Last week I was shooting for an SBC Skier magazine article following a few different veteran avalanche professionals in British Columbia through their day-to-day duties. Accompanied by writer Dan K., I spent some time skiing and looking at snow with Eric Dafoe who works for Parks Canada controlling the Rogers Pass section of the  Trans Canada highway between Revelstoke and Golden. We spent some time ski touring and digging pits, as well as getting up close and personal with their Canadian Army partnership firing the Howitzer 105 at some avi paths above the road. The percussion blast is so strong it made my camera smack me in the forehead when I was shooting. No biggy.

Avalanche Road, On Assignment from Jordan Manley Photography on Vimeo.

Next, we spent some time closer to home on the Duffey Lake Road with Scott Aitken and Doug Tuck ski touring and digging pits once again. These guys have been working the road for 25yrs now. I had a lot of fun with them, and I learned a lot. Thanks!

Spring touring season is here. Blower pow up high.

Adventures getting out of drainages down low.

Andre Charland wondering if he should be biking on this ski out, had it not been for the amazing snow up high in the North facing trees.

Finally I’ve got it online, here is my slideshow from last April’s Pro Photographer Showdown in Whistler.

2009 Pro Photographer Showdown Slideshow from Jordan Manley Photography on Vimeo.

I am back from 2 months of India and European adventure, but on the road once again. This time I find myself in Nevada (alongside writer Hans Ludwig, skiers Cody Townsend, Rachael Burks, and Jamey Parks), on assignment for Powder magazine, documenting the range of skiing and ski culture in the most mountainous state (yes, its true). We’ve found some amazing couloirs right above the hell hole that is Las Vegas, alongside 3000 year old Bristlecone Pine trees. For the past two days have been out in the middle of nowhere skiing and hanging out at a hot springs ranch amongst great company. Tomorrow promises a couloir of a lifetime and I’m very excited!

I climbed this dead tree to shoot Cody Townsend cruising below. Then I did a backflip off the branch! Photo, Rachael Burks.

Rachael Burks awaits skiing this narrow 35-45er, 40mins from Las Vegas.

Here is a new(ish) cover, this time from Germany’s Bike Magazine. I shot this last August while riding in the Chilcotins – one of the hearts of “epic” riding in BC. Mount Dickson stands in the backcountry, with my brother Chad, and friend Pat Mulroney descending a rocky ridge. It won’t be too long now until we’re riding bikes again, although ski season is far from over!

The people at Aka Skidor in Sweden have been very nice to Chad Sayers and I this season – giving us now a 3rd cover since the fall. This one was taken in Monterosa, Italy last season when we had stellar conditions. Also in this issue, a feature I shot in La Grave last season.

I’m still in La Grave at the moment and wishing we had the same deep pow we did at this time last year, but there is a system on the way and we are keen to start shooting again. The skiing has been great with lots of chalky couloirs, but it doesn’t show up the same way on film as powder does.

I’m now in La Grave and just got off the hill after my first day back here skiing. It is my 3rd year in a row (and in total) having the good fortune to be able to ski and experience this magical place. The grandur of rock and ice here blow the mind, and the way a skier can move through such a huge volume of spectacular terrain in a day is like nothing else I’ve experienced. You have to be on your toes, and you have to know where you’re going, as there is no ski patrol, nothing is marked, and the terrain is extremely complex. You’re on your own to wander the mountains, giving you a much more real experience as a skier, and consequently you feel that much more alive.  I’m here shooting photos, as well as shooting a web episode for Arcteryx/Goretex. These episodes I’m doing will consist of video, stills, and timelapses that I’m gathering with a Nikon D3s, which is proving to be a great all-in-one tool.

I have just left India and already it seems we weren’t there for long. The truth is, we weren’t. The goal: to ski at Gulmarg, a small ski resort, the only of it’s kind in the entire Himalaya. Equiped with the highest gondola in the world, we were set to ski some stunning terrain and magical snow, and capture the experience (both photography and video). Upon arrival however, we learned quickly they are having the worst season anyone can remember, and to make matters worse the snow stability was beyond bad. With our safety caps on, we poked around and gathered enough footage we could for the web episode I’m doing for Arcteryx/Goretex. Deciding to leave before schedule, it seems we made the right call. We jumped ship prior to a big forecasted snowfall, and we’ve seen all over the news 17 soldiers died tragically in an avalanche in Gulmarg – tragic because this could have been prevented 100% with some reasonable snow safety knowledge.

It was incredible to go to India and experience such a completely different world, warm people, and the stunning beauty of the Himalaya, however we’ll have to wait until another year to experience safe and powdery skiing.

This post is a little dated, my apologies. In January, I did something I never do, and that is ride my bike…in Guatemala of all places. Shooting for Bike magazine, I joined Vancouver Island writer Andrew Findlay, and together we joined Matt Hartell and his co-pilot Luisa for a trip around Guatemala riding. Most of the riding was on (some ancient) Mayan foot paths that Matt has pieced together into flowing trails, something that has taken a lot of exploration and work. From riding down to Lake Atitlan rimmed with volcanoes on limestone foot steps, to eating mystery meat on dirt floors with a family in the remote village of Chortiz, it was a wild experience.

Here is the new issue of Mountain Life magazine from the Coast. The (main) photograph is of Chad Sayers from our short time spent up in Smithers, BC last March.