High Fives Foundation High Five The Wave 4

High Fives Foundation High Five The Wave 4

Jun 14, 2015 | Surfing, Trips & Destinations, Video Gallery

High Fives Foundation High Five The Wave 4

What makes a trip like this so special is the fact that these athletes all suffered some level of serious spinal cord injury skiing or snowboarding. It was amazing and inspiring to see how strong these athletes are. They were athletes before their accidents and they continue to be athletes everyday regardless of their injuries. With combined efforts from the whole team we got the High Fives Athletes out into the warm salty Hawaiian waters to wave ski, longboard and snorkel. All of the athletes have very unique injuries with very unique recoveries. The multiple riding options allowed everyone to try something that interested them and supported their injuries. Thanks to TL Wave Skis, Tyler Lausten designs and shapes one-of-a-kind wave skis that allow paraplegic athletes to sit and catch waves! Imagine a surfboard combined with a kayak. The athlete sits on the board with a paddle in hand, anchored with a leash and they paddle out to the line-up. Once they paddle in for a wave they catch it, then ride it just as a surfer would but sitting down! This allows athletes that have limited lower body movement from the waist down to still get in the water and ride the wave of their life. We had an excellent waterman team that floated in the water all day helping them get in-n-out of the water, tow them out, help them get back onto their boards if needed and push them into waves. When I think of these athletes after the trip the word Strong comes to mind. They didn’t give up and they aren’t listening to the doctors that told them they will never walk again. They are relentless, they will not give up and they train every inch of their body with every ounce of their mind as well as their strength. They are living strong, courageously and positively.
Thank you to all the sponsors who supported this trip! Red Bull Hawaii & Tahoe, POC, Zealious, Tahoe Trail Bar, Cojo Bay, Soxxy, Sanuk, Lululemon, Big Agnes, BigTruck, Outdoor Technology and Patagonia. Special Thanks to Weston Walker, Trevor Clark, Laurel Winterbourne (Film, Photo, Writing) for documenting this trip. Stay tuned to their social media for editorials and photo stories that will be released later. I’d like to now shine the light on the High Fives Foundation. High5’s is a non-profit foundation that supports the dreams of mountain action sports athletes by raising injury prevention awareness while providing resources and inspiration to those who suffer life altering injuries. When someone is faced with the news of low recovery expectations after their accident, doctors tend to not offer much hope. That’s when High Fives steps in and gets these athletes stoked on the possibilities of what CAN be achieved. The High Fives Foundation provides positivity and financial assistance to get them on the road to being an athlete once again. Like High Fives athlete Josh Dueck a medalist at the Sochi Olympics – a paraolympian… The sky is the limit. Where will you take yourself? Choose Positivity Now! I invite you to be inspired by these athletes as much as we are by checking out some of their stories, TedX talks, websites and more! Five For Fives - Le Grand Adventure Tours and The High Fives Foundation Grant Korgen:http://highfivesfoundation.org/grant-korgan-2/ Josh Dueck: http://joshdueck.com/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFa4wnIOWxU Roy Tuscany: http://highfivesfoundation.org/history/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-FaIFGA3Sc Steve Wallace: http://highfivesfoundation.org/highfivesathletes/steve-wallace/ Landon McGauley: http://highfivesfoundation.org/landon-mcgauley-2/ Jocelyn Judd: https://highfivesfoundation.org/highfivesathletes/jocelyn-judd/ Max Elles: http://highfivesfoundation.org/highfivesathletes/max-elles/ Grand props to all that helped make this magical trip come alive and thrive!
Engelberg, Swiss Freeride Mecca
Have you ever met someone that allows you to feel their energy vibrating off of them, pouring over you? We all elevated our energy over the course of the week and felt love, positivity, presence, gratitude and so much more. We should all learn from these athletes that we are capable of anything and we have limitless possibilities. We don’t need to go through a tragic accident in life to discover how precious motion and life is. DON’T take anything for granted. In life we tend to focus on needing and wanting MORE. Whether it be money, success, objects, etc. We get so wrapped up in it, that we forget to appreciate all that we already have. Happiness is deep within you. It’s easy to fall in line with struggle, fear, unhappiness, feeling incomplete or just putting up with your current life situation. It’s also easy to overlook the small accomplishments in life. Imagine sitting up or standing for the first time after such a tragic injury or even just taking a single step can become the best day you’ve had in a while. Learn to appreciate and be grateful for everything. Direct your intentions on what is good, what is thriving and all that you already have. Sometimes it takes effort to maintain such high levels of positivity but it’s possible and much more fun than being negative. How often on a daily basis can you choose to follow the good in life instead of focusing on the bad?

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Chamonix Ski Tour Experience: Overview of the March 2015 LGA Trip

Chamonix Ski Tour Experience: Overview of the March 2015 LGA Trip

Apr 7, 2015 | Skiing & Snowboarding, Trips & Destinations

Chamonix Ski Tour Experience: Overview of the March 2015 LGA Trip

Chamonix, France- home to the first winter Olympics in 1924 and the birthplace of modern day extreme sports. When we first started thinking of locations for our Europe, a Chamonix ski tour was at the top of the list. Rich in history, culture, and surrounded by some of the most majestic peaks in the world, this valley has dedicated itself to be one of the most highly sought after destinations in the world. Iconic peaks such as Mont Blanc and the famous Aiguille du Midi are among the many famous landmarks that lay within this incredible valley. One week in this valley is not nearly enough time but it allows an individual the opportunity to get a peek into the life and breath of Chamonix. There are so many reasons Why You Have to Ski Chamonix, France! The trip is 7 nights and 8 days of skiing in the Chamonix Valley as well as Courmayeur, Italy and Verbier, Switzerland. On one pass (the Chamonix Unlimited) it provides users with a wealth of opportunities to ski 3 countries in one week, experience 3 different cultures and sample some of the best skiing in the world as well as Italian cappuccinos. Even with a low snow year, one can still easily find powder on a daily basis. All you need is a good guide (highly recommended!), a sense of exploration and an open mind to ski touring or hiking to the next valley. We had the privilege to have Hank de Vre’ on our trip with us this year. Hank is a legendary photographer in the ski world and has been photographing the sport over the last 30 years. Each guest has the opportunity to not only have their pictures taken in this iconic location from a legendary ski photographer, but also to go home with a collection of professional photos from an incredible trip.

Ski Chamonix Day 1

One of our main goals at LGA is working with local businesses, individuals and guides in all of the areas we visit. Not only does this support the local community but it’s also a small way that we can give back to the areas we visit. Without these areas our experiences in life would be limited and it helps to maintain the culture for the next generations of skiers and adventurers. Our home for the week would be the Chalet Cosmique nestled in the Les Pelerins area of the valley, about 10-15mins walking distance to the center of town. Gilles and the team at the Chalet of everything dialed in for a week of skiing, snowboarding and mountain biking the valley as well as local knowledge to some of the lesser-known hot spots. Today is a rest day for most but with the crew of skiers and snowboarders we had on this trip, it would soon be a day on the slopes skiing the Grand Montets. With a little fresh snow and a couple openings of the clouds, our guests quickly got a glimpse of what was in store for the week. At night the crew of the Chalet Cosmique starts the week off with an incredible dinner cooked in the chalets kitchen. In true tradition the food was outstanding and we enjoyed the time getting to know everyone on the trip.

Ski Chamonix Day 2

Our first day of skiing Chamonix and what a better way to start by going up to the Grand Montets. This is the best lift served mountain in the valley if you want to ski some big laps as well as multiple glacier runs if the conditions are good. It is also the start for the famous Haute Route ski tour over to Verbier and/or Zermatt. The ski area starts in Argentiere at 1252 meters and ascents all the way up to 3275 meters or 6,600+ feet of vertical! Not a bad way to start the ski trip. Our first descent into the Argentiere Glacier, after taking in the views of Mont Blanc, the Aiguille du Midi, the Valle Blanche/Mer de Glace, was a mix of conditions but given the recent warm weather it was still a great run. As always you need to stop at the hut to have a hot drink or refuel before you go back up. We had some great powder turns from the top section and over to the Bochard lift. With typical high alpine fashion the clouds rolled in around midday, but that did not stop us from going back up to the top for one more glacier run and some powder turns.  With everyone feeling good it was worth the 6,600’ foot descent back into town to end of the day. A quick hot tub soak and après at the chalet, ends the first day with amazing views of the mountains and a perfect Chamonix sunset. As always the food the team cooked at the chalet that night was top notch, the Haute Savoie wine flowed with local cheese, meats, and baguettes and the stoke was high for everyone on their first day in the Chamonix valley.

Ski Italy Into France Day 6

After a long day in Italy and skiing the Valle Blanche as well as a little fun après session by the group back at the Chambre Neuf Bar in Chamonix, it was time to do a little ski touring off of Courmayuer and into the Italian Alps. We decided to ski tour over to the area the Freeride World Tour uses for one of their big mountain competitions each year. Skiing the Valle D’Aosta area of Italy is one of the most scenic and incredible locations to visit. We finally go to the top of the Arp cable car after the Youla stop. Lots of great skiing off both lifts but the Arp really allows you to access even that much more terrain. After a couple of pictures, a quick traverse across the ridge and we had our first powder turns of the day.

It was a quick warm up for the next 25-minute skin up the ridge and on to the next bowl we would ski. The next bowl was a great treat with lots of powder turns to be farmed and it’s also the lower section of one of the venues for the Freeride World Tour on Mont Fortin. The group split as some went for the peak while others stayed on the lower bowl and farmed out lap after lap of powder. The group would actually end up meeting after the highest skin track of the day was set in and the other group coming down from the top of Mont Fortin. This was one of the best runs of the trip as it offered a 1,000+ vertical of great skiing while looking across the valley to the Italian side of Mont Blanc. In true fashion we skied down to Val Veny and with a quick phone call, had a snowmobile ride out of the valley and back to the bottom of Courmayeur. What a great way to finish off the day!

Ski Verbier / Ski Aiguille du Midi Day 7

The last day of the trip and wow what a week it has been. The group split up to explore a couple of different areas before the end of the trip. Verbier, Switzerland and the infamous Aiguille du Midi are 2 of the best places a skier or snowboarder could ever visit. The Valle Blanche crew had a little bit of a line to wait through but it paid off as the ride up and the ski through the valley is one not to miss. With low visibility but good conditions they were able to ski the Grands Envers and into the Mer de Glace. This is a great run and on a powder day, could very well be one of the best ski runs of your life.

The other group decided to head over to Verbier to get a day of skiing in Switzerland in as well as a chance to see some friends compete at the final stop of the Freeride World Tour and the Bec de Rosses. It was great to see friends and other Tahoe locals such as Daron Rahlves and Jackie Passo compete this day, as it is one of the most iconic venues in the world. We had great skies and blue bird conditions for the first powder run after a short book pack up to the Highway to Heaven traverse. One of our guests would find his way into a beauty of a couloir and have it all to him self, not a bad way to spend your first day in Verbier. The group got to ski a beautiful North Facing aspect with powder and end the day on a high note. No trip to Verbier is complete without a stop at one of the many Après hotspots on the mountain to listen to some great music with even better views of the French and Swiss Alps. After a short stop in the village to see old friends and share the excitement from the competition day, it was back to Chamonix for the final night with the crew and an incredible Mexican dinner by the one and only Chef Adam. Gracias Amigo!

After 7 days of non stop skiing, adventure, lots of fresh cooked local food, skiing three countries and fresh powder turns every day, it’s easy to say everyone had a great week of skiing in the Alps. To many, this was their first time skiing in Europe and hopefully not the last as the smiles and excitement had them looking forward to the next trip. If you are curious to see more, check out our SKI CHAMONIX VIDEO from 2015. We are already building our March 2016 Chamonix ski trips and can’t wait to host another group like this as well as a women’s only ski week/camp with local professional female guides and athletes.

We hope to see you on an upcoming Chamonix Ski Tour!

Ski Chamonix Day 3

Time to start hiking and exploring the endless ski options behind the Brevent and Flegere ski areas. The day started with an amazing ride up the Brevent with spectacular views of the Mont Blanc/ Aiguille du Midi range on the other side of the valley. The views from the top of the Brevent lift allow an individual to look into Switzerland and France in all directions. It is quite an impressive sight that hopefully everyone gets to experience one day. The day would start with a ski tour via the Col des Aiguille Crochues as we exited the top of the Floria draglift. There were a couple dozen people on the route and made for an interesting boot pack as we watched the other groups. Boot packing up was a lot easier vs. skinning to the top as you had to boot pack the last 100 meters to the top. The next couloir we would ascend would put us up to the Pointe Alphonse Favre and looking down on to a powdery Glacier Mort (yes, the glacier of death which is receding every year due to warm temps and is significantly smaller vs. a decade ago). The ski out along the Berard valley and the creek down to Le Buet is always an interesting one. It is a given that at least one person will slip into the creek at some point and get a little wet but it makes it more fun that way. In our case both snowboarders got a nice little fresh water treat on the way down 🙂 Once we are all at the bottom of the valley and back in Le Buet, its time for a nice cold beer to celebrate a long day in the mountains. A small group went over to Le Tour and got another couple runs in as you can easily ski down the XC path to access those lifts. Overall this was an excellent day and one that many would call the highlight of the trip.

Ski Courmayeur Day 4

Today was the first road trip to find fresh snow on the other side of Mont Blanc and through the Mont Blanc tunnel over to Courmayeur, Italy for some fantastic Italian powder skiing. No ski trip to Italy is complete without sampling one of the many on mountain restaurants, the fine and inexpensive cappuccinos, and of course an after ski Bombardino! The day would force us to stay high on the mountain around the Youla cable car as the Arp cable car was closed due to the storm. This option allowed us easy access to dozens of north facing couloirs right from the top with minimal traversing. Nice, steep and powder filled lines between 45-50 degrees in pitch and 500+ meters long which led into nice powder filled bowls that we could lap. The mountains would play games with us and give everyone a sneak peak at the Italian side of Mont Blanc and the pure beauty of the area. The energy of the group continued to build as each day kept getting better and everyone’s hopes of finding fresh snow was coming true, especially those from Tahoe.

Ski Courmayeur Day 5

Back to La Palud Italy for fresh snow and a chance to ski into the Valle Blanche from the Italian side of the mountains. Blue skies and a little powder, offered us the option to ski couloirs and open bowls off of the Helbronner area located on the Italian side of Mont Blanc. One group would head over to the Glacier de Toule for some fresh powder turns and the second group would ski The Couloir di Riffugio (45 deg) and the “Sous les Cables” back down to the mid station for a snack before lunch at the top station. As with most high alpine ranges you will consistently come across mixed weather and conditions. Once at the top we were in a thick cloud of pea soup with very low visibility. Our guide Phil Ashby and LGA Owner Jeff Robertson, decided to go for a little walk to see what the conditions might be like going into the Vallee Blanche. With very little visibility and passing a couple groups of Italian military personnel on their way back from a training tour, Jeff & Phil decided to go for the window and see what happens. As the group finished up the homemade lasagna and cappuccinos, the decision was made to head into the Valle Blanche in search of fresh snow. The decision paid off and as the group started to break through the clouds and into the sun looking at the Aiguille du Midi and the upper sections of the Valle Blanche, sounds of stoke and excitement started to fill the air. The Valle Noir was in great condition and offered some of the best turns of the trip with fresh snow and bluebird conditions. This would be one of our best powder runs of the week! The perfect moment for everyone as we skied away into the lower part of the Mer de Glace that was covered in fog and onto the Montenvers Cable way back into Chamonix. To cap off the day the group headed to Chambre Neuf for a little Après and live music before a night on the town at the Le Vert Hotel for dinner and more live music. With numerous couloirs and open glaciated areas to ski, this is an area that all skiers to the Chamonix valley should experience.

Chamonix Photo Gallery

To View The Complete Photo Album On Facebook, Click The Following Blue Link: Chamonix 2015 Trip – Photographed by Hank de Vre’

 

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Making the Epic Pilgrimage to Legendary La Grave, France

Making the Epic Pilgrimage to Legendary La Grave, France

Dec 12, 2014 | Skiing & Snowboarding, Trips & Destinations

Making the Epic Pilgrimage to Legendary La Grave, France

Article courtesy of Snowbrains.com

La Grave, France is every passionate skier and snowboarder’s dream come true. La Grave is raw. It’s expansive and unbridled. There are no ropes, no boundaries, nor limits in La Grave. You do what your soul wills and your decisions are your own.

To travel to La Grave is a required pilgrimage for every die hard skier and snowboarder. The key to enjoying the raw beauty of La Grave is riding with someone who knows the place inside and out. La Grave is no place to be unsure.

la Meije Skiing

The big terrain of La Grave, France.

La Grave is a raw skiers experience. The town and the lift don’t represent what North America would call a ski resort. It is wild terrain in its natural state. The skier leaves behind the comforts and conveniences of the average over priced ski resort for the most natural mountain experience a ski lift can provide. Compared to North America, the value for a lift ticket is one of the best deals on the planet. If you want freedom and some of the longest runs of your life, then La Grave represents just that.” – Joe Vallone, La Grave mountain guide

Aerial tramway La Grave France

The legendary Telepherique at La Grave, France.

“In La Grave, there are no marked runs, no avalanche control, and although there is a small team working for the lift that are patrollers, they are not what North American ski resorts would call patrollers. They don’t manage the mountain and they are not to be relied on for rescue. One thing is for sure, the ski patrol here won’t take your pass for skiing too fast, truth is, and they probably ski better and faster then you anyway. The mountain is to be experienced in its raw and natural state and In La Grave the skiers and Snowboarders are responsible for their own safety and decisions.” – Joe Vallone, La Grave mountain guide

La Grave Skiing

Wide open spaces. La Grave, France.

The La Grave pilgrimage is an experience that will change you, ruminate within you, and forever alter your life perspective. Understand that La Grave is not for everyone. There are no frills. Just snow, ice, and rock. Just mountain and myth.

“Skiers and Snowboarders should experience this place if the only thing that matters to you is the riding. If you are after a bro scene, loud clubs, flashy pros and industry propaganda along with nightlife that rivals the mountain then La Grave is not for you. If you are here because the quality of the day is more important then your accommodations and the night, then La Grave is for you. If you like to get outside of your comfort zone a little bit and truly be humbled by a tradition and style of skiing that has been at the cutting edge for decades then La Grave is for you. If the mountain culture and lifestyle is just as important as the skiing, then La Grave is for you. If you want to see a historical stone village that has a tight knit community of some of the friendliest people on the planet, then La Grave is for you. If you want to see a style and level of riding or challenge yourself that most other resorts don’t expose you to, then La Grave is for you. If you want to ski what will most likely be the longest untracked runs of your life, then La Grave is for you.” – Joe Vallone, La Grave mountain guide.

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Colorado Road Trip To Find Powder

Colorado Road Trip To Find Powder

Feb 24, 2014 | Trips & Destinations

Colorado Road Trip To Find Powder

After a very dry start to the 2013/14 winter in Lake Tahoe, it was time for Le Grand Adventure Tours team to pack up the gear and head to higher ground. It was an easy decision, as Colorado had been in a great snow cycle for weeks and the temps were to stay cold over the next seven days. Time for a Colorado road trip to find powder! Hank DeVre’, Jeff McKittrick, and I hopped in the car and at 5am and we were off to the land of the 14’ers. It was a quick 15hr drive as the views during the drive make up for the long hours behind the wheel and the never-ending high plain deserts.  Our first stop would be Vail, Co to enjoy some of the sweet nectar known as Colorado Powder. We just missed the last storm but there were still plenty of secret stashes to explore and find those magical powder turns we had not truly experienced this year. California was in a state of drought and the temps were in the mid 50’s for 2 weeks. It’s been a tough winter for the Tahoe community and many locals have fled to other snow filled locations so they could ski the white gold. We arrived that night just after sunset and we were treated to a magical full moon rising over the CO Mountains and high deserts of the west.

Vail

Our 1st day on the hill rewarded us with blue bird skies, excellent views, new and old friends, great skiing and a classic back country run at sunset finished off by cold beverages at a local saloon in Minturn. We got to meet our old friend Drew Rouse, pro skier and part owner of Grace Skis on the mountain and spent the next couple of days ripping the local spots with our buddy. Our 2nd day was suppose to be in the high country of Colorado somewhere on Vail pass or Loveland pass, but due to the extreme avalanche danger and considerable snow conditions we enjoyed a day of driving in Colorado to checkout some of the incredible views and terrain in this beautiful state. We ended the day with a cold European beer and local grilled sausages of Buffalo, Elk, and Lamb in a unique little bar restaurant in Frisco, Co. Prost to a great day of learning the local history and making the best of what we had. The next couple of days in Vail were like the 1st day we had and it was nice to make as many runs as we did. All in all it was a great time and we even got to watch the Denver Broncos win the AFC championship! Go Broncos!

Steamboat Springs, Co

It was a cold start to the morning in Vail as we woke up to 9 degrees in the valley. The temperatures didn’t bother us, as we knew that just 1.5hrs north was the promised land of cold blower champagne powder in a little place called Steamboat Springs. I use to live in Steamboat (93-2000’) and over those years I can tell you one thing, we skied a lot of very deep blower days. The winter of 95/96’ when the month of January unleashed one of the most amazing snowstorms that any of us will ever experience. We received over 22 feet of snow that that month and it will live forever in the memories of those that got to experience it! It’s why we keep coming back every year to experience this amazing place.

Upon our arrival the warm hearts of the locals and many old friends greeted us. We had 3 days of skiing ahead of us and were very fortunate to be staying the Grand Hotel right at the base of the mountain. The mountain offered incredible views, beautiful weather, great-untracked snow and skiing with the local boys (Dan Gilchrist and Andy Knouse).  We went to an old spot off the mountain and were treated with fresh snow for 2,000’ vertical feet and an amazing sunset as we toured back to the mountain. No ski day is complete without stopping by the local watering hole to share a story and reminisce about the day. Insert sunset shot and snow crystals, skiing shot

Our next day was going to be a long one as we had scoped out a bunch of new lines the day before and knew we would be out there for at least 8hrs. The excitement was high, the weather was perfect and we had cold snow that had formed an amazing surface hoar that was mesmerizing to look at. The crystals were so delicate and defined that the sound it made when you skied though it was incredible, a truly unique ski experience for all of us. The day did not disappoint, as we were able to ski a lot of our lines we had seen the previous day. With great weather and good snow conditions, Hank was capturing all the great moments on film as only he could. It was great to show our Tahoe friends this hidden gem and a place that was full of deep powder memories. If you have not skied Steamboat I would highly recommend signing up for one of our trips as it will be a once in a lifetime experience of skiing deep champagne powder! Insert photo of Hank shooting, boulder field, sunrise pic

That night we enjoyed one of the best meals we have all had in recent memory. Our good friend and local chef, Jason Salisbury at Mahogany Ridge Brewery created some of the most amazing appetizers and main courses that we had tasted in a long time. The restaurant has a lot of history and also brews beer on site, which is always a nice treat. Needless to say we left overly satisfied, full of great food, taste buds in delight and craving more! We could not stop talking about the experience for the rest of the trip and still think about our time there. This will be a spot on all of our trips to Steamboat for sure.  We all had a couple great days of skiing at both resorts, planning new trips to Colorado, and seeing old friends. With rumors of a snowstorm and big swell about to hit California, it was time to drive home to Lake Tahoe. Next stop, the Mavericks surf contest on Friday January 25th and a fun filled weekend in Santa Cruz checking out new spots for trips. Check back soon for an update on our Mavericks day and future surf and mountain bike trips to Santa Cruz. Insert Photos of drive, steamboat crew, vail crew, and other stuff.