POLAR SHRED: Summer 2010

Polar Summer from Jeff Kiesel on Vimeo.

Windell's coach, Joystick athlete, and everyone's favorite Polar Bear, Jeff Kiesel slayed this summer in Mt. Hood, OR! Yeah bud!

CB: COVER SHOT!

Chris Benchetler snags the cover shot of the November issue of Downdays! YEAH BUDDY.

To check out the full online issue of Downdays digi mag: CLICK HERE

Go Your Own Way

Snowbird, UT

YEAH MATT!!!!!

Congratulations to Matt Margetts for landing the cover shot on the December issue of Freeskier Magazine!

YEAH SON!

GLORIOUS

Go play. Fresh snow is here!

Sunday Ski Shop!

SUNDAY SKI SHOP, EN COLLABORATION AVEC JOYSTICK, VOUS OFFRENT LA CHANCE DE GAGNER UNE BELLE PAIRE DE PÔLES JOYSTICK JUSTE À TEMPS POUR LA SAISON! POUR PARTICIPER, REMPLISSEZ LE FORMULAIRE CI-DESSOUS ET NOUS PROCÉDERONS À UN TIRAGE AU SORT DIMANCHE LE 14 NOVEMBRE. BONNE CHANCE!

Finn Anderson Slaying in Whistler

Sunrise to Sunset: Finn Anderson from Andy Hahn on Vimeo.

Meet Cole Drexler: SBC Skier official Interview

CHECK THIS! ...from SBCskier

Oct 25, 2010

Author: Jason Mousseau

It’s getting hard to not hear an echo when bringing up the name Cole Drexler. With a fresh diploma in his hand and a recent handshake with Line and Joystick, Cole is getting all the arms he needs to reach the top on his way up the ranks.

Originally hailing from Waterloo, Ont., Cole moved to Collingwood at the age of 11, quit racing when he was 14 and checked into the park scene with a one-way ticket. Cole is not your average jibber's delight and best known for the "deadlung, pivot" landings and the "off that" trick inventions. Opposed to the addictive compulsion of dialing in a comp run day-in-day-out, he's creating next year’s trends and documenting the rights to his own success.

Cole’s had support getting here, too. Growing up in a family of skiers he may be one of the only kids whose parents approached him about spending his grade 11 year in Whistler—where he logged over 120 days on the slay mission. Last season he took his quiver of tricks and entered the first two rail jams of the season in Collingwood, winning both. Suddenly the local lift line for Cole got a lot shorter even on a busy day.

After making noise online, It was inevitable he would link up on a trail of destruction filming for the Voleurz family. With his local band of misfits behind him and the industry turning heads and pages, just make sure you get front row when he comes to a city near you.

-Max Hill

Chili C the Paper Chaser from cole drexler on Vimeo.

SNOWFALL! That's Why I come Up Here!

At approximately 11,000ft, Hidden Peak and the surrounding mountains in Little Cottonwood Canyon are starting to fill up with snow! It's not an official start to the season, but rumor has it John Ware, Jeff Kiesel, and Josh Bishop hit boxes in Brighton, Guardsman's Pass, and a few other zones throughout the Wasatch. With more snow expected this evening, early season warriors are rejoicing throughout Utah valley.

Stay shredding!

Inhale Opportunity.

photo by Adam Clark

CB: Self Edit 2008

Real sick OG edit featuring Chris Benchetler!

All the best.

As a whole, the pursuit of skiing is an unreasonable way to live. We sleep in cars, survive on 7-11 snacks, consume absurd concoctions of food groups, navigate treacherous winter highways, and allow our credit card bills to compound daily in hopes of another season pass, another set of pow skis, or even the simple act of purchasing another meal. Relationships are put on hold, shattered, and completely disbanded. Our vehicles are outrageous, constantly breakdown, and need oil changes months before they actually happen. Respect is not given to those who flaunt the latest and greatest equipment or drive the most expensive vehicles to the hill, but in those who sacrifice everything for another face shot, another early morning skin up an unforgiving peak, or the final shot in a ski film. This culture, maintained by the most reckless and unique of individuals, is a fantastic culmination of absurd claims, years of effort, adrenaline filled sessions, amazing memories, historical moments, difficult decisions, groundbreaking technology, horrific sacrifice, inhuman athletic prowess, success, and the most aggressive feelings of loss, regret, disappointment, pure joy, optimism, happiness, and genuine excitement.

At Joystick, we're stoked to experience the process. We support irrational decisions, we support the reckless, we love stories of skipping school, eating absurd meals, and doing whatever it takes fulfill your insatiable appetite for sliding on snow. Regardless of what it takes, go skiing this winter. Make whatever sacrifice necessary to go out there, click into your bindings, wrap your pole straps around your wrist, and drop into that line, conquer your utmost fear, and discover pure joy as you explore a world of limitless possibilities.

All the best.

- A message from Joystick 2010

My Alaska: FEATURE PRESENTATION

My Alaska full movie from Doom/Love on Vimeo.

Real sick film straight out of AK featuring Joystick athlete Logan Imlach.

2011 Powder Magazine Readers Poll!!!!

Vote for your favorite skiers HERE

Can't think of any names? Here are a few we recommend:

BOBBY BROWN ANTHONY BORONOWSKI BEN MOXHAM CHRIS BENCHETLER JASON ARENS COLE DREXLER BLAKE NYMAN CHRISTIAN SIRRIANI TJ SCHILLER MAX HILL SCOTT DAMON ROB HEULE ERICA DURTSCHI COLLIN COLLINS JOHN WARE MATT MARGETTS PEP FUJAS JEFF KIESEL MIKE HENITIUK BANKS GILBERTI GARRET RUSSELL MARK ABMA ELIEL HINDERT SIMON ERICSON LOGAN IMLACH FINN ANDERSON

TJ Schiller getting down in Seven Sunny Days

Such a dope segment from 2007.

Featuring the athletic exploits of TJ Schiller !

Soon enough....

Sketching Similarities

BUELLERSHIP DAY 10!

Geoff's family photo of Uncle Thad with Ferris and Cameron

Geoff Balkman

Pittsburgh, PA

Not sure if it's too late to enter-- I've been meaning to for the last few days. If it's not too late, I have two reasons why I should win poles: 1. Ferris Bueller was filmed at my Dad's house in Long Beach. Ferris's room in the movie was my uncle's room, and I grew up spending every Christmas in that house. So, Ferris Bueller has always been a big part of my life (I attached a picture of my uncle with Ferris and Cameron).

Reason #2: I skipped school all the time to ski-- but the stories aren't that cool-- my parents are big skiers and didn't really mind too much when I missed classes on powder days. What they did mind though, was when I missed church (strict Mormon family). So, in my mind, skipping church for skiing was a much bigger deal. My Grandma who lived close, used to teach clinics for new instructors the weekend before the first lessons started, and it was the one Sunday she ever skied each year. So, when I was 14 or so, We got an early dump at Alpental, and the instruction clinics landed on the same weekend as opening day. Saturday night, I weighed out the consequences with the idea of skiing fresh pow on opening day, and packed my gear in a bag and stashed it wish my bike in the bushes down the street Sunday morning, I got all ready for church, put on a suit and tie, ate breakfeast with my family, and said I was getting a ride with another family to church because I had to help out setting up chairs. I walked out the door, found my stash bag, and rode as fast as I could to my Grandma's with skis in one hand, and a backpack full of gear. I pulled up, and she was already pulling out. She was a little confused, but I explained that I decided I was teaching skiing that year, and I had to be at the new instructor clinic, and my parents said it was ok.

Luckily my grandma didn't have a cell phone, and I had one of the most memorable days ever, skiing powder by myself. It was even one of those days when the snow was coming down lightly and sun was shining through it. At the end of the day, I told grandma that my clinic, taught by someone other than her, went great. Needless to say, the wrath of the parents was unleashed that night. I knew it was coming, and I knew the punishment could never outweigh what I had just experienced. I was grounded for a couple weeks, my grandma found out I didn't go to a clinic, and was super pissed-- but it was definitely one of the best ski days ever.

Eric Leone

Pico, VT

21 yrs old

“Vote to Ski”

I love skiing. I also love not failing out of college. Going to school in Connecticut doesn’t make it very easy to have spontaneous skiing days so I had never actually skipped school before to go to Vermont. The story takes me back to the day of a historic presidential election two years ago. It was a big day because it was my first presidential election I’d get a chance to vote in; it was also the day that Mount Snow had opened up in November and was the only place on the east coast to have a chair running. College is supposed to teach you how to properly manage your time and use your time wisely. So obviously the logical choice at the time was to skip class, leave campus on a Tuesday morning at 7 and head to mount snow for the day and be back in time to vote by that night. It was all going to plan as we were about to cross into Vermont on a back road until we heard the siren. My friend driving got pulled over for speeding, but it turned out my friend hadn’t renewed his registration and the penalty in Massachusetts is impounding the car. We were about 30 minutes from Mount Snow and it was only 9 in the morning. We were on a back road with no cell phone service while we were waiting with the cop for the tow truck to come and we had no idea of how we were going to get out of there. The cop was “nice” enough to give us a ride back into the main town, so all three of us piled into the back of the cop car and drove in the opposite direction. Keep in mind all of our skis were in my friend’s car that was getting towed. So now we’re 45 minutes from Mount Snow and we’re 2 hours from home, sitting outside of a taco bell. We had no options for rides except only one I could think of. My hometown friend’s mom was at Mount Snow hanging out for the day and I knew if I could get to Mount Snow I could find a ride from friends there to get back to school. I had no choice but to call her and explain the situation. Of course she wasn’t thrilled but she was awesome about it all as long as we paid for her gas and I also bought her dinner after that as well. She picked up my friends and I, drove us to the impound lot where we got our skis then brought us to Mount Snow. By the time we got to the mountain it was around 2:30. I got to see all my friends who had been there since 10, got to get my first turns in for the season, and hit some rails. We only skied for about 2 hours because we were lucky enough to find friends driving back to CT and had to take their ride. So we all crammed into the back of a tiny sedan with our skis and I had the most uncomfortable ride home. I got back around 9, had no chance to vote, and had been gone for over 12 hours that day to ski for 2 hours. On top of that the mom network was in action as I got a nice call from my own mom asking me why I was in a cop car that day and why I wasn’t in school. That was probably the most hectic day I’ve ever had regarding skiing but all of that craziness resulted in the best 2 hours I had all semester. It’s amazing what skiers will do for just a couple turns or rail slides. I skipped my first class for skiing ever, rode in the back of a cop car, got stranded hours away from home, asked for my friend’s mom’s help that she has every right to make fun of me forever, somehow got lucky enough to find a ride home, got busted by my mom, missed the presidential election and I don’t have a single regret. I made my choice and I voted that day to go skiing.

BUELLERSHIP DAY 9: Of Face Shots and Parental Disappointment

That's right folks, we haven't forgotten about the Buellership! We simply took a few notes and words of wisdom from our friend Ferris and let the contest chill for a minute!

Back in full force, we present: the Buellership, DAY 9!

Kieth Tuan

Age 17

Poughkeepsie, NY

"Grounded for 2 Months"

Hi Joystick Poles,

My story starts off, If I can remember, with me sitting in class and dreading High School as I look outside and see it dumping snow. Because of a lake effect, the East Coast was getting the most snow it's seen in a while. I just wished I could leave school and go skiing in that very moment. I suddenly realized "why am I sitting right here when I could be doing something better?" After class I caught up to my ski buddy Steve and explained how we could be skiing right now. Overhearing our conversation, my english teacher explains when he was younger he would always cut school and go skiing for the day. After hearing this, my friend Steve and I were convinced about ditching school, but I suddenly realize the consequences from my parents and school if we skipped. I thought about it for a second and looked at my friend. I said to Steve, "Dude, we gotta go today cus I can't miss out on the pow pow that's being dumped outside(it probably didn't go like that, but it was somewhere close to it). He looked at me and all I remember is him silent with a big grin on his face. Understanding what he meant and that we have to go skiing. We hurried to his car and dug our way out of the parking lot and headed off to his house.

The day before, Steve and I were sessioning his backyard setup with turf, snow gel, dirt, and handmade rails so we had to throw everything in the car before his mom got home from work. I remember thinking about what I would wear because I didn't have a jacket or pants at his house and if we went to my house we would waste a hour or even longer. I can still see the red lettering of the alarm clock on his dresser reading 1:45 and thinking that we only have another three hours and twenty five minutes until the lifts close. If it means hiking, I would do anything to keep on skiing, but what would I use to keep me from freezing weather outside. As suddenly as I think about my problem, Steve pulls out a old one piece suit from when his dad went skiing in the 80's. I look at him, laugh, and take it from his hands. I had no other choice unless I wanted to freeze outside. We quickly packed up the car and headed off to the mountain.
Steve and I usually ski at Mt. Snow where we stay at his uncles house near the mountain, but we weren't fortunate to be close to the house and had to make due with what we had. We decided to go to Belleayre, a state run, small, may I say "crapy" mountain, but it was the only mountain that wouldn't take two hours or more to get to. Along the way, I remember blasting some Biggie and Tupac, which almost made Steve crash about three times. The roads were so bad that we had to stop the car and clean the windshield wipers about five times (damn those subaru's and their wipers). We eventually arrived and realized that we were almost the only ones at the mountain that day besides lift crew, maintenance, and some other workers.

We put on our boots as fast as we could, and my one piece suit (embarrassed to say that I will never wear one again because it's the most uncomfortable thing when the waist was all the way at my belly button) We didn't even bother to buy tickets because no one was in the ticket booth. I clicked in my skis and I realized I couldn't move because the snow was about knee high. I was so stoked and ready to ski. We eventually made it down to the lift where we couldn't see anyone in sight except for the lift attendant. I remember seeing the lift attendant giving the biggest smile making me so stoked and anxious to ski. I couldn't wait until we got to the top of the lift so I can finally make some pow pow turns and slashes, but as soon as I thought about it, the lift stops awry. It took the lift crew a half an hour to start the lift again, I remember thinking about if they forgot about us and decided to stop the lift for the day.

Half frozen and uncomfortable in my one piece jumpsuit, we finally made it to the top. I hopped off the lift, glanced at my friend, and all the negativity went away as I am caught in the moment of the best day of skiing I ever had. The feeling of the snow run across my knees and against my chest as I can feel my feet swimming in a pool of snow is the greatest feeling ever. Each new turn feels like skiing a new trail, but suddenly I came to a halt and was ejected face forward. I superman as my skis were caught in a branch (curse east coast woods skiing, there's so many random branches everywhere!) Steve was trying not to laugh but couldn't hold it in as I found myself half buried face-first, trying to gain a breathe. I was covered in snow! Snow somehow made its way down my one piece, but I was laughing as hard as I ever had. "This was the greatest day ever! I don't care if I get grounded for a month, this was so worth it!" (I can say that I remember this because I was later grounded for two months by my parents) I got my skis together and continued to shred because this was the greatest ski day ever!!!

Skipping school for powder days are the best days of the season for many reasons. One, pow pow. Second, gnarly pow pow. Third, you can appreciate every second on the Earth because it's worth going through school, doing home work, taking "shit" from parents, and going through everyday life to ski. Fourth, I guess you can say you'll never forget it!

Ryan Burke

Age 18

Blue Mountain, ON

"Getting Faceshots"

This all happened one snowy Ontario day, i was sitting wanting to leave my morning english class that ended up being taught by a supply teacher. Thank god she was young (mid 20s) and pretty foxy. With skiing obviously apparent in my mind, i mean come on, Max Hill should know Blue mountain doesn't get many pow days and booyyy did i wanna ski pow. So, i whipped out my freeskier mag i picked up at chapters and me and my friend started looking at pictures. Now i should mention that I was subtlety hitting on the foxy supply teacher who shall remain unnamed the whole class. It was obviously annoying her that a grade 12, 17 year old guy was hitting on her as she tried to be professional. Well, as me and my friend looked on through the magazine i noticed the Mark Abma shogun salomon ad. I looked to my friend and said "Boy i could go for a face shot like that". Little did i know foxy supply was behind me bending over helping a student (may i just add, dat ass ;) ). She turned around to me and asked me "What did you just say?" in a demanding manner. I responded with a " Uhhh , what?" she then told me that she had enough of me hitting on her and told me to go to the principal's office. She called him as i was walking down so the principal told me what i was doing was unacceptable and payed little attention to my side of the story. After spending an hour in the office i finally got up in front of him and walked out. He asked me what i was doing and i finally said, 'I'm gonna get some faceshots". So i got in my mothers envoy which i drove to school got my skis and such from home and went skiing. Boy, the 5 day school suspension and 7 day in school suspension i got was totally worth it, cause that was the closest Ontario pow day ive ever had to BC pow.

Poker Nights

Axe is a card shark. Be advised.

Jordan Seldin. Proud to be an American

Stacking Chips. Axe hill plays a mean hand of poker

Swords + Gambling = Safety. Axe Kill & Ian Wade

The birth of Texas Hold’em is officially credited to Robstown, Texas and dates back to the early 1900s.

With four betting rounds and the majority of the cards face up on the table, Hold'em was much more “player friendly” than the other poker variations popular at that time. Thanks to the community cards removing the need to "count cards," the game was also much more friendly to the beginner player.

The legendary Texas road gamblers, including Crandell Addington, Roscoe Weiser, Doyle Brunson and Amarillo Slim introduced Hold’em to Vegas in 1967, with the first World Series of Poker being held in 1970.

The game still remained somewhat of a “backroom” game, flying below the radar of the average person, until Chris Moneymaker won the 2003 WSOP Main Event - turning his $40 online satellite buy-in into $2.5 million on national TV.

Thanks to Moneymaker and online poker, Hold’em blew up and has now become the most widely played game in the world.

Congrats TJ !

Our boy TJ Schiller signs with Nordica for the 2010 - 2011 season!

Congratulations brotha!

Mike Henitiuk POV!

POV Montage from Michael Henitiuk on Vimeo.

10 - 10 - 10 with Chris Benchetler

chris benchetler contrast from NIMBUS INDEPENDENT on Vimeo.

In case you haven't looked at today's date, it's officially 10 - 10 - 10. Coincidentally, Chris Benchetler's segment from Nimbus Independent's "Contrast" would receive all 10's if evaluated by a panel of judges.

Moxham, Collin, and Kiesel: SUMMERTIME Shred

Windell's crew hittin Public at T-Line from ben Moxham on Vimeo.

Simon Ericson KING OF STYLE

MSP: The Way I See It. SLC Premiere!

Check out Joystick athletes Bobby Brown & Mark Abma in MSP's 2010 release, "The Way I see It!!!!"

Venue: The Rail Event Center

235 N 500 W Salt Lake City, UT

Doors open at 6:30pm (8pm showing)

Price: $15

CLICK HERE For more info

The Way I See It - 1920 from MSP Films on Vimeo.

Quality Entertainment

Max Hill & DEL

Happy Birthday Collin Collins!!!

Happy Birthday brotha!

John Ware 2010

Eazy Does It from John Ware on Vimeo.

You can run and tell that, run and tell that, homeboy!

Nimbus X Joystick Poles

Fresh whips for 2011!!!! Real stoked

Mt. Hood, OR with Collin Collins

Summer in tha Hood 2010 from Collin Collins on Vimeo.