The "STEEPS!"

[Maddy]

Didn't I find the best film last evening on Charter on Demand. It was a rare find with perhaps the exceptions being Flicka, Big Red(dog), and Firehouse Dog.
Some of you may have seen it, I don't recall ever hearing of it. It's title is "STEEP".
It is a wonderful history of ski mountaineering and much of the narration is done by the skiers themselves. You will see the Grand, the most impressive Chugach range, Chamonix, La Grave, Iceland, etc. Spectacular visuals.
Can't beat it fo $4.
Enjoy.
Would love to hear some feedback.

I hope this is in the correct forum

 

[Sugarloafer]

I've heard a lot of good reviews on this movie, but haven seen it yet. Thanks for the reminder. I understand there a lot of good footage of a couple of MA locals who became famous big mountain skiers.......Doug Coombs (RIP) and Chris Davenport.

 

[una_dogger]

Make it steep!

We rented it from Netflix.

I really enjoyed it! There's great historical footage from Chamonix, and many great interviews.

I give it two thumbs up!

 

[Sugarloafer]

Just watched it (Comcast pay per view)....great movie !! It's not just another ski movie, but a documentary on how the sport of big mountain skiing has evolved. It's a pretty good attempt at discovering what makes these people tick, although I'm not sure there's any real answers. Specatacular ski footage and insightful interviews, particularly with Doug Coombs, who grew up in Bedford MA. I highly recommend it for anyone who skis or is interested in mountain lifestyles.

 

[Nif]

Thanks Maddy,

I've been waiting for this to come to video since I missed it when it came to BTV earlier this year. They had posters up advertising it around Sugarbush but by the time I saw them it was too late to catch it

Nif

 

[erugs]

We tried to watch Steep via Comcast's On Demand. Unfortunately, the quality of the show was so poor we decided to wait (and have our $5 refunded) until we can see it another way. Looked like it wouldl be fabulous. We are especially interested in anything about "The Grand" since our visit and climb there last July.

 

[Nif]

I didn't both to try to view it on Comcast, I just went ahead an ordered the DVD from Amazon since this was my cue that it had finally been released to video. I knew I'd want to own it one way or the other. Its supposed to arrive on the 20th.

I'm not sure if you've seen it or not eruggles, but you used to be able to watch Doug skiing Otter Body on the grand. The video was the Otter Body Experience. A few sites used to have links to it, but I haven't looked for it in a while. You may be able to track that down.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Could not find a clip of Doug Coombs on the Otter Body, but here is a link to the trailer for Steep.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr7_4LrF8As&NR=1

“I tried to become a normal person and have a normal job, but it didn’t work out,” Bill Briggs told the filmmakers.

When I arrived in Jackson Hole for geology field camp in 1971, a student remarked that someone had skied the Grand, from the top. So, given that we had a free day before classes began, some of us drove from Hoback Junction to the Park, where someone with a spotting scope showed us Bill Briggs' tracks; simply incredible at that time, and something I will never forget. Little did we know that one day the Otter Body and other extreme routes in the Tetons also would be skied, even by free-heelers. The Otter Body route was the location of a major disaster for an AMC climbing group in the 60s, which I believe pretty much terminated those sorts of excursions for the AMC.

 

[Nif]

Hey Dr. D sorry you won't be going to AK. I'll be willing to loan my copy of Steep out after I have watched it.

The Otterbody Experience used to be here:

http://www.thesnaz.com/otter-body-experience/

I can't check the link from where I am to see if it actually runs still, but if someone with highspeed wants to give it a try it might actually still be there. It was around 15 minutes long.

 

[erugs]

Thanks, Nif. The link works for me at work!

 

[una_dogger]

Really cool little movie. Nice teamwork.

Great message from Doug Coombs "we are out there to have fun for ourselves and inspire other people to do fun things as well".

 

[Nif]

Really cool little movie. Nice teamwork.

Great message from Doug Coombs "we are out there to have fun for ourselves and inspire other people to do fun things as well".

And that he did!!!! We seem to do pretty well with that her on Views as well.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Really cool little movie. Nice teamwork.

Great message from Doug Coombs "we are out there to have fun for ourselves and inspire other people to do fun things as well".

Agreed.

Thanks for the link, Nif.

I think that the quote from the end was Doug's ski buddy; see this link below for pics of Doug from a memoriam. Hard to believe that it has been a little over two years since his passing.

http://www.snewsnet.com/cgi-bin/snews/04679.html