We are stoked to announce that John Supon has been added to the elite list of Talus athletes. John has a fascinating story to tell and Talus is incredibly excited to be a part of his future.
John was paralyzed in a car accident a few years back and has since become an incredible sit-skier, rower and para-Olympic competitor.
Warrior Dash
John – we are more than excited to have you on board–welcome to the team!
Training for the Olympics
Craig Moore, a ColdAvenger skier, is a hardcore Montanan ski bum. Combining his love of snow with a skill for photography, Craig has made a name for himself in Power Magazine, Backcountry, Outside Magazine, Snowboarder, and other industry publications.
You can watch a video of Craig on the You Tube – Craig is competing for the 2012 Ultimate Ski Bum Contest on the Powder Highway in British Columbia.Watch his video and send it on to your friends – the more views he gets, the better his chances of winning the honor!
You can look forward to posts about Craig from the top of the Big (Whitefish Mountain Resort at Big Mountain) and everywhere he seeks the powder.
Up here in NW Montana, you never know what (whom?) you might encounter when you hit the mountaintops. For anyone who has schushed The Big, just off Chair Two, Mountain Jesus is a familiar companion.
A statue installed in 1955, and viewed by many as a memorial to WWII Veterans, it’s no surprise that the news it might be taken down has stoked some serious controversy in these parts. The National Forest Service heard the wrath of a large number of folks when they announced they would not be renewing the permit for the statue on NFS land. A “save Jesus” Facebook page has erupted (the irony here is too thick to even touch!), and so much outcry has been heard that they have decided to reopen the consideration of a lease renewal.
For us, we like Mountain Jesus because he’s been there as long as we can remember, and it’s always fun hitting the powder with Jesus at your back.
No politics, no religion, just cool dude up on the mountain, giving us that comforting look as we tempt death once again with some lumber strapped to our feet.
Hope things go ok for you, Mountain Jesus.
Solitaire by Sweetgrass Productions
SOLITAIRE: A Backcountry Skiing, Snowboarding, and Telemark Film from Sweetgrass Productions on Vimeo.
Amateur Hour a full length free film by PYP
ColdAvenger team member Bob Affholder sent some ColdAvenger Facemasks to his friend Richard Mundinger for Christmas. Richard distributed them to his son Clay and some of his friends for a ski trip to Colorado where the fellas put them to the test. The three wearers loved the masks and how well they preformed in the biting cold weather. Read their appreciation below:
Mr. Affholder:
I really appreciate you giving us those darth vader facemasks. Wearing one really helped the last couple of days at 12,000 feet in Aspen Colorado with the stormy weather, 10 degrees with 40 mph winds and virtually no visibility what so ever. Long story short, I owe that mask for me not getting frostbite on my nose and comments like, “Sick mask man!”
Thanks again,
Furey Stirrat (Age 15):
Dear Mr. Affholder:
I was under the distinct impression that “snowfall” implied snow moving towards the ground. Imagine my surprise, then, when today, as we were riding the chairlift, the snow was flying up the hill towards us. Perhaps this is because I am a Tucson native, and perhaps a local would speak differently, but I would call today cold, rough, wet, and windy. I did not, however, feel its effects, and I owe this in large part to the masks. I can think of few things worse than a cold nose and wind-chapped lips, and the mask kept my facial features warm and toasty without imparting fog to my goggles, as mufflers and masks are apt to do. I wholeheartedly appreciated the gear.
Regards,
Tanner (17, Tucson)
Dear Mr. Affholder,
First off, I just want to thank you for the amazing facemask presents that you gave to my father for our family. The facemasks have been a huge part in staying warm with the impeccably cold weather that we have endured over the last two days, and one can only imagine it won’t be getting warmer anytime soon. If it was sitting on the ski lift going directly into ferocious winds, or hiking to the summit of Snowmass, only able to see the person in front of you at times, the facemasks allowed myself to breathe just fine and keep my face warm and away from any sort of frostbite. Again I just want to say thank you for your generosity. I wish you a happy holiday, and I look forward to playing golf with you in the new year.
Sincerely,
Clay Mundinger
We are glad the ColdAvenger made those freeze-gnar conditions tolerable!
We are so excited that it’s Wounded Warrior Week at Whitefish Mountain Resort. We had such a great time skiing with our Nation’s Heroes when they came last year, and we’re looking forward to welcoming a new group of brave men and women at the airport this afternoon. Skiing with these guys and hanging out with them is the highlight of our year. They are the toughest guys and gals on the planet. Of course we’re giving all the Wounded Warriors ColdAvenger face masks, and sponsoring this event is one of the most important things we do at Talus Outdoor Tech.
We’re told it will be especially helpful to Ian Lennon, a Marine from New York who was in a fuel explosion in Kuwait that burned more than a third of his body. Four years after the explosion, he is still going through extensive surgeries. His injury means he is particularly sensitive to certain weather conditions, so we hope that he’ll find comfort and relief with the ColdAvenger.
This guy is amazing. He recently returned to school through WWP’s TRACK program, taking college classes with other wounded warriors as he prepares for a career as a fire inspector.
Ian’s message is simple, “There is life in front of you, just don’t worry about today. Just worry about your future and getting better for all the things still in front of you.”
Thanks, Ian, and all the Wounded Warriors visiting Whitefish this week. We are honored by your presence, and so grateful to you.
John with hero Noah during WWP '09
John B. Sullivan, III aka ColdAvenger Pro
courtesy: Alex Grymanis
Most 16 year old guys probably spent their summer vacation working at the local fast food joint, cruising around in their first car or playing video games. But Joey Vandermeer is no ordinary teen. He’s an up-and-comer on the freeski scene and gaining international attention since he started racking up wins at the tender age of 13. This summer, Joey headed to Europe with two of his best friends (lucky!) They hit Les Deux Alpes in France, skiing the glacier for nearly two months.
the stoke
“Most of the people nearby come there to ski, like people from Spain, Sweden, Norway, Greece, Italy and all over,” Joey told us. “I got to meet so many new people that enjoy the same hobbies as I do. It was easily the best summer I have ever had.”
And he wasn’t just goofing around. During his seven weeks in France, Joey won first place in Les Deux Alpes Amateur Series Rail Jam, and second place in the Slopestyle. That beats the high score on “Guitar Hero” any day. As he gets ready for winter and a new round of competition, here’s a quick rundown of Joey’s accomplishments for the past season:
Timberline Pre-season Pleasin, Timberline – 1st Place
Timberline Friday Night Features, Timberline – 1st Place
The Oregon Cup Rail Jam, Mt Bachelor – 3rd Place
Timberline Fusion Series Slopestyle, Timberline – 2nd Place
Wham Bam AM JAM, Mt Hood Meadows – 1st Place
Ski Bowl Spring Slush Box Jam – Best Male Overall Skier
And in his “free time” between competitions, Joey loves getting crazy on camera and making sweet videos on the slopes. Joey’s friend Danny Schwartz put together these edits:
Les Deux Alpes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Jy9-6QJto
Mt. Hood:
http://www.newschoolers.com/web/content/viewvideo/id/275132/search_string/joey+vandermeer/
Portland Rail Jam:
http://www.newschoolers.com/web/content/viewvideo/id/260830/search_string/joey+vandermeer/
While Joey was in France, European Freeskier magazine interviewed him – the issue will come out this fall. Until then, check out a few amazing outtakes from his photo shoots:
courtesy: Isabelle Hanssen
courtesy: Amanda Van Welij
So now it’s back to school for Joey. So if you see him roaming the halls of Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon with a big smile and a faraway look in his eye, you can imagine he’s probably planning his next school break. And while summer skiing is fun, winter is on its way and soon it will be time to bust out the ColdAvenger for those high-altitude adventures.
Stay Out Longer,
John B. Sullivan III aka ColdAvenger Pro
Win Me!
Summer is officially here and we’d like to thank our friends and followers for being such loyal pals this past winter and spring. We are giving away not one, not two, but three Talus ColdAvenger face masks through twitter. Entering is super easy and free.
@coldavengerpro
There are three ways to enter:
1.) Follow us on Twitter
2.) Sign up for our email newsletter
3.)Direct message us your craziest cold-weather adventure via Twitter
See, easy and free.
Who cares if it’s summertime? Yeah, we’re loving it, but we’re also thinking that the chilly fall and winter isn’t that far away. So if you’re like us, you’re probably planning your winter adventures already, and probably thinking about gear. The Talus ColdAvenger face mask is the perfect item to accompany you on that ski trip, backcountry snowshoe weekend, snowmobile adventure, elk hunt, mountaineering expedition or anything else in between. Anyone can enter, and everyone can find a good use for a ColdAvenger – have we told you to enter the contest yet? Do it for your airway and your pocketbook.
Stay Out Twitterier,
John B. Sullivan III aka ColdAvenger Pro and aka @coldavengerpro
