evo Portland Grand Opening

With the unfortunate departure of Exit Real World from the snow retail game, Portland was probably ready for another shop. Then again, if Exit couldn't make it happen, who would? Long-time Seattle and interweb shop evo, that's who. They opened doors yesterday and here's what the place looks like.

evo Portland sits in the 120-year old Salvation Army building just south of Burnside on MLK and Ash in Portland's Central Eastside (AKA Grand Avenue Historic District, who knew?), mere blocks from Burnside Skatepark. Historic wasn't good enough for evo, though, they went ahead and painted the building blue. You'll have to take my word for it, I didn't get any shots of the exterior. Speaking of the outside, they have a few parking spots on-site, so you don't have to pay for street parking. Or not pay, like I did, and hope you don't get ticketed, like I didn't. Let's go in, shall we.

evo occupies that space between core shop and big box. I'd call them a big core shop. Not US Outdoor big, but close. If you didn't know that Exit Real World exited the snow space, you'd be really confused in evo because damn near everyone who used to work at Exit works at evo now. They sell snowboard, ski, surf, hell they even sell bikes. It is Portland, though. Mise, amiright? The even have a little dedicated art space currently housing skier Eric Pollard's goods. Here are some pics, so you can see for yourself.

The 'Best in Breed' section: a curated selection of the finest goods.

Everybody's got a rotating art exhibit, evo included.

Uncle Jack's Tech Shop. This is the entrance to the tuning center. Creepy?

Still on the main floor: outerwear.

Upstairs: Hardgoods (bar and balcony behind me)

Balcony entrance and bar. Seriously. OK, maybe just for the grand opening.

Stop by this weekend for some cool grand opening parties including brunch cooked by Eric Pollard on Saturday morning. Find out more details at evo's website.

Videograss World Premiere Tonight!

Bagdad Theater, Doors @ 6, Show @ 7:15, Two Movies, No Cover, All Ages

New Kid in Class: Homeschool Snowboarding

I know you. You need an excuse to party. How about this? Portland is home to a new outerwear label called Homeschool Snowboarding. Their product launches this season. What better way to celebrate than a launch party. What does that mean? Beer, music, product viewing, mingling with Portland heads.

Don't make this Saturday like last Saturday, when you ate ice cream, watched a couple TiVo-ed sitcoms, scratched yourself and went to bed early, worn out from the beating at the hands of the man for the previous five days. It doesn't have to be like that. Homeschool can help.

The Art of Flight, Thursday Night

I know, I know, it's a school night. Total bummer. Also, it appears tickets are sold out. Craigslist is tilting toward 'tickets wanted' and away from 'tickets for sale.' This might be one of those times where you just show up and scalp. Did you see That's It, That's All? Have you seen the trailers!? Have you heard the hype!?! Portland, Oregon. Newmark Theatre. Doors at 7. Thursday 9/15. Changing all the rules of snowboarding and the Universe, again!!!1 Maybe mom will let you stay out late this once.

Snowdays Golf Days

Any golfers out there? Snowdays needs YOU to compete for wonderful prizes at the Inaugural Golf Days Tournament. The tournament is Friday, August 26th at Colwood National Golf Course in Portland. Registration is at 1:00, shotgun start at 2:00. Some of the prizes available are Timberline lift tickets, a $100 Jimmy Mak's gift certificate, a Nike golf bag and shoe carrier, eight (yes, 8, Bob) rounds of golf at Colwood, Portland Timbers tickets, gift packages from RVCA, Bonfire and Skullcandy and a 3-burner gas grill.

Entry is a $75 charity write-off per golfer and covers your cart, your first drink ticket (more available thanks to Heineken), a raffle ticket and a bag of goodies from our sponsors. If you have three friends, sign up together to guarantee your foursome. Mulligan tickets will be for sale and we have some other surprises for you from our hole sponsors. Don't golf but still want to give something back to the local snowboarding community? Show up at 6:30 with $25 for the kids and we'll treat you to a BBQ dinner. That way you can skip all the walking and still have a chance to buy raffle tickets and bid on our silent auctions.

Don't wait! Registration closes August 19. Click the thumbnail below for all the details and go to our purpose-built payment page to register. Yes, all the proceeds go to charity. FORE!

Avalanche Awareness Events

Next week is a big one for avalanche awareness here in the Mt. Hood region. It all starts Sunday the 20th with an avy dog fundraiser out in White Salmon. Then, on Monday, Meadows is selling special lift tickets to raise money for the Friends of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center. Finally, on Wednesday the 23rd, Portland Mountain Rescue is hosting two lectures and a movie on avalanche safety at the Bagdad Theater in Portland.

So much more than cute little puppies.

I've always been more of a cat person, but if it can find me under a couple feet of snow, I'm willing to give any animal a chance. Come meet the Mt. Hood Meadows avy dogs at Everybody's Brewing in White Salmon, WA (right across the Columbia from Hood River). Also on tap for the night is an account of Meadows pro patroller Dave Watson's descent of K2. Yup, the second highest mountain in the world. Respect. Doors at 6:00, bring money for beers and raffle tickets. Stomp your feet to Billy Sheeley after. Details.

If you've ever been outside in the mountains in the northwest, you should know who the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center (NWAC) is. If you don't, let me put it to you simple: they deliver the most accurate and comprehensive weather and avalanche forecasts from Mt. Hood up to Mt. Baker. Problem is they are woefully underfunded. Mt. Hood Meadows is doing a little to try and help. Monday nights, Meadows usually closes at 4:00. This Monday, Presidents Day, they're offering a $10 ticket good from 3-9pm. A night pass is usually $29. All proceeds go to Friends of NWAC. If you don't want to stay up late on a work/school night, drop a couple dollars in the hat over at NWAC's site. Talk about an overworked and under-appreciated lot.

Portland Mountain Rescue, the guys who save you when you're doing the things you probably shouldn't be, are throwing a bit of a bash on Wednesday the 23rd. They'll be giving two lectures, "Avalanche Awareness and Backcountry Safety" and "The Mountain Locator Unit, Personal Locator Beacons, and the Spot," as well as screening the movie, "A Dozen More Turns." Having seen that film, I can attest to its power. Anyone interested in backcountry riding would do well to check out this night of edu-tainment. Come on, it's only $5. Movie and a drink for the price of a movie. 

If by next Thursday you're not ready to buy a pack, beacon, probe and shovel, then maybe you never will. Or maybe you got scared serious. Or maybe you just didn't check out all the avy-tainment afforded to you in such a small area and period of time. The amount of information and entertainment you can get for $25 in the following week is straight up staggering.

Exit Real World is Just About Legal

Think Portland and snowboarding and you probably think unreasonably long drives to schralp some glaciated park features in the summer... or in the rain. Right after that, though, you probably think about Exit Real World, the down-as-hell, 'core' shop that's celebrating it's 17th anniversary this month. That seed was actually sewn in Salem way back when and the party returns this weekend. Friday, October 15th at 8pm, The Ike Box in Downtown Salem (299 Cottage St.) will be lighting up the silver screen with Volcom's 9191 and Peepshow's Let's Make Better Mistakes Tomorrow. As if a shred double-feature wasn't good enough (did I mention it's only $5!?) Exit is having their biggest sale of the year the following Saturday and Sunday! Up to 75% off and shit!! Could I be more excited!!! Of course I could, think of all the free stuff they'll probably give away at this jam!!!1 I can hardly contain myself...

Kip Winger will not be appearing

Forum Double Fucks Portland

No one does Willamette waterfront warehouse snowboard video parties quite like Forum Snowboards. Don't believe me? Check out the On Air warehouse at 1300 N River St. on Saturday, October 16. Forum's new team movie Fuck It will be playing not once, but twice this weekend. The all-ages showing is at 7pm and PBR will be flowing at the 9pm show ($2 each or 2 for $3, no freebies here). Also at 9, riders Peter Line, Stevie Bell, Jake Welch, Austin Sweetin and Cameron Pierce will be tossin’ out product to the jams of DJ ISM. Aforementioned riders will appear for an autograph signing on Friday the 15th at US Outdoor Store. Check their blog for more details. And if you want to check out a teaser that will remind you of Top Gun, head over to Forum.