Blog Posts

Mavericks 11/12/16

11/14/2016

It was a short lived day as the wind and fog clamped down on the session just as the tide and was dropping and the swell was picking up. None-the-less a few bombs came through and conditions couldn't have been better while they lasted.

If you'd like any of the shots please let me know tpatton@triplepointexpeditions.com - Tucker

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2016 Mavericks November Season Opening Week

11/11/2016

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Jamie Mitchell. Photo: Tucker Patton

Kicking off with a bang the 2016/17 winter is finally upon us and it certainly brought a few magic moments. The past week of swell showcased multiple XXL size swells to the west coast of California and Mavericks awoke from its summer slumber. We are excited to share the pictures from the last few days.

Here's a couple articles these shots have run in:

Surfline - Mondo Mavericks: http://4.swellstory.surfline.com/6/
Surfline - Thanksgiving Comes Early To The West Coast: http://3.swellstory.surfline.com/26/
Magic Seaweed - Mavericks Goes Next Level: http://magicseaweed.com/news/mavericks-goes-next-level/9691/
Magic Seaweed - Slumbering Mavericks Awakens For Opening Day: http://magicseaweed.com/news/mavericks-blows-up-on-opening-day/9665/

If you're interested in any of the photos email me at tpatton@triplepointexpeditions.com
-- Tucker

Damian Hobgood. Photo: Tucker Patton

Manny Resano Sequence Photo: Tucker Patton

Matt Lopez Sequence Photo: Tucker Patton

Colin Dwyer Sequence. Photo: Tucker Patton

Tyler Fox. Photo: Tucker Patton

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Hut Trips and Heli-Skiing - New Zealand Photo Update August 2016

8/28/2016

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It's been an epic season here in Wanaka, New Zealand so far. We arrived in early August and had some amazing days in heli exploring new terrain.

A long time dream of exploring the Fox and Franz Joseph glacier's of the west coast was finally realized. There was even a day exploring the Fiordland national park and diving for crays. Now it's onto some production work with Antti Autti and his talented crew.

With only a week to go the Southern Alps continue to deliver amazing snow and beautiful scenery.

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Alaska 2016 Season in Black And White

5/5/2016

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Alaska is a land of contrasts where towering peaks form high mountain summits that flow through cracking glaciers, meandering river valleys and expansive deltas eventually colliding with the sea. The connection point between jaw dropping landscapes, transitional light, pure beauty, raw nature and a skiers desire to interact with ones environment creates a photographers dream. Here are a couple shots from our 2016 Alaska helicopter ski season. Click on the images below to enlarge:

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Alaska 2016 Season Start

3/17/2016

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The annual pilgrimage to Alaska is underway and we made it to Haines last week. We arrived via Juneau to sunny skies and amazing vistas flying up the Lynn Canal as we approached Haines airport. Glaciers, mountains and seascapes fill the windows of the small plane as the natural beauty of Alaska surrounds you.

The first two weeks of the season our focus is on running the safety and logistics of the Freeride World Tour. Right off the bat we did a couple recon flights for possible venues. First we flew with Drake an amazing fixed wing pilot who has been flying skiers and climbers for years and shared some amazing stories and insights into the history and future of the area. The following day with specific destinations in mind we flew in the helicopter straight for the site we used for last years event: The Venue. Conditions looked perfect and we skied the side shot of the main face inspecting potential areas for athletes, judges and media.

The last few days have been focused on the set up of the event and gathering all the information that we need to get started. Weather forecasts need to be analyzed, snow stability needs to be assessed as well as all of the logistics for staging, tents, judges, athletes, etc the list goes on.

Our first 5 days in town presented us with blue skies, stable conditions and epic helicopter skiing. We were even treated to amazing northern lights snow. Last night the bib draw and welcome party for the Tour happened and as of today we are officially ready to go. The Freeride World Tour is within the waiting period for the event so keep checking back and hang on. It should happen the next couple days. - Tucker Patton

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Matador Network Instagram Take-Over Photos

1/22/2016

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As an ambassador for the online travel magazine Matador Network (matadornetwork.com) they asked me to take over their Instagram account for the day with a few of my photos from over the years. It was an honor and privilege to share some of our company's moments with their audience. Check out our Instagram feed here for more updates and Travel Stoke! Triple Point Expeditions Instagram and Tucker Patton's Instagram .

-Tucker Patton

"Wanaka is like a second home for me. I’ve traveled to NZ a dozen times and often considered moving there permanently. It is an outdoor adventure seekers mecca and taking photos here is so much fun. This is above town on Mt. Iron looking out towards the west and the awesome terrain of the South Island. I often travel solo and sometimes this makes it hard to shoot photos. In this case I made myself the subject."
Credit: @tuckerpatton via @triplepointexpeditions

"Surfing and skiing have lead me all over the world. It truly is about the journey and its the moments, people and experiences that change you. Surfing or skiing becomes secondary."
Credit: @tuckerpatton via @triplepointexpeditions

"I just happened to click this one off after a surf session and love the feeling I get when I see this image."
Credit:@tuckerpatton via @triplepointexpeditions

"Ocean beach doesn't look like this all that often. Maybe a couple times a year max. It was about 7 am and there was a window of perfect light from dawn for about 20 minutes and then it was gone for the day. I remember driving across the city in the dark thinking ah man it's cloudy and rain was pelting my windshield. I knew the surf was gonna be pumping and I've always wanted to get the elusive OB avenue shot. It was a long interval swell and not quite big enough for Mavericks to break so the beach became the epicenter for an all star crew as well as the local boys teeing off. Sometimes waking up early pays off and this day it did for sure."
Credit:@tuckerpatton via @triplepointexpeditions

"Full on commitment by @nicvaughan1 at Mavericks in Half Moon Bay, Ca.."
Credit: @tuckerpatton via @triplepointexpeditions

"There is nothing better than a big bonfire with friends after a great day of skiing."
Credit: @tuckerpatton via @triplepointexpeditions

"Perks of the job."
Credit: @tuckerpatton via @triplepointexpeditions

"Traveling as much as I do for snow and water safety it’s next to impossible to pack light. The Alaska heli ski season is no different. I often travel with skis, crevasse & avalanche rescue kits, kite-surfing, surfing and fly-fishing equipment. The credit card certainly racks up some baggage fees and I’ve become a pro at packing!"
Credit:@tuckerpatton via @triplepointexpeditions

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Reflections on Winter as Seasons Shift

8/1/2015

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Mid-summer is always a bittersweet time for someone who lives for their winters. When you’re stuck between the lingering taste of last season and the beckoning of the next adventure to come, it is a grey area that leaves you lusting for snow both past and present. Luckily these doldrums have pushed me to explore new opportunities in between seasons of snow centric adventures. Off seasons of sun and warm climates have pushed me to explore new directions. But it’s a good thing August is here as the Southern Hemisphere lights up with snow and the migration begins.

Summer has pushed me to expand my activity quiver beyond my natural snow bound adventures, as I dive into kite surfing, mountain biking, fly-fishing, road riding and surfing, all of which I pursue with the same passion as I do skiing. Just like any kind of guiding or adventure, the weather dictates what’s in store for that day. During May-August it seemed like the kite-surf equipment was the go-to and offered the best source of release when then conditions did not permit for much else. Kiting has opened new doors of excitement, challenge and fun and is a great release when the mountains don’t offer me a door to escape. The freedom I experience skiing has become an easy transition into the world of wind and water and I am grateful to have a year round solution for these seasonal transitions out of the snow.

In between seasons is also a time for me to reboot and re-charge. A life on the road traveling and exploring inevitably takes many unforeseen twists and exhausting detours. When you finally get a little downtime, the transition allows for much needed reflection. The intensity of a guiding job keeps me focused, passionate and alive, but when I board that plane to head home, the decompression begins immediately. My mind starts to tick: “What did I learn from the season, what did I do right, how can I improve upon any mistakes, how did my gear hold up, how can I grow my business and continue to deliver amazing experiences? Was I good or was I lucky? What’s the next step?”

The year’s thoughts and ambitions mainly revolve my time in Alaska. Alaska is the pinnacle of steep skiing. I train, study and build towards my Alaska experience every year, and each year demands more of me than the previous. It becomes all encompassing and tests each and every one of my skills. I’ve been lucky to call heli-skiing a profession for more than a decade now and yet, I still come home every year just as excited as I was the first time I flew in a heli down in New Zealand chasing deer and sheep around South Island paddocks.

Last year I had the privilege to be the lead guide for The Freeride World Tour stop in Haines. This experience was challenging on a multitude of levels ranging from weather factors to moving 120+ people around in the mountains, cineflex aerial cameras, live global broadcast and not to mention the world’s best ski and snowboard athletes looking to tee off on the biggest terrain on the planet.

The event was a great success and we had flawless conditions for the men and women to exhibit their skills as well as showcase the natural beauty of Alaska and beautiful town of Haines. The rest of the season we enjoyed great skiing and clients indulged themselves in deep powder all the way till the end of April.

Currently, my mind is focused on the New Zealand ski season that has crept up quickly. The Southern winter and the South island act as a second home since I first moved there when I was 22. I am constantly in awe of this country. I love the scenery, the mountains, the lakes, the skiing and the people. There’s no place on earth that I know of that has such an abundance of natural beauty and innate hospitality.

I’m looking forward to getting down to Wanaka and seeing longtime friends and clients. I’ve got three weeks of production work and a hit list of lines that reads like a mafia movie. In the meantime the question still lingers …….Where to next?

Stay tuned for more pictures coming from the Southern winter or check out @triplepointexpeditions for daily updates. - Tucker Patton

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10 Things We Love about New Zealand

7/16/2015

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Ten reasons why we love New Zealand (And you should too)

Fish and Chips - Fish and chips have to be one of the greatest meals of all time. Period. NZ is an island nation surrounded by water and given their english heritage they have amazing meal dialed. It could easily be eaten at least once a day for your entire trip. The real deal comes wrapped in some form of newspaper. A great spot for fish and chips is the Cray Pot in Jackson Bay. It’s off the beaten path but worth the trip
The People and the Culture - NZ is a truly magical place. But places are only things and things don’t last. The heart of people are what make it special. After over 10 years of visiting and working abroad it’s really the friends you make that keep you coming back. The small town nature of the South Island and an adventurous spirit epitomize the Kiwi mentality and quickly rub off on any traveler. Over the years we’ve been lucky enough to call Wanaka a second home.
The Surfing - From 90 Mile Beach to Taranaki, Raglan to Gisborne there are waves for the adventurous everywhere. Spend some time, respect the locals, pay your dues and you’ll be sure to find some hidden gems. Chasing waves around both islands will focus your weather and wind forecasting tools too. Oh yeah - be sure to bring some rubber and shark repellent (if there was such a thing)!
The Skiing - Our first draw to NZ was the pursuit of an endless winter and in this department the country delivers. The mountain ranges are endless and diverse leaving nothing to be desired. There are a multitude of heli-skiing, resorts, ski areas, club fields and access to huts that allow the backcountry searcher a lifetime of exploring and powder.
The Kiting - Snow, water and wind abound leaving a ton of options to throw up a kite. It’s always nice to have this option in your back pocket when you need an activity to get you fired up.
Helicopters - Helicopters are cool no matter where you are but put a basket on the outside and a skilled pilot up front and you can get into just about any terrain you want. We’ve flown with a lot of great pilots over the years and some of the best have hailed from down under. Oh yeah there seems to be helicopters everywhere and they are the best way to access the backcountry and high alpine peaks.
Vegemite - It took a while to adapt to this southern delicacy but overtime it has grown on us. How can you go wrong with a little salt added to your diet as long as you get used to the taste.
No snakes - No venomous or dangerous large mammals for that matter (Short of red deer which we’ve had a few run ins with). So no need to fear while you’re out and about in the backcountry. Watch out for the sand flies though which are the worst and rival the mosquitoes of Alaska.
The scenery - There’s a reason Peter Jackson filmed Lord of the Rings in NZ. Pictures don’t do it justice and neither can words. Sometimes you just have pinch yourself driving around and exploring cause it all seems surreal.
The Solitude - Getting away from it all is big part of why we travel. Wild places seem to be shrinking but it’s still possible to get off the map in NZ. With a population of 4.5 million and upwards of 90% of those living in urban centers in a country similar to the size of California there’s still room to explore. For a little perspective the bay area alone has 7 million people.

So get out there and explore. We can’t wait to be there August and hope you can join us. Contact us with questions or inquires @ info@triplepointexpeditions.com.

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Jones Snowboards Shasta Mission

6/9/2015

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From Wikipedia: “Mount Shasta is a potentially active volcano located at the southern end of the Cascade Range in Siskiyou County, California. At 14,179 feet, it is the second highest peak in the Cascades and the fifth highest in California.”

Volcano chasing season in California is a great quick strike mission for anyone looking to squeeze the last drops out winter. Late spring to early summer brings t-shirt weather, generally more stable (check the report before you go: http://shastaavalanche.org/) avalanche conditions and great skiing/riding. Any one of those could have enticed us to join Jones Snowboard crew for their annual Shasta trip. Not to mention the lack of snow and skiing this winter in the Sierras it seemed like a legitimate excuse to earn a few more turns.

Skiing conditions were excellent and most of the 30 + group summited. We arrived late at the Brewer Creek trailhead on Shasta’s east side and caught up with the crew as everyone trickled in over the course of the evening. The next morning we got a “semi”-early start of about 6am which turned into an actual departure around 7.

Out of the gate it was immediately broiling. The early June sun felt like it must have been 100 degrees and everyone was shedding layers and soaking their clothing. Conditions even as late as we started were still great for hiking and allowed us to move quickly to about 12,000 ft. where skins were removed and crampons and ice axes came out.

The summit party was all time with everyone hanging out and cheering eachother on as the last few steps to 14,179 were achieved. We skied from essentially the summit and descended over 7,000 of variable snow, beautiful spring corn and amazing views. A quick hike back to the car and we were immediately enjoying cold beers and talking about our soon to be had dip in the Upper Sacramento River.

All in all it was epic couple days and great to meet the crews from Jones Snowboards, Karakoram Bindings and everyone else that travelled from Washington, Utah, Jackson and beyond. A bunch of the pics used are from our buddy Kohl Christensen @deepwatersurf.

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Ak Season Wrap in Pictures

5/28/2015

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We will let the pictures do the talking from our season in AK. Words can't really describe what its like skiing 3,000 ft of perfect powder of flying around the most amazing terrain on the planet. We hope to see you next year Enjoy and share!