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Helicopter spreading the ashes of Rick Lawrence, { who died the year before at the age of 45 } Stratton Vermont Pipe Cutter / snow cat driver, over the 1/2 pipe at the U.S. Open 2010 Words and Image Courtesy of: Vermont Works Snowboard Collection 
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In 1988, a Parade Magazine (or Time) article listed snowboarding as 1988’s “worst new sport.” The article stated that according “to traditionalists, the breezy fad is a clumsy intrusion on the sleek precision of downhill skiing.” In 1992, the magazine bestowed the same honor to lawn mower racing. While this sport did have a governing body, the U.S. Lawn Mower Racing Association, it certainly did not have the athletic, recreational and cultural impact like the earlier award recipient. Find out more in the book Snowboarding in Southern Vermont available at www.snowboardinginsouthernvermont.com  Dave Schmidt arrived at Burton Snowboards in 1986, working in sales and guiding the company ‘s exponential growth. Every March, all Burton employees put their office/factory jobs on hold and assisted with the US Open. This allowed for Schmidt to capture the competition with his camera. These photos, plus many more by photographers including Trevor Graves, Geoff Fosbrook, Hubert Schriebl, Bud Fawcett, Jeff Curtes, Shem Roose and others, are now on display at the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum exhibit titled Shred Vermont. Find out more in the book Snowboarding in Southern Vermont available at www.snowboardinginsouthernvermont.com Although two examples does not constitute a pattern, what’s up with shark snow sculptures eating snowboarders? Thoughts? Theories? Any more pix out there to add to this growing collection of images? Any cheesy captions that you can think of? The skeg meg? Skier’s revenge? While these pictures are not in the book, you will discover lots of great pix and stories in the book Snowboarding in Southern Vermont available at www.snowboardinginsouthernvermont.com Jeff Brushie signing for fans at the US Open. Who else is in the picture? What year is it? Anyone have one of those posters? Photo credit: Hubert Schriebl  Following the 1982 Snow Surfing championships in Woodstock, Burton hosted a championship at Snow Valley in 1983 and 1984. Drawing competitors from around the country, they had to hike the course and very few made it down the course without a fall or mishap. As the day’s racing served as a precursor to the US Open, so did the evening’s activities. Most of the competitors camped out in the lodge, and reveled through the night, establishing another early US Open tradition. Photo Credit: Cody Rock, Jeff Grell, Wiley Asher, Jack Coghlan, Burton Corporation, Hubert Schriebl Find out more in the book Snowboarding in Southern Vermont available at www.snowboardinginsouthernvermont.com Manchester Native Betsy Shaw learned to ski at Bromley, eventually racing for both her high school and UNH. After attending the US Open and witnessing how much fun the women athletes were having, she had a change of heart. Once transitioning to boarding, she also realized that boarding was an easy way to make some extra money on the weekend. She rose through the competitive ranks, and joined the World Cup Tour. Her international success included World Championship medals and titles and culminated in representing the US in the inaugural Snowboard events at the Nagano Olympics in 1998. While traveling world was a great experience, Betsy looked forward to returning home to the US Open, winning the slalom event in 1991. Photo credit: Hubert Schriebl, Neil Korn, Trevor Graves, Ian McKenzie, Skye Chalmers, @ Manchester, Vermont Find out more in the book Snowboarding in Southern Vermont available at www.snowboardinginsouthernvermont.com Riders Matt Mitchell and Russell Winfield (and perhaps others?) lived together in a house on Lower Taylor Hill Road (Left). It was the site of many social gatherings, including one memorable celebration of Craig Kelly’s birthday. The basement was known for having a pile of broken glass that was the result of a game akin to beer bottle skeet and trap. Anyone know of this is the place??? A leter Mirchell home was his parent's place in Winhall Acres (Right) Find out more in the book Snowboarding in Southern Vermont available at www.snowboardinginsouthernvermont.com Austrian siblings Ricky and Marianna Fruhmann were early fixtures on the snowboard scene, with Marianna being an early Burton employee and winning the first Snow Valley event in the women’s category. Photo Credit: Hubert Schriebl, Burton Corporation Find out more in the book Snowboarding in Southern Vermont available at www.snowboardinginsoithernvermont.com The Green Door Pub, located in the basement of the clover-themed Mulligan’s Restaurant, is a windowless shrine to the U.S. Open and Stratton snowboarding. While the great legends of snowboarding have left their mark on the trails and pipes of Stratton, it is hard to get “sense of place” while on the mountain. Although one can traverse the slopes that once served as the base for memorable competitions, it is hard to feel the history. A journey down the slightly curved steps and a sharp left into the Green Door is akin to stepping into U.S. Open’s hallowed grounds. The Green Door Pub evokes a tangible sense of heritage and tradition. Started in the early 1990s, Pete Christy, with the assistance of cheap eats and drink, created a comfortable hangout. In the depths of this room, competitors and spectators, carvers and jibbers, Goofy and Regular, Burton and Sims, even skiers and snowboarders came together to create a whole new legend. They seem to be essential rites of passage for U.S. Open spectators—watching the half-pipe finals and a night at the Green Door. Do you have any photos from GDP? Let’s see them! Discover more in the book Snowboarding in Southern Vermont available at www.snowboardinginsouthernvermont.com Craig Kelly and the famous unmarked Mystery Air at the awards ceremony....any pictures out there of the board in action? Read more in the book Snowboarding in Southern Vermont available at www.snowboardinginsouthernvermont.com  Mark Heingartner and Suzi Rueck were both responsible for teaching a cadre of future competitors and free riders. Whether it was the early certification program, Stratton’s Allegro Program or the Green Mountain Series, chances are you were under the tutelage of Rueck or Heingartner or both at some time. Find out more in the book Snowboarding in Southern Vermont available at www.snowboardinginsouthernvermont.com Photo credits: Bud Fawcett and Hubert Schriebl Some call it the pinnacle US Open spectator moment. In 1996, the editors of East Infection Magazine, Mark Sullivan and Pat Bridges, decided to create their own viewing stand at the half pipe finals. Procuring 4x4s, chicken wire and cases of 40oz beer, the crew arrived at the halfpipe early morning where they were immediately challenged by Stratton staff. Quick thinking in their approach, they told them they were setting up a Burton VIP stand. Once the competition started (probably even earlier),the Cage turned into party central. As the competitors climbed the pipe, many of them hiked the left side, allowing opportunities for mid hike pulls off a beer. Rarely in sports history has the competitor and spectator had such intimate moments! At one point, Sullivan and Bridges donned Tony the Tiger and a muppet -esque costume and performed tricks in the pipe. Eventually the shear amount of partygoers outperformed the amateur carpentry skills and the cage collapsed with the inebriated crowd tumbling down. If there was a building code for halfpipe party, Chicken wire and 4x4 platforms, this one did not make it. Amazingly enough, photographer Skye Chalmers documented the mayhem of both the party and its collapse. Thankfully, nobody was hurt and the Cage remains today a defining moment in what it meant to attend the Stratton US Open during the 1990s. Find out more in the book Snowboarding in Southern Vermont available at www.snowboardinginsouthernvermont.com Photo credit: Skye Chalmers, Shem Roose, Hubert Schriebl , Vice: Powder & Rails, Eastern Edge Magazine Some of my favorite US Open posters from the Vermont days, plus the Snow Valley championship and Vermont Open. what’s your favorite? What did I forget? Discover more in the book Snowboarding in Southern Vermont available at www.snowboardinginsouthernvermont.com |
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