Speed Demon Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 What are some good alpine magazines...I haven't seen a single one around here...and i would like to read some. So if anyone knows about any alpine magazines please tell me, thanks. ________ Health benefits of vaporizing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 on the shelf with the underwater basket weaving magazines. Snowboard Journal is the closest thing out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Gendzwill Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 Powder is the best mag out there, even if it is skiing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crucible Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 Any of you guys remember Snowboard Life? They ran a few articles about Tom Routh and Shannon Melhouse and alpine track laying.... Too bad they went bust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knoch Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 I think someone should go into business. There's a pretty good size market, and there is no competition that anyone can come up with as of now. I would begin to think about it accept i don't know the half of alpine boarding, and there is no way i could ever hold my own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 There is more to this site than this forum. This idea gets proposed at least once a season here, and nobody ever runs with it, at least not very far. Unfortunately not enough people would step up to the plate. Did you know that the Bomber article archives are open to any qualified hardbooter/writer to contribute to? Of course the material must pass muster, but there's nothing stopping a lot of people here (I could name names) from doing what I do. I count 7 different names in the Tech Articles archive, and only one active one. Also in 6 years BOL has attracted, I believe, zero advertisers. :-/ Actually, www.raceboarders.com shows promise too. It's very witty and provides more of a "lifestyle" perspective. -Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest John Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 Ahh, the magazine discussion; Bomber at its best. All we need now is: -A spirited debate on whether alpine is dead -A skier troll -A discussion on whether or not centrifugal force is real That said, I do think we need a magazine, but let me preface my comments by saying I don’t have the time or energy to spearhead a magazine project. You can’t take the web into the bathroom with you (I don’t want to hear what you do with your laptop,) and you can’t give it to a friend to borrow. A real physical magazine of some kind would be pretty sweet. But I don’t really need glossy pages and color pictures, I’d be happy to pay for a few Xeroxed pages stapled and folded in thirds. I don’t ask that the content be over the top either. In fact, how about doing most of the content by simply taking the really interesting or useful threads on the forum and reprinting them basically verbatim. Admittedly they wouldn’t be new to regular forum readers, but a lot of people don’t read Bomber regularly, and miss out on good info. Plus you’d have a sort of best of Bomber that you’d get to read again. The rest of the content could be filled out with: -product reviews -the occasional lifestyle type story -amateur and pro race results (people LOVE to see their name in print) -letters to the editor (“I loved _______ session, thanks so much for everything”) -rider profiles maybe? A magazine (maybe newsletter would be a better word) would also be an invaluable resource for letting people know about events (SES, ECES,) You’d have a hardcopy of the details you could refer to without having to go look for it on the web. It’d still be a lot of work, and like I said I know I don’t have the time and energy. However, if there is an alpine magazine I promise I (raceboarders.com) will buy an ad. You could probably also talk me into writing the occasional article for it. PS thanks Jack, your articles have been great reading and helped my riding quite a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crucible Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 You'd think that on paper, alpine riding would be a dream target demographic - professional, urban males 25-45, ride 20 plus days per year, have multiple boards and can afford to vacation at the top dollar resorts - and you would be correct. Unfortunately, that's just the tip of the issue. Alpine snowboard gear sales are probably less than 10% of all snowboard units sold, and until they get bigger (let's say 25-30% of the total), then no alpine board magazine can stay in business. Why? Because manufacturers of boards, boots and clothing and resorts are the primary funding sources of lifestyle magazines, through their advertising dollars. In spite of its alternative marketing hype, the snowboard business is a mature market where innovation and progressive thinking are rapidly taking a backseat to more convservative business ways of thinking. Subscription revenue won't cut it unless you go the route of high end coffee table magazines put out three or four times a year like Snowboard Journal, Surfer's Journal, or Alpinist magazine at 20.00 /25.00 per issue. Even then, you would still need the advertising revenue to be substantial. The most successful business model would be exactly what BOL and others are doing here. Just the words of an old school carver that's been in the industry for over 10 years. George Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 If a person had the right equipment (and time) they could print an 'independent' magazine right from their own computer and have it sent out through internet subscriptions. When you think about it, it wouldn't even be that difficult: have a Paypal account set up so that people can send the money for say 1 issue or 4-6 (?) issues per year. At 5-10 bucks a pop it would be affordable, but for the most part non-profit for whomever is doing it. Unless of course there was a team who would divide to workload into small sections and there would be no skin off anyone’s back because there would be no profit at all and each person could do as much or little as they wanted. Money would just go towards printer ink, advertising, and what-have-you. This wouldn't be a newsstand thing, but anyone who wanted it could find it. Ahhh dreams... nice idea though. An easier way to do this would be with an online newsletter :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knoch Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 sorry, i just want something to read away from my computer, didn't mean to start anything here, still think it would kick ass if it happened Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baka Dasai Posted April 8, 2004 Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 Originally posted by Jack Michaud Also in 6 years BOL has attracted, I believe, zero advertisers. <p>Has Fin looked into using <a href="https://www.google.com/adsense/">Google Adsense</a> here? I hate internet advertising enough to actually run a filter that automatically removes it, but Google Adsense is an exception. It's quite non-intrusive for users of a site, and is apparently easy for site administrators to get up and running.<p>I don't know how much money it would actually bring in for BOL, but something is better than nothing, right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted April 8, 2004 Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 Google brings in anywhere from $0.01 to $0.30 per click in my experience (it seems to be random). Its really not a great source of cash, but it would at least cover the hosting fees. Its also good because the Google team selects different adds for each account therefore they are always in context. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patmoore Posted April 8, 2004 Report Share Posted April 8, 2004 Jack - you mentioned the tech articles. Has anyone thought of writing one on GS race technique? I'm self taught (and my instructor has run out of experience). On good conditions, I can apply essentially the same technique I use when racing GS on skis and I'm not unhappy with the results but I struggle on icy condtions on the board. As always, your thoughts are welcome. Pat Moore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Snow Ghost Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 God knows I tried to include as much carving as possible in Snowboard Life before it was rudely ripped out of my hands by the perverted powers that be at TransWorld once the ski mags took over and slowly choked us to death from afar. I loaned Chart House founder/surf legend Joey Cabell his first snowboard during a contest at Buttermilk in the early 90s and he returned two hours later completely stoked. Joey soon became a pillar of the hardcore surfer/carver Aspen crew that also included Cliff Ahumada, who did more than anyone to bring their scene to my attention and to promote carving with his classic videos and all those incredible freecarving events. I'll always be grateful to him for providing me with some of the best comraderie and uncrowded corduroy ever. When I was editor of TransWorld Skateboarding in 1986, all the key skaters had their own zines that were photocopied, stapled together, and sold for only the cost of postage to fellow believers. That's what kept the scene alive besides Thrasher until TransWorld took off as the leading mainstream magazine. I created Snowboard Life to satisfy myself by focusing on snowboarding as I loved it, riding pow and carving groomed with organic air thrown in. I knew there were lots of other riders like myself who never went near a halfpipe or park and lived for carving whether it be on corduroy or blasting plumes in the soft stuff. After being jerked around a few more times and then finally fired in January of 2001 with no warning after 14 years of creating successful magazines for TransWorld by a brown-nosed poser I hired to do product sales in 1988, surviving my first avalanche during a Utah powder trip with eight of the most famous surfers who ever lived, and having my first heart attack at The Canyons while on a resort tour in 2000 followed by a second one set off by the shock of being stabbed in the back by TransWorld, I decided to go surfing again for good. But I'll always miss laying it all out on a rail. I learned more about surfing from carving than I ever realized. I'm currently riding acoustic waves at Buffalo Bros guitars in Carlsbad, CA. Check out buffalobrosguitars.com and come by and visit me. I'm managing the high-end acoustics upstairs and life is sweet selling and playing the finest steel string guitars ever made--especially the Goodalls. I was recently blown away by an old friend from high school (who I call about once ever five years) after I told him to visit James Goodall's workshop in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii during his vacation. George walked in and told them, "Life's been very good to me, I want to buy Kevin a guitar." A few days later this mystery box appeared at work with an incredibly rare fiddleback mahogany jumbo inside worth $4000 with my name on it. I can die happy now. There's always another perfect patch of corduroy over the next rise just waiting to be carved. Kevin Kinnear Founding Editor TransWorld Snowboarding Snowboard Life TransWorld's Resort Guide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 I hope you stick around. Your mags were the best. I had a subscription to TWS for a good number of your years before they turned it into Vogue. It was truly inspirational to me as a young snowboarder. Snowboard Life was even more excellent, I loved the carving how-to's by Melhuse, Jacoby, Fawcett, etc. Snowboard Journal seems to have rekindled part of the fire, but I have yet to see any carving there. On the cover it says "Snowboarding for Everyone". Let's hope. -Jack ps- sweet guitars, I'll have to make do with my Taylor for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kent Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Hey, hey.....welcome back Kevin. I'm hoping your email is "on" under your profile so I can drop you a line...... I kinda steered clear of this thread as it's been well hashed over the years. Kevin and I had contact via email a few years ago when I was going to front the bill for a mag and needed his expertise/insight. I could dance around all day about the issue....but the key message above is that is MUST be a grassroots campaign and most likely start out "tabloid" style in order for it to work and be cost justified. I still have all the email from folks would wanted to contribute and I appreciate the response. No "one" person can make it work, it must be a collective/dynamic means of communication w/o the egos. Unfortunately, that is rare...... I think only the 80s mentality surfers/skateboarders had that kind of unselffish vision, Kent Have any Grosh's laying around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Snow Ghost Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 I've forwarded the messages concerning magazines to Scooter Leonard at The Snowboard Journal. Scooter worked for me at Snowboard Life before I helped him get a job as editor of Surfing when I realized he was going to get sucked over the falls if he stayed at TransWorld any longer. He's a really good guy. This magazine is your best bet right now. I'd lobby the hell out of them. The publisher, Jon Foster, was my second photo editor at TransWorld Snowboarding after Guy Motil left to start Longboard Magazine. Jon has shot more than his share of great carving over the years (check out the classic photo of Victoria Jealouse on page 94 of the first issue). The other publisher, Jason Ford, was an accomplished racer back in the day, like most of the pros from his generation such as Palmer and Brushie who went on to freestyle or freeriding fame. And Jason rides with more style than anyone I've ever seen this side of Craig Kelly. They know what you're talking about by heart. You just need to convince them to cover carving. Go on their web site at snowboardjournal.com and start barraging e-mails. Better yet, put your money where your mouth is and send in subscriptions with your suggestions. If they don't survive, there's no hope. Kevin Kinnear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knoch Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Grosh's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Snow Ghost Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Don Grosh makes some of the best electric guitars in the world out of the San Fernando Valley above L.A. Yes, we have a good selection of them. Kevin Kinnear buffalobrosguitars.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Dahl Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 I'm one of those guys you never met that profited from you vision. If you remember, the premier issue had a learn to ride article. It's the only part missing out of that copy that I still have. Yeah, that was the winter I learned to board. Surfing the snow just looked so cool that I had to try. If its money that talks, I'm going to have to subscribe to the journal, and tell 'em what I want. After they killed Snowboard Life, they called me for a subsciption renewal, and I told 'em in no uncertain terms that the direction they were going sucked and I wanted no part of it. Stick around here, the input will always be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack M Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 yup, ordered my subscription before issue 001. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Snow Ghost Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Good for you. Keep carving. Kevin Kinnear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speed Demon Posted April 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Jack which magazine are you talking about that you subscribed to im kinda lost in this thread now... ________ Jomtien condos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Donnelly Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 My understanding some of the crew from Snowboard Journal was in Aspen during the SES. Hopefully, we will see some coverage in the next edition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nils Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 Yes we were lucky to meet james the photographer in Aspen: he shot many rolls in Snowmass ( weather not perfect ) and Buttermilk where it was sunny and snow near perfect... Let hope the whole cash we bribed him for publication will sweat in the next issue of the SBJ :) Nils Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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