Video: This Is My Winter Helmet Cam Action

Last week I posted the teaser trailer for a new extreme snowboarding video called This Is My Winter that looked amazing and scary at the same time. Today I have more footage from the film, all of it captured by a video camera strapped to the head of the rider. That means we get a first person perspective as they climb remote mountains, strap on their snowboard, and then fly back down the hill.

This video only reiterates my decision to never, ever, try to do this myself.



Helmet cam teaser - THIS IS MY WINTER from TimeLine on Vimeo.

Video: This Is My Winter Teaser Trailer

I post videos regularly here on The Adventure Blog, many of which give us an inside look at life on an expedition or in pursuit of some outdoor adventure. Few of those videos are as scary as these backcountry, alpine skiing/snowboard films, which often depict someone hurling down an impossibly steep mountain face and breakneck speeds.

That's exactly what we have today in this teaser trailer for a film called This Is My Winter, which follows climber and snowboarder Xavier de Le Rue, who scales some impressive mountains, then proceeds to snowboard back down them. Much of the footage here is caught by his helmet cam, which makes it all the  more scarier, but the wide shots really give you a sense of the scale of these mountains, and just how vertical they are. At times it is just crazy-scary.

Thanks to The Goat for sharing this one.



Teaser - THIS IS MY WINTER from TimeLine on Vimeo.

New Ski Goggles Keep You Connected On The Slopes

In addition to being a fan of adventure, exploration, and travel, I also happen to be a technology and gadget guy. I love playing around with new tech toys and finding interesting ways that they can improve my life. When I find a cool gadget that would also be fun to use on my travels or outdoor sports, than I really get excited. Such is the case with a new heads-up display system from Recon Instruments that fits inside specific ski goggles. Recon has just released their MOD and MOD Live devices, both of which look like they would be a lot of fun to use on the slopes.

The basic MOD system incorporates a micro-optics display (MOD) inside your goggles and displays such data as your current rate of speed, vertical distances traveled, the temperature and so on. The system also incorporates a GPS chip so that it can track your location and the routes you take on the mountain. It even includes a sophisticated chrono/tracker for showing you real-time info on your current run.

All of that is pretty cool stuff, but it is also technology we've seen in goggles before. Step up to the MOD Live system however, and you really get some cool additions. MOD Live is powered by Google's Android operating system and links up to your smartphone via Bluetooth technology. With a data connection enabled, the MOD Live can add navigation cues to your screen and includes a database of a ton of resorts across the world to show you the best runs and points of interest. It'll also allow you track the location of your friends who are also using the Live system, and will display text messages and caller ID on the screen.

I had a chance to play with a pre-release version of the device at Outdoor Retailer this past August and thought that it was very cool. While I wasn't actually on the slopes of course, I did get to see what the tiny screen is capable of, and came away quite impressed. The outdoor-enthusiast-slash-tech-guy in my was drooling a bit over the possibilities, and its good to see that MOD and MOD Live are now available. Price? $299 and $399 respectively.

Check out the video below to see more of what these devices are capable of.

Recon Instruments Fall 2011 Product Lineup from Recon Instruments on Vimeo.

PowderWhore Productions Presents Breaking Trail

It seems the number ski and snowboarding films being released is starting to hit critical mass. Could it be that as the end of summer approaches (It's officially over on Friday!), our need to play in the snow begins to overwhelms us? We still have to make it through autumn before we can hit the slopes, but to help us get there is the new film Breaking Trail from PowderWhore Productions, a film that celebrates backcountry skiing at its finest.

Solitaire: A Beautiful Backcountry Skiing Video

My friends over at the Joy Trip Project posted this video yesterday, but it is too beautiful not to pass along and share here as well. It is the trailer for a new ski/snowboard film from Sweetgrass Productions called Solitaire, which debuted last night in Denver, Colorado. It is yet another example of some of the amazing work that is being done by adventure filmmakers across the globe, and its images inspire not only adventure, but also a need to hit the slopes.

In the immortal words of author George R.R. Martin: Winter Is Coming!



SOLITAIRE: A Backcountry Skiing, Snowboarding, and Telemark Film from Sweetgrass Productions on Vimeo.

Warren Miller's LIke There's No Tomorrow

If there is one sure sign that winter is not as far off as we think, it is the arrival of a new ski video courtesy of Warren Miller. His latest, entitled Like There's No Tomorrow, will be the 62nd film he has made, and will feature Johnny Moseley, amongst other ski and snowboarding pros, celebrating the fact that winter is just around the corner. Here's the trailer for the film.

Get Your Ski Movie Fix Courtesy Of ESPN

The calendar may say that summer is still hanging around for a few more weeks, but now that Labor Day has passed, many of us are already looking ahead to the winter season. To help get us prepared, ESPN has put together an impressive list of ski films that are due out this year, and they've included links to the trailers for the films as well.

All told, there are nearly 20 films on the list, and if you're a fan of these kinds of films, I'd recommend not going to that website until you have some serious time to explore all the videos. Below is an example of one of the trailers. It's for a film called Being There from Field Productions, which was shot in Norway, Sweden, and Japan.

Hang in there ski bums, the season is closer than you think!


BEING THERE - FIELD PRODUCTIONS from Field Productions on Vimeo.

Nat Geo Launches "Fringe Elements" Adventure Video Series

National Geographic has launched a new line of adventure sports videos called Fringe Elements that looks to have a ton of great potential. As you can imagine, coming from Nat Geo, the quality is extremely high, and they cover a broad base of outdoor activities. In the first round of videos alone, there is everything from  rock climbing to trail running, with just about everything in between.

Along with the launch of these new videos, there is all a gallery of "expert tips" which offers up some great advice on a number of important topics. For example, there are tips on how to pack lighter (always important and appreciated on my end!) as well as a list of the top gear for aspiring adventure filmmakers.

Check out the full list of a launch videos by clicking here. I've also posted an example below. Great stuff to start the day.

Xavier de le Rue Takes Us On The Italian Job

Here's a fantastic video that has been making the rounds on all the usual websites over the past few days. It shows professional snowboarder Xavier de le Rue doing his thing in the Italian Dolomites. The video is beautifully shot and very well made, and arrives just in time to remind us that the winter months are rapidly coming to an end. If you want to hit the slopes before the snow melts, you may want to get out there soon.



The Italian Job with Xavier de le Rue - TimeLine S01E06 from TimeLine on Vimeo.

The First Adventure of 2011!

I'm off on my first adventure of 2011 starting tomorrow when I'll be heading to Montana to experience Big Sky and Yellowstone during the winter. The agenda includes skiing, both alpine and cross country, snow shoeing, sledding, wildlife viewing, and a whole lot more. I love the wild and beautiful country there, and can't wait to check it out under a blanket of snow.

Never fear though. I'm taking my trusty new MacBook Air along and hope to make some posts when I have Internet access, which may or may not be all that often. When I was out that way back in September, we often didn't even have cell phone service, let alone Internet. Either way, I hope to continue to do at least a little writing while I'm on the road, and may even be able to share some photo and thoughts on the trip as it unfolds.

In the meantime, I hope your 2011 is off to just as an adventurous start. No sense in waiting, just jump right in.