Cam McCaul and Casey Brown Send it Down Corbet's Couloir - Video

Dec 2, 2017
by Teton Gravity Research  

Anyone who has ever skied or snowboarded Jackson Hole knows just how nerve-racking it can be to send it into the infamous Corbet's Couloir, even in the best of conditions. Doing it in icy conditions on mountain bikes is nothing short of insane, and that's exactly what we did.

photo

Corbet's Couloir is one of the most legendary and challenging ski runs in the world. This spring, Cam McCaul and Casey Brown attempted the first ever Mountain Bike descent of the double black diamond ski run. There's a litany of other adjectives you could prescribe to the lines McCaul and Brown threw down - Sketchy, heavy, and borderline suicidal all come to mind - but ultimately, the end result was jaw-dropping.


MENTIONS: @TetonGravityResearch



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132 Comments
  • 116 0
 There's a man who doesn't have to pay for his own skis
  • 7 2
 Naw, Tim just steals his shit.
  • 60 29
 But he is anti-helmet . . . I'll be honest, I don't care how cool you are, if you don't wear a helmet . . . you're NOT cool
  • 14 8
 @Waldon83: I mentioned that as well and immediately got downvoted and hidden.
  • 8 12
flag buildstuf (Dec 3, 2017 at 8:40) (Below Threshold)
 @Waldon83: who cares, it's his life and his choice lol
  • 21 23
 @Waldon83: Well I guess that's what PARENTS are for. But yeah, you're right though, its up to professional athletes to raise kids right. I guess we should remove all drinking, smoking, swearing, nudity and other forms of anti-establishment behavior from all MTB/ski edits and movies. Also every athlete should be REQUIRED to wear full face helmets with MIPS, LEATT braces, spine/back protectors, knee/shin/elbow pads, gloves, proper VLT% goggles for the conditions, mouth guards and only properly fitting athletic wear.

Who cares about a professional athlete's individual right to wear what makes him/her comfortable? According to you and lluvRIDING, parents have zero power over how their kids do anything thus all the power lies with pro athletes. Yup, they're not people to watch and to be entertained or inspired by in terms of how far you can progress, they're actually surrogate parents who are responsible for raising society's kids!

To be serious for a minute, people like the both of you who use flawed logic as a premise to try to force others to recreate the way you see fit are f*cking pathetic.
  • 15 20
flag Reignonme (Dec 3, 2017 at 9:31) (Below Threshold)
 @Waldon83: while skiing? I hate to break it to you but any quick google search will show that since 2002 head injuries in skiing are not correlating to helmet use while skiing. I'm not "anti helmet" for skiing but it's just not the same. Neg prop away. Just look at the facts, head injuries in skiing are actually increasing if even though the amount of helmets being worn is at an all time high. I personally do not wear a helmet while skiing, my 3 kids under 10 years old all do. I hate the stupid skiing with a helmet debate. Statistically, you don't need one. Comfort and you own personal safety... sure, wear one. The people who freak out about not skiing with a helmet are the same ones who yell at my kids for not wearing a helmet when they bike to 7-11 and get a slurpee while their kids are at home on a stupid xbox.
  • 19 3
 Wow, I didn't mean for this to be such a touchy subject.
I'm not a parent, so I can't fully understand that side of your debate, and I agree, old mate can make his own choices. . .

But if I was a major sponsor of this guy, I'd be saying 'thanks for throwing your self off 40ft cliffs without a helmet, good role modelling for a 10 year old who gimmicks every pro they look up to'

Me protecting my head is my opinion, I also think others should wear a helmet when doing stuff like this (not going overboard saying they have to wear every form of protective clothing)....

I also lost my father to a road accident while I was living OS, he came off a motorbike and died of blunt force trauma to the head going 60km/h on a road he frequented daily.

To each his own
  • 5 0
 He's just getting a stone grind for next year.
  • 3 0
 Helmets protect you from people like this youtu.be/Ndt_fziu_pQ
  • 6 0
 @Reignonme: why do your kids wear one but you don't? genuine question.
  • 3 2
 @Waldon83: It's shocking how common the modern day freeski pros don't wear helmets. Every video part seemingly these days is helmet-less. I hate it, even though they are incredibly talented and probably don't need one all the time, there is no reason to not wear one, it's the damn seat belt argument. The comps all require them, but for some reason, in freeskiing/snowboarding/skateboarding/bmx street, helmets are still seen as uncool. Idiots.
  • 4 6
 @Waldon83: "But if I was a major sponsor of this guy, I'd be saying 'thanks for throwing your self off 40ft cliffs without a helmet, good role modelling for a 10 year old who gimmicks every pro they look up to'"

Yeah well most major sponsors know there's a thing called PARENTS who can educate their kids so they're not mindless globs that copy (mimick is the word, not gimmick) every single thing Joe Pro is doing on the big screen.

You protecting your head is an opinion, a smart one, but when you start trying to force your opinion on other grown adults under a false and stupid pretense like, "Kids will copy you! You're risking the safety of kids by riding like this! Your job is being a role model!! not skiing!!!" that's when you start sounding like a jackass.

If for some reason you really believe that then why aren't you complaining about all the slope/DJ riders who aren't wearing chest protection or full face helmets or all the DH riders who don't use a LEATT brace? Why aren't you crusading against every edit that shows partying, drinking or swearing? I mean according to your logic, they're role models with absolute control over how kids think/act, right?
  • 4 7
 @zeerob: "...but for some reason, in freeskiing/snowboarding/skateboarding/bmx street, helmets are still seen as uncool. Idiots."

You're an idiot for completely misunderstanding why certain athletes don't wear helmets. They're not wearing them because they think they're "uncool", they're not wearing helmets because they've never worn them before. To perform at their level, they need to be the most comfortable which for some is not wearing a helmet. Its all about risk management. Helmets are safer in the event of a crash, no one is arguing that but you clearly lack any sort of understanding regarding top-level athletes and the decisions they make as to what safety gear to wear/not wear.
  • 3 4
 when i ski i dont wear a helmet, nor does my dad or my two siblings. however, when i ride any sort of bike i wear a helmet. always, i see bikes as way more dangerous as you are almost guaranteed to fall on the hard floor, from a larger height, and with much more force, not sliding. its much different but i think it's someones choice whether they want to wear a helmet or not. cmon, we all pay taxes, so it should be the skiers own decision.
  • 3 2
 Amen brother !! @scott-townes:
  • 3 5
 @zeerob: You’re being the idiot with such reasoning and putting everybody in the same basket. Impressive you’ve reached this far in life and yet don’t understand simple stuff... it’s a free world out there mate, to each is own. Who’s the idiot now?
  • 6 3
 @scott-townes: Force ?
I wasn't forcing anything, I simply stated my opinion that I think wearing helmets is cool during sports that can cause brain damage, and according to my upvotes, others agree.

I'm sure you have a whole army behind you too, but getting fired up on pinkbike is about as useful as setting your money on fire. Jog on
  • 4 1
 @scott-townes: I call BS in skiing in particular because that is a sport I participate in and coached/taught for years, far more than MTB. I feel comfortable speaking on the topic. Any competitive skier has worn a helmet, many training facilities require helmets, helmets are far from uncomfortable (a ridiculous excuse).

I don't misunderstand either, it feels freeing and better to not wear one, but that is no excuse. I would never wear one unless I had to for years, or like other coaches in the spring and summer not buckle it if we were mandated to wear one. It was idiotic. It sets a bad example, and even though it's anecdotal, I've seen the results of "small" falls in inane scenarios that have led to TBI's and other injuries. Risk management starts with the easy ones, like PPE.

You are literally saying that to perform at the top level, a helmet will hinder someone who is so talented they are a professional. They can't train with a helmet? That is absurd. Top level athletes performances do not hinge on the presence of a helmet, I'll even go one further and say many big mountain skiers (again anecdotal from my own experiences) are emboldened by a helmet and mouth guard when considering larger features and lines.

I'm not saying it should be a mandate or that it's always irresponsible, I'm saying it is absolutely idiotic to not wear one most of the time while participating in any action sport in most situations. See, plenty of room for exceptions.

If you think image doesn't have something to do with it, you are absolutely wrong.

I'll never understand people that get upset on the internet when something/someone is disparaged in a generalization, especially without looking at direct context. Doing one thing idiotic, like not wearing a helmet while dropping 20 or so feet into a steep, slush field with sleeper shark fins and slide debris under melt out, isn't a reflection on anything else about Durtschi other than one guy on the internet thinks he should wear a helmet. Kids are sensitive today, like I insulted him personally. He's a pro, I'm not, but when I dropped Corbet's, I wore a helmet and I'll be wearing one when (mostly if) I get a chance to drop S&S.
  • 5 1
 @Hi-im-gary: Sounds reasonable but it's not. You reach much higher speeds on skis than on your bike. I have done 140km/h+ on skis I can't imagine that on a bike. I am a very experienced skier, and it's simply not true, that the crashes are less dangerous. Imo ice can be harder than tarmac. Personally I have crashed once in 20+ years of skiing with a big impact on my head. If I hadn't have a helmet I would have a severe concussion. It's possible that somebody will never crash with his head, but it's just like seat belts, 90% of us will never need them, but if nobody used them the death toll on roads would be much much higher.
  • 2 4
 @zeerob: "You are literally saying that to perform at the top level, a helmet will hinder someone who is so talented they are a professional"

Yes that's exactly what I'm saying and what a bunch of other professional skiers say that prefer not to wear helmets. You can go on about how you're a coach and that somehow makes you an expert, but how about you chat with some of those pros that don't wear helmets instead of blindly stating, "oh they don't wear helmets because they don't think its cool, what idiots!!!"

Action sports is a massive mental game. Whatever a person needs to do to perform their best and with the most confidence is up to them. You can say its stupid or whatever but its up to them, not you or anyone else. Get over it and focus on yourself.
  • 3 0
 @scott-townes: Show me one competition where these pros aren't wearing a helmet. Most full length video parts and big park edits have the athletes in a helmet. I have yet to see a pro who doesn't wear a helmet at least some of the time professionally or in situations where they have to. This leads me to believe that it could be all the time, but is a choice to not.

Some people smoke cigarettes. I think it's idiotic, but I'd die to protect their right to be idiotic.

I agree with most of what you say, other than the helmet is a line for some that prevents them from their best. That's an excuse, and in my opinion, a bad one.

It will always be up to them, but I still get to state that I think it's stupid. It doesn't make someone who doesn't wear a helmet stupid, it just means I, focus on the I, think that decision is stupid.

Idiot is a mild insult. We are all idiots sometimes. The origin of the word is interesting (just googled it), it was an epithet by the ruling class in Greece who had the ability to vote, to the working class who were not allowed to vote or more generally, applies to anyone who is not an expert on the subject. I'd have to be in middle somewhere, while I've never been a pro, I worked in the industry for many years. The word has passed down through the centuries as someone who is ignorant, so maybe idiot isn't the right word for those that don't wear a helmet while skiing at a high level since they are not ignorant of the risk. Maybe moron is better (just googled again, etymology is neat), as it implies the reasoning of a child, who often don't have the experience, maturity or foresight to weigh the risk of their actions. Haha, probably shouldn't have called anyone any name as it's an ad hominem fallacy. Their action may be moronic, but not themselves. Cheers and keep riding, with or without helmet, your call.
  • 2 4
 @zeerob: "Show me one competition where these pros aren't wearing a helmet."

Its mandated to wear helmets in comps, there's no choice. There's more to skiing than just comps and comparing this to smoking cigs is absurd and now you're going into the definition of "idiot". Just stop, you sound like a jackoff.
  • 3 0
 @scott-townes: Comps, video parts, instructing, guiding are the only pathways I'm aware of to be paid professionally to ski based on ability. Video parts are the only one without a helmet requirement. You didn't answer my question. Show me a pro who can only do certain things without a helmet vs. with a helmet. I stand by the assumption that there isn't a pro out there that doesn't sometimes wear a helmet, negating your argument that their ability is limited by helmet wearing.

I don't see how you can still think that, but hey, freedom right. I even recognized that I was foolish to call a name and then shared some newfound knowledge that will help to not call names in the future, or at least do so with some background knowlege.

Doing something that has the potential to cause self-harm certainly seems comparable. Anything is comparable. Jackoff is hilarious, haven't heard that one in a long time. Maybe it's due for a comeback.
  • 1 3
 @zeerob: How about instead of asking me, you actually get to know one of these pro skiers that you call idiots for choosing not to wear a helmet. Go ahead, sent Tim a FB message asking him why he didn't wear one for this shoot, or send Ahmet, Cam Riley, John Ware, Phil Casabon, Henrik, etc. why they don't always wear a helmet while filming. They're all friendly down to earth people, they'd be willing to educate you a bit.
  • 3 0
 @scott-townes: Good idea. I actually had Henrik in mind when I was originally rage typing because of an Instabanger he did for Slvsh a month or so ago. Doing tricks he's never done on an 80 foot step down with no helmet. Mind blowingly talented, but a single edge or slushed out bomb hole and you are gambling with dribbling down your chin for the rest of your life. I have seen all of those skiers wear a helmet by the way, even though it's rare, Ahmet and Phil especially.

I've met many pros through the years, but never thought to ask or it was back when I didn't care and didn't wear one often myself. I will if I get a chance, almost tempting to sign up for some form of social media to do it. Maybe on newschoolers.

No hard feelings, not fair to call anyone an idiot, even if I think it's idiotic to not wear a helmet when going the same speed as two people wearing full face helmets.
  • 2 0
 @Kitejumping: haha so true.
  • 2 0
 @expat: I'm open to a genuine question. I'm 36 and have been skiing since I was 3. They've been skiing for 6 years or so. I would hope I'm a better decision maker, more alert, more whatever than kids under 10--however my wife would truly beg to differ. I live 10 minutes away from Snowbird, I would consider our family ski bums, season pass even year--only point that out as to show we're not some random family living in Florida heading up to ski twice a year.
  • 2 0
 @Reignonme: all fair enough. I will counter with the story of a good friend who has a similar skiing background to yours, he launches of shit tht makes me wince and at twice the speed that i can even think. He got hit hard by a fast moving out of control Jerry while teaching his kid on a green run, the guys ski edge sliced through his helmet, fractured his skull and opened up his scalp like a hookers best bits, the scars are not pretty. Doctor said the helmet almost certainly saved his life and definitley saved him from a future of liquid only meals. Point is, and to use the well worn seatbelt analogy, I don't wear a seatbelt because I'm concerned about my driving, it's the other people on the road that scare the shit out of me. I bought a ski helmet shortly after being told this story (and being shown the photos) and on several occasions ,mostly skiing in the trees, I've been glad of it having seen stars a couple of times.
Not trying to compete for the moral high ground here, just giving some perspective. I'll spare you the whole example to the kids routine 'coz you're probably and understandably bored of that one.
Bottom line, helmets are cooler than wheelchairs. Have a safe season.
  • 88 1
 I'm a simple person. I see Casey Brown in the title, I click on it.
  • 63 2
 The speed after that first big drop in....MAD! Nice to see something a bit different ;
  • 22 0
 Terrifying. That steering wobble!
  • 42 1
 The making of video is just as good youtu.be/XKl4c09wbgs
Casey's crash is so brutal.
  • 7 0
 Fucking hell that was a huge stack
  • 3 0
 This is a good share. Freaking Wild.
  • 5 0
 Holy f! I wonder how fast Casey was going when she crashed?
  • 1 0
 Ouch!
  • 32 1
 Awesomeness!!

One thing though "icy conditions" seems like good ol spring slush to me...
  • 26 1
 Western skiers think freshly groomed corduroy is "icy." Spolied, all of them.
  • 26 1
 Spring slush is icy when frozen in the morning. It would be too soft to bike and hit drops if it wasn't frozen.
  • 18 0
 Anything other than powder is "ice" in Jackson.
  • 1 0
 in the "making of" they mentioned using salt as well
  • 22 2
 Best snow-bike vid ever!
  • 8 1
 I usually don't get the riding bikes on snow videos mainly because I love skiing and biking on it looks mostly awkward and not fun but that was absurdly impressive. that drop in has to be one of scariest thing ever on a bike!
  • 7 0
 Heard a rumor that JH was allowing fat bikes on a lift for some runs. Any resort with the bike carrier on their chairs would benefit from allowing us to shred less than favorable snow during those dry spells. Win-Win!
  • 10 2
 Jackson still sucks. Tell your friends
  • 5 2
 Spreading rumours to try and keep it all to yourself!?
  • 2 0
 That's like where I've been born, and raised, it gets all this high praise all the time, and I'm like, "high praise for sucking dicks!"......You must just get sick of things with time, and overly complacent.
  • 1 0
 Big sky much better
  • 8 1
 Just flat out awesome, I'm speechless...Smile
  • 21 16
 Would be even better if that skier had an helmet
  • 5 4
 @RedBurn: was thinking exactly that the whole time...
  • 7 0
 One question thou, what kind of tyres are they running?
  • 6 1
 Pinkbike, you slept in, I watched this video on YouTube two days ago!
  • 19 0
 You slept in bro. It's from TGR's Rogue Elements. Debuted last month.
  • 3 0
 @cmcrawfo: Fair enough Smile
  • 1 0
 Woow really insane speed and riding hard ad f**k !!!
And btw Casey is absolutely insane! Love her attitude and skills, go on so you're a beautiful and inspirational person ! If you ever come to Tuscany i'll be pleasured to show you some of our trails.keep it rockin Smile
  • 5 0
 *Vinny T rides Air Voltage in the snow*

Cam and Casey: "Hold our beers"
  • 4 0
 CGI just gets better and better!
  • 4 0
 Casey is a full on sender.
  • 4 0
 Best video I've seen in a while!
  • 3 0
 The BHS video is way more intimidating. Give it a watch
  • 3 0
 Ouch, Casey ate it going fast as heck.
  • 2 0
 Cam McCaul’s distinctive cackle at the end leaves no doubt as to who was on that ride.
  • 2 0
 Best video in a long time. Seeing all those kickers not used I'm looking forward to the expanded video. Well done folks.
  • 4 0
 Poor skis.
  • 1 0
 so much speed on that drop in..thats how fast i'd go if I knew I was just going to end up on the ground anyway.. but looks like they intended to ride it out!
  • 4 2
 props to casy for having bigger balls then man....she had huge OTB in super high speed ski slope
  • 3 0
 I love Cam, but Casey is flat out amazing!
  • 1 0
 anyone else noticed the skier grabbed his poles two different times at the beginning lol
  • 1 2
 Serious click bait BS...Corbetts described as "one of the most legendary and serious ski runs in the world"!!! What a joke. I guess if you're not a skier you wouldn't know any better. It wouldn't rate in the top 500!
  • 2 0
 THAT was one sick video !!! Best video I have seen for a long time !!!
  • 1 0
 were they on fat bikes?
no?
Giving the skier a ride to the bottom.
cute!
seriousy sick riding!
Free riding at its best.
  • 2 0
 4 Sale.....Skis.....slightly used.......
  • 2 0
 It was made possible w 29ers
  • 1 0
 Skiers got the "unbuttoned flannel flapping in the wind" gaper look dialed! Only thing missing was the Texas Tuck.
  • 1 0
 But did they go to Pinky G’s after?
  • 1 0
 Casey Brown.. Holy Sh!!T that was amazing!
  • 1 0
 Just HOW did that actually work? CRAAAAZY.
  • 2 1
 Its totally impossible they did this without fat bikes.
  • 2 2
 why this guys don't have red bull helmets, or now days any one make red bull videos.
  • 6 1
 they don't have red bull helmets because they aren't red bull sponsored riders. McCaul is sponsored by Rockstar, Brown is sponsored by Clif.
  • 1 0
 this is my new go-to hype video!
  • 1 0
 This looks like spring conditions, not fall- shot this edit last year??
  • 1 0
 This is insane tup @theminsta
  • 1 0
 Steep snowy chutes? 0_0
  • 1 0
 This is so gnarly! How do your wheels not just slip out?
  • 1 0
 Schralp the prognar coolar
  • 1 0
 I don’t see a fat bike here!
  • 1 0
 Casey is one badass person!!!
  • 1 1
 There's a new bike called a fatbike, you can ride it anywhere, don't need a big hill for gravity, silly skinny tires sink in
  • 1 0
 Can't believe I'm the first one to say it but...looks like a session.
  • 2 1
 很伟大的视频
  • 1 0
 Thank you for that.
  • 1 0
 Nice !
  • 1 0
 fully mental !!!
  • 1 0
 Love the music!
  • 1 1
 why is the skier not wearing an helmet?
  • 1 0
 ..that was lovely..
  • 5 8
 Icy conditions? More like spring slush... Still pretty amazing but there’s really no need for such bullshit claims.
  • 6 0
 Judging by how Durtschi skied in this video, I'd say the snow was absolutely horrible.
  • 4 0
 dude you can't bike on slush. Hitting any drop or jump wouldn't work unless it was frozen. It was clearly late season in the morning when everything is frozen from the night before. If they waited another couple hours it would be too soft to ride.
  • 3 0
 They'd be going over the bars in slush
  • 3 0
 @Lornholio: exactly lol any half way decent skier could tell you conditions were shite
  • 2 11
flag HARv379 (Dec 2, 2017 at 9:12) (Below Threshold)
 For real, no ice, and it bugs me so much when stuffs over sold on the wording. Don't paint an absurd picture with words. . 'borderline suicidal' not really.... I think most of us would love to try this if we got the permission to do so.
  • 4 0
 @HARv379: Have you ever skied, boarded or stood on top of Corbets? Everybody puckers a little bit.

Look at how Durtschi had to ski it. That snow was refrozen garbage. If either of them came off the bike theres a good chance they would have slid right into those huge rocks at the bottom.
  • 5 0
 @jphanro: don't bother with this idiot...corbets can be a heavy drop in even for locals.
  • 3 2
 youtu.be/XKl4c09wbgs

Check this link posted by kylesnod above and tell me it wasn’t spring snow...

Don’t get me wrong, I would not suggest for one second that what these guys are doing is absolutey incredible and amazing, and I am certainly not trying to minimise the insanity of this whole thing either, they’re just not doing it on ice...
  • 3 0
 @ears-in-snow: holy shit just made me respect Casey big time

And of course this wasn't shot on ice....
  • 3 0
 @ears-in-snow: Holy smokes. Casey Brown...........not wired up right! Insane stuff.
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