-22-2010, 05:04 PM

**Wes Mantooth** · 02-22-2010, 05:05 PM

That is rather large

**time2clmb** · 02-22-2010, 05:07 PM

ummmm....winner winner chicken dinner. FKNA sick.

**Mofro261** · 02-22-2010, 05:10 PM

The theme music for helmet cam should be "Abel" by The National.

Too bad we had to leave Silverton friday...

**skier666** · 02-22-2010, 05:10 PM

Stoke.....I guess.

**iscariot** · 02-22-2010, 05:12 PM

Posting to get a good seat for the sure-to-ensue "That was 100 feet!", "That was not a hundred feet!" argument...

MD9...killin it as always...

**Dantheman** · 02-22-2010, 05:13 PM

Nice work J, way to take what you can get.

I showed up to Alta on saturday to find the snow below Bad News plenty good (though not good enough to send it all) and no tracks on any of the good airs

The Alta crew is slacking.

**el hefe** · 02-22-2010, 05:19 PM

!wow!.......

**Tin_Cup** · 02-22-2010, 05:20 PM

You sir are a badass

**DoWork** · 02-22-2010, 05:32 PM

That was the shiznitovanschnitznvansamp! Nice work MD9 & Co. fo sho!

**link1** · 02-22-2010, 05:37 PM

Sick ticket! noice!

**hoarhey** · 02-22-2010, 05:39 PM

Digging the silliness.
And how the probe tracks looks like nordic jumping lines in the landing area

Originally Posted by meatdrink9

First and last frame by GT40:

**irul&ublo** · 02-22-2010, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by GT40

A fun day, but I was nervous & cold. Windchill -10F. We concluded that as a family we are not normal.

Normal is way overrated. Nice pic.

**TitanneeNC** · 02-22-2010, 05:45 PM

Don't care if all I hear is a lot of wind wiping through the audio, would love to see the POV!

**HobieTony** · 02-22-2010, 06:19 PM

Yer an idiot.

With huge balls. And mad skills.

Strong work.

**adrenalated** · 02-22-2010, 06:22 PM

Yep, that's still fucking massive.

**Tap** · 02-22-2010, 06:24 PM

and all of the sudden my processing of K-1's doesn't seem important

nice air, J-bird.

**Edgnar** · 02-22-2010, 06:37 PM

um, wow. You musta go like 2 feet of air on that one dude!

seriously though,that is sick.

**unpossible** · 02-22-2010, 06:43 PM

Reeedonkulous. Love the second pic.

**mnskier** · 02-22-2010, 06:49 PM

Love both the pics.. this is ginormously massive!

**toast2266** · 02-22-2010, 06:58 PM

fuggin awesome.

I've been trying to find the photographer for the second pic in the first pic - can't find him. Is he in there, or has he been p-shopped out?