The History of Skiing Lake Tahoe You can’t think of skiing without thinking of Lake Tahoe, California. Too much has happened here. The first ski racing in North America, chairlifts before 1940, the first Winter Olympics outside of Europe, some of the best ski resorts in North America, and some of the biggest pro freeskiers on Earth including Shane McConkey and Scot Schmidt. Tahoe’s skiing history is lengthy, varied, storied, and rad. 1850s – Organized ski racing in North America starts near Lake Tahoe in Johnsville when gold miners skied 15-foot long skis and hit speeds near 100 miles per hour. […] SnowBrains | April 30, 2015 13 Comments
VIDEO: One Run in Alaska with Points North Heli Last Week Alaska heli season is in full swing right now. Alaska has had a funky year, but the lower tide makes for better features. The snow has shown up in March and left April in fine shape. This video is from last week near Cordova with Points North Heli :Essex Prescott took out the prestigious Shane McConkey Award for his performance at the 2014 World Heli Challenge in Aoraki/Mt Cook NZ and here he enjoys the spoils of his prize on a line in Tappas and Illusions at Points North Heli, Cordova Alaska.” SnowBrains will be reporting from […] SnowBrains | April 3, 2015 0 Comments
Squaw Valley Spotlight Why would you want to live, visit, or vacation in Squaw Valley, USA? Mostly because the place is legendary. The 1960 Winter Olympics created Squaw, Scott Schmidt and Warren Miller put it on the extreme skiing map, and Shane McConkey immortalized Squaw by reinventing how any mountain can be skied. It’s the terrain of Squaw that makes us come back day after day, year after year, generation after generation. No matter how good you are, no matter how many […] SnowBrains | December 23, 2014 2 Comments
The World’s 8 Scariest Viewing Platforms: Are you afraid of heights? Altophobia? If you’re a skier or snowboarder, you probably do have altophobia. Being afraid of heights is what makes skiing and snowboarding thrilling, scary and fun. Shane McConkey always talked about he was afraid of heights and that’s what made it so fun for him to confront that fear via […] SnowBrains | January 27, 2014 0 Comments
VIDEO: “The History of Freeskiing” The guy’s voice in this video is abrasive. The information that the video displays is quite good. Freeskiing has come a long, long way. From essentially not having an identity at all, to Scot Schmidt, to Shane McConkey, to Fat Skis, to Rockered Skis, to Double Corks, to the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. That’s the definition of progression. Where it will go from here, is tough to predict. We know about triple corks, we know about pushing Alaska lines even further, […] Miles Clark | November 18, 2013 1 Comment
Pairing Gloves with Ski Areas: What Glove to Wear at Which Resort We have all heard of wine pairing where the perfect wine is matched to your meal, but have you heard of glove pairing? Our experts have paired five North American resorts with the perfectly paired Hestra gloves or mitts to perfectly round out your skiing experience, taking into account conditions, terrain, and local vibe. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, WY – […] Featured Article Julia Schneemann | March 29, 2024 0 Comments
SnowBrains Podcast Episode #61 | Dr. Kevin Stone – Physician & Orthopedic Surgeon Focused on Repairing and Replacing Meniscus, Articular Cartilage, and Ligaments to Keep People Active This episode of the SnowBrains podcast is brought to you by Club Med. My guest today is Dr. Kevin Stone: Dr. Stone is a physician, orthopedic surgeon, clinician, researcher, inventor, and founder of The Stone Clinic and the Stone Research Foundation in San Francisco. Dr. Stone’s clinical work has focused on repairing and replacing meniscus, articular cartilage, and ligaments to […] Podcasts Podcast | February 26, 2024 0 Comments
The Annual Pain McShlonkey Classic Returns to Palisades Tahoe, CA, this March Get ready to break out your snowblades and dress in your goofiest costumes imaginable for another unforgettable day full of shenanigans and shredding in honor of Shane McConkey. Related: J Skis Releases Shane McConkey Inspired Saucer Boy Ski Blades On March 23, 2024, The Annual Pain McShlonkey Classic, commonly referred to as ‘PMS’, returns to Palisades Tahoe in California. Spots […] Industry News John Cunningham | February 10, 2024 0 Comments