Dew Underground Snowbasin Preview w/ Alex Andrews

Although Snowbasin Resort hosted a few of the 2002 Olympics snow events, it doesn't have any hype or scene you'd think an average pro snowboarder to come from.  The average local is similar to what you'd find at Mt. Baker, guys who tear up the mountain and aren't concerned with what's going on in Brighton, Park City, and the other fashionably ridden Utah resorts.  

Well, there is always an exception... Growing up in the nearest notable town, is the unofficial "Mayor of Ogden", Alex Andrews.  He is the only nameable snowboarder from the area, who just received a Check Out in Transworld Snowboarding Magazine, & a 2-page On Deck from Snowboarder Magazine, and also is sitting on the opening part in Not Bad! from Variety Pack.

Jeremy loses the roshambo.  BLOTTOPHOTTO.com

THE LOCAL SCENE

I asked Alex what the vibe at Snowbasin was, and he said, "It's only lodges, just it's own tiny town, sort of.  Ogden is really the nearest place.  It's about a 30 min drive from there, or an hour from SLC."  So, saying that, means the slopes are basically commuters from the nearest towns, and the rest of this piece is devoted to Alex's home town crowd of Ogdenites, or Ogdenians, or what ever they wish to be called.  

"The BHC (Basin Hard Core) is the most popular crew of riders in the area.  They just go around and build jumps and slaughter it.  Also, there is the BHG (Big Huckin Gangsters). There are sick riders and skaters in the area, but they just get stuck in this area and never get seen by the industry.", he says.  "There is Weber State University here, so there are a lot of snowboarders, but it's not much of a scene, they literally just ride."

The mayor pulling kinky moves.  Justin L'heureux photo.

EATERIES / HANGOUTS / SHOPS

If Alex was on his way to the slopes, he would either drop by Grounds For Coffee, or make a suspicious stop at a Sinclair gas station called Old Farm Market, which is his favorite low-key breakfast/stock up lunch spot.  "For lunch, like on an off day, we'd go to 25th st where there are the good places and to hang.  Then maybe go to the Crossroads skate shop to check out the indoor skatepark if there wasn't a better place to go to, or there is even a Flowrider to surf an indoor wave."  Alex's shop sponsor Decade Skate and Snow, which he happened to work at when he was 15, is one of the only shops to survive through the poor economy, and caters to riders as a hangout and to watch videos and the sort.  

"If I wanted to go out for some dinner, my favorite is Roosters.  They have really good food and they brew their own beer.  Some people go out to Brewskis.  There isn't much nightlife, maybe go to a movie, or go see a (music) show.  A lot of people just chill out and smoke.  We sometimes would go down to Salt Lake City and hang out at Eva, because they have a really good happy hour."

Learned from the big mountains of Snowbasin.  BLOTTOPHOTTO.com

LOCAL MUSICIANS & ARTISTS

Most musicians want to get noticed, and often leave small towns to gain exposure, which is definitely that case with Salt Lake City so nearby.  Ogden still has a few great groups, and Alex mentioned these as some worth seeing their shows:

The Naked Eyes (blues/rock/psychodelic)

Funk Shui (reggae/dub/funk)

X Marks (punk)

Fox Von Clees (alternative)

"As far as artists go, there are a lot, but you don't really hear about them since there is not much of an audience to celebrate them.  They go to SLC to get exposure.", is what Alex says.  One of the best known artists in the snowboard industry from Utah, is Dave Doman, who works with Celtek, Nitro, and others.  There are other artists, who use film and lenses to create their canvas, like Andy Wright and Ethan Fortier, also video/film makers like Jeremy Miller.