Tight Trees & Trannies
by JP

[click on photos for full-size and caption]

For the past few months my friends Clive and Fernando have been living the dream. They spent the best part of the winter riding deep fluffy powder, dropping gnarly cliffs, and hauling ass through some tight tree runs in the Salt Lake area. They made this temporary migration from Pennsylvania after slaving through their last years of college, selling skateboards to sniveling punks, and landscaping poison-ivy infested gardens.

When I heard how good the snowboarding was and how much fun they were having I knew I had to go out and see them. So my first vaction day at my new job found me on a plane from Boston to Salt Lake City. A few days before that, I called to check what I needed to bring. Your skateboard, they said, and they went on to tell me about the raddest full-pipes they had found and were skating on a fairly regular basis. I was like what? I'm going to ride the sickest mountains in the country AND I get to skate a full pipe. I had never experienced the full 360 degrees of tranny and I had heard they were the next best thing to carving a big round pool. Needless to say, I was stoked for this trip.

Clive and Freddie have had a steady stream of guests in the past months, one friend took off for PA at the gate right accross from where I arrived, minutes later. Being hosts hasn't worn on them though. They pointed out the lofty peaks and explained the intricacies of Mormon women ("you either get a new car or a used car . . .") as we drove from the airport to their apartment. They were used to giving the tour and were amped to share the snowboarding lifestyle, their place was equipped with all the snowboard necessities.

We rode the lifts at Brighton the first couple days. Pancake gulash fueled our systems. There was a little fresh snow and in the trees you could easily stumble upon the sickest lines, snaking through trees, passing little bungalows, and ending up far from the lodges and lifts. There's nothing like dropping in to a huge powder field between two giant rocks, laying down some surfer carves then gassing it so you can make it accross some flat. When you tumble in that fluff (sure it's cold) it feels like you're cheating or something.

Clive and I hiked in the backcountry for some forementioned powder in the morning of the third day. We picked up Fernando from work in the afternoon and headed to the full-pipes.

After building the Philly park with Clive and friends last Summer, living at Skatopia for a few weeks, touring Southern Cali pools, and staying in Boston for a few more weeks, Fernando was not used to being without good transition to ride. You could see the glow in his face on the way to the full pipes, skateboarding is his calling. He did f/s and b/s ollie transfers, f/s air transfers, every conceivable slide in the pipe and even nollies to fakie. Likewise, Clive throws down on any board on any terrain. He mixed his street snap/pop with his strength to assault these full-pipes, doing sick transfers, ollies within the pipe, and taking the burliest slams of the day like a rock.

If you've never skated a full-pipe I suggest you start keeping your eyes peeled 'cause they're well worth any risk you may encounter. No flat-bottom and walls that just go up up and over make you go FAST. Speed is the need kids; I am glad my friends could show me the way.