Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Oakley Riders Eero Ettala, Nicolas Muller and Kevin Pearce ride Japan!


"Tracking Eero" Japan Action Webisode from OAKLEY on Vimeo.

"This was the first time I have filmed in Japan. And it snowed almost everyday! Once again the crew was amazing, Nicolas Muller and Kevin Pearce made it so much fun. Those guys kill it. And all of our riding styles are so different. Nicolas really knows how to take advantage of that Japanese terrain. He is the powder master!"

"We filmed powder lines in Asahidake for a few days and then I had to go back to Sapporo and compete in the Toyota big air. (we need dialogue about winning the comp for the 2nd time) During my stay in Sapporo it snowed like 1 meter in Asahidake, so went back there after I won the big air."

"It was one of the coolest trips I have been on. The only minus point on the trip was the gnarly hiking, but I guess I should just look at it as a free gym pass."

Eero Ettala

Music - Duran Duran - Hungry Like The Wolf


Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Todd puts Austin Smith through an advanced training course for the Olympics.


Monday, December 14, 2009
Newest installment from our guy Josh Zerkel up at Wisp Resort. Make sure to check out all of Josh's other videos at Josh Zerkel Vimeo






It was a case of 'three times the champion' for Tim Johnson (Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com) at the US National Cyclo-Cross Championships in Bend, Oregon, today as he took home his third stars and stripes jersey. The Massachusetts native took the prestigious single-day event by storm, winning by nearly 10 seconds ahead of local star Ryan Trebon (Kona-FSA) and Jonathan Page (Planet Bike).
"It was so easy to make a mistake today," said Johnson. "The race isn't won in the first lap but it's lost in the first eight or nine of the ten laps we did. I felt smooth and fast and that was all I was thinking about. I broke the race down into chunks and every couple corners. I tried to have a trouble free last few laps. I wasn't trying to gain any time, just tried to go as fast as I could," he added.
Johnson won his last cyclo-cross national title in 2007 in Kansas City. This year, he was the odds on favourite after taking nearly 10 season victories and winning the North American Cyclo-Cross Trophy series overall title. Read More at www.cyclingnews.com


Photo: © Dave McElwaine


Sunday, December 6, 2009
Torstein Horgmo spends the day riding with his crew Andreas Wigg and Haldor Helgason at Keystone, Colorado. So much style, make sure to check out all the other videos by Torstein at Torstein Horgmo Vimeo.





Saturday, December 5, 2009



Pathfinder of WV Holiday Store Hours: 


Starting Sunday December 6th, 2009


Monday Through Friday: 10:00am-7:00pm


Saturday: 10:00am-5:00pm


Sunday: 12:00am-5:00pm


Friday, December 4, 2009
Pathfinder Team Riders Josh Zerkel, and Corey Snyder taking advantage of the first snowfall at Wisp Resort.



BLOWN ZONE from Josh Zerkel on Vimeo.







Wednesday, December 2, 2009
The rumors are true. As winter has arrived, so has Norwegian phenom Andreas Wiig to Forum’s pro team. Joining Peter Line, Eddie Wall, Pat Moore, Jake Welch, Stevie Bell, John Jackson, Nic SauvĂ© and Daniel Ek, Andreas is set to give it 110% this season. Whether riding the park, at a slopestyle event or filming in the backcountry, Wiig continually pushes his limits.
"It's an honor to be part of such a talented and progressive team, a team that is setting the standard in snowboarding today," says Wiig. "I already know most of the guys on the team and I'm looking forward to riding with them. It's going to be good times."
"There is no better fit for Forum than Andreas. Forum is a cutting-edge freestyle brand and that is exactly who Andreas is, always taking it to a new level," states Director of Team Marketing Bryan Knox. "We are all extremely happy to be working with a rider of this caliber."
Thinking back to when his snowboarding career began and how he got to where he is today, Andreas is looking forward to focusing more on filming and shooting photos. Although he’ll continue to participate in select contests globally, the emphasis of Wiig's upcoming season seems to be reconnecting with his roots.


Stay tuned to forumsnowboards.com for more Andreas news throughout the season.


Man I wish that we had some snow like this out East...It's coming though (fingers crossed). It's amazing to watch these guys just launch off these huge gaps, however I guess the waist deep helps. Enjoy!



Friday, November 27, 2009


              With Winter quickly approaching and the days getting darker earlier it is becoming a must to have a lightweight, powerful, headlamp. Enter NIteRider and their amazing lighting systems. Pathfinder of West Virginia stocks a number of NiteRider headlamps including the MiNewt and MiNewt Mini USB and Mini USB Plus. The MiNewt Mini USB Plus is a must have holiday gift for three simple reasons. First, it's amazingly bright at 110+ Lumens, Second it's really lightweight, and Third it's a very inexpensive way to light up the trail in front of you. The plus features a light with the option of attachment, helmet or handlebar, and the USB option allows for easy charging on the fly at school or at work. The MINewt is extremely small and when it's on your head it feels as though it's not even there. So Make sure to come in and check out all of the NiteRider lights at Pathfinder of West Virginia, and get yours before the darkness drives you crazy!


FEATURES
Now With Battery Charging Indicator!
110 + Lumens
USB rechargeable Li-ion Battery Pack
Lightweight – 175g
3:00 Run Time

SYSTEM INCLUDES
LED Headlamp
Li-Ion Battery Pack
Handlebar Mount - Fits up to 31.8mm
4.5 HR Smart Charger
Helmet Mount (Plus model)
36” Extension Cable (Plus model)


This past winter Devun, Iikka, Lauri, and Biittner hit St Moritz and the Arlberg to try and get some of that Euro pow. It worked well. See for yourself.







Thursday, November 26, 2009



Wishing all of our friends and customers a very Happy Thanksgiving, safe travels, and great food!


Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Todd goes to Florida, Orlando to be exact, to work on promotions for the Dew Tour. Next thing he knows he's washed up in one of the largest man made wave pools in the country with only a surf board to save him! Fight for your life and enjoy this Tuesday's Todcast!



Friday, November 20, 2009
Pathfinder of WV/ Forum Snowboards Team Rider Josh Zerkel Showcased on Forum's Website @ The 2009 Motown Throwdown!







Pathfinder would like to congratulate Josh on his efforts in the past and his continued work to be one of the best snowboarders in the SouthEast! Keep em coming Josh! Check out the full post @ Forum Snowboards


 


Dura-Ace features and feel but with a tad more weight – and a lot less money.




Shimano's Ultegra road group has long been the workhorse of the lineup, offering near-Dura-Ace functionality and weight but with prices that average consumers could afford. We've already gone over the tech specifics so we'll skip over all of that and go straight into how well it works and feels after several months on the road. As expected, the all-new Ultegra 6700 loses some weight – over 150g! – and has gained trickle-down changes from its recently revamped Dura-Ace 7900 stablemate but along with the good comes a few letdowns as well.


Ergonomics – flatter perch, easier reach
The all-new Ultegra 6700 STI Dual Control levers are a virtual dead ringer for Dura-Ace: they're now more rectangular in profile with less of a taper than before, the body has more girth and is similarly squared off, the straighter top surface makes for a flatter transition to the bar, and the outwardly canted carbon fiber main lever blades are shapelier and easier to reach from the hoods, plus they're easier on bare skin when it's cold. Now that the shift cables are neatly concealed beneath the bar tape, the once-prominent bulb atop the lever has been downsized (for better or worse depending on your grip preferences) and the overall look is more businesslike than before.
With all being said, not everyone will be happy with the new shape. The bigger body (measuring 1cm bigger in circumference than 6600 at the narrowest point and a whopping 3cm at the base) will clearly appeal to those with larger hands but those with smaller mitts might find it hard to get their fingers wrapped around. Though it offers a more positive feel overall, the squared-off shape feels a bit less organic, too.
Reach adjustment is now built in, however – well, sort of. Unlike Dura-Ace's hidden screw-type adjustment, Ultegra's reach is tuned by inserting one of two included rubber shims. True, the adjustment increments aren't as fine as a result but the rubber shims handily fill in the space for a more finished look than Dura-Ace's unsightly gap.


Shift performance – hidden cables but more friction
There's simply no way around it: the new hidden cables look better but the more convoluted routing also yields noticeably more friction than before – and unfortunately, Shimano's 1:2 cable pull ratio makes it more sensitive to that friction than its main competition. Whereas the Ultegra 6600 levers feel silky smooth, light and positively connected to the derailleurs, 6700's feel is more vague and heavier and the connection is slightly muddied. High-zoot cable sets such as from Gore help, though, so you may want to factor that into the budget.
In addition, the repackaged internals also yields lever throws that are at least as long as before with a similar amount of 'dead space' before anything actually happens. Long-time Shimano users likely won't notice much but shifts require more movement than Campagnolo's Ergopower and feel like a veritable mile versus SRAM's ultra-short mechanism.
Overall rear shift performance is still excellent, though, with reliably consistent chain movement across the cassette – it's just not as direct feeling anymore. Just as with Dura-Ace, downshifts are now limited to just two gears per full sweep instead of three – bummer.
On the other hand, front shift performance is absolutely awesome thanks largely to the stiffer front derailleur pivots and fantastic new outer chainring (more on that later). Full-power upshifts and downshifts are impeccably smooth and well controlled and a notable step or two ahead of the pack. As with Dura-Ace, there's no longer an outer trim position but we can attest that you won't miss it as long as the front derailleur is properly adjusted – chain rub is nonexistent in any cassette cog while in the big ring.
We tested the standard drive configuration (130mm BCD, 53/39T) but from experience with other Shimano groups have no reason to expect the compact version to be any different performance-wise. In case you need it, there's a triple option, too.



Ultegra 6700 – best version yet or more of a lateral move?
Shimano has finally silenced its external shift cable routing critics by concealing the lines but has unfortunately hurt its trademark Light Action shifting feel in the process. Though appreciably lighter than before and with best-ever front shift performance and braking, the new Ultegra is still a notable letdown in the all-too-important metric of rear shift performance. It's vague feeling, the throws are much too long, and the fact that you can now only downshift two rear gears per sweep instead of three like before is a definite step backwards.
Overall, Ultegra 6700 is still a pretty good package with Shimano's usual high levels of fit and finish and riders coming off of much older equipment are sure to be impressed. But just as we found with Dura-Ace 7900, riders on the previous generation of Ultegra (especially the superb SL variant) probably won't be quite as compelled to upgrade.

To learn more about the Ultegra 6700 Group come into Pathfinder of West Virginia and check it out on the
Cannondale Cyclocross 3. And make sure to read the full article at www.cyclingnews.com



Thursday, November 19, 2009



Absinthe Films releases the second edition of the their Flipside Webisodes. Click to check out the insane footage from Cale Zima, Bode Merrill, Romain DeMarchi, Gigi Ruf, Dan Brisse and more.

Flipside #2 from SNOWBOARD Magazine on Vimeo.


Wednesday, November 18, 2009

So the 2010 Season is about to kick off and K2 Snowboards is ready to hit the mountain with a full line of amazing products. Here is a quick look at some of the products that K2 and its pros have worked hard to perfect over the last three seasons! Make sure to come down and check these products and the full K2 Snowboard Line out first hand at Pathfinder of West Virginia!

K2 Believer: Team Driven from Start to Finish

Voted the overall winner for Men’s premium snowboards in Transworld Snowboarding’s 2008/2009 Annual Good Wood test, our team has taken that model and pushed it to the next level.
This year the team requested we add our all NEW! Flatline Technology to make the Believer even better. We answered. The slightly longer tip and tail and Twin-tip Hyper Progressive sidecut combined with the Hybritaper Construction instills confidence that every spin will maintain stability and control while the WH3 Core takes lightweight strength and lively flex to new levels.

ALL NEW FLATLINE! Smooth, equal pressure everywhere, creating the perfect balance of stability and versatility. Instantly get that broken in and comfortable feel with the brand new Pop and responsiveness of a brand new stick. FLATLINE is the most balanced ride for the aspiring and accomplished pro’s who need one board to do it all. Why did we make this one? The team demanded it. 

WH3 Core: Three species of renewable wood are assembled to optimize strength, reduce weight, and enhance damping without the addition of other materials.WH3 adds two strips of HONEYKOMB material between the bindings and the rails. We use urethane skinned HONEYKOMB in our top-of-the-line cores. Simply stronger, lighter, and damper than the wood it replaces. We keep the tip-to-tail, rail-to-rail wood performance by inserting HONEYKOMB only on the lower surface of the core. You get all the benefits of HONEYKOMB partnered with the tried and true performance of wood. Matrix 1 Carbon Torsion Forks have been extended to the very edge of the board for maximum power and pop combined with a fine-tuned edge hold and torsional stability.







K2 Darko Conda Boa Boot: Freestyle Domination!

 



Ride anything - stomp everything. The new Darko BC's easy adjustment on the fly lets you loosen up for extra tweaking mobility or lock down your liners when things get critical.
Perfect for powder runs in the morning and destroying the park in the afternoon, the Darko BC offers limitless adjustment and supreme comfort. New! Harshmellow tech helps absorb shock and increase board feel while the Intuition™ liner provides premium heel hold and flex, keeping you confident and committed even in the sketchiest of situations.

The Boa® Conda System: K2 BOOT COLLECTIVE engineers developed and PATENTED the Boa® CONDA System, allowing precise control of your liner’s ankle support and heel-hold, on-the-fly, from the outside of the boot while your shell is fully laced. The first time you try this, you'll wonder how you ever rode without it.

How it works: The Boa® CONDA minimized harness is securely built into the shell of the boot and tightens around the liner to lock your foot in position. Focus is on the superior ankle support and heel hold. The tension is adjusted using the Boa® H2 reel. The H2 reel anchors the shell and liner together for perfect alignment and the knob stays securely locked in place while riding.

The harness lace is threaded through the interior FLOATING tongue lace guide, allowing the rider to customize the heel hold and fit for maximum comfort.


Harshmellow Technology: Mellow the harshness of impacts and vibrations with Harshmellow. This uniquely formulated synthetic compound is tailored specifically for the needs of K2 boards, boots and bindings. Independently, Harshmellow dampens the specific target vibration for each product. Working together as an integrated board, boot, and binding system, Harshmellow becomes the ultimate in high performance technology making the ride the smoothest ever. All Harshmellow thicknesses work to keep your body at full potential and increase the feel of every product so you can go bigger and ride faster. The combination of all three layers on K2 boards, boots and bindings will be sure to keep you riding S’more.


Also find Harshmellow Technology on the New Auto Binding!




The pro’s top pick featuring the perfect blend of super lightweight performance and entry/exit speed, with our patented Auto Technology. Check the Original Penguin™ design collab for maximum steez.
This year’s Auto is a complete upgrade from last year - including an Original Penguin™ colorway. The NEW! Airlock Highback deletes unnecessary weight and provides direct energy transfer. NEW! Cored Caddy strap cradles your ankle with perfect fit and function while NEW! canted footbeds with Harshmellow combine to create the ultimate response and comfort. A surefire combination you will appreciate on your very first lap!

K2’s newest innovation where the toe strap AUTOmatically closes and opens with the ankle strap. In short, one ratchet, two straps. With super lightweight performance and unbeatable speed, Auto technology hails a whole new generation of strap bindings. This season we have added two new models to the AUTO Collection.


How it works: An internal system connects the ankle and toe strap creating a one ratchet entry and exit. As you ratchet the ankle strap, the toe strap automatically tightens, and in unison, draws your boot snuggly into the binding. Releasing the ankle strap simultaneously releases the toe strap. Toe and ankle strap tension are independently customizable. The Set-and-Forget toe strap enables you to set the toe strap tension once and the system returns to that tension every time you strap in.




Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Go Trick or Treating with Todd, Kermit the "sophisticated amphibian", and Star Wars...Trek kid!





Saturday, November 14, 2009




Jester Schizo: Utilizing the toe and heel components from the award-winning Jester and Griffon bindings, Marker introduces the Jester Schizo with 6-16 DIN range. For the skier who wants to dial in his standing position – either for changing conditions, or to go from all-mountain skiing to pipe and park, the new Jester Schizo delivers ultimate versatility. A screw in front of the toe piece allows the skier to make the adjustment on the hill, without even stepping out of the binding! Make sure to check out our selection of both the Jester and the Griffon Schizo and non-Schizo bindings while supplies last!





The Jester Schizo's little brother, the Griffon Schizo utilizes the same toe and heel components from the award-winning Jester and Griffon bindings. The Griffon Schizo has a 4-12 DIN range. For the skier who wants to dial in his standing position – either for changing conditions, or to go from all-mountain skiing to pipe and park, the new Jester Schizo delivers ultimate versatility. A screw in front of the toe piece allows the skier to make the adjustment on the hill, without even stepping out of the binding!



The Extreme has the confidence and stability to rip any terrain and it has the torsional strength and durability to handle the toughest of landings and the most punishing abuse in the park. Emulate PK Hunder’s double cork 1080 or just bust out some of the ol’ moves on the topsheet. Either way, we’ll be proud. Keep it Extreme. The K2 Extreme comes with or without the Griffon Schizo Binding, but we sell it with this awesome binding package!




Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Snowboard-Mag Cover Shoot with Jonas Carlson @ The DC Mountain Lab




Check out all the pictures and the full article at Snowboard-Mag.


So when Grenade said that they wanted to make us some custom Pathfinder stickers, I thought that they were just blowin smoke. But then today we got these in...




Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Todd heads up to Welches, Oregon to see Bryan Fox. Todd, Brian, Louie, loads of skating, Sasquatch sightings, and many shirtless Harley moments later, Quicksilver brings to you the next edition of Todcast Tuesdays!

Enjoy!

Sasquatch Loves Snowboards!







Monday, November 9, 2009



On the heels of Ken Block’s insane Gymkhana videos and the groundbreaking snowboarding/rally part to close out DC’s MTN.LAB 1.5 video, the DC Co-Founder and Rally Team Driver has joined with Subaru to make the world’s fastest cat track operation automobile for backcountry access for snowboarding. Dubbed the TRAX STI, a new teaser video from the test session for the highly-modified, snow-ready (to say the least) car is up on YouTube, and check out “0-60 Magazine’s” Web site for an interview with Block and photo gallery featuring the best photos from the session.




Read More at www.snowboard-mag.com





Cannondale-Cyclocrossworld.com teammates Tim Johnson, Jeremy Powers, and Jamey Driscoll put on a virtual clinic during a weekend's races in and around the Boulder, Colorado area with dual podium sweeps in dramatically varied conditions. Aside from the athletic achievement this represents, though, the trio's success continues to demonstrate that aluminum is still the dominant frame material in US domestic 'cross racing.

All three machines are built around Cannondale's top-end CAAD9 BB30 Cyclocross frame with its heavily swaged, butted and shaped aluminum tubing, the company's trademark BB30-compatible bottom bracket shell, and smoothly filed welds throughout for a clean appearance and light 1.5kg weight. A dramatically flared 'Power Pyramid' down tube and medium-sized chain- and seat stays (the latter using a stout wishbone-style yoke) suggest good front triangle and drivetrain rigidity, too, while the straight 1 1/8" head tube maintains some cush up front.

Read more at www.cyclingnews.com


Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Every year we get a picture like this, and it always looks amazing. Thank you to all of the Photographers that came out and shot the event. We will have a gallery up very soon.


Monday, November 2, 2009

I would like to thank everyone that helped with the 3rd Annual Motown Throwdown. All the employees and staff Pathfinder of West Virginia, the WVU Snowboard Team, especially Corey Snyder, Addison, Dan, Willy, Judd, and Hunter, my girlfriend Erika, and all the Reps that come out to support our shop. Many Thanks go out to AJ Lawson for being an excellent MC. The DJ "The New York Giant" was amazing, and you bet that I will have all of his contact info up here for everybody to go check him out! Also Thank You to the City of Morgantown, BoParc, the West Virginia Department of Highways, and Wisp Resort for helping make this dream come true!


I also want to say thank you to all of the riders and spectators that traveled great distances to be here and show support for the event, this event would not be possible without you. Ben Sullo and Brandon Stark Thank You for working so hard and being so dialed in so early. Ben, your backside 270 on the hard way is about the cleanest looking I've seen from anyone. And Brandon you got some serious "confidence" to be the only person not only to Gap to the Rail, but to then take AJ up with the quest of gapping to 270 on and then riding out switch, extra clean! The event felt amazing, and it makes me very happy to do something that so many people enjoy. I look forward to working with all of you again, and making it even bigger and better. 

Thank You All!

See you all next year!


 



Friday, October 30, 2009

Throwdown Movie Night Tonight @ 7:00pm Black Winter and Refresh @ The Warner Theater! $5 Bring a Friend




Monday, October 26, 2009
Saw this last night and just lost it. Todd Richards and Travis Rice in the same Todcast! Check out the spot where he tries to get on the horse...pretty awesome stuff. Looks like Tuesdays just got a whole lot better.



Friday, October 23, 2009
Pathfinder of West Virginia and the Warner Theater Present: Level 1 Production's Refresh!
October 30th, 2009
7:00pm
Warner Theater
$5

Level 1 - Refresh Teaser from Level 1 on Vimeo.


Pathfinder of West Virginia and the Warner Theater Present: Standard Snowboard's Black Winter!
October 30th, 2009
7:00pm
Warner Theater
$5



Thursday, October 22, 2009
Leadville 100 Documentary: Race Across the Sky first and only showing Tonight at the Hollywood Theater at 8:00pm. Tickets are $12.50, get them while they last! See you all there!


















Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Pathfinder of West Virginia and the Warner Theater Present: 

2009 Motown Throwdown Movie Premier Night!

All Ages Show, Everyone Is Welcome!

Doors Open:7:00pm
Cost: $5
Includes: Movie Ticket, All You Can Eat and Drink Refreshments, Entry Into A Raffle To Win A New Board or Clothing, and A Wicked Good Time!

Tell All Your Friends! I Want To Fill This Thing Up! So That Means All You College Kids and High School Kids Looking For Something To Do On A Friday Night! 

Costumes are Recommended!
See You There! 




Snowboard Premier: Standard Snowboard's BLACK WINTER






 Ski Premier: Level 1 Productions REFRESH