Danny Kass

In pursuit of the best that the winter of 2012 had to offer, the Absinthe crew employed a dual strategy to both hustle & hunker down waiting. In a year of erratic snowfall, there was no other way to slay. But by splitting up and spreading out across the globe in smaller groups, they stacked the odds in their favor. The strategy worked. Tight, agile crews tuned themselves to local frequencies enabling them to tap into record-breaking dumps in Europe, heavy sessions in the Pacific Northwest, Japan, and ultimately, Alaska. It was a winter with Resonance: new riders came on board, new locations were exposed and as always, the Absinthe cameras captured all the action on film.

Dopamine is a naturally occurring chemical in the brain that influences movement and reward. At the core of progressive snowboarding, it is movement and reward that provide a natural motivation for riders like Bode Merrill, Victor De Le Rue, and Brandon Cocard to evolve and innovate. These explorers of mountain and mental landscapes led the charge this year, changing the definition of what can be done on a snowboard, and changing the guard. From the Yukon, Kootenays, Valhallas, Monashees, Dolomites, and Pyrenees, the Absinthe crew proves Dopamine is free, but you have to get out there to earn it.

Standard Films spanned the globe this past winter documenting the best snowboarding in the greatest mountain ranges to catch the vapors. Witness pro snowboarders descend huge mountain peaks, drop endless pillows lines, boost off huge backcountry kickers, hit unique urban features and destroy custom resort parks. Catch the Vapors is the progression of All Terrain, Freestyle, All Mountain and Backcountry Snowboarding!