What We’re Watching — October, 2019

[Update 10.28.19: A bunch of really, really good films dropped in the past ~week, so I’ve updated this list.]

October is one of my favorite times of the year. The leaves are changing, we’re starting to see snow falling around the Northern Hemisphere (including what might be a foot of snow in Crested Butte this week), and we get a huge influx of fantastic skiing content. Whether it’s season edits from last year or crazy videos from glaciers the Southern Hemisphere, this October has been a great one when it comes to ski videos.

I’m sure many of you don’t need any extra reason to get excited for the upcoming season, but in case you do, here are some of my favorite edits and videos from this past month — all of which you can watch right here:

Sammy Carlson — “Over Time”

Now that Sammy lives in Revelstoke, BC, he has access to some pretty unreal terrain and snow. And that definitely shows in his new short film, “Over Time.” But I think what makes this film really stand out are (1) the obvious — Sammy’s incredible skiing, and (2) some of the best and most creative cinematography I’ve seen in a long time. The shot at 2:06 is one of the coolest I’ve ever seen. There are parts where they seemed a bit over-indulgent in terms of weird filming (why is he underwater?), but all in all, “Over Time” is one of the best backcountry freestyle videos I’ve seen this year.

John Spriggs — “The Book of Pow”

Last season many areas had a banner year in terms of snowfall, including Colorado. John Spriggs and friends (including appearances from Taylor Seaton & Tanner Hall) certainly made the most of it, and “The Book of Pow” showcases some really impressive big-mountain lines, technical pillows, and plenty of deep snow. As someone who’s spent the last five seasons in Colorado, it’s really cool to see an entire movie filmed in the state, especially since many of the lines in the film don’t get skied all that often.

Blank Collective — “7 Stages of Blank”

If there’s one thing that Blank Collective is good at, it’s making great, straight-up ski porn. Their newest film, “7 Stages of Blank” doesn’t have the most “personality,” for lack of a better word, nor does it really push the limits in terms of filming and editing. What it does offer is a ton of really solid skiing from the likes of Stan Rey, Alexi Godbout, Josh Daiek (who does a ~150-foot road gap…), Sam Kuch, and more. It even features 50-year-old Mike Douglas still skiing and flipping better than I could ever hope to at any age.

Tanner Hall — “In the Meantime”

Tanner Hall turned 36 a couple of days ago, but I’d forgive you for not believing that after watching his season-recap from last year. The “old” dog is still learning new tricks, including some of the really weird ones like a nollie backflip (?!) at Kimbo Sessions and a flat 180 (also ?!). And of course, this is Tanner Hall, so there’s plenty of real skiing on real mountains. Between his surprisingly creative park sessions to brutal-looking urban spots and some classic big lines outside of Tahoe, there’s not much not to like about “In the Meantime.” Brady Perron also had a hand in the film, and seeing his name always gets me excited for great filming and editing.

Phil Casabon — “Nuance”

Another Brady Perron film, “Nuance” is one of the few urban-skiing films I’d sum up as “beautiful.” Phil is still arguably the best urban skier on the planet right now, and Perron does an amazing job of documenting some of the many spots, tricks, and crashes that went into the edit that won him yet another X Games Real Ski gold medal last year. Phil’s skiing speaks for itself (the rainbow rail at 3:59 still blows my mind), and Perron adds another dimension to it but adding some sweet (in my opinion) animation, creative shot angles, and splicing in the crashes randomly between stomped tricks to keep you on your toes. 

The North Face — “Lhotse”

Directly next to Mount Everest sits another mountain, Lhotse, which also happens to have an amazing couloir that drops down almost directly from the summit. In 2018, Hilaree Nelson and Jim Morrison completed the first ski descent of that couloir — on a nearly 28,000″ peak — and “Lhotse” tells their story. Saying it’s “well worth a watch” is an understatement.

Good Company — “Cruise Control”

Last year Tom Wallisch was nursing a knee injury, which he took as an opportunity to get out of the park and into the backcountry. Along with long-time friend, Tim McChesney, Tom set out to build a ton of massive jumps and he and Tim brought their classic style to some awesome features. As with any Good Company video, all the footage and editing is super clean, and Tom and Tim again prove themselves to be some of the best backcountry freestyle skiers out there.

Line Traveling Circus — “More East Coast Hard Core Real Stuff Part 3”

Line’s Traveling Circus is back, and the first episode of season 12 is a great one. This time the crew is headed back to the East Coast for more “East Coast Hard Core Real Stuff.” This ep’s got dogs, goofy features, and even brings back Ian Compton, which is great to see. If you’ve been following the Traveling Circus for a while, you already know what to expect. But if you haven’t, just know that their videos are some of the best out there when it comes to making less-than-ideal conditions and terrain look like tons of fun. And really, “fun” is the best way to describe the Traveling Circus. Watch below to see why:

Holler & Alex Hall — “Make Time”

Clean. Everything about this short-but-sweet edit is so damn clean. Alex Hall is, in my mind, the most exciting and interesting park skier in the world right now, and Holler’s filming and editing is so dialed in this video.

Cody Townsend / The Fifty Project — Episode 15/16 North Maroon & Holy Cross Couloir

Continuing his mission to ski all fifty lines in the “Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America,” Cody just dropped episode(s) 15/16 where he and some local Aspen skiers (including Strafe co-founder, Pete Gaston) get to ski the extremely exposed north face of North Maroon Peak in surprisingly good conditions, and then head to Holy Cross Couloir in less-ideal conditions. Both lines are iconic (hence the inclusion in the ‘50 Classics’ book), and I always appreciate how Cody includes the footage of the prep and decision-making process that goes into skiing lines like these.

DPS Cinematic & Dash Longe — “Stone’s Throw”

We recently talked to Dash Longe on our Blister Podcast about many things, including his new film, “Stone’s Throw.” If you haven’t already watched it, you should. It’s got plenty of Dash’s massive stomps, as well as some fantastic, pure, unadulterated pow skiing.

Line Skis — “Vision Quest”

This video features another Blister Podcast alumn, Dylan Siggers, riding all over British Columbia on Line’s new Vision 98 & Vision 108. This is another video that just looks so clean to me. The filming and soundtrack blend perfectly with Dylan’s smooth style, and the result is just a really visually pleasing thing to watch.

Tyler Curle — “2019 Full Part”

Tyler Curle, ski-builder and rider for Moment Skis, is awesome. And so is his season edit from last year. Give it a watch for plenty of big airs, spins, and flips from the Tahoe area, and keep an eye out for an upcoming podcast with Tyler this fall.

Level 1 — “Less”

Level 1 started releasing a bunch of their full films for free this year, in preparation for the release of their final annual film, Romance. While “Less” had some mixed reviews when it first came out, I am personally a huge fan. I’d highly recommend setting aside an hour to re-watch this excellent film, and you can also watch a ton of Level 1’s full films after you’re done with this one. Oh, and go see Romance, too. It’s fantastic.

Marcus Caston — “Return of the Turn, Episode 7 – Beer League”

I love Marcus Caston’s “Return of the Turn” series. It’s not about the gnarliest lines or deepest pow. It’s about the beauty and fun of carving a nice turn, and the first episode of the 19/20 series takes place in Minnesota at The Ski Challenge, the largest recreational ski racing program in the world. As someone who grew up in the Midwest and who spent plenty of days ripping groomers in sub-zero conditions, the passion of the skiers in this episode really strikes a chord with me. Cause even when you aren’t skiing the best conditions or the sickest lines, skiing is still really damn fun, and this video showcases that perfectly. (Also, definitely watch the end credits for some antics involving race skis & terrain parks.)

Verb Cabin — “Another Way”

I already posted this video separately, but in case you haven’t already seen it, watch it now. This is far from your traditional ski edit, but it’s one of my favorites this year. Ian Compton has taken a very different path from most skiers, and Verb Cabin has done a phenomenal job of showcasing his story.

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What We’re Watching — October, 2019, BLISTER
What We’re Watching — October, 2019, BLISTER

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