The Last Descent

p: darin mquoid

Green Rush featured athlete Charlie Center is a professional kayaker and law student that has been featured in several Young Gun Production Kayaking films. This small town boy from California is known worldwide for running many first descents. Charlie is recognized as being one of the worlds greatest expedition kayakers. Charlie is also the owner of Caliproduct clothing and administrator of the popular web-site caliproduct.com Charlie is a co-founder of Ebb and Flow Productions. They recently released their feature film, The Last Descent. www.thelastdescent.com Buy a copy today. All proceeds are donated to river protection.

The Last Descent is an epic movie. It Chronicals the adventures of some of the worlds best expedition kayakers on a one year journey around the world in search of epic white water, adventure and answers. Along the way they meet many local and indigoes people living sustainable lives along the rivers. This film helps bring to light the plight of these people who face relocation from the construction of new dams. The movie also shows some of the amazing white water and pristine river that will be drown and permanently altered after the construction of these dams.

All the rivers they floated have one thing in comon, Dams. For many rivers the damage has already been done. For other rivers there is still hope. The last free flowing rivers need to be protected. Small groups of people can make a difference. Here in California there has been many tragic stretches of river lost to the construction of Dams. All the rivers you see being kayaked in Green Rush end in dams. It's time to protect what we have left and preserve our last wild places. Right now a proposed Dam Expansion project threatens to destroy 4 miles of the Mokelumne River known as Middle Bar. Please help by joining the Foothill Conservancy in their fight to save this stretch with a national wild and scenic designation.

Mokelumne River - Wild and Scenic from Mikey Wier on Vimeo.

Josh Daiek rips

Josh Daiek Demo Reel from Ian Stout on Vimeo.

Check out local sick bird, Josh Daiek(Baby J). Josh rides out at Kirkwood and won the 2008 free-ride championship circuit. Josh is one of our featured skiers for the Green Rush movie and is not afraid to hike for his lines or to the top of a cliff to ski base jump off. This man has balls of steel. Demo reel filmed primarily and edited by Ian Stout of Vertica Productions. Check Ian and some of this other work out on Vimeo. Ian Stout on Vimeo

Jeremy Jones- Protect Our Winters

Jeremy Jones speaks out about the new climate bill and why it's important and time sensitive. Speak up and help be part of creating a better and cleaner future.

GREEN RUSH-Overview

Green Rush teaser 2 from Mikey Wier on Vimeo.

California's unique variety of geology, ecology and abundant wildlife make it one of the most diverse and complex ecosystems on this planet. From the High Sierra to the Pacific Ocean, From the Redwoods to the Desert. For those with a taste for adventure California is one of the most diverse and enchanting playgrounds on Earth. California has long been looked upon as a landscape of opportunities. In the 1800's adventurous people and entrepreneurs flocked to California in search of gold. The ensuing California Gold Rush became one of the most environmentally destructive campaigns in the history of Mankind, both on the landscape and by setting a business standard of exploiting the environment for profit. Now more than 150 years later California's resources and population are reaching a tipping point. With the population still expanding and resources strained, California is on on the forefront of a Green Revolution. A necessity for change and a shift in consciousness has begun to create a more environmentally aware and informed society. Companies are working on developing clean technologies and products. Manufactures are working to create less waste. Commuters are working to lower emissions. Consumers are making more informed decisions. People are starting to seriously consider they're impact on this planet and implement solutions to the current environmental crisis.

Green Rush is a celebration of some of California's most adventurous and talented athletes and innovative companies that are in search of a more harmonious relationship with nature through sports, life-style, recreation and environmental technology. Join a modern day tribe of adventures as they explore some of California's most wild and remote places in search of their own Green Rush. Come along on a multi sport adventure following the changing of the seasons through some of California's last wild places. Green Rush features all human-powered sports that work in harmony with the flows of nature, don't rely on gasoline, and create the least amount of impact. By making small lifestyle changes and implementing the cleanest technologies possible these athletes prove you don't have to thrash the environment to have a good time. Shred lightly. Recreate responsibly. Respect the landscape. Do the least harm. Leave the least trace. Find harmony with the wild creatures. Seek the cleanest path. Live the change you want to see. Be the California Green Rush.

Electro Automotive

Jan 17 2009 Electric Car Conversion workshop held by Electo Automotive

I'm really interested in learning about the electric conversions being done. This workshop was informative and really brought into perspective just what it takes to actually do a full conversion. I learned about the parts, the process, the cost, environment impact and economical benefits of driving EV's. Mike and Shari at Electo Automotive have been doing electric conversions on VW's and Porches for years. These days they mostly supply the parts needed to do conversions and sub out the actual hands on conversion process to local mechanics. The most specialized part of most conversions is the transmission adaptor plate. Mike has done hundreds and has one of the biggest libraries of specifications they can fabricate for different vehicles.

For more on Electro Automotive check out:

http://www.electroauto.com/

To learn more about electric vehicles go to:

http://eaaev.org/index.html

There were over 30 people in attendance of this workshop.

Mike Brown & Shari Prange of Electo Automotive.

EV parts needed to do most conversions.

This is a full plug in VW rabbit owned by Bill Lentfer of Santa Cruz.

Snow Skate the Lake

What's That?!?!?! Is the first words out of most people's mouths when they first see snow skating. So what is snow skating? It's the fastest growing sport on the slopes. A combination of snowboarding and the freedom of skateboarding. Picture a skateboard deck with a mini snowboard attached to the bottom with metal "Rocker" trucks. For many of the old school skaters, turned snowboarders, it's a renewal for the stoke of skateboarding. It provides a whole new way of riding the mountain and changes the way you see terraine and features. For many who have been snowboarding for years at the same resorts it offers a fun and more challenging alternative for non pow days. For the young snowboarders it's also a cheap and low eco impact alternative to buying expensive lift tickets and season passes at resorts and or snowmobiles. You can hike and snowskate just about anywhere and anytime of day. Some of the best spots are parks and backyards. The most famous home park being the Bonser Pipeline at long time local shredder Pat Bonser's back yard.

Gnu from Mervin Manufacturing first popularized this style bi deck. Now many companies have seen the light and began to follow suite. 4 years ago South Lake Tahoe vert skater, snowboarder and snow skater Danny Sheehan started Ralston Snow Skates. Ralson is the one of the first independent companies to bring a high performance snow skate to the Market. Ralson manufactures it's own boards locally. The ski is pressed at their own factory near Lake Tahoe using the latest most eco friendly materials and process. Utilizing renewable materials like Bamboo and Birtch wood for their ski cores.

A few years ago there were only a few snowskaters trying to ride the resorts. Many Resorts wouldn't even allow it and some Resorts still don't. They treat it like they did snowboarding 15 years ago. Now there are too many to of us to deny. Last season Snowskatings premier film production company, Strapless Entertainment lead by Veteran snow skate ninja Sean Davis and backed by talented local filmers Kyle Schwartz and Jason Hogan toured the lake in search of the dopest lines, cleanest jumps, most tech rails, slick boxes and Good Times. With Ralson team member Seth "The Mouth" Hall at the rains, a group of the most progressive riders in the world toured all the resorts that allow snow skating and the back yard jib parks of the Lake Tahoe area. Check out Pat "Goblin"Quin, Sean Davis, Seth Hall, Danny Sheehan, Pat Bonser, Jomie Smith, Donny Green and the rest of the Group as they progress the sport of Snowskating. For more info or to obtain a DVD, check out www.Skateboardonsnow.com or www.ralstonsnowskates.com

SnowSkateTheLake:TheMovie from Strapless Shredder on Vimeo.

With snowskating gaining in popularity small grass roots events and competitions are popping up in the North West, Colorado, Oregon and here at Lake Tahoe. What started as the first ever "Shut up and Snowskate" competition here in Tahoe five years ago has now progressed into the Ralston Cup of Snowskating. The competition takes place at Sierra Ski resort every year and features Slalom, Slopestyle and sometimes a free for all down hill boarder cross Chinese downhill dash for cash race. Heres some hight-lights form the 2009 Ralston Cup put on by Danny Sheehan and Announced by injured Raston team member Seth Hall, who came back in 2010 to take second place.

Ralston Cup 2009: snowskate contest from Strapless Shredder on Vimeo.

Keep an eye of for one of the most progressive Snowskating parts ever compiled of these riders hiking backcountry features, in town jibs, natural log slides, backyard picknick tables and leaving the least amount of impact possible while achieving the highest level of shredding to be featured in Green Rush.

Droppin - First Tracks

Check out the trailer for First Tracks Productions latest snow board video "Droppin". This fun shred video was shot by Anthony Cupaiuolo and Dan Moses with Photos by Carrie Reiter featuring several local tahoe riders including: Jordan Neild, BJ Linne, Ben Wyn, Cody Lewis, Chase Harrimana, Mike Abeluk and Alexis Rolland as well as friends and shredders from Chile, Canada, Utah and Colorado. Also a couple clips of BURL Productions founder and fellow film maker Mikey Wier hiking and surfing the backcountry of Lake Tahoe.

First Tracks is an independent film studio out of Lake Tahoe specializing in documentary Snowboard, Ski, Wildlife, Environmental and Adventure Videos. They also do commercial work for Ski Lake Tahoe, RSN and others. Check out more of First Tracks Video work of Alexis Rolland in this years Warren Miller Movie "Dynasty".

Don't forget to go to the website and buy a DVD. Help support a cool collaborative of local riders, filmers, photographers and artists.

www.firsttracksproductions.com

Droppin' - Teaser from First Tracks Productions on Vimeo.