Merry Christmas and Happy Pow Year!

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope everybody gets some pow turns this holiday season and I will see you in the mountains. Cheers and beers to another year with family and friends.

Final Video Post - AK-47

By: Paul Gemignani

In this uncut clip from AK or Alaska if you are not good with abbreviations, the run shown is called the dragon tooth because at the top of the run on the left, the rock looks like the tooth of a dragon from a distance. Pretty clever I know. But in all of it's awesomeness Alaska is not a place to kid around. What a run might look like from a distance or on the way up, turns into a twilight zone of a world once going down the descent. This is mainly due to - lack of landmarks - to use for navigation as most rocks look pretty similar with a hefty snow pile on top of them. Also, this lack of trees clogs judgment of size and proportions as a 10 foot rock could be 100 ft rock when you actually get close. This Alice in Wonderland effect still blows my mind every time I shred up there, and is one of the most intriguing challenges of riding in Alaska - not including 1000 other ways to die while snowboarding up there. In the video clip above, to get to our spot, we hiked up half the gut then took a lookers left foot pack up the last steep part of the way. The face was already previously shredded so we knew it was pretty stable and safe, which is the kind of run we were looking for since this was the first run of the day. Hopefully everyone gets there chance to really test there skills on a board by making it up there in your lifetime or the next. Enjoy and happy shredding the winter.

Pauly G

Head Cam UnCut

By: Paul Gemignani




Here is a clip from my headcam of what it is like waiting around for cameras getting ready, strapping in and then going off the feature - enjoy! One more clip to come in the video marathon and that should wrap this up. I hope everyone is enjoying the vids so far! Peace.

Video Marathon - Uncut

By: Paul Gemignani



This video clip is from Colorado backcountry and was my first real day back from having elbow surgery that winter...the run in was super long and mellow and the jump was an hour hike in via snow shoes. The shot of the video was done using an extra snowboard and posting a tripod on it so we could get that dolle video shot feel with depth and motion to give the clip a bit more of a dynamic feel. Backside 180's are fun. If you notice the pants im wearing too, they are a bit tighter than usual because I hemmed them. I went through a hemming pants faze for a couple months that winter. Thank god I got out of it. It looks so cheesy. Anyways, snowboarding is fun and I am stoked to shred this upcoming winter...more clips to come! Enjoy.

Switch Dub Cork Attempt

By: Paul Gemignani



So this clip is from last winter. I was fresh off of a surgery and trying to get back into the swing of things. It was when double corks were all the rage, and triple corks were still in the future. My friend and I built this kicky little jump to try some dub corks on and this is my first attempt at a switch double cork. Not to shabby...but by no means good. Ha! A pretty fun day even though no dub corks were landed. The pow landing was soft and forgiving though which made up for a good ol' time jumping with friends. Yeah Boyyeeee!!!

Video Madness - oootah

By: Paul Gemignani

This weeks video was filmed in the Utah Backcountry again, near Chad's gap but on a north facing slope. So this basically means it is in the shade usually hidden (the snow) from the sun which keeps the powder nice, cold and fresh. This was a little popper into a nice pow stash, and we had to ride along the ridge line we hiked up as our inrun. Skiers hiking up the same ridge line were getting pissed because we kept telling them to hold on as we strapped in and hit this with out people getting in our way. This was a fun, cold day and the jump was lofty, letting us get a few shots on it for sure. The spot is still there today and is always good for freshies when most of Utah is tracked out. This was about 4 or so years ago, back when I rode regionally for Salomon and Bonfire. Crazy how time fly's. Anyways, the goods are always there to be found. Hopefully this winter, you can find yours. Peace!

Video Marathon - Week 6

By: Paul Gemignani

This weeks video is coming straight out of Utah, more importantly in little cotton wood canyon, where the infamous Chads Gap, and Pyramid Jump are located. Many pros frequent through here every winter season, from Travis Rice to MFM. All have amazing video footage from this here area. This day was pretty overcast and there was no way we were going to be hitting the pyramid gap so we dusted off this tinny jump after our hike up and messed around on it. Good stuff for a mellow, flat light day.

Video Marathon - Week 5

By: Paul Gemignani

This weeks video is another backcountry kicker. The day was really sunny when we filmed this and the snow heated up really quick and became hot pow. It was harder to land anything this day, and the run-in was kind of sketchy because it went over a creek at one point. We were messing around with new tricks in the beginning and then towards the end of the session I thought it would be a good idea to get a little frontside three nose grab on camera. It's a weird trick to do, but fun to tweak out the grab on. The jump was really poppy too, which always makes for an interesting time. My friend was taking photos of this too and you can hear his camera going off in the background. Word to blue bird days!

Video Marathon - Week 4 - HeadCAM

By: Paul Gemignani



This weeks installment of a video clip is straight from the backcountry via a headcam. Thanks to small cameras these days such as GoPros and the sort, it is very easy to get tons of POV action when you are out in the backcountry filming all day. This clip is specifically after a jump session and is the run down on our way out. It's pretty short run and not very steep, but shows how deep it was that day and the light Colorado pow!

Video Marathon - Week 3 Clip 3 - uncut AK!

By: Paul Gemignani

This weeks video is going back 2 years when some friends and I went up to ALASKA to see what it was all about. One thing people should know about Alaska is that you cannot snowboard there unless it is sunny, bluebird out. Why? Because in Alaska there are NO trees or anything of that sort, to help your eyes see the contrast of the mountain, which you need in shitty light conditions. This means you could be shredding a face and not see that the next convex roll is actually a 1000 foot drop to your death or a deep crevasse. Anyways, this simply means AK is only rideable on blue bird days, which usually only happens once or twice every couple of weeks, so you better be ready to get the goods once the sun peaks out from behind the doom and gloom.

This day was no exception. It started off a foggy morning, but by 7 A.M. the sun came out and we were on it. This is a warm up run after a little hike out in Valdez. Good pow can be found in the north facing aspects, but one must be careful of avalanches. If you ever get the chance though, AK is where it's at. It'll scare the SHIT out of you. Peace.

Video Marathon - Week 2 Clip 2 - UnCut

By: Paul Gemignani

This clip was taken a couple years ago out in Utah on a little hike I did with my buddy Joel. We were just goofing around with some pow shots in the trees and it's always funny when other stuff starts going off while you are trying to get some footy. Anyways, Joel was solid on not taking the call and getting the pow shot. As they say - the show must go on!

See you next week!

Video Marathon - Week 1 Clip 1

By: Paul Gemignani

Pretty basic video clip to start out with. Just a little popper off a cliff in the Colorado backcountry from about 4 years ago...

Video Clip Marathon

By: Paul Gemignani

So now that it's summer time and the snow has melted in most regions of the globe, I thought it would be cool to show some old snowboard clips from years past that nobody has seen but myself and a handful of friends. Some will be edited and filmed well, while others will be raw and uncut so you can see first hand some of the random things that happen while out in the snow - like waiting for the camera to be ready to film or the background commentary after a trick was landed. So over the next 3 months I will be dropping a short video clip every Monday of each new week for your viewing pleasure. If people like what they see, I might just continue it into the fall. For right now though, sit back and enjoy the summer sun, while making sure to kick start your Mondays with a random video clip right here on me blog. Peace!

Explosions in the Backcountry...

By: Paul Gemignani

This is what happens when you give the snowmobile too much throttle while loading it in the back of a truck. I guess you also shouldn't be using a homemade ramp you built from scratch, by following some instructions you got from a guy in Wisconsin. Note to self - measure twice, cut once. Thank god for car insurance.

the Lake Superior

By: Paul Gemignani





The Master tracks are in from our studio time and can now be checked out at all our band website pages. Please feel free to listen, download and share all the songs. We hope everyone likes what we are doing so far, and this is just a small sample of what we have in the vaults. Look for us playing at festivals this summer, and a possible full-blown tour in the fall. Check back for updates to stay up on the band and where we are at and what we are doing.

theLakeSuperior - Music for Pirates.

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MYSPACE - Listen for free !


FACEBOOK - Become a fan and "Like" us


PUREVOLUME - Download for free !


LAST.FM - Share us with friends


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Old Favorite

By: Paul Gemignani

This is one of my favorite snowboard articles I kept from a long time ago. Maybe circa 02'-03 or something. Anyways the reason I share it today is because I feel some people don't really know what it is actually like to be a snowboard "bum" and I always thought this article painted a nice, simplified version of the lifestyle us grungy snowboarders live sometimes. The article resonates a lot with me, because I can relate to it very personally and maybe some other people will feel a connection with it to. Check it out and enjoy!

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WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A SNOWBOARDER
By: Jennifer Sherowski

Not everyone who rides a snowboard is a snowboarder, but for those who do bear this illustrious title, it's an undeniable way of life. High school ends, and the road starts calling- off to mountain towns and the assimilation into weird, transient tribes full of people who work nighttime jobs clearing toilets or handing you your coffee in the early mornings, all so they can shove a fistful of tips in their pocket and ride, their real motives betrayed by goggle tans or chins scuffed raw by Gore-Tex. In this world, people don't ask you what you "do", they ask you where you work - knowing that what you do is snowboard, just like them and any job you might have is simply a means for it.

Now, this life is not for everyone. You have to take guff at work from rich tourists peddling snobbery; steal furtive nights' sleep on lumpy, odd-smelling couches; take fearful rides down in ski patrol sleds with a broken wrist or blown knee; spending holidays in the stink and sweat of a restaurant job - far from home and family, and of course, surrender carefree college fun in favor of a different rite of passage. However, for those who live it, all this is part of the reward - freedom from the chain-link fence of a nine-to-five and the privilege of being outside in the mountains every single day.

Stay Posi for Japan...

By: Paul Gemignani

Hey everybody, as you know there has obviously been a terrible natural disaster over in Japan and global relief and aid is needed very badly, even in a country that is very technologically advanced as Japan, they need all the love and helpful people they can get to save their family and loved ones at this time. Especially our friend Tadashi Fuse, one of the owners of the YES. Snowboards family, who's hometown is very close to where the Tsunami hit. Please send your positive vibes his way and if you can help donate to the relief, please read below on how to.

Thanks and Love.

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The Red Cross has already launched efforts in Japan. Click here for more info or text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 from your phone.

International Medical Corps is responding to the health needs of the disaster's victims. To donate or learn about other ways you can contribute to its medical response, click here. Also, text MED to 80888 from any mobile phone to give $10.

The Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund was launched at GlobalGiving.org to garner funds that will be given to a variety of relief organizations helping victims of the earthquake. It has already raised over $100,000, particularly from concerned Twitter users around the world.

Salvation Army personnel are organizing efforts in Tokyo and will soon send a team to help the severely damaged city of Sendai, Japan. To contribute to earthquake relief, text 'JAPAN' or 'QUAKE' to 80888 to make a $10 donation.

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is sending two three-person teams to the Iwate and Miyagi prefectures in Japan. To learn more about the organization's efforts or make a donation, visit http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/

In The Studio

By: Paul Gemignani

Here are a few photos of the band in the Studio from last week. Mastering is going down right now, so expect a super post on the songs, once they are ready for the public. We were all pretty stoked on how the songs came out, seeing we were only in the studio for 3 hrs and did only 2 or 3 takes per song. The 3 song demo, will most likely be posted to all the band sites in the coming month...so keep an eye out for this new project unfolding. Cheers!

Road Trippin'

So I recently finally put together some video of one of my trips across country this winter, from Colorado to Michigan...thought I'd be cool to show what I see along the long ass trip over 2000 miles in distance. So far this winter, I have put 10,000 miles on my vehicle since December, and I have to admit, I'm pretty "over" driving at this point this winter...so I have been keeping it close to the homestead these last few weeks when it comes to traveling for snowboarding. Hopefully we get some more pow where I am at, so I can stack some more footy. Time will tell...but for now, check out the short clip of cross country travel.

Danny is the bomb!

By: Paul Gemignani



Hey everyone, recently my friend Danny had a very bad accident on his snowboard and has been in ICU in Montana for a few weeks due to a traumatic brain injury. Thankfully he has been on the road to recovery thanks to the great doctors and staff on hand in Great Falls Montana. If you would like to help spread the love, please feel free to visit the website his brother set up for him to help bring Danny to a full recovery. Thanks everyone for all the positive vibes so far. Get well soon DCT!

Visit:DannyIsTheBomb for more updates on Danny's recovery.

The Mighty Midwest Tour

By: Paul Gemignani



So over the holidays I was fortunate enough to get back to the Midwest to par take in one of the funnest starts to my winter season. It's called So-Gnars Mighty Midwest Tour and is a camp that travels around to resorts in the midwest and teaches kids how to get there shred on and have fun. I was on the tour for about a week and rode at 3 locations. Tyrol Basin, WI, Raging Buffalo, IL, and Sunburst Resort, WI. The kids were crazy at every stop and kept me on my game to keep up with them. It probably didn't help that Red Bull is one of the camps sponsors and the little kids were chugging Red Bull by the gallons. All in all though a super fun time and I was stoked to get to meet everyone on the tour and thank everyone for their hospitality along the way. Viva La Midwest! Check out the video below for a glimpse into a day at camp. For more videos of other stops Click Here