"Tales from Cascadia" by Blank Collective | Official Film
(air whooshing) (upbeat banjo music) - [Narrator] A land of falling water. Where the rivers roar towards surging oceans. ♪ On the road ♪ And ancient giants bathe in frozen crystals. ♪ On this road ♪ ♪ On this road ♪ ♪ It's all I know ♪ Pretty neat, huh? At the end of another strange winter, I think back over what it means to live here.
And when I say here, I'm not talking about the towns and highways and lines on a map. - [Jordy] It was awesome. Woo, got the good morning shakes. - [Narrator] The bio-region of Cascadia isn't simply a geographical sliver of the Pacific Northwest. - [Jordy] We're going that way. - [Narrator] It's a state of mind.
- [Anna] Topping up. - [Narrator] A unifying identity, not one that's just made up of volcanoes and watersheds, but... Of its people, its culture. - The most fun I've had on skis in two years.
- We're hopping on the hype train and going home. Woo. Nice deep skin track, no big deal. - We got a sick storytime here with Jordy. What kind of rocks do you figure is here? - [Jordy] It looks like granite, but it smells like sulfur. - I was thinking they're real big rocks, like look at the size of this one back here.
- [Narrator] Not that I would call this lot cultured. - [Sean] Well, it's our last morning in Meadow Lodge, just cleaning up and... - [Nick] I didn't see you clean anything. - Heading that way to Vista. - [Narrators] But for all their foibles, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for them. - [Sean] Super unnatural.
I think it's going to come around here momentarily, and then everyone's going to start freaking out, and yell,h it's sunny." All right, dropping in three, two, one. Dropping. Oh no. We're a passionate group.
(beep) I dropped my (beep) pole. (beep) - [Narrator] Okay, some more passionate than others. He's so mad. - Way out here.
A little bit different than the old coastal mountains. Look at how happy they are out there together, they've been holding hands for the last few weeks. - I don't really care about pillows, let's just go ski the damn thing for crying out loud. Three, two, one, dropping. Oh. - [Narrator] But we're more than that.
- The start of of every ski trip starts with a good adventure. It's safe to say we're in for one. (Anna laughs) - My mind is blown. - [Narrator] We're a collective, a family. Seriously Drew, are you really spoiling this intro with a tip shot? I'm just kidding buddy.
- I have a feeling we'll be drinking beers on the deck in the sun tonight though. - Cheers buddy. - [Nick] Up your loggers? - Up your loggers. (skiers laugh) Yeah, you're not allowed to be tired, but your mom's not here so you can eat whatever you want. (faint clicking) We're here on this beautiful ridge, hey, no (beep) F bombs in the movie, all right? We're here on this beautiful ridge.
- [Radio] Morning session is over here. The nerves are shot, and the cameras are smoking. - [Narrator] This was our season where we visited old friends, skied new lines, and were introduced to characters that define this diverse bioregion.
♪ And the road ♪ ♪ It's what I know ♪ But most of all... These are our "Tales From Cascadia." (dramatic music) The higher you get, the higher you get.
And that's what they always say. (dramatic music) They'd know, they have a better perspective than anyone. (dramatic music) To those in the sky we're just specks on the ground, blissfully unaware of the awesomeness above. But on that day...
I managed to hold his attention for a bit longer. (dramatic music) Let's see who gets to the bottom first. (upbeat music) I always skied my best knowing someone was watching over me. It's that little extra nudge at the top of the line where you say, "Yeah, I got this." (upbeat music) This... This never gets old.
For these guys a lot of them are really old, and they've called Cascadia home since, well, since forever. I love spending time with the green giants during the sunlit seasons, but I've always felt they're the most beautiful when dressed all in white. It's cold outside, but I've never felt warmer. Welcome home. When you slow your stride and take a breath there's a lot you can hear in the silence.
(mellow music) And if you're lucky, the chirps have a few good friends. - (whoops) Holy (indistinct) snickers. We are trenching now, to the point where you don't even get enough speed to actually do more than three turns.
(Jeff whoops) We're just waiting because Jeffy's lens has fogged, and it's fog because it's snowing just a tad. - Whoa, three bob. - [Cole] We got at least four to six feet in the last 24 hours, and it turns out it's really deep to ski. ♪ I'm going home ♪ (mellow music) ♪ Home, home, home ♪ (mellow music) Home, home, home, home, home, home (mellow music) (Jordy whoops) - I tell you what, we show this morning, we stand in the rain two hour. We are up here now, we skied that deep valley, the snow it go right over your head, like all day long.
But you know, as Riley Leboe was saying, start hot sweat a lot. There I am, I am sweating very much. - [Narrator] Let me translate that for you. I broke trail all morning while Alexi chilled in the skin track. I'm sweating a lot today because it's so God deep... In the French Canadian, of course.
(mellow music) ♪ Home ♪ ♪ Home ♪ ♪ Home ♪ ♪ Home ♪ ♪ I'm going home ♪ (mellow music) Another storm, another fresh canvas, and another green horn not afraid descendant. ♪ Lead with the feet, with the feet of a giant ♪ ♪ Leave with the speed, with the speed of a lion ♪ ♪ Shake the world off, nothing's stopping you ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Go ahead and show them what you're made of ♪ ♪ Go ahead and show them what you're made of ♪ ♪ Show the whole world, nothing's stopping you ♪ ♪ Feed on the heat, on the heat of the fire ♪ ♪ Speak with the (indistinct) ♪ ♪ Grab the whole world up ♪ ♪ Nothing's stopping you ♪ ♪ Nothing's stopping you ♪ Is that the sun greeting us again? Good to see you old friend. ♪ Go ahead and show them what you're made of ♪ ♪ Go ahead and show them what you're made of ♪ ♪ Show the whole world, ♪ ♪ Nothing's stopping you ♪ ♪ Go ahead and show them what you're made of ♪ ♪ Nothing's stopping you ♪ ♪ Everything isn't (indistinct) ♪ ♪ Nothing is gonna stop you, go on, go on ♪ ♪ Everything isn't (indistinct) ♪ ♪ Nothing is gonna stop you, go on, go on ♪ (mellow music) ♪ Go ahead and show them what you're made of ♪ ♪ Go ahead and show them what you're made of ♪ ♪ Show them what you're made of ♪ ♪ Show the whole world, nothing's stopping you ♪ ♪ Nothing's stopping you ♪ The bioregion is vast, and with all those micro-climates sometimes you got to pack up and hit the road.
And most of us will log a few trips every winter to keep the skis turning. But this guy, now I wasn't there the day the guys met Josh Daiek, but I sure as hell I remember hearing about it. And the old man hasn't slowed down either, he's still vaulting over roads, even off them. Skiing to the bitter end of the season without fail. (Josh whoops) And you'd be insane not to tag along on one of his adventures.
(upbeat music) - [Drew] Dropping. ♪ Like an overzealous (indistinct) won't stop (indistinct) ♪ ♪ Met a genie and he gave me one wish ♪ ♪ (indistinct) He gave me one, two, three, four ♪ ♪ Whoa ♪ ♪ I wish I could keep my mind every time I try ♪ ♪ (indistinct) Til there's nothing ♪ ♪ There's a river in a valley and it chose me ♪ ♪ A chemical has got my head back and it's blowing in ♪ ♪ Float with it ♪ ♪ Float with it ♪ ♪ Float with it ♪ - What a lunatic. ♪ Did you wanna know the scheme that I've been forming ♪ ♪ And it comes out in the form of my fear ♪ ♪ And it's coming to (indistinct) ♪ ♪ Keep it rolling (indistinct) ♪ ♪ Best believe me baby, because I've had enough ♪ ♪ I wish could clap my hands ♪ ♪ And all my plans just come to pass ♪ ♪ Wish I could (indistinct) inside an hour glass ♪ - [Aaron] woo. ♪ When I'm going then I need another anecdote ♪ ♪ (indistinct) Clap my hands and now it's time to float ♪ ♪ Float with it ♪ ♪ Float with it ♪ ♪ Float with it ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ Woo ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ I wish I could speak My mind, every time I try ♪ (indistinct singing) ♪ There's a river in a valley and it calls me ♪ ♪ I cock my head back (indistinct), it's time to float ♪ ♪ Float with it ♪ ♪ Float with it ♪ (upbeat music) (Josh whoops) - [Narrator] Did I really say to tag along on all of his adventures? Maybe not all. - [Josh] Yeah buddy.
Three, two, one, drop. (mellow music) - [Narrator] All great ski lines need a firm foundation, and lucky for us Cascadia has more jagged, shrub-infested rock formations than you can shake a ski pole at. ♪ Be my (indistinct) ♪ Add a couple of nuclear storms, and a field of marshmallows that are ready for harvest, or whatever you want to call them that. - That line up there with like the wizard dick coming down looks pretty sick.
You never seen a wizard dick? - It looks exactly like this. - Yeah. - [Narrator] There are two rules to remember about pillows, one, they are way harder to ski than they often look. (dramatic music) (Chris yells) (dramatic music) - (whoops) This one's going really well.
- [Narrator] Two, their locations are closely guarded secrets. Even with your closest colleagues. - What does that leave you with? - Oh, well, I'm going to go ski over there. Five, four, three, two, one, drop it. (mellow music) (skiers cheer) Pew, pew, pew. ♪ Now the time has come ♪ Okay, okay.
Yeah. (chuckles) Oh buddy. (mellow music) You got to have fun if you're going to hit landing so flat.
(Chris whoops) Oh, he is going over there (laughs). Dan, what I'd recommend for you, you see this big cliff here and a really flat landing? That's yours buddy. - Perfect.
♪ Now the time has come ♪ Pew, pew, pew. (Jordy laughs) Yeah buddy. ♪ I will fight ♪ ♪ Stand and fight ♪ - [Anna] Three, two, one, dropping. (mellow music) ♪ I will fight ♪ ♪ I will fight ♪ ♪ Stand and fight ♪ - [Narrator] Let's talk about the pillow farmer himself Chris Rubens.
- [Chris] Where are we going? - [Nick] I was going to ask you that. (chuckles) Cowtown. - [Narrator] He's the glue that holds the team together. Never too proud to seek the guidance and wisdom of his skiing fore-bearers. - [Ian] I've never really seen it filled in, but there's a line that comes in here right now.
- [Chris] Yeah, I noticed that. - [Narrator] Always learning the intricacies of the latest technology. - I'd never scoped pillow lines with an app map.
An app map (laughs). - [Narrator] In turn he'll impart his own wisdom and knowledge to the emerging generation of free skiers. - So let me get this straight, the pressure's gotta be right for the snow to freeze? - That's right. - Wrong. - But honestly, there are few as loyal to their craft as his empty bank account attests.
A dedication matched only by his relentless heckling. - This is how we pick cucumbers for the vertically challenged. - [Narrator] Than perhaps his newfound passion for actual farming. (mellow music) - [Chris] (whoops) Oh, that was really fun. Well, it's Jordy Kidner, he's going to crash it. - [Jordy] You got this, you got this.
- [Chris] Rocky's boy moved to the coast, I won't hold it too much against him. - [Jordy] Yeah! (mellow music) (Jordy whoops) (mellow music) (Eric cackles) (mellow music) (Eric whoops) (mellow music) - [Narrator] Waking up early never felt so good. There are mountains in the world that could rival this horizon, sure. But checking up here for a couple of weeks of stay-cation this winter, yeah, pretty rad. Then there's the local wildlife, the endurance ski mountaineers who run from one end of the range to the other in a single record, breaking push. - I'm really crusty but that's okay.
Look at those clouds in the background. Right now we're heading up there. So here I am, it's 50 hours in, 11,000 meters, 140 kilometers. And I still got a smile. I can still be happy. - [Narrator] Whoa, whoa.
Hey, slow down there Greg, I think you've got the wrong movie. There, that's better. (mellow music) - Yeah, the first day waking up in the Alpine, we've got melting faces right here. And on our way to the bathroom. Look at this.
Jordy. - [Jordy] Yo buddy, poop with a view. (Chris laughs) - [Chris] This is sick. ♪ Face me baby ♪ ♪ Tear me up ♪ ♪ Tear me down ♪ (mellow electronic music) See the lodge right there? We just (indistinct), and we're already skiing the melting faces.
(mellow electronic music) ♪ So hard to look ♪ ♪ I get so blinded ♪ ♪ It's a lot to lose ♪ ♪ Get so blind ♪ ♪ It's so hard to look ♪ ♪ I get so blind ♪ Whoa, right in the slot, what an animal. Yeah. (mellow music) - [Narrator] Now hold on, I should probably fill you in on the back story here. The golden Alpine holidays traverse isn't roughing it for 30 hours straight, or anything.
It's a bit more chill. Ski touring between the four huts, Sunrise, Meadow, Vista and Century in the Northern Selkirk's. The perfect suffering-to-fun ratio for the Blank crew, because let's face it, we weren't setting any records. - All right, and Jordy dropping in three, two, one, Jordy.
(mellow electronic music) - [Chris] Hey Hooch, we're all ready for you down here. We're ready for you to launch (indistinct). Drop whenever. ♪ Baby, baby ♪ ♪ Tear me up, tear me down ♪ ♪ Break me, break me ♪ ♪ Baby, break me ♪ ♪ Tear me up just to break me down ♪ ♪ Break me, face me ♪ ♪ Face me baby ♪ ♪ Tear me up, tear me down ♪ Thank you. - [Jordy] Cheers.
- Man, I can't believe we made it. - [Eric] Yeah, it's crazy. - [Nick] That was incredible. - [Ian] I wonder how Greg's doing right now.
- [Nick] I didn't know what it was like to feel like an explorer, has that ever been done before? (upbeat music) - I'm just cleaning things up for the next group, and then we're going to walk on over to Vista. - We're just trying to get the French man to work, but it's one shovel, break. Oh. Oh (indistinct). - [Narrator] Some notes I picked up from Hodgy's custodian handbook. One, always clean up your shit, two, Cole is the owner so show him some (beep) respect.
Three, the cook is the most important person, keep him alive at all costs. Otherwise we starve. (upbeat music) ♪ Whole new level ♪ ♪ I'm on a whole ♪ ♪ Whole new level ♪ ♪ Whole new level ♪ ♪ Whole new ♪ ♪ Whole new level ♪ ♪ Whole new level ♪ Yeah buddy. ♪ Whole new level ♪ - [Chris] Made it to Century, it was a trip, that was insane.
Flat lines, here we go. Ruben's dropping in three, two, one. ♪ I'm on a whole ♪ ♪ A whole new level ♪ ♪ Whole new level ♪ ♪ I'm on a whole ♪ ♪ A whole new level ♪ ♪ A whole new level ♪ ♪ A whole new level ♪ ♪ A whole new level ♪ (upbeat music) - [Narrator] Cascadia has everything you could ever want as a skier. Waves that crest over your helmet, lines that will question every ounce of your courage. Colliding landscapes that'll spur a lifetime of exploration, but most importantly, it has people who will do anything to get you there.
- Jump off hill, one of our biggest crappiest hills. It was the sheet ice about a week ago, but we went up yesterday and it's broken up. So slow and low is going to be the tempo here. (engine roars) - [Narrator] This is Nick and this is Sean. - You guys ever been to Mexico? - [Narrator] Two Cascadians that let no logistical challenge stand in the way of an adventure.
Start in the desert in a (indistinct), transfer to a Tucker at the snow line, and then explore an ancient stone city. ♪ As I walk in ♪ Towering quartz monzonite rock formations were untouched by ice age glaciers, eroded instead by ages of harsh mountain weather. (mellow music) I'd never seen mountains that even resembled it.
- There's a super cool feature here called the cleft, and the last time we were here it was much too thin to come ski it. And this time it's the same, but I had to go investigate. Well, we'll see, we're not topping out on this one. What a sick, sick place to be though. Now I'm wondering if my skis are going to fit, then I was like, whoa, I have a pole that measures.
So that's 135. That's 50 centimeters, so we're at 185, so I got three centimeters to work with. But I'm pretty stoked. (mellow music) Woo. (mellow music)
Yeah, I don't know if I get much higher than that upper choke, it gets pretty rocky up there. Frigging sick, it's a little bit scary, I'm not going to lie. Yeah, first run at the cathedrals, dropping. (mellow music) - [Sean] Nice one buddy. (mellow music) - What a great run, incredible play. Very fortunate to be here.
Well, today's adventure at the cathedrals. Another sick cooley, this one's a real beaut. Seem to really like the tight ones these days. (mellow music) (skier mutters) (mellow music) (Chris whoops) - [Ian] What are we gonna call this one Chris? - Well, I got a new one, we were going to call it Central because it's in the center. But I think it's a wrap, that's a wrap.
- [Narrator] Luck with the mountain weather does come through once in a while, and when it does you gotta be ready to capitalize. We had already skied a strange season of dreams, that one day at Century left us with tales to be told for a lifetime. - Hey, what ever at Century, getting into the lodge spines.
But you can see Stan's down there, he's going to go first. And then we're going to start working towards the skiers left, and just start working in and then see what we get. - [Sean] Yeah! Oh.
Buddy. Back in style master. - [Chris] Oh, that is so nice. - [Jordy] That's what I want it to do. - [Sean] Nice one Jordy, starting to understand why they invited you on this trip.
- (chuckles) We're going down to the (indistinct), where no others here has been before. - [Chris] Yes Doug. Come on Dougy, you got this Dougy.
Come on. (upbeat music) (Doug cackles) (mellow music) ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ It's just you, me and the odds ♪ ♪ We stuck together, we two peas in a pod ♪ ♪ Get dealt a bad hand, I'm there seizing the cards ♪ ♪ We'll never be separated til we seeing the Gods ♪ ♪ We've been low together ♪ ♪ High forever ♪ ♪ Long as we go together, we'll die whenever ♪ ♪ Be a light, couldn't let the darkness try you never ♪ ♪ Truth in my word, you I lie to never ♪ ♪ When the world gets a little too hard ♪ ♪ Wipe your eyes, put away your sorrow ♪ ♪ When it's war I be needing to charge ♪ ♪ And I'll be still fighting for you tomorrow ♪ ♪ Yeah, even with a blindfold ♪ ♪ Or in different time zones ♪ ♪ Could find my way to you with my eyes closed ♪ ♪ There's nothing between us ♪ ♪ Go to Mars or Venus ♪ ♪ Stand in front of every one of them (indistinct) ♪ ♪ In fiercest battle I'll defend you ♪ ♪ From all these arrows ♪ ♪ In the storm I will, will keep you from danger ♪ - [Chris] All right, ten seconds for Gordo. - [Josh] Three, two, one, drop it.
♪ In fiercest battle ♪ ♪ I'll defend you ♪ ♪ From all these arrows ♪ ♪ In the storm I will, ♪ ♪ Will keep you from danger, I'll defend you ♪ ♪ I'll be your shield ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ (mellow music) ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ Okay, drop in ten. Come on. (mellow music) (Chris whoops) - Holy (indistinct) snickers. Well, that was stressful. I'm shaking.
That is one of the scarier lines I've done, even though it wasn't that big, super steep. Very scary. Yeah.
♪ Do you want to be a bad man ♪ ♪ Yes you do ♪ ♪ Do you wanna taste sweet salvation ♪ ♪ Underneath the summer moon ♪ ♪ Do you need another hand now ♪ ♪ Yes you do ♪ These guys are going to go ski the black diamond. - Who are? - Double black diamond. - [Chris] Double black diamond, holy cow. (skiers laugh) - We have our first questionable decision of the winter, luckily we have our sea guy Stan on it here.
(skiers laugh) ♪ Before you count to three ♪ ♪ One, you're looking for a helping hand ♪ ♪ Two, you need a friendly face. ♪ ♪ Three, feeling good, you can barely stand ♪ ♪ You're falling all over the place ♪ ♪ One, you're looking for a helping hand ♪ ♪ Two, you need a friendly face ♪ ♪ Three, feeling good, you can barely stand ♪ ♪ You're falling all over the place ♪ ♪ You want it, they got it ♪ ♪ They flaunt it, you bought it ♪ - Man... A lot of hair, not a lot of brains around these parts. Two people in the creek in the last two days. (Stan yelling) - [Chris] Stan, what's in your mouth? - Mint. I'm addicted.
Better than crack though. - It's a disgusting habit. ♪ Go see Ms Jocy ♪ But everyone can do with an extra inch, right? - Best words I've ever heard. - [Sean] (indistinct) Again. - Making magic, obviously.
- [Chris] All right, time for your snow dive. ♪ Columbus avenue, Columbus avenue. ♪ ♪ Go see Ms Jocy ♪ ♪ Down on Columbus avenue ♪ ♪ Oh, one ♪ ♪ You're looking for a helping hand ♪ - [Jordy] All right, he can drop in five.
- [Sean] Yeah, I know. Dropping. ♪ You're falling all over the place ♪ ♪ One, you're looking for a helping hand ♪ ♪ Two, you need a friendly face ♪ ♪ Three, feeling good, you can barely stand ♪ ♪ You're falling all over the place ♪ ♪ You want it, they got it ♪ ♪ They flaunt it, you bought it ♪
2021-11-15 12:47
