Shaun White's Secret Half Pipe

Watching it continue to drizzle November rain here in central Connecticut, I finally got caught up on some blog reading. Came across this featured section of Shaun White's website, a mission he went on last year at Silverton Mountain in Colorado's San Juans. Wife and I went on our second honeymoon there a couple years back, last winter we were in Utah. I can't imagine the decision making process that went into this Red Bull project. Was someone from Red Bull (or Burton or Target) coming off the back side of this famously lift-accessed backcountry ski area, stopped and thought "hey, this would make a perfect place for a half-pipe"?

Aside from the James Bond 007, AK style heli drop off and Shaun's usual enthusiasm of all things snowboarding, the tricks themselves are amazing. You're introduced to a giant, very out of place looking superpipe in the middle of avalanche country. The first thing that caught my eye, however, was a large square-shaped structure at the bottom of the pipe. At first I figured they had something larger in mind than just a solitary pipe session for Shaun White. Perhaps a contest, maybe a deck to hang out on, some sort of VIP area for Burton and Red Bull athletes. Not exactly. This is the foam pit that would become instrumental in testing a new series of pipe trickery. Now I'm not an expert on frontside this or backside that, but it's pretty clear to see how a foam pipe would help progress the sport, as Shaun says "two years in one day, ONE day!" Another quote on that subject, "there's no powder in the half pipe."

But my favorite quote of the whole series of videos would have to be "it was perfect."

Here's to Mr. White stomping some of these in the X-Games and Winter Olympics this season.

Enjoy!

http://www.shaunwhite.com/projectx/?fbid=GbOZZbbJlKO#/halfpipe