We have been receiving some massive storm totals down here in Patagonia. We apologize in advance for having to put you through this kind of temptation during your summer beach time. It’s just that the energy down here at the SGT Compound is turned all the way up to 11, and minds are being blown, while quads are burning. Enjoy and if you still want to make it down then we still have spots available in Session 3B August 31st to September 7th make this your year.
This is Dr. Crockett’s interview hour Where based on the subject’s intelligence they are asked a serious of questions and then scored on how deeply they search their soul for the answer. Today’s subject is Tony Pavlantos, Tony is a rock climbing, mountaineering, backcountry shredding bad-ass. “Big T” lives in SLC with fellow SGTers’ Chris Coulter & Ben Girardi. Tony is seriously a really good person, probably the best person at SGT. His dark skin and easy on the eyes appearance helps make SGT the best looking company in the industry. Tony is the bees knees, he gets honored by the honored, he shows up on the heros lists of mountain men and true adventurers. Tony is what passion aspires to be. Tony is who Brad Pitt’s dad wishes his son was like. We seriously love this dude (No homo).
It is now time for Tony to sit in the honesty chair and cut open a vain.
View on SLC? It was really good from my bivy camp last week on Mt. Kessler with my Boy Ryan Lehner. We ran out three pitches of mixed climbing to try and sleep in a cave and ride a couloir. Instead, we slept on the summit with 3 million people below, woke up and rode some rocks with snow on them.
Describe SGT Argentina Lodge in one story (not featuring Crockett)? Well, Soul Max is just that “Soul to the Max” At 12pm my first night in Bariloche after unwinding the evening ending in a midnight swim in the heated pool I thought I would go hit the hay. Instead the door was locked with the key inside. No roommates answered calls, texts, banging door… 2 am came around and the Roma “coaches apartment” foyer got cold. So back to Soul Max I went. And who other than Miguel “our night security guard and good friend” greeted me at the door laughing. He preceded to stoke the fire in the grand hotel entrance and brought me a blanket so I could sleep fire side on one of many common room couches where I was awoke four hours later by the smell of sizzling bacon as the kitchen staff prepared breakfast. Not a bad night locked out. Garret got keys made… and my assurances that Soul Max is truly home was justified.
Best x-mas/Kwanza/Hanukkah gift ever received? My first beacon probe and shovel at fourteen.
Where do see table tennis evolving to?
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Vote on the following
Rider of the year: I think he/she is lurking under the radar somewhere
Video of the year: Further
Hottest chick in Snowboarding/Skiing: The one with the most Down, I think she wears turquoise
Dude you want to spend a couple of nights in a tent with (must answer): I assume a man…? So… Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Bruce Lee, Mark Twight, Conrad Anker, I will get in trouble if I list the girl I want to spend a couple nights in a tent with.
Best trend in fashion: Tight Yoga Pants
ROTY (Rookie of the year): Honestly probably Carly Joseph she has an all around love for and ability to snowboard so great that she dedicates her time to all aspects from park to big mountain and at 17 actually takes the time to learn the technical education side which if she wants would make her a huge asset to the snowboard community… to progress your knowledge and skills so broadly is great because I see her doing more than all the up and coming boys her age..
Last time you cried? February 16, 2012
Is Travis Moore a kook? Nope I don’t think he could run a surf and shred camp so well if he was.
Secret crush (can’t say Crockett)? Natalie Portman
What type of facial hair should Garrett Russell grow next? I didn’t know there were different types of facial hair. Maybe rabbit fur cuz its soft
What is the longest amount of time you have gone without lady company? That question is too broad. but there has been ample distance is both space and time.
Any advice for middle aged people, that have yet to reach their dreams? Follow them. Dreams are meant to come true or at least die trying to make them.
How often do you lie? If I don’t lie then I don’t have to remember anything so, I prefer to not lie.
State the best of the following:
Grab Switch Method
Trick Stale fish grab carve to back 180 to switch backside triple cork 1440
Polka dance
Celebrity They are unique
Champagne Cooks brings back memories of childhood digging at Windells
SGT Staff Ya the staff is the best! Irreplaceable if you ask me
Headwear Balaklava
Position “depends” on what you are trying to accomplish
Best song to dance naked to? Never Danced naked but I would like too Really soon and I will be sure to let you know what song.
Rocking climbing, you do that? Try too.
Lucas Moore, great or greatest ever? Greatest Lucas Moore the world has to offer.
How weird is Ben Girardi? He is a unique individual that has an incomprehensible work ethic and creative talent with motivation to produce any thing he wants. I am enjoying being his roommate this winter. But he is probably pretty weird if he lives with someone as crazy as me.
Best Coulter story All my Coulter stories are so crazy I would ruin their gnarliness by trying to tell one. Lets just say he is good at life! Real Real Good! He also dropped into hang fire after I got caught in an avalanche just to come help me out. That shows a dedicated mountain partner more than I can describe.
Party story, go Mine are really bad like teenage mischief bad. other than that I don’t remember.
Last time you clipped for a lift ticket? Where?
I clipped peoples lift tickets at Brighton in 2004
Most drinks you have had bought for you? My last shipment of Amy and Brians Coconut Water was 96 – 20 oz cans so probably that many.
Favorite type of energy bar? ProBar
What is your greatest accomplishment in life? Peeing in my doctor’s face when I was born. Or tanning elk hides to make gore-tex leather guide gloves. Eeww.
Do you think I (Crockett) would look good in a zoot suit, like 1920’s style? Yes
Beer, shots or coffee? Its all water based
You make a lot of split boards, do you wish that you were a skier? I am a skier the whole way up!
Who is the secret boss of the company? David Burg
How mad are you at Dr. Crockett (me) for kicking you out of the pool when you “lost” your suit? Really glad u did. Except you could have handed me my shorts first.
One thing you would take back if you could? Not telling Cornelius to just hold on to the back of the truck with me as we waited for the light to turn green. And instead watched him speed wobble on his short board as he let go of the truck at 35 miles an hour and crushed his torso under the rear wheel. I tried to bring him back but he only made it to the hospital. Speak Out! If you think you should say something please say something it could make a difference.
What are you looking for in a lady or man? One who does more for everyone else than her self, but still knows what she needs to be happy and healthy.
Solve for x: x + 16 = 6x – 9
X = 5
Final Score and Rating:
After careful observation and a couple of vinos I have decided that Tony P. was honest and handsome. However, I often feel that his kind heart makes him a better person then me. So he gets a score of 8.
Daniel Ochoa came down to SGT in the summer of 2012 with a knowledge of the world and a good understanding of travel. Ochoa had also caught my eye by producing some very nice photos on his blog – http://www.fotochoa.com. I decided to ask him for his view of SGT Argentina to help us get more feed back on the program. He is what Daniel had to say:
There is something so addicting about southern hemisphere snow. Walking through Cancun International Airport with a bag full of snowboards is surreal and stepping off a jetway right into winter with your flip-flops and board shorts on is magical. The chill on your toes, a cool you haven’t felt in months, means that the promise of pow in the summer has just turned from a day dream to a reality. If you’ve already had a good summer shred you know what I’m talking about and if you are reading this you and I are already on the same page. You don’t need me to tell you how good the snow can be or how great the terrain is, you already know. What I can tell you is that while the powder turns, big lines, and promises of untouched backcountry can leave you speechless, the people you’ll meet and the cultures you will experience leave are guaranteed to leave the longest lasting impressions. My two weeks with SGT Argentina were no different.
When I scooped up the last spot for SGT Argentina’s 2012 session three weeks before departure, all I knew is that I would be snowboarding in beautiful Bariloche, Argentina with campers, clients, world-renowned guides and some stoked pro coaches, and really, that’s all I needed to know. I couldn’t wait and I’ll just tell you right now, the experience didn’t disappoint. The mountains are as advertised, SGT staff is even better than advertised, and one of the most memorable days I had with SGT Argentina wasn’t advertised at all.
I almost missed out on Burg’s brewery tour. David and I talked about it the night before at Jacksons and I was definitely into it but my number one priority was to ride and ride I did that next day. I barely made the “cambi” bus pick up at 5pm after a great day on the hill with the crew. I’m glad I did because Barilcohe has some of the best craft beer breweries south of the equator.
Stop 1, Cerveceria Blest: I could have sworn we were in Germany and actually, David informed me that the German immigrant population was well represented in Bariloche. This was our first stop and it felt like we were gearing up for Oktoberfest. Try the Frambuesa Lambic for something different. A cross between a beer and a raspberry cider, this was a mellow way to get the tour started. The amgios agreed.
Stop 2, Cerveceria Berlina: The rustic yet warm confines of Berlina were perfect for a sunset beer. The brewery sits on a duck pond beneath the Andean peaks and the locale combined with the beers made this place memorable. Try the IPA or the Stout. In my experience a beer in Latin America generally amounts to little more than a homogeneous lager from a nationalized brewery but my first Berlina brew surprised me with something different. Argentines actually appreciate a good, hearty, well-crafted beer.
Stop 3, Cerveceria La Cruz: If you are a local, this is where you come for an Après Ski beer and pizza after a day in the mountains. The vibe is family and the beers are good. No messing around here, the brewery knows what its doing and the locals appreciate it. If I lived down the street from La Cruz, the bartender and I would be on a first name basis regardless of my Spanish comprehension. Try the Double IPA if you are a hophead.
The brewery tour was a great, unexpected, evening with new friends and SGT staff. The kind of experience you have when you decide to drink up as much life as you can. As always though, the best part about going out late night in a mountain town is that you are almost guaranteed a fresh dump of white when the sun rises. 7 am arrived early the next day but with it came the white stuff and another deep day on the Cerro. Salud!
What is SGT? This has been the quintessential question of my current life. I started here in the Spring of 2012 and have been unable to accurately describe the SGT experience. Instead of continuing to ponder my prose in a feeble attempt to capture the magic. I have decided to take twenty-five minutes to attack the question with unfiltered ramblings.
I’m currently down in Argentina with SASS Global Travel, enjoying the winter fun that Catedral, near Bariloche, has to offer. The backcountry around Catedral is endless, and on a clear day a view out West gives one a true glimpse at the massive scale of the Andes. Today’s crew, consisting of myself, Daniel Ochoa, and SGT guide Chris Coulter and pro snowboarder Robin Van Gyn, had hopes of touring out to the Zebra Chutes, an hour or so out into the Catedral backcountry. The four main chutes descend up to 2,000 feet of vertical and are broken up further by hundreds of vertical granite rock formations, giving the appearance of zebra stripes. The stripes create a maze of smaller chutes, all incredibly steep and with narrow chokes and run-outs. These epic lines can only come together with the perfect concoction of snowpack, weather, group dynamics, and timing, which is why bagging one of these lines could easily be the best run of any splitboarder’s life. Continue reading From the Mind of an Intern: Outback Adventure
Today was the first powder day for Session Two down here at SASS Global Travel. With only two inches at the base this morning, everyone was preparing for dust-on-crust conditions for the day. As we climbed higher up the mountain it became apparent that snow on the upper mountain was stacked much higher. The crust could still be felt under the snow for the first few runs, but as the day went on, and the snow stacked higher, the bottomless turns became more regular.
Friday announced with sun and speculation. Signaling mother earth to power up legs and send big air. The unshaven savages of SGT Argentina (Chris Coulter & Andrew Burns) co-mingled up with clients Jimmy Hessler, Jack Hessler and Chase Josey to gain lift like condors probing the clouds in search of the sky’s limit in The Arnet Winter Net 2012 at Cerro Catderal.
The SGT family laid down skis and boards, erected a cheering sections and hang over dens in support of the jumping, friends and fun. The show saw a menagerie of Siente Ventes (720’s) in the qualify rounds forcing 4 members of la familia into the final.
At conclusion the crowd witnessed Andrew Burns conquer third place and claim a nice pay day (which he donated to the good people at Mute). SGT friend and heavy hitter Matti Schmitt stood tall in second and “The Legend” Chris Coulter soared a massive front side 900 well past the perceived landing zone to his well tone legs and 1st place.
Thank you to all the competitors for preforming the appropriate spins and awakening the snow gods, allow us to receive the gift of snow today.
With love and appreciation to all of the past women and men that traveled down to Argentina in the name of SGT and adventurous shredding and found the path through the woods to incredible amount of joy, the 2012 SGT staff is the best yet. This week coach Tony Pavlantos put on his eco-friendly big-boy pants on and gave his immense heart and time to every client that crossed his periphery. For that we say THANK YOU TONY!
Mikey Gordon having a nice laid back kind of day. Photo: Ben Girardi
