Hell of the High Country

Cycling in the High Country of North Carolina is known for its challenging climbs, screaming fast descents, and scenic vistas of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. But if Andrew Stackhouse, creator of the Boone-Roubaix, gets his way, the area’s scenic gravel roads and their steep grueling climbs will soon be added to that ever growing list of reasons to ride in the High Country. Stackhouse, owner of Pirate Race Productions, has partnered with the local non-profit “Wine to Water” to present Boone’s latest cycling challenge, the Boone-Roubaix (Roo-bay), alternately known as, The Hell of the High Country. The ride takes willing participants on a tour of some of the High Country’s steepest and most challenging climbs with the large majority of those climbs taking place on gravel roads where the cyclists will have to battle poor traction, difficult road conditions and the constant threat of flat tires in order to succeed.

The event consists of three separate divisions and the longest race, the Gran Parcours, will cover 69 miles of roads, 6 of which take place on some of the area’s most scenic gravel roads. “We modeled the Boone-Robaix after the Paris-Roubaix, which is known as The Hell of the North,” event organizer Andrew Stackhouse said in a recent interview with the Mountain Times. “It’s unique and difficult, but a fun challenge for cyclists.” It will be a challenge that many cyclists from other areas who are not accustomed to riding in the High Country will experience for the first time. The course follows a well-known series of country roads that a devoted group of area cyclists have been enjoying for years. By taking their high-performance road bikes off the beaten path and onto, as they call it, the Western Carolina Pave`, these High Country cyclists have created an almost legendary mystique surrounding these roads.

“The mixed terrain aspect makes this ride really unique,” John Fennel, an employee at Magic Cycles Bike Shop in Boone, said recently. “With the winter we’ve had, road conditions could be anywhere from packed almost-as-good-as-concrete to soupy mud – conditions most road racers aren’t accustomed to.”

“Roby Greene, Flannery Fork, and some of these others roads are just classic,” Josheph Grimes, an employee at Boone Bike & Touring said. “You’re more likely to see a farmer driving a tractor than you are a car, there’s livestock feeding on the side of the road, sometimes there are chickens halfway in the road. That type of stuff is definitely not something that folks from off the mountain have any idea about.”

To learn more about the event and how you can register for the 1st ever “Hell of the High Country,” visit www.pirateraceproductions.com

The Return of the White Winter

The Best of the Worst Winter Premier

In Boone, North Carolina, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the 2009/2010 winter will go down in history as being one of the worst winters in history. Join a group of snowboarders and skiers as they turn the worst winter into one of the best.

Come check out a special sneak preview of a work in progress at the Boone Saloon on March 11, 2010 at 8 p.m.

Check out the trailer:

Backcountry Skiing = Deep Powder

Jason Chamberlain, an avid back-country skier in the area, made the most of the recent blizzard-like conditions to ski some deep powder and lay down some first tracks at one of his favorite back country locations. “I don't want to mention specifics,” Chamberlain said about his favorite back country ski area. “I recommend driving around and just see what all is out there. When you see something you like, which is usually a huge pasture at high elevation, try to make friends with the farmer and, hopefully, if things go well, you can spend the afternoon tracking up his back yard.” Although Chamberlain is vague about the specifics, he does offer additional clues to those who remain uncertain on the best types of back country terrain around Boone. “I think cow farms are the best, as long as they're hormone free,” Chamberlain joked. “There are a lot of different options out there with a lot of vertical drop. For those who aren't afraid to hike, the rewards await.” The reward that came for Chamberlain and other back country skiers and boarders last week was deep powder. Some places near the western border of Watauga County held over six feet of powder, a rare treat for North Carolina.

Kalmia Big Air Session

On Sunday I made the drive to Beech Mountain to shoot some footage of the Edge of the World slopestyle and border cross events. When I got there at noon the place was already slammed, but I quickly found a parking spot, suited up, and went to the information booth to pick up my comp lift ticket (writing about snowsports and shooting video coverage of events has been a great way to score some free rides). Unfortunately, the folks in the office informed me that the events had been cancelled because the President's Day Weekend crowd was much larger than anticipated and the slopestyle and border cross events would be too dangerous with the large crowds. They offered me a free pass for coming out, and I took them up on the offer. I headed up the mountain on the super-quick quad lift and took some deep powder (for NC) runs. The conditions were the best that I have ever experienced at a North Carolina ski resort. Deep snow and bright blue skies make for my favorite type of day and there was plenty of both to go around. After about ten runs and increasingly long lift lines, I decided to call it a day. I headed back to Boone and got a call from Will Washam, a local shredder who has penchant for building big backcountry jumps out at Kalmia. He gave me the heads up that he and his crew were heading over to hit a huge jump that they built the day before in Kalmia Meadows. As I was talking to him on the phone I heard the whoops and hollers that typically associate backcountry big air, and he said his friend Alec had just thrown his first backflip. I arrived and the guys were out there throwing down. Here's a short vid of some of the big air...

Sugar Mountain Steeps

Last Friday we went out to Sugar Mountain to shoot some footage of some of North Carolina's steepest. The sun was expected to come out and bless us with some blue skies, but the clouds hung tight all day, which made for some tough shooting conditions. I shot a little footage, but it wasn't nearly enough to produce a quality video. I guess we'll have to go back and add to the collection one day soon. Until then, here's a sample of the action...

Red Bull Buttercup Churns Out a Big Winner

The wintry precipitation that fell across the High Country last weekend was a nuisance for most area residents, but for the participants in the Red Bull Buttercup at Appalachian Ski Mountain on Saturday, February 6, the snowy weather provided an extra incentive to come out and compete for a chance to win a round-trip, all-expenses-paid vacation to Lake Tahoe, Calif. More than 80 skiers and snowboarders competed in the event. Saturday’s event at the Appalachian Terrain Park was the sixth stop of the series and one of only a dozen stops along the East Coast.

The event kicked off under cloudy skies with intermittent snow showers. The Red Bull tent was humming with energy as the DJ spun beats that only added excitement to the energy drink-fueled crowd of spectators and participants.

The Buttercup competition is centered on style and the riders’ ability to implement various spins, manuals, grabs and other style-intensive tricks while successfully incorporating all of the aspects of the park. The event was founded in 2009 as a way to showcase East Coast riders’ creativity in technical trickery, and was designed to bring snowboarding back to its roots—having fun and shredding with friends. This year the event has increased in size with the organizers adding events all across the United States. At each event, prizes are handed out for various categories with the winner of each event earning a chance to compete in the National Red Bull Buttercup Competition in Lake Tahoe on April 10.

The winner of this year’s Red Bull Buttercup at the App Terrain Park (ATP) was Andrew Sanchez.

“I’m really excited to go to Tahoe,” Sanchez said after the event. “I’ve never been [to Tahoe] before, so it will be good to go check out something new.”

“It couldn’t have gone to a better guy,” Drew Stanley, App Terrain Park manager, said of Sanchez. “He rides well, he’s got a great style and he captured what this event was all about.”

Canyon Mueller took the honors of Standout Skier, Peri Runion won the Ladies’ Best Snowboarder, while Evan Williams took the under 15 Grom Category.

As soon as the event was over, Stanley and the ATP crew were gearing up for the Ladies’ Park Night.

“We worked between sessions to change the Buttercup setup to cater to our Ladies’ Park Night,” Stanley said. “We had a lot of girls come out and learn how to slide their first box, hit their first wall ride and hit a jump to help them develop their air fundamentals.”

The Ladies’ Park Night, along with the Burton Progression Park, are two ways that through which Stanley and the ATP hope to make the terrain parks accessible to beginning snowboarders and skiers. For the next Ladies’ Park Night, scheduled for February 27, the ATP will have a special guest coach on site to help teach women skiers and snowboarders some of the fundamentals of the sport.

“Meg Pugh, a nationally ranked snowboarder based out of Lake Tahoe, will be coming in for that weekend to help us out with the Ladies’ Park Night and the Shred for the Cup Rail Jam,” Stanley said. “We’re looking forward to having her around to help us out.”

In addition to the Ladies’ Park Night and the Progression Park, the ATP is also offering lessons on board park trickery through the French Swiss Ski School.

“If you’re wanting to build your fundamentals, taking lessons is a good option,” Stanley said. “But I would also say to people who want to learn: just come out to the park and check it out. Most of the riders out here are super friendly and willing to help beginners out with anything they need to learn.”

One way to get a better understanding of the sport and to see firsthand what transpires at the ATP is to go out and watch one of the upcoming events. Spectators are encouraged to come out to the events and see for themselves what these events are all about.

“We have designated spots on the hill for spectators where they have a great view of the action and can check it out for themselves,” said Stanley.

The first event of the Shred for the Cup series is the Big Air Event on February 20.

“We’ll have a pretty substantial jump,” Stanley said about the event. “It will be under the lights, so we’re looking forward to that. It will be a nice change of pace for us and will be a great way for us to send our last Midnight Blast Weekend off in good style. As far as Shred for the Cup goes, we’ll have a traditional tabletop, step-over-style jump with a low-impact landing for the Big Air Event.”

Spectators can be certain that participants will be launching some huge airs and busting some big tricks at the event.

People who would like to participate in the Shred for the Cup Series can find more information by clicking to www.appterrainpark.com. Spectators who would like to check out the action at some of the upcoming events are encouraged to come out and watch the action as it unfolds. Stanley recommends that spectators check in at the registration desk in the Appalachian Ski Mountain Lodge to get directions for the best way to access the event.

For more information, click to www.appskimtn.com, www.appterrainpark.com or call 828-295-7828. To view a video of the competition, click to www.youtube.com/watch?v=47lIqWW8G-0.