Funner Snowboard Videos

Sun Valley To Silverton – Sidecountry Sessions Episode 1

San Juan Snow – Sidecountry Sessions Episode 2 Sam Giffin is the mastermind behind the OR (Outdoor Research) Sidecountry Sessions web series. We caught up with him for a few questions.

> Sam, what is the Sidecountry Sessions?

A seven week tour, following the snow, in a tiny house. The mission: the find dedicated skiers and snowboarders to add to the OR grassroots team and feature in our films.

> Who are the main characters in this web series?

Molly Baker, Zack Giffin, and Neil Provo.

> Did any new people inspire you in ways that changed your initial perception of how you wanted to portray the trip?

Steve Meado, star of our second tiny film, inspired me to make character films–focusing on personalities rather than tricks. The audiences we’ve screened it to seem to appreciate this, and I’m inclined to keep going in this direction.

> I noticed you feature skiers and boarders, what is your opinion of the whole skier vs snowboarder phenomenon and do you think its still a factor these days?

I don’t like to discriminate; I snowboard, one of my brothers skis and the other telemarks. I think it 99.9% the same–were all just sliding on snow for fun.

> That tiny house is great, please give us a rundown of how it works, and did you really spend your nights there throughout the trip?

5 people seem to fit pretty snug. And I mean snug, but I also mean we fit. There’s more room in there than it looks like from the outside. We have an edit studio space, wood stove, master bedroom (loft), kitchen and spiral staircase–all narrow enough to fit on one highway lane. It really is a sustainable way to live/travel, and an even better way to make new friends.

> What were some of the unexpected challenges you faced in filming for this project?

The truck broke down for over a week, which forced us to make two movies about Silverton and postone our next video a week.

> What does the future hold for the side country sessions?

Two more years at least!

Colorado, Molly Baker, Neil Provo, OR, Outdoor Research, San Juan, Sidecountry Sessions, Silverton, Ski, Snowboard, Tiny House, Zack Giffin