If you were on the mountain this Friday, you probably saw a lot of smiling faces. The snow was delightful, it was sunny and warm and spirits were high. You might also have noticed a bunch of brightly-colored ski jackets and a guy laying on his belly with a video camera.

So what was all that about? A Northwest-based company called Peak Video Productions was on the mountain for the second year in a row, shooting promotional video for Brundage Mountain. It’s part of a campaign by the Idaho Ski Areas Association to promote the great diversity of ski areas across the state.

Here, the whole crew is gathered at the top of Kickback, making a plan about how to put Brundage Mountain’s best foot forward. Last year’s video was an overview of Brundage, and it focused mainly on the quality of the snow. You can check it out here. (I had the best luck viewing these with Quicktime). You’ll also find vignettes from all of Idaho’s other ski areas, big and small. I’ve watched them all, and learned something new and interesting each time.

This year’s Brundage video will be focused on the improvements we’ve made over the past couple years. We shot most of the video in the Lakeview area to highlight the new chairlift and 160 acres of new terrain. The two guys on the right of the shot above are Brundage employees who helped us scope out some ‘secret stashes’ that were still untracked, more than 48 hours after we got any fresh snow. (Don’t you just love this place!?!?)

This is Tommy, one of the professional skiers who was brought in for the shoot. He’s enjoying some fresh turns in the sunshine.

None of these folks will complain about their ‘job’ for the day, although it does take some will power to be a good ski model. The videographer sets up a shot, then has the skiers and riders make a few turns in the front of the camera…then stop…and wait…and wait. Imagine having that untracked snowfield in front of you, getting into a sweet groove, then forcing yourself to ‘turn it off’ right when it gets super-sweet.

We didn’t hear any complaints, though. These guys (and gals) were good-natured, good-humored and fun-loving. They all had a great time exploring our terrain and sampling our slopes. I can’t wait for the video to get finished later this season, so you can all really see what a talent the guy in the green coat is. His tele turns were so strong and graceful, whether carving groomed runs or floating through the trees.

You might recognize the skier below from last year’s video. He has a knack for ‘making it look easy’, even in challenging conditions. The tracks in this snow make it look like powder, but the mountain hadn’t seen fresh snow in over 48 hours. He’s actually skiing on what we call “hoar frost”. There are a couple inches of nice, sugary snow on top, with a tricky crust underneath.

Jeff is the snowboarder captured below. He was not afraid to unleash, no matter what the slope conditions. He was really working this low-angle pitch to make it look its best.

Here he is laying down an impressive carver on Main Street.

Lynn Wieland (above) is a bonafide movie star. She played Michelle “Banana Pants” in the 1984 cult ski classic, Hot Dog.  But she’s not just a pretty face. This photo doesn’t do justice to her skill on the slopes. She also starred in 1993’s Black Diamond Rush, narrated by Warren Miller. In that film, she plays herself, and makes some impressive turns on a heli-skiing feature.

The snowboarder below is one of Brundage Mountain’s own. Ty Davis helped us scope out the fresh lines, and definitely held his own among the group.

There was a lot of talent BEHIND the camera, as well. Videographer Jim Bolser and  producer Robin Briley (unfortunately, I don’t have a good picture of her) have a real talent for storytelling.

The photo below shows Jim catching some shots of our Bird’s Nest Yurt. They really know how to pick up the flavor of a certain locale and communicate that in their videos. Again, I encourage you to check out the videos of all of Idaho’s ski areas. It sort of feels like taking a big road trip, and with most of the video shot during last year’s “Winter of Endless Snowfall”, it might also give you that powder fix you’ve been itching for.  —April

Update: Here is a look at some of the ski and snowboard footage that was shot that day. We’ll let you know when the final ‘local flavor included’ version is out.