Rainbowbears

ROUND UP
MASH UP

Hey Hey Slidie Peeps,

Winter is still hanging on for dear life and we are squeezing the last drops of slush out of our winter socks.The round up is well and truly over for this year and this could have been posted ages ago but due to a high flying astronaut it's not been possible - you know who you are. But its not all bad here's two crazy space cadet snowskate buddys to put a smile on your face.

 All photos by Gergis Maximus

 in his natural habitat "backcountry stevens" grace lakes

1.Can you introduce yourself,whos the man behind the round up?

So I guess I start by saying my name is Victor Zurn, I am 38 years old from Washington State; been snow skating for 10 years now . Saw my first snowskate from Steve Frink at Stevens pass in 98/99, totally thought dude was a kook. Tried to ride one of the bi-deck snowskates, good things but so hard to ride. It was in the 02/03 season that I got my hands on a Gnu Danny Kass. It was actually fun to ride. So I decided to buy a new snowskate instead of a new snowboard for the season. So I bought an Ohio and that was awesome. I could shred on the thing, all of a sudden I started to notice other snowskaters around.

I was working at Snoqualmie at the time, when I saw these two dudes with sick ass skates. I shouted at the dudes out of shack, asking them where they got the skates from. As they rode away they just said they made them. I was totally confused! So the next time when they came up I asked them again and they said that they work for the company. Some days later I was in the base area at Snoqualmie when I saw this dude who I thought was my landlord and he had a skate in his hand. Dude turned around and it ended up being the guy I yelled at from the shack. He said, you're that liftie! Held up his skate and said „check it out it's a new skate you wanna try it“. With the hugest grin on my face I said, hell yeah!

From that day on I was pretty much hanging with Spicolli and Shag every weekend. Being called the fat kid. Told me I need some Jenny Craig. You know anything to get me riled up because I guess I ride better when I'm riled up. At least that's what Sean D says. I ended up trying to be the unofficial dude at Snoqualmie that got in trouble for all of the snowskaters crap. Fun times. That's what happen when you let everybody sleep on your floor. Lol. My neighbors didn't care for it much though. But that's beside the point. Pretty much from then on I would consider Spicolli one of my best friends. Dude pushed me to be the best writer (editors note: I think that has to be „rider“, sorry Vic) I could be.I mean you cant ride with the dude and not shred! because if you can't keep up just simply won't keep up!

Anyway, after moving mountains in countless events I decided that Stevens Pass needed to bring back the original snow skate contest. Around it was the first official snow skate contest. It only made sense for me to come home. Last season's, that was sick. This season's wasn't exactly what I wanted it to be but I think everybody left happy. With the loss of a great man Chris Rudolph the head of marketing at Stevens Pass.The snow skate roundup found it's self. Behind the 8 ball. very very very little help from Stevens Pass but we pulled it off. I really wanna thank everybody who showed up for making that happen.

2.Can you explain what the round up is about?

The Roundup is bringing everybody together - just that: rounding up all the snowskaters I can. It's a chance for her. But you just shred - total jam session. I like to think of it more as a free forum where everybody can feel free to express themselves more. Everyone off of one another and everybody progressing. Everybody wins, everybody shreds. I wanted to be able to have more prizes this year so that we could do more rider judging but I did have some people drop out as sponsors at the very end.

 backcountry of stevens hitting a kicker 

 

3.How long has the round up been going? and why you set it up?

The Roundup has actually been around like I said since 2000/2001. So this last season was the third actually. Only the second one I have thrown. Hope it will not be the last.

4.How was this years round up compared to other years?

This year's Roundup, like I said before, it was a little less than we wanted to do. Stevens backed out on full use of operations. Lift closed and no help with any kind of build . Which was not in the plan. We had to go through group sales to get any kind of discount. Seven bucks off YEAH! Spicolli had to ride up Skyline lift then carefully ride half way down and walk back up to get to the park with a broken shoulder. I might add, Dude is a Savage. A Savage Dirt Bag! LOL!

5.Who was killing it this year and who layed down the sickest trick? And what was it?

As far as killing it this season I would have to say: Everyone Really! I mean there were highlights but all in all it's really hard to say. Kyler tried to back flip. Super close. Joachim was like butter with the ollie on rails and boxes. My boy Pablo four days on a skate killing the wall ride and smashing into Gergis. The ladies representing. The P.A. Cats coming out with all the extras for the peeps. I mean really it was one of my favorite days I have had with my friends. 

 slashing backcountry for years now

6.How about your own snowskating,what do you enjoy most about it?

My own snowskating has evolved a lot in the last few seasons coming back to Stevens Pass. Before I was mostly in the park jibbing a lot. But now I yearn for those sick powder days where I can ride the type of lines I loved so much on my snowboard. But to tell you the truth I hate my snowboard now! I never thought I would say that but it's true. I went out with Gergis on a sick ass pow day and was so unhappy the whole time, wishing I had my pow skate. Went back and ditched the snowboard and had an epic day from that point on. Truth is I got into it because a skateboard is what I rode in the first place, snowboarding was like it so .... and there was no snowskate yet. But as soon as there was one that even worked a little I was all over it. I haven't even thought of looking back. Meeting Spicolli and Shag changed my life. That was My Moment of Awakening. The day Spico gave me that first fix on that prototype.

7.Did you know all the guys you snowskate with before snowskating?

I didn't know any one that snowskated. I rode alone all the time. My buddies snowboarded and thought I was an idiot. Snowskaters just started manifesting. We were evolving. Snoqualmie was blowing up. We were the epicenter of the industry. Even the phrase Dog Town of Snowskating was uttered by Transworld in a small article. This gave the locals something to strive for. A real reason to represent the sport we were now a part of developing. For the first time in my life I really felt like I was a part of something big. So when you went to other places you looked for any local skaters. You want to know all your Brothers and Sisters. 

 boardslide at hurricane ridge snowskate olympics '09

8.Tell us a bit about your wedding day?

The Wedding Day was Epic. I had not even been up to the top of Stevens with my skate before. Spicolli and I climbed up there with ski patrol right behind us to ask us what the hell we were thinking. I then told them that I was getting married at the top and I needed to check it out. I needed to know if I was going to be able to ride down from here. Because if we can skate down from here no one should have any room to whine about it. They watched with dropped open jaws as we ripped our way down. No worries we can do this. So we got everyone together and made the hike up. Pretty Steep. I am so proud of everyone for going up there with my wife and myself.

9.What's the deal with the shorts?

The Shorts! Who needs pants? You just walk on them in the parking lot and accumulate huge snowballs on the bottoms in the back country. It started with a pair of my pants that got shredded right below my knee pads. They kept ripping so I cut them off. With all the shin pads and knee pads and hip pads I am so hot all the time . It's way more comfortable. Plus you get noticed! lol! It's a style no one else is rockin yet! My Style. 

  nosepress at the olympics same year

10.What's your funniest Snowskate Round up story?And what can we expect for next year's Round up?

Funniest Roundup story would be me. Me being up for 3 days to get it ready last season. So tired after the build I drove an hour home to sleep 15 min and drive right back. I was so out of my mind. Oh yeah and the orize for best crash last year was a deer skin I found in the snow on the side of the road while I was puking up Mike's Hard Lemonade. Don't pound Mike's Hard Lemonade after you shred all day! I have a lot of ideas for next season. I'm not letting the caty out of the bag quite yet . I will let everyone know. I promise!

I would like to add an extra shout out to all the peeps that helped make this happen. Without you this would have never gone down. Thanks to Parole boards, Batwaves, Slick Ricks, Predog, Pioneer, Cakeatr, Boyd Hill, Spacecraft, Rival, SNOWSK8.COM , Frank Crippen and the Stallion Brennan for the Fresh Pow Blades

  fattie wallride @ stevens pass '10

Extra little Shout out to The Winner of this seasons Roundup Stampede, Old Man Army Jon Rasmussen .
Just remember Jon you still need to cross the finish line, even if you kick everyone's ass to the bottom. LOL

spico saying cheese

1.Can you introduce yourself.

Yeah my name is Mark Montgomery, A.k.a. Spicolli, A.k.a. dirty hippy, a.k.a. dirty centrally American.

2.This year you were a judge at the round up how was that?

I wish I could say it sucked, but it didn’t. The only thing that sucked was that I was broke off and couldn’t compete. I shattered my collar bone the week before the contest so, I had a plate with 7 screws put in so I had to judge instead. I still skated down to the comp, but that was all. It was a jam format which was nice because it kept me entertained and everyone was able to just go for it, no limits. I have to say in the end it was a close one and hard to judge; but still well worth it.

 spico vic and me(gergis) HOMIES!!

3. Victor seems like a cool guy can you tell us about the man behind the round up?

OH THAT FUCKING GUY!! Victor is hardcore. I mean, he has “Shut up and snowskate” tattooed on his neck and he is a good friend… that’s why I hate him and try to make fun of him every chance I get. The first time I met Vic was this one night at the summit at snow crummy. Shag and I were going up the chair lift to test two brand new snowskates. I kept seeing this head pop out of the lift shack up top, then back in, then out. Now I’m thinking what the hell is wrong with this guy? Once we got close enough he yelled out to us “HEY, HEY WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET THOSE?”. I responded, “We made them!” as we smashed off the chair and down the hill. The next time around he did the same thing. Head bobbing in and out of the lift shack every time. At this point Shag and I are cracking up, once we get in yelling distance Vic’s head pops out “WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN, YOU MADE THEM”. Shag and I were so pumped on how good the new skates were working we didn’t have time to talk, so all I could say as we got off the chair was “We work for the company”. At this point we are dying because we know this crazy lifty is going to drill us with more questions but we could tell he was pumped to see a snowskate slide off his chair. Sure enough, here he is again, “WHAT COMPANY?”. Lib tech I responded back, after that we didn’t see him for a few runs, then when Shag and I were about to hit the bar, I hear that crazy voice again yelling someone’s name that’s not mine. He thought I was one of his buddies or landlord or something, but when he noticed I wasn’t who he thought I was, then it turned into . OH SHIT, you’re the snowskaters. All I wanted was a beer, he was so pumped on the skate so I asked him if he wanted to test it out. He was all over it, Shag and I went to the bar and saw him smashing down the hill on it. That goes to show they work we said, Vic came into the bar after taking a few runs, he was so thankful and happy I let him ride my skate. I was stoked to see someone else excited about snowskates. From then on out, we have been riding and slaying shit all over the country. We have had so many road trips and good times. But he can still be a pussy and a drama queen, joke, see I can say shit like that cause I was his best man. Much love for that fucker.

4.How was this year’s round up compared to other years?

Last years was rad cause we got to build the course, Stevens Pass was really good about letting us build what we wanted. This year was a bit more difficult to get the course built, Due to the passing of a good friend who was the marketing manager of Stevens Pass the contest got put on the back burner and we were not able to build the course we wanted. But they still worked with us making sure we were on the hill and able to have a stress free good time, we just had to use the park that was already built. Which was fine with me because I couldn’t shovel.

 spicolli style" air to fakie stevens pass parking lot

 5. Who was laying down the sickest trick? And what was it?

JOE CHIAM!! Jordan Armstrong and Kyler Lee were all killing it. Jordan and Joachim were throwing down some big tricks, they both got solid kick flips, Jordan is more high speed big tricks, Joachim is consistent and stomps lots of technical tricks. As for Kyler Lee, he is an animal I think all he does is go full speed and big, he was acid dropping off the wall ride and going for a back flip off a not so back flip friendly jump. When it was all said and done the young buck took it. Joachim Bronzich first place, Jordan Armstrong in a close 2nd and Kyler got the bronze 3rd. Now the best part was the girls it was crazy, they were battling it out, Randie took 1st, Angela 2nd and Katie got 3rd. It was down to the last trick with them, but the tie breaker finally set the score. Then last of this whole group of young shredders I was amazed to see the oldest man of the group out in front, John Rasmussen, and I mean he smoked everyone by a long shot, that's what you have to love about this sport. You never know the outcome.

6. How about your own snowskating, what do you enjoy most about it? And how did you get into it?

Let’s see here how I got into it? Well I moved up to Seattle Washington in 2001 from Costa Rica. That’s were part of my family lives, I was skate boarding a bunch cause there was no surf and I ended up getting a job at Lib Tech making skate boards, I went through the whole process of making skate boards, layup , parts, finishing then went to snowboards after being there for a bit , Mike Olson came into the weekly meeting and held up a prototype gnu snowskate , and said “We are going to start to make these, so learn to love them and make them.” I’m thinking to myself this guy has lost his fucking mind, then I look at Shag sitting next to me and tell him “I'm not making those, have fun it’s a skate board.” Hahaha Shag came back quick with “Bullshit!! You see that ski, that’s a snowboard!!. Fuck so I finish the ski and you do the decks, deal.. Our first night out on them we thought it was going to be a nightmare and interesting to see if we can get on the chair. We hiked up a little ways to see if it can turn, sure enough got on and the thing could turn! It was too small but it worked, we ended up going over and getting on the chair, the lifty was stoked and thought we were nuts but treated us like rock stars. When we got to the top and took our first runs we were falling here and there but still pulling turns and cruzin along, I knew we could improve this to make it work as good as a snowboard or better. We went back to the shop and started to go all out on the research and development, bigger deck and ski, was key, then magnetraction came into play, this thing was finally working like we wanted it to, high speed turns and full control, the only thing was the trucks were breaking skies, bent metal bullshit, but then Jake came through and made Rocker trucks, that opened up a whole new ball game, now the shit has pop and your skies don’t break. So from then on out I was done with ever strapping on a snowboard and only skated, the freedom of not being strapped in is the best, I surf and I don’t strap in, I skate and I don’t strap in, you’d be the biggest kook at the skate park if you did, so it only made sense to take it to the snow, and open up the minds of the strapped, along with see how far we can push this. Mike Olson didn’t lie when he told us to learn to love them and make them. It’s all his fucking fault, and I’m so stoked to be a part of it. It’s only going to progress and grow. So that is my history of how I got into it from about 2002 till now I’ve been skating the snow hard and having a blast doing it. Now what I enjoy most about it is not being strapped down. Along with seeing everyone progress and get better, from hitting little jumps to stepping up to the big ones and throwing down big tricks, that has to be the best part, the progression. From ride on to ollie on, From small gap to big gap. Step it up.

 pillow drop in the stevens backcountry January '10

7. Did you know any of the guys you snowskate with before snowskating?

Fuck no, you think anyone would want to hang out with a dirt bag like me, snowskating saved my life! I would have been that dork at the skate park sitting in the corner acting like I know how to skate board, but really don’t. Just fucking with you, when I really think about it I had moved up to Seattle and started to meet everyone around the same time. So I guess I can say snowskating has brought together a cool group of people. And everyone I have met along the way has been cool as fuck in my book. Except Victor I can’t stand that guy, only when he is snowskating or hanging out or well, maybe he is ok to have as a homie. Yeah I have to say I have made some of my best friends through snowskating , Shag, Rebel, Gergis, Pat Bonser, Sean Davis, Matt eagle scout , fucking Victor and Matt Hightower. Even made a good friend in japan through snowskating. Shin Biyajima and Yone so random pull up to a 7-11 and there is a car full of snowboarders next to us. I start talking to them, we had just got done riding. Shin see’s the skate and got all excited, then Sean Davis came out and gave them a video, they were loving it. I told them if they ever need a place to stay or want to go ride to hit me up. And they did, we got to have some good sessions and then I found out what a badass shredder he is. There will be more sessions to come. It’s crazy to think how many friends I have made through a snowskate. The list could go on and on.

8. Can you tell us about the tree60 and the christ air you pulled at the Ralston cup?

The tree60 that’s what Pat Bonser called it, it’s a good name so it stuck, pretty much there was a hip next to a tree and while I was waiting for my contest run I was just messing around trying to do an air off the hip, grab and foot plant off the tree while rotating to my blind side. I though the air to foot plant off the tree had been done so it was time to try something new put a little spin on things. I was getting pretty close but not sticking it. My first contest run was a bag, blew it. So the second run I was still dinking around with it and they called my name. I thought fuck it make or break, I went for it and it all just worked out like planned, in my contest run of all places. Once I felt I had stomped it the crowd blew up! So I threw up the hands then pointed it to the bottom jump where I threw down a christ air, pulled it away from my feet got a little extension then threw it right back under my feet perfect and rode out, I stopped and looked back up to see the judge at the top of the jump throw his arms up showing that it was stomped and the crowd was blowing up. I was cracking up it was a good time. I had to do a beer run after that for the last contest run.

 spicollis been laying out huge tricks for years!!(Christ air)

9. Who or what inspires your snowskating?

That stuff…….. You know, butter flies, rainbows, long walks on the beach, sunsets, the smell of a good flower. Actually none of that shit inspires me. Bowls, Booze, and boards are pretty much it and being unstrapped. Along with badass skaters like Danny Way.

10. What’s your funniest snowskate round up story? And what can we expect from you at next year’s round up?

Last year we showed up to build the park for the contest at 10pm at night, by the time I got up there I was pretty drunk, my buddy Matt got in the kat and started to push snow around while Ed Hogan, Victor and I moved and set features in place, by the time we got done it was about 3am in the morning and I was drunk I mean drunk. But the course was done and we still had to drive to Leavenworth, aka worth leaving, by the time we got there and to the house it was around 4am so in my drunkin stooper decided to have another drink, then I was wasted went inside got a wink of sleep then woke up and went straight back to the hill. I mean I was still stumbling drunk, got up to the contest and competed, surprisingly I was doing pretty good, till my goggles fogged up, then I saw Jake bust out a sick kick flip off the spine, so I was pretty much done and it was getting toward the end. So I went up top to get some water, surprise everyone has beer I had to search so hard for some water and finally found a little bottle , I didn’t even ask I just grabbed it and pounded it, so who ever’s water that was thank you. Then someone gave me a beer, just in time to watch the awards.. I didn’t place but I’m not surprised. It was still a good time. Next year will be better. Every year it all gets better and I will be in it.

 spico laying out a huge goal post pillow drop stevens backcountry '11

Last word… I want to say thank you for wasting your time to read this crap, it’s been a great experience and I’m sorry you all have to deal with me. I’m stoked to be a part of this sport and help the progress of it come along, I have made lots of good friends and yes I hate you all. So let’s shred and take over the world. Spicolli and I’m out.

STUFF TO CHECK OUT

1.LIB TECH SNOWSKATES Lib Tech Snowskate

2.STEVEN'S PASS Steven's Pass

3. LEISE BRETTER 03 http://www.facebook.com/leisebretter03

4.GERGIS MAXIMUS PHOTOGRAPHY Snowskate Party Mountain check out his entire youtube channel! Snowskate Video