Climbing towards 2013

The 2012 South American winter had the SGT media office fielding calls all July and August. The question, “How do you guys have so much snow when no one else does?” This was not only a honor to our unbelievable button clickers Jon Conway, Ben Girardi and Thomas Tikos-Kadji, but a testament to our coaches and guides. Why? .  Because our Patagonia treasure chest was not  overflowing with white gold this year, but we did know where to find the snow that made it to the ground. Apparently at a much higher frequency than the rest. Essentially this is what SGT is all about:  knowledge and family.

The 2012 campaign was all about fun and SGT was holding all the cards and played every single one. Snow, steak, simple living, the olympics, hiking, sleeping-in, going to town, not coming home from town, Albertos and everything in between. However, the most incredible part of the summer was the people. The secret of SGT is very simple, our people are the best people to hangout and ride with. This year our family, friends and clients added a considerable boost to the experience. Those people are experienced veterans of the education, who breathed a sophistication into camp with reflective dialogue and an inviting smile to anyone lucky enough to make eye contact. Young ladies learning how to get their necks above their heads and bruises on their heels. A sure-fire crew of snowboarding stars from Jackson Hole that tenderized their soft tissue into a cut of  meat that rivals the finest veals. Our new British friends that found smiles in every adventure. Some good old boys from Colorado that took in every experience that they could find. These are just a fragment of the powerful personalities that made 2012 the best year in SGT history.

The other part of the people puzzle I previously alluded to is the staff.  Six and a half weeks of no sleep (especially Tony P.), constant hiking, late-night entertainment and more red meat than a Wisconsin dairy farm, left only smiles and plans for next season on the staff’s lips. Skylar Holgate, SGT’s answer to James Bond, again led our skilled guides and coaches up Catedral and into the fray. Literally,  as there were several trips to the backcountry huts that took place this year, setting the tone of the contrasting styles of master photographers Ben “Condor” Girardi and Thomas “Gypsy” Tikos-Kadji. The pictures below maybe worth a thousand words, but I only come up with one: “Wow”.

Thank you to every client, sponsor, friend,  onlooker that made 2012 possible. A special thank you to our staff – Travis “T” Moore, Skylar “Skywalker” Holgate, Michelle “Black Panther” Parker, Lucas “El Mas Blanco” Moore, Garrett “G” Russell, Mauri Cambilla, “Sneaky” Pete Connolly, Nicki “Guerilla” Slechta, Big Fran, David “MVP” Burg, Andrew “Burnsy” Burns, Chris “Bad Ass” Coulter, Tony “Big T” Pavlantos, Ben G., Thomas “Gyspy” Tikos-Kadji, Piers “Semi-Swiss” Solomon, Jon “fats” Conway, Samuel, Miguel, Bonnie, Pachie and everyone else I forgot.

Reflect with your favorite beverage and take a escape break back to the year that was, or a preview into 2013 and your next adventure.

 

Photos Tikos,Girardi & Crockett
Words Crockett