"Endless Winter Snow"

Snow Alert - Whistler Blackcomb , Stevens Pass , White Pass, Crystal Mountain
Continued Avalanche Warnings For Cascades and Northern Sierras
THE NORTH FACE MASTERS BIG MOUNTAIN SNOWBOARDING COMPETITION KICKS OFF THIS WEEKEND AT SNOWBIRD

Epic snow conditions and $45,000 tour prize purse attracts snowboarders from around the globe to Utah for the first stop on the only big mountain snowboarding tour in North America, February 8-11, 2008

Salt Lake City, Utah, February 7, 2008—The much-anticipated first stop on The North Face Masters big mountain snowboarding tour has arrived. Big name pros along with up-and-comers eagerly polish their freeriding skills in anticipation of the event, as the dry Utah snow continues to pile up like feathers on Snowbird’s impressive North and West Baldy competition venues.

“Snowbird’s big mountain terrain has shined during the U.S. Freeskiing Tour for years now, so it makes perfect sense to give snowboarders the opportunity to show their skills in the same terrain,” said Snowbird President Bob Bonar. “The North Face Masters is a clear fit for Snowbird and we’re greatly looking forward to what the new big mountain snowboarding event will hold.”
v The men’s and women’s champions of The North Face Masters Snowbird stop will ride away from the podium with not only a sizeable chunk of the tour’s $45,000 cash purse, but with airfare, lodging, and entry to compete in The North Face Masters stop #2, coming to Alyeska, Alaska, April 2-6, 2008. Rallying in support of competitive freeriding’s future, The North Face is also awarding winners of The Nissan Mammoth Quest, and the upcoming Mount Baker Legendary Banked Slalom (February 8-11, Mount Baker, Washington) with this same unprecedented Alaska package bonus.

“I’m so fired up there is finally a big mountain tour on the calendar,” said The North Face athlete and recent Freeride World Tour champion Ralph Backstrom, “I’ve never had a chance to ride Snowbird, so that is a huge bonus. I’ve heard nothing but great things about the terrain, and with the snow Utah is scoring this winter, I expect to have a blast!”

With just days to go until riders take turns shoving off the starting line, spectators can expect big cliff jumps, daring lines, and powder slashing as competitors storm down Snowbird’s challenging terrain.

A live webcast show of all The North Face Masters action can be seen at www.thenorthface.com/masters throughout the competition, both Saturday and Sunday from 2:00pm MST to 5:30pm MST.

With the countdown coming down to the wire for the February 8-11 Snowbird competition, big mountain snowboarding competitors still have time to sign up! Online registration will remain open until the fast-approaching deadline of 4pm MST on Thursday, February 7, after which the few remaining spots will be filled at the Snowbird on-site registration on a first come, first serve basis.

Snowbird, Utah: *February 8-11, 2008 (*February 11th weather contingency day)
Alyeska, Alaska: *April 2-6, 2008 (*April 6th weather contingency day) Please visit www.thenorthface.com/masters for registration
The North Face Masters:

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Paul Mitchell Tour
Feb 1-3 Burton Demo Tour Bear or Northstar, CA
8-10 Burton Demo Tour Bear or Northstar, CA
9-10 USSA Snowboard Chevy Grand Prix Paul Mitchell Progression Session Tamarack, ID
9-10 Jeep Mountain Tour Skiercross & Boardercross Squaw Valley, CA

Feb
16-18 Burton Demo Tour Bear or Northstar, CA
22-24 Burton Demo Tour Boyne, MI

Mar
2 Burton Demo Tour Stratton, VT or Mt Creek, NJ
1-2 USSA Snowboard World Cup Lake Placid, NY
7-9 Burton Demo Tour Waterville, NH
14-16 Burton Demo Tour Stratton, VT or Mt Creek, NJ
15-16 USSA Snowboard Chevy Grand Prix Paul Mitchell Session Killington, VT
21-23 USSA Freestyle National Championships TBD

www.paulmitchell.com

photo: Team Tye Dye,TD Bill and Danny Hiking to banana chutes near Sonora pass Calif

Marker

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Air France

Air France

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Big White
It's SNOWING at Big White and Silver Star! Staff and residents woke up this morning to a nice frosting of about five centimetres on the chairlifts, buildings, and on the ski runs.

www.bigwhite.com

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