For our fourth interview of the Frame of Mind Series, we spoke with Solitude Ambassador Harrison Hogan Holley. Harrison is hands-down one of the nicest guys you’ll find on the mountain and is very much responsible for helping the Spread Stoke crew fall in love with Solitude Mountain Resort. Born and raised in Park City, Utah, Harrison grew up competing in freestyle moguls on the Park City Freestyle Team. He then started competing on the Freeskiing World Tour and continues to compete on the Freeride World Tour this season. Between competitions and work, he also spends all season making us drool with his pow shots on Instagram.

Harrison Hogan Holley at Solitude, Utah | Photographer: Eric Dyer

Spread Stoke: Where is your hometown?

Harrison: Park City, Utah.

SS: Who can you usually find yourself on a chairlift with?

Harrison: My good buddy Eric Dyer aka Derr, Benny Mikes, the Spread Stoke ladies or any other members of the Solitude MYST.

SS: Conditioning off the mountain is an essential element to performance on the mountain.  Do you have any training techniques (whether physical or mental) you would like to share?

Harrison: Hate on it as much as you want, but CrossFit has gotten me in the best shape of my life. I haven’t been to any other gym other than Alpenfit in Park City so maybe other gyms fit the “bro” mold that is associated with CrossFit’s negative image, but the coaches at Alpenfit are nothing short of amazing! They focus on knowledge and progress in life outside the gym, making you a better athlete in whatever discipline you enjoy. If you want to get in shape for skiing give it a shot, I swear by it.

SS: What’s been the most challenging aspect of being an athlete?

Harrison: The mental aspect of competitions is by far the most challenging aspect. Nerves can really take over when you are competing. I always say that the worst feeling in the world is standing on top of a comp venue waiting for your start and the best feeling ever is being at the bottom after stomping a good line. Focusing on skiing and having fun in comps always seems to help me ski better.

Harrison Hogan Holley at Solitude, Utah | Photographer: Eric Dyer

SS: Besides shredding the white wintry wave, what else do you enjoy doing?

Harrison: In the summer I love to mountain bike and whitewater raft. Mountain biking helps me keep in shape and there is nothing like rafting to help escape reality.

SS: What is your life motto?

Harrison: “Send it before you send it”. The phrase was created while on tour with my good buddies Connor Pelton and Connery Lundin. It basically means don’t let the present hold you back from the future or vice versa, live life to the fullest, do it all!

SS: What fuel goes into your body before and after a day on the hill?

Harrison: Before skiing: Coffee and a smoothie. After skiing: Beer and mostly pizza.

SS: What does skiing do for your soul?

Harrison: I love getting away from crowds by exploring the mountains which is often the case while skiing (especially since there are no crowds at Solitude), but I don’t see skiing as anything ‘spiritual’ like many people talk it up to be. I think it was a quote in an old TGR or Matchstick movie that said something like “everyone talks skiing up to be this spiritual cleanse, but I look at it more of a funny concept that we hike up a mountain just to go back down and if we are lucky we will have sh!t hit us in the face the whole way down”. I guess I always try to keep things light and comical while on the hill. I’m not very mature.

Harrison Hogan Holley at Grand Targhee, Wyoming | Photographer: Jasper Gibson

SS: Solitude, it’s all in the name.  What are some of your favorite attributes of Solitude and how is it unique from other Utah resorts?

Harrison: More powder per person. There is never the powder panic you get at other resorts where people freak out, push and shove, cram like sardines into trams or track an entire mountain out in an hour. The overall atmosphere is laid back and fun, which is exactly what skiing should be. You can ski untracked snow in Honeycomb days after a storm or get into some of the steepest most challenging inbounds terrain offered anywhere in the world.  If you disagree go hike Fantasy Ridge.

SS: What goes through your mind before, during and after executing or capturing a technical line or feature?

Harrison: Before: Nerves. During: Blackout and/or concentration, I usually can’t remember. After: Stoke! Or a need for redemption. Or, where are my skis?

SS: When you’re not on the hill or working out, what can we most likely find you doing?

Harrison: I bartend at Highwest, so come stop by and grab a delicious Old Fashioned from me and I’ll tell you how much better of a skier I am than you. Just kidding. But really, the Old Fashions are delicious!

SS: Let’s talk 2017 Goals: What can we expect from you for the rest of the year?

Harrison: #1: Stay healthy. #2: Ski often. #3: Defend my title at the PCMR Chinese Downhill.

SS: As athletes, you serve as role models in the outdoor industry.  Any advice, reflections or ideas on the types of things you would like see the outdoor industry strive for?

Harrison: Being from Utah, I would love to see the state recognize the value of its open spaces. This article by Black Diamond Founder, Peter Metcalf perfectly sums up my point.

Harrison Hogan Holley at Solitude, Utah | Photographer: Eric Dyer

SS: What’s bumpin’ in your earbuds?

Harrison: I like my beats like I like my cereal, crunchy.

SS: Spread Stoke’s values are: Do what you love, leave this world a better place than you found it, and spread stoke to those around you.  How do you demonstrate these values?

Harrison: On the mountain I always strive to be the person who brings the morale of the group up. That may be pumping a buddy up on a cool line or most often cracking terrible jokes. Everyone talks about not leaving a footprint on the world insinuating a footprint is a bad thing. I think everyone should strive to leave a footprint on the Earth, but have that footprint be an improvement in whatever you enjoy.

SS: Do you have any shout-outs to sponsors?

Harrison: Sego Ski Co., Soul Poles, Solitude Mountain Resort and Spread Stoke for putting this together. Looking at the list above, I guess anyone else that has a company that starts with an “S” please contact me for sponsorship.

We hope you enjoyed our Frame of Mind interview! Be sure to say “What’s up!” to Harrison on the hill this season and give him a follow on Instagram @harhoghol (seriously though, he ALWAYS gets the shot!).

Stay tuned for our next Frame of Mind interview. If you know someone who should be featured, let us know.

I set off for Asia in August. After three months of travel I got the call that I was needed as a volunteer in Niseko starting on December 15 for the entire ski season. My Japow dreams were actually happening. I was to work 2-4 hours per day… snow clearing in the morning and restaurant work in the evening in exchange for accommodation, food, and lift pass from December until March. This was set up to be the deepest season of my life. I quickly changed my plans and flew back to Utah. I had a week to see my family and friends, handle personal matters, and get my ski gear before flying back to Asia.

I arrived in Niseko and it was dumping. This was actually happening. But what I arrived to was not what I was promised by the lodge owner that I made the arrangement with. In fact, the owner was not even there. He was sitting in Australia collecting profit while myself and two other unpaid volunteers ran his lodge for nearly 100 high paying guests. We had a chef, bar staff, and cleaning staff but everything else– snow clearing, running the restaurant, office work, reception, shuttle driving, and all guest interaction was carried out by three of us… and none of us were paid. After three weeks of working nearly 24 hours on call I started to lose it. My stress level and frustration with the situation got the best of me. I’d flown back and forth across the Pacific Ocean and given up Christmas and New Years at home to be here. So I left. (A mutual departure between myself and the owner).

With nowhere to go, I headed back to Sapporo to reevaluate my situation. I suddenly had 2.5 months free, and I had my ski gear. I could go anywhere in the world. Leaving that situation was liberating, yet crushing at the same time. Perhaps I would not be able to ski Japan for the winter. After three days in a Sapporo hostel, I could no longer sit on my laptop looking for a job any longer. So, I decided to go skiing. There is a lesser known resort only 20km from the city center called Sapporo Teine that is accessible by public transportation within 40 minutes. I shot this video on that single day of skiing. As it turns out, Japow is accessible all over Hokkaido… even a short commute from the center of a city of 1.9 million people.

I must add.. despite a few ultra deep days, the weather in Niseko did not help my frustration. During those three weeks it rained three days, winds reached 90mph, and there were bright bluebird days and a few days of serious snowfall. It was not the consistent nuketown that is shown in every Japan edit ever.

To update: I’m back in Niseko now at a different arrangement. This one is much more fair and I shall be here until the end of February. Niseko is still a bit behind on snow, but it is possible to get a faceshot on any single day in Japan if you search hard enough.

There are no words that accurately describe my complete love obsession with winter. I feel a slight “meh” about everything 3 seasons of the year, and then winter hits and the child in me awakens. Maybe it’s the beautiful blankets of white that hug Mother Nature’s mountainous curves. Or the blizzards that force everyone to snuggle together by the fire. The anticipation of weightless powder turns or that feeling I have after I can’t help but utter “that was the best single turn of my life!”

Whatever the reason for my wintertime stoke, I can assure you, my love of snow pales in comparison to the sheer joy that my dog has for this time of year. Gone are the days of panting in the heat, of laying on the bathroom floor trying to cool down. Of being left home alone with the cat because it’s too hot to hike. Screw that! It’s time to play, romp, prance, and roll in the beautiful fluff outside. Catch snow balls, sprint for no reason at all, jump like a dear, and when no one is looking, make some yellow snow.

If your dog is anything like mine, you share a fondness of playing outside in the cold. Winter is a great time to explore the outdoors with your dog and you can both stay active and healthy while enjoying wintertime hikes. That said, it’s important to make sure your dog stays warm, hydrated, and happy when you two are out in the snow. Many dogs LOVE and can handle cold conditions. That said, many breeds can only tolerate cold conditions for short periods of time, or not at all. Make sure your activity is suited for your dog’s breed and is age appropriate in order to have a great winter together. Need help? Learn about “How Cold is too Cold for Dogs” before venturing out this winter.

Spread Stoke Winter Hiking Dog Tips: 

1. Keep the Trails Clean. Joking about “eating yellow snow” is much more fun than stepping in poop. Plus, as a dog owner, it’s your responsibility to help keep hiking trails clean and clear for everyone to enjoy. Keeping an entire roll of earth friendly biodegradable pick-up bags with you is a MUST. These can be carried in a pocket, on a leash, or in your dogs pack for quick and easy access.

2. Trail Dog First Aid. Dogs are pretty susceptible to injuries while hiking. There are plenty of things to slice a paw open on, branches to run into, or rocks/ice to slip out on. Make sure you bring a doggy specific medical kit with you on your adventure. Not all are created equal. We suggest one that has an eye wash, a pet first aid booklet to review BEFORE you go out, irrigation syringe, tape, multiple wipes (antibiotic and alcohol versions) various wound closures, and gauze are also good to check for.

3. Hydration and Snacks. Sprinting around in the snow is fun, no doubt! Winter hikes can dehydrate both of you while burning calories o’plenty. Make sure your pup has plenty of fresh drinking water and don’t forget to bring snacks/food in case you need to rest for a bite or if you have an emergency and get stuck somewhere overnight. There are a ton of great dog food pack options and water containers out there. I’ve taught mine to actually drink out of a water bottle for quick and easy access while on the go, but always bring a bowl for him/her to drink out of as well. Provide your furry one with water at least every 15-20 minutes.

4. Doggy Gear & Accessories. Depending on your dog’s breed, you may need different items to keep him/her safe and warm this winter. Things to consider: Does your dog get cold easily? Does your dog have a natural winter undercoat? Does your dog’s fur hold moisture or collect snow and ice? Does your pup need winter boots? Your dog might need an insulated jacket, snow slicker, booties, or the like to stay warm and dry out there. You might also consider buying bright colored jackets, harnesses, and leashes so it’s easy to spot your snow beast in all that white! If your dog will NOT wear boots (I feel you!) keep an eye on their paws to prevent & clean out ice & snow build up. That brings us to…

5. Pause for the Paws: When hiking with dogs in the snow, the fur between their paw pads can collect ice melt, snow, ice, dirt, salt and all sorts of other nasty winter things. They can also freeze, split, crack or get cut. Keep your eyes on them, clean them out, and don’t let your best friend eat/lick ice melt or salt off their paws when they’re out and about. Or, bribe them with bacon to keep their winter boots on (good luck with that!). If bribery doesn’t work, grab some Musher’s Secret, a dense barrier wax for all season protection.

6. Pack It In, Pack It Out! I have a working dog, so she obviously LOVES any task given to her. One of her tasks is to carry her own stuff on a hike. This allows me more room in my pack for extra water and jackets (and let’s be honest, a few beers) and Kira carries her own load. Plus, then I don’t have to put poop filled bags in MY pack. Her poop, her problem! Different dogs can handle different sized loads and packs. Make sure yours is appropriate for the difficultly of your hike and your dog. I suggest grabbing a bright colored pack with multiple compartments, light reflectors, and a front leash attachment. I also LOVE a pack that has a handle on the saddle so I can quickly grab my snow beast when needed. Also make sure that each side of the pack has equal loads of weight so it sits properly on your pup’s back.

7. Leash Up. While there are TONS of off-leash doggy trails all around the country (check the local laws before you venture out), you never know when you need to secure your buddy with a leash. Maybe you see a few wild animals roaming around, sprinting children that might get herded, or lots of traffic at your local trail head. Always keep a leash with you and ready to use.

Most of all, enjoy your time together in the snow and let the stoke fly.

“Hong Kong has more to offer than most people realise. Over the past couple years I’ve begun to explore more of what it has to offer and even after a lifetime in HK have only recently seen areas and views for the first time. Saturday morning was once a time to lie in with a pounding headache but is now generally a time to enjoy the outdoors and push further. That’s not to say those hangovers don’t still happen, just maybe not as frequently. Currently, I’m running to take part in ultra-marathons – after all the longer you go for the more of the outdoors you get to see. And that’s why I run.” – Ben Lee

Anyone that lives in Hong Kong knows that finding clear, un-polluted and colourful weather is hard to come by, so to find these moments, this film project took us a year to complete. But when these days do arrive, there is nowhere is the world quite like Hong Kong. It’s famous skyline is what has made Hong Kong so famous but also, one of the only things people think of when the hear of Hong Kong. What people don’t know is that 40% of HK consists of country parks and nature reserves and that you can find spectacular views and trails only 20 minutes from the city. It was our goal to showcase the other side of HK and that is not just a home to one of the worlds most famous skylines.

In February of 2014, Sasha Yakovleff decided to mix things up and leave the comforts of his New Hampshire hometown to make a cross-country move for a job opportunity in Salt Lake City, Utah. The decision wasn’t too hard since he knew Utah was a world-class biking destination and the new surroundings would offer plenty of choices to fuel his two-wheel addiction.

“You’re only young once, might as well travel around a bit and explore,” says Sasha. “Utah has opened my eyes and put things into perspective. I miss New Hampshire dearly and I’ll be back home permanently at some point, but until then I’m not sure where life will take me. However, I know I’ll be aboard a bike wherever I go.”

Moving your life can be tough. Making new friends and getting familiar with a new neighborhood can be a daunting experience and humbling to some, but Sasha sought to make it a quick process. His love for bikes and an incredible motivation to challenge himself have helped him settle into his new home and explore the limitless riding options waiting out the backdoor.

“Riding a bike is the ultimate sense of freedom for me. It doesn’t really matter where I am or what mood I’m in, riding always makes me happy and I have to thank my sponsors for helping me with that – Scott Bikes, Deity Components, Kenda Tires, Mavic, G-Form, Bern Unlimited, TRP Brakes, Five Ten, Darn Tough Vermont. My motivation though is pretty simple – keep myself challenged physically and mentally. There is always something new to learn or ride, whether at the dirt jumps or way out in the woods on some remote mountainside.” – Sasha

The constant desire for something new is a driving force behind Sasha’s creativity. He’s a nine-to-fiver who doesn’t understand the term “weekend warrior.” Everyday provides if you’re motivated to take advantage, and the Wasatch is a big backyard with more to offer than most seek to realize. The abundance of pleasures is almost overwhelming, and even after a good soak, you can easily be satisfied with just the tip.

“When I moved to Utah, my first thought was damn this place is dry, I hope we get a ton of rain. New Hampshire has variable weather which you learn to love, but Utah is much more sunny and dry. When it rains here I get really stoked and head to the woods to build. The nice thing about the Wasatch is the variety. You can ride whatever you want. Dirt jumps down low, alpine riding up high, DH or all-mountain trails in between.” – Sasha

Over the past few seasons, I’ve had the opportunity to tag along with Sasha as he familiarized himself with his new backyard. Being on the bike or shoveling dirt seem to be the only two things he thinks about, and soon I started to expect a call or text from him every couple of days to go shoot a new feature he had been secretly building over the weekend or scout something he spotted from the road on his drive to work that looked fun to ride. We got together at the end of this season to recount a few of the fun adventures and build projects we had photographed together.

“This was shot early in the morning in March. I Street is a winter staple in Salt Lake City as it is usually rideable year-round. In fact, the dirt there is much better in the winter when it’s actually wet and malleable. The funny thing about I Street is that things are always changing. Lots of people build there, so the place has tons of personality. I don’t know who built this jump but it’s awesome; you can just pull for days.” – Sasha

There had been a couple wildfires this past summer just outside of Park City. Sasha and I scouted this area after he spotted the burn zone on a cross-country ride and thought the ashy dirt would make for some good turns. Besides being covered in soot when we got back to the car, it was a fun new experience for both of us.

“I had driven by this spot a million times, or taken the bus up past it with my DH bike to go ride other trails. I thought about riding it before but was too lazy and forgetful to check it out until it rained one time this past spring. The dirt was perfect and it was really fun to ride. There are a few sections of different pitches where you can alternate your speed and push out a brown pow turn or two. Plus, first descents are hard to beat.” – Sasha

“Evil Empire is a Park City classic DH freeride trail that never gets old. It starts at Jupiter Peak and descends over 2200’ vertical feet back into Old Town Park City via Daly Canyon. This jump is rad and on one of my favorite sections of the trail near the bottom in the Black Forest of Empire Canyon. The pines thin out a bit as you jump through aspens before dipping back into the darkness.” – Sasha

“Raspberry Lane is one of my favorite pirate trails and sits just above the top of Old Town in Park City. We were actually scouting out another shot on an overcast day and noticed the fall colors in this berm. Funny how things work out when you’re looking for something else – always keep your eyes open I guess.” – Sasha

I think Sasha’s least favorite time of the year is after Daylight Savings when it gets dark super quick in the afternoon. For someone who works all day but lives to shred, it’s frustrating to only have an hour or so to ride after work in the later part of the fall. Luckily the Park City Dirt Jumps are easy to get to and the street lamps at the fire station next door help illuminate the open field of jumps for a few laps before dinner.

The Oakley Skatepark is located right next to one of the biggest rodeo venues in Utah. The town population is about 1,000, but the new $3 million rodeo arena seats 6,000. It can be windy a lot of times, but if you wait it out, the Kamas Valley sunsets are usually incredible.

Eric Porter has one of the sickest backyard setups, stacked with stunt ramps, a pump track and a water slide snake run connected to another pump track in the neighbor’s yard. Fall BBQ sessions at Porter’s are some of the funnest days during late season.

“After moving to Utah, it took me about a year to scout out a few spots I wanted to build and learn my way around the place a bit. I knew I wanted to build a large wallride in the middle of the woods, and what better place to put it than in an Aspen grove? This thing is tucked up on a hillside in Park City. We built it, painted it and sessioned it a few times before the snow started to fall. The aspen leaves died early this year due to a fungus, so hopefully we can catch a golden frame next autumn when the grove goes off.” – Sasha

Adventures in any backyard can be endless if you use your creativity. Even when it seems like there’s nothing new left to discover, building and riding have endless possibilities. When you’re passionate about riding your bike and always looking for something new to shred, you’ll find a way to satisfy your cravings but also stay thirsty for more. He might be settled into his new home now, but Sasha’s quest for new fun outside his doorstep will never stop regardless of how long he stays anywhere.

Back in the day my friends and I could plan canyoneering trips spur of the moment whenever we noticed a weekend with 0% chance of rain, but since kids came into the picture, we needed to plan a bit more in advance. This trip was planned months in advance in order for our parents to fly out to watch over the household as my husband and I disappeared into the middle of nowhere. Ultimately, the dates that we had chosen happened to coincide with a TON of nonstop rainfall.

We got to experience flash floods first hand and swim through remote slot canyons that in normal conditions barely kept water for more than a couple days out of the year. We had to make nearly all of our anchors since pretty much every one had been washed away in the previous day’s flash flood. Listening to the weather reports on the walkie talkies were a regular occurrence to make sure that we didn’t find ourselves in a dangerous situation. Even though things didn’t go according to plans due to the weather, it was a remarkable experience.

I recently took a spontaneous trip out to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to chase a deep winter storm.

January 27th: I was at Northstar Resort in 55 degree weather taking some really fun park laps when I rode up the chair lift with a couple of friends, Aaron Zook and Kim Reinhardt. They were telling me about a trip out to Jackson Hole and Park City, Utah that they were about to go on. I was super jealous since I knew that both of those mountains were getting some decent snow.  Luckily, they had one seat left in their car, and they said a tiny person like me could come along for the adventure!  I was so excited for this opportunity that as soon as I got home I got all of my shifts cover for work and packed my bag.

We left Tahoe around 11:00 p.m and our friend Paul drove the whole 12 hours straight through the night till we made it to Jackson Hole.  The 1st day we spent exploring the beautiful town of Jackson.  The following day we rose to fresh snow on the ground, all of us could not stop smiling except for Aaron.  He unfortunately decided to backflip off of a Jackson sign and ended up bruising his heal.  Aaron was put out of commission for a few days till he could force his foot back into his ski boot.

The rest of us rushed to the mountain. We stood in the tram line for about 45 min and got freshies all day. With a few days of riding Jackson Hole resort, Paul and I wanted to explore the Teton Pass.  We met up with his good friend Aaron who is a level three avalanche certified guide.  We wanted to be safe and of course ride the best terrain possible.  He took us to Teton Pass and we hiked the Glory Bowl.  We gained over 2,000 vertical feet with our summit to the top.  During the ride down I could not stop shouting with joy. I don’t think I have been that happy all season.  Here’s a video of just how good it was:

The snow was extremely light and deep, myself only being 5 ft tall it was a lot deeper for me than the boys!  Ha the joys of being tiny. Once we reached the road and got a ride back to our car we decided to hike another peak called Chivers.  This hike only took us about 15-20 minutes, a much shorter hike but the terrain was still untouched and deep.  During my trip out in Jackson, Paul and I did both of these hikes twice. I needed to get my hiking legs back and I am now ready for heading into desolation when I return home to Tahoe.

On January 28th we left Jackson and drove 6 hours to Park City. The next day Aaron Zook and I rode Canyons.  Canyons is a very large resort and we had a great time getting lost while dipping into the trees.  For some reason, everyone at Canyons just stayed on the groomers. I was in no way complaining about that. Finding fresh snow all over the mountain.  after a week of being on the road, I was ready to return home. With my luck I brought a little snow home with me to the Tahoe area.

Today I rode Heavenly resort with a fresh 16″. Winter is just about to start here in the Sierra Mountains and I could not be more excited!

I want to give a huge shout out to my sponsors:

Shoreline of Tahoe, Flow Snowboards, Akinz, Heavenly Mountain Resort, Shred Betties, Ra Optics and Honey Badger performance energy.   A special thanks to Shoreline of Tahoe for giving my board a fresh wax,  also lending me new poles and snowshoes. Your help really made my backcountry experience better!!

Splitboard mountaineering tours have certain elements that rank them on the totem pole o’ touring. The very best tours include: Aesthetic quality, difficulty, produce adrenaline, and the snow needs to be quality deep powder.  Climbing up and riding down Coalpit Headwall was always looming somewhere near the top of my hit list because it usually possesses all of these qualities.

8pm Birthday Weekend.

Zach tells me that Him, Mark, Alecs, and Justin are getting up at 4:00 am to summit this incredible line called Coalpit Headwall. Being near the top of my hit list for years, it only took a split second to start packing my gear.   I got all my normal stuff together: Split board, skins, bindings, poles, transceiver, probe, shovel, food, water. Then I got my axe and crampons, it is a special moment when I get to take those off the shelf, because I know I’m in for an adventure day in the backcountry.

Coalpit is kind of an illusive powder island because it is a beautiful untouched headwall that is surrounded by difficult approaches. One of these approach options is by starting from White Pine. You climb up and over all the drainages: White Pine, Red Pine, May Bird and finally get to Hogum, but then you still have to go straight up the tube shaped chute that pierces through the vertical cliff band call the Hypodermic needle.

Another way is to do a Salt Lake Valley start from Bells Canyon, climb 5,000 ft up “pie in the sky”, traverse a high consequence ridge and then climb the western ridge to the summit of Coalpit. There are also numerous other ways, but our skimo partner Mark had something else in mind. Out of true Wasatch backcountry style we decided, why not just go straight up it!

We started off the side of the Temple Quarry trail where the bridge had been washed out the previous spring by very high running melt off. Head lamps on; Justin and Alecs headed right for the crossing and we heard a fall in the river somewhere off in the darkness. Zach and I decided to look elsewhere; we found a down log covered in freshly fallen snow. The first thought was to try to walk it, but risk the chance of falling 5 feet to an icy river. After just recently being influenced by the Man vs. Wild episode we watched the night before Zach and I tried the old straddle and scoot method. This was particularly awkward because we had to hold our skis together and our poles all while trying to scoot across the slippery snow covered log. Finally we both made it and the first barrier to our powder island was put behind us. We skinned up what is a small stream in the winter and a major tributary to Little Cottonwood in the summer; shortly after we reached Coalpit’s waterfall. We were very relieved to see it was mostly frozen over and so we got out the crampons and ice axes and climbed up and around it. The exposure of the vertical climb felt good and got our, still sleeping, adrenaline pumping; it was a sweet way to start this beautiful day.

Coalpit drainage is a spectacular sight to see. You are completely engulfed in steepness and because that night had given us freshly fallen snow, it was steep freshies all around. Because of the 360 degree towering walls, we didn’t get any early morning sun until we were almost to the ridge that divides Hogum and Coalpit. As the sun crept over the ridge, I remember bolting for the sun line so I could get the warmth on my ice cold face. Once we all crossed over into the sun there was an unspoken sigh of relief from the cold dark wee morning hours.

The ridge didn’t look like too much technical climbing when standing under it, but I noticed the precarious over-hanging cornices all the way up. I was glad to be there as early as we where that morning because it was April 27^th and that late in the spring the snow has potential to heat up significantly. Along the way we skirted around the cornices that had the potential of being a platform of death, and gained more and more of the ridge.

Mark and Alecs were  ahead of me. Mark in his light skimo gear just seemed to glide up ridge without resistance. I decided I was going to keep up with Mark and that determination stuck with me. As I followed tight, steep, and small switchbacks to the summit, there was one kick-turn  that changed the way I experienced fear. It was the way that I let it effect me that made the experience happen, because I let the fear take over, and I slipped.

My knee thudded onto my ski and I scrambled frantically trying to drill my poles and fingers into the snow in an effort to keep my position on the ridge. If I fell forward, I would fall over a 200 foot cliff into the Hypodermic Needle and would not stop falling for 2000 ft, when I would arrive at the Hogum valley floor. If I fell backward, I would get thrown over a 50 ft cliff and get washed thousands of feet down to the bottom of the Coalpit drainage. And so I froze. It wasn’t like any type of freezing I had experienced before. I literally couldn’t move for about 10 seconds and it felt like 10 minutes. When I finally started to shake, I tried to get up. It took me two tries and after the first failed attempt, I drew all the focus and drive left in me and stood up. Just those 10 seconds of real fear changed my composition completely. I was shaken, sweating, and the butterflies that had overrun my stomach decided to stick around for awhile. The moments following where some of the best! I gained the summit, and euphoria kicked in. All those butter-flies came out of my stomach and went under my feet, I was floating!

After that huge range of feeling, I really felt alive and I still got to ride Coalpit Headwall as a reward. We split parties at the top, Mark and Justin where going for the Hypodermic Needle and Alecs, Zach and I were going for the headwall. We all had been spotting our lines from the bottom and where gunning for them. That is one of the nice things about going straight up your line, you then get to see it in it’s current state, only hours before slashing down it.

The line I had selected looked like an opening in the cornice, dead center on the ridge. As I strapped in and looked over I could see that it was really a small drop. Normally, I would have thought twice about dropping over a cornice into a 5,000 ft line, but today I felt good and wanted to do it. Zach spotted me and I dropped in. The landing from the 20 ft cornice quickly passed out from under me because I underestimated the steepness. I stomped into the perfectly fresh powder and triggered a sluff of the fresh snow that quickly spilt out from my board and strait down the fall line. I diverted to a higher island of safety and watched it flush. After that it was pure euphoria, making powder wiggles down all 5,000 feet of Coalpit! These experiences are what I live for and that is the reason I will continue to climb mountains, it is at the top of my lives to do list!

It’s so true  —- the more things change, the more they stay the same. We were stoked in 1976.  We might not have used that word; we were happy, blissful, exhilarated, living the cool life, living the free life, feeling groovy, – yep, we were stoked!

It’s October, 1976.  We pulled into Park City, Utah. The colors were screaming from the hillsides, and the town was beautiful.  We stayed forever…..  (well, with a few diversions in between forever).  We were chasing pow, but more importantly, we were searching for a certain lifestyle.

It was easy to fall in love with the mountains and the friendly inviting ski town.  Winter came early and fast that year, and soon enough we were gliding through the white stuff every day.  We tended bar at night to support the lifestyle. Sleeping a couple hours after late nights serving up the booze to the rest of the ski bums in town, we would all see each other again competing for first chair every morning.  Especially on those deep powder mornings, when it was so quiet, so peaceful,  so white, and so exciting to know we would soon be in flight through baby soft feathers we call snow,  and grant us that oh-so-needed feeling of joy.

Rewind back to 1974-75; we both left behind promising careers in the big cities of New York and Los Angeles. We met over red wine, fell in love, and made a choice. Let’s find a life style where we can live out our dreams. And it was in mountains where that came through for us.  35+ awesome years of skiing down the mountains, biking up the mountains, hiking through the mountains, playing golf in view of the mountains, and sailing on the mountain lakes. At night, we’d all recount our days of adventure while playing poker (that’s entirely another story).

After a season in Park City, it was time to conquer mountains in Steamboat Springs, Aspen, Vail, Copper Mountain, Alpine Meadows, Squaw Valley, Heavenly, and Sun Valley.  So over a few years, we moved to various ski towns, visited others in between, and always found jobs, mostly bartending, to support our ski bumming lifestyle.  Man, it was fun! Did I mention we also spent a year on the beach in Cali playing lots of volleyball? When we weren’t in the mountains, we were on the ocean. But then, we always found our calling back to the mountains….

The rest of the story was made up of years of skiing deep powder – that was always the constant.  Always watching the storm tracks coming our way.  Sometimes we’d pack a bag in 5 minutes, throw the baby in a car seat, and book it to Targhee to catch a three foot dump, and giggle our way through waist deep dust for two days.  Those were the days we wore our onesies, but honestly guys, there hasn’t been anything warmer since.  And we shredded on our long, skinny skis and rear entry boots.  Here’s where I can talk about my “perm”, but let’s not go there. After all, it was the 80’s.

Long, long story short: we eventually got married, had two beautiful daughters, raised them on skis, bikes, tennis courts,  golf courses, hiking trails, and (ssshhhhhh), poker tables.    So yes, things change.  And yes – things stay the same, except we are now us + 2. And we are still getting out there, everyday, living the lifestyle we always dreamed of, outside of the cities, away from the 9-5, in the mountains where we call home.

And along with all the wonderful winters, there was always the anticipation of summer as well. We watched the evolution of mountain biking, and spent many years enjoying the amazing trail system that was built in Park City. We came to love good dirt, the way we love good snow. We love the variety of sports the summer offers, and participate in all of them. We’d find ourselves in mountain lakes sailing the Jordanelle, Rockport, Deer Creek & Lake Tahoe. We sailed with the dog on board, too. We continued having poker games.    It’s all part of the lifestyle.  Yes, we work.  We have “real” jobs since we “out-grew” our bartending days.  That’s a nice way of saying we got older.  With the passing years, we had all the joy of being with our daughters, watching them grow and develop into elegant, smart, & caring human beings. We are honored that they too have embraced the lifestyle of mountain living, and attached even more to it; surfing, paddle boarding, para-gliding & traveling the globe. Most importantly to us, is that they still like hanging out with us!

And we are still here.  Still skiing, still riding the dirt, still hitting tennis & golf balls, still hiking. Our girls are para-gliding and rock climbing! So, I say it again: things change, but the life style remains the same. For everyone, then… and now.

We all still listen and watch those beautiful flakes falling from the sky throughout the night, stand on line early in the morning to catch freshies on those bottomless clouds we call runs.  We ride our bikes on single track passageways that give us miles of smiles. So whatever it is that turns on your “stoke”, skiing, boarding, biking, climbing, or just breathing the air: live it, love it, and share it.

After all these years, the most important lesson we’ve learned – there are many friends on a powder day!

 *As Professor Petrovsky says: “We can’t run from who we are.  Our destiny chooses us”.

The Roulette Dealer decided that my money was no longer needed in my wallet.  Or at least it seemed that way by the veracity of which he kept hitting Red while my bets sat lonely on Black.  If it weren’t for the bottomless Mimosas, the shittiest all-you-can-eat buffet imaginable, and the deprecating way the dealer kept taking my chips – I wouldn’t feel nearly as welcome.

Welcome to the desert. I’ll let myself in.

As all worthwhile trips appropriately start – with psych as a fuel and full strength beer for lubricant – we wandered our way in search of sunshine and warm stone.  I’ve decided now that these midwinter trips are the cure for “Gym Climbing Fever” – and as for all trips with seemingly dynamic objectives they prove to always be beneficial for the psych.

Moes Valley, UT – one of the prestigious bouldering destinations in the west, a crater like field of featured blocs, is an endless playground limited only by the durability of the skin on your fingertips.  Andrew Lam, Anthony Hedberg, Martine Nichols, Marley Nelson, Jade Martinsen, our puppy Luna and I comprised our clan to tackle some well-earned pebble wrestling.   After warming our limbs, removing our shirts (briefly) Hedberg, Lam, and Marley gave a good showing on Linder’s Roof – a classic V9 that followings a series of decent holds to a heinous cross.

Lam making the crux move on Linders Roof

Hedberg repeated Israil direct (V8) – with much ease.  Beyond being too strong for his own good, he has the beastliest shoulders of anyone I know.

We made our rounds, repeated some easier classics and joined a crew mobbing Dead Rabbit (V10).   This problem is amazing with small but positive holds through an overhanging face.  With decent beta spray, some kneebarring trickery, and vocal support, Lam made a good showing climbing all the moves but unable to link from start to end.

With the remaining tingling feeling in our hands, we switch gears and headed to Snow Canyon State Park.  Without a guidebook, my vague glance at a topo a few days earlier was all we had to go on as we searched for the classic route, Living on the Edge.  Located immediately off of the road that runs through the park, it wasn’t hard to find. The route trends on the edge of a large alcove following amazing patina plates and jugs.  Being so close to the road, we attracted a large crowd of sightseers who jeered us on and took photos.

At 5.10, this route has moved its way up the charts in my book to the status of ultra-classic.  We made quick work of the 3 pitches, laughed at the hollowness on some of the holds on the upper pitches, and rappelled.  Multi pitch sport climbing at its best and I highly recommend it.

Thanks to the generosity of Jade’s grandparents, we were put up in their vacation home in Mesquite, NV.  We cruised down through the Virgin River Gorge, and after a hefty meal of Mexican food, we threw down for a night of light “grand larceny”.  After a short hour of straight brutality by a humorless dealer with the first name “Lino” – we settled in back at the house and correctly decided another round of the “Martini Chugging Contest” WASN’T in order.

Warming up at the Cathedral

In the morning we slammed back homemade breakfast burritos, bloody marys, and racked our quickdraws.  We ventured out to Welcome Springs in search of the infamous Cathedral and desert limestone.  It’s in the moments on the dirt road heading out to a new area when the imagination burns and the diminutive sense of adventure and potential begin to manifest.  Followed by the moment when the beauty of the stone reveals itself and these emotions culminate.  Photos only share a fraction of the experience.  It’s the realness of being there, this portion that is left in the heart.

The Infamous Cathedral

We clambered up into the cave of stone, covered on all sides by paths of most-resistant and fixed draws.  We traced the lines with our fingers and imagined the strength expressed during each climbers effort to triumph on the routes.

We warmed up. Lam set his sights on flashing the project we came for, Spring Loaded, an inspiring 13a that climbs to the edge of the cave’s left flank.  He floated through the lower 12b section of the route, only stymied by a few in-obvious movements, and rested at the mid anchor.  He loaded up and got dynamic clipping the remaining 3 bolts to the upper anchor.  First 5.13!! Psyched!

Lam hucking it on his way to the anchor on Spring Loaded, 13a

As we drifted back on the freeway headed to Salt Lake, another amazing trip with great friends logging its way into my memory,  I could only bask in the stoke for the future. The mantra stands true: on wards and upwards into the great unknown, with good company close at hand, and new experiences to share.

I had some big goals for this season. I planned to compete at Freeride World Qualifier events in Squaw Valley, Big Sky, and Telluride. I am working on a startup ski film/environmental activism production company by the name of SFC Productions. We are just starting up and planned to put together a few web edits this season to get our feet off the ground. I was supposed to manage and get in front of the camera for SFC this season. I planned to explore much more of Utah’s backcountry, including skiing the Uintahs, faces on Olympus and Timpanogos, and parts of Southern Utah. Unfortunately, I’ve had to halt these goals after experiencing the roughest week of my skiing career.

Thursday, December 19th was a great day to score some of the first face shots of the season. My good friend/photographer Jon took some deep morning laps under the Gad 2 chair at Snowbird. After snapping a few photos of some powder turns, we headed in for a break at the Snowbird Center.

After a quick defrost and peek at the photos from that morning, we headed back out to see if we could score some time in the white room along the tram line. We decided to traverse into Mach Schnell in the Shot 12 area for those familiar. We crossed past the cables of the tram into what was shaping up to be some deep afternoon goodness. Jon was behind me and out of sight. I came to a clearing from the trees and I felt it hit me. I was up to my waste in moving snow. I turned my head uphill just in time to see the forty-foot wide river of white flowing directly at me.

Somehow, without being swept from my feet, I was able to point my boards directly downhill into the trees. I skied with the avalanche for a bit before cutting hard skier’s left out of the path of the snow. Jon came around the corner in confusion, to see me washed 200 yards down the uncovered slope. I was lucky. Had the slide taken place outside of the resort boundaries, it would have been manageable. But I was ill prepared for the three-foot deep fracture avalanche to take place in the comfort of a ski resort. I was not wearing my beacon, not carrying my shovel and probe, and not concerned with the safety of the snow I was sliding on. The ropes of the resort had provided me with the false sense of safety that could have cost me my life.

The next day, we were back to the grind. This time, Jon and I strapped our beacons on underneath our jackets and cruised up the lifts. An hour or two in, Jon decided he wanted to take off the camera bag and try to hand drag over a snow-covered knoll under the Gad 2 lift. He dropped in with speed, and leaned back on the lip of the jump. His body contorted to the left and gravity pulled him to the earth. The friendly staff of the Snowbird medical clinic worked for over three hours to jam Jon’s arm back into his shoulder socket. Numbed by opiates, he had to be transported to the hospital and finally had his arm fixed up by 10pm that night.

I took it easy the next few days. I skied in the mornings and didn’t push myself too hard in fear of the negative karma that I’d been plagued with Thursday and Friday. I spent Christmas night at my favorite East Coast transplant city/skier girl, Sophie’s condo, just above the bypass road overlooking the Mt. Superior and the Salt Lake Valley. We charged the next day, taking hot laps across the entirety of the mountain. It was still not prime conditions to leave the resort boundaries, but with the opening of new terrain and heavy uphill winds, the snow was soft and fast, and the sun was shining!

After lunch at Sophie’s place, we headed back out to get in a few more laps before the lifts came to a stop. By 3:45, shade had swept over the slopes. I traversed skier’s right from the Peruvian chair to the top of a few menial chutes. I dropped into one and caught a little air into the opening. Upon impact, the inside edge of my left ski caught the settled snow and ripped from my boot. I was plunging straight into a steep field of 4’-6’ pine trees on my right ski. Unable to regain control at such high speed, I fell to my side. I felt the blunt impact of a tree trunk directly above the cuff of my left ski boot. My body disengaged from the tree and I rolled several more feet with my left leg dangling from its tendons.

Sophie sprinted up the hill towards me as I keeled over in pain. She shouted at the observing tourists to call ski patrol while I struggled to maintain consciousness. She held my hands and supported my body on the steep face while we waited in agony for patrollers to get there. I somehow managed to stay conscious through the entire ordeal. Patrol arrived on the scene and straightened my limp leg into a splint while I screamed in the worst pain I’d ever felt in my entire life. They loaded me into a toboggan and put me on oxygen to rush me to the ambulance waiting two miles away.

After two nights in the hospital, I was released back home. I now have a titanium rod running through my tibia and secured with a few screws. My fibula was reset and my entire leg put into a cast to be removed in a few weeks. I’m going to be on crutches for a while and my ski season is most likely over (keeping my fingers crossed for some turns in June and July). My goals for this season have been replaced with a list of books to read and shows on Netflix to watch. My expectations of deep turns and huge cliff hucks are now to be soothed by fantasizing over ski films and web edits. For the first time ever, I can’t wait for the warm weather of summer to return.

At this point, I’m doing what I can to stay positive. Injuries like this are bound to happen, but always have to do so at such inopportune times. I’m going to continue to do what I can to get SFC Productions off the ground with some other athletes this season, but I’ll be behind the viewfinder and the laptop instead. I’m excited to get back on my feet and regain my strength in the next few months, and I’m stoked to be able to make a full recovery and get back after it soon enough. For those reading this, get some turns for me, I’ll be lying around at home eating ice cream and watching Netflix for now!

These photos are from last winter filming with Sherpas Cinema, on the famed “Air Jordan”.
Photo Credit: Sherpas Cinema

It all started off with an invite to film an inbounds Whistler Blackcomb segment with Sherpas Cinema. I arrived to town fresh off a less than spectacular snow base in Utah. In Whistler, they had an awesome early season and were still sitting on a great base. It hadn’t snowed in a few weeks in Whistler and most of the locals were awaiting a new influx of nukage. I, however, was licking my chops with the great base.

We initiated some filming, right away, I knew we were going to break some new ground in true Sherpas fashion. We were lining up shots that were choreographed to have quite a few people skiing at once. Dave Mossop of Sherpas, said, “OK guys, I’m going to count down from 20, Julian, you’re in the air at 8, Matty you’re skiing into frame at 5, Austin you’re jumping at 3, Tatum you’re skiing through the foreground at zero, rest of you guys just be skiing the whole time on the sides, and it’ll all work perfectly.. can you guys do that?”. Haha. We gave it our best shot in some truly classic Whistler zones over the next couple of weeks. Most of the time I think we walked away accomplishing what we intended, some shots maybe not.

After a couple really fun weeks, I headed home for a break til the next storm and break in weather came in. It ended up being just a few days, then I headed back up to Whistler. It snowed quite a bit, about 50″, but the weather wasn’t quite cooperating for filming. On one of the days we were cruising around, well most days cruising around, my eye would always go towards the Air Jordan zone. I would fantasize about singling the entire zone. I’d keep the thoughts to myself though, because the ability to ever take that fantasy seriously, the zone would need 100″ of snow and closure of the landing zone while it nuked. Not going to happen. And I didn’t think there was a suitable take-off up there. Regardless, it was fun to fantasize.

One of the days we got skunked on weather, Stan Rey was up there on Jordan. I was over in a different zone with a different air lined up, they were going to bring in the heli with Cineflex. Unfortunately neither of us had the chance to hit it due to weather, but after he came down and we all met up, he said to me casually, smiling, “Julian, there was a rad diving board platform thing up there you could send the whole thing from.” He said it very passingly and was laughing, little did he know I was listening very intently and I immediately looked at the zone and recognized what he described as the diving board. NOTED. Very noted my friend.

At this point, it was a Thursday, weather was calling for some serious snow to fall for a couple of days, then it was going to maybe clear. Sherpas had another project lined up out of town on Monday. So it was looking like our only day to hopefully get another shot was Sunday. I took off to Vancouver while it nuked, the whole upper mountain was closed and it was raining like crazy in the village of Whistler. The sun was shining in Vancouver and I was lucky enough that my girlfriend had a layover in Vancouver, so we decided to have a great Friday night and chill all day Saturday until her flight up to Nelson and my shuttle back up to Whistler Saturday PM.

After a killer time decompressing in Vancouver, I hopped on the shuttle back up to Whistler. The snow reports I was hearing were 100″ storm total, 50″ more inches in last 36 hours. WOW. Weather report was also saying clearing on Sunday AM and sun. Were the stars really aligning for me to take a look at this Air Jordan air? They were.

I rolled into town Saturday night. I called one of the people I had become friends with during the shoot, Christian. He picks up the phone and I tell him, “You down to wake up early with me, go have a look at Jordan? I’m thinking about singling it, you got my back, be my wingman?” He immediately is game on. Christian was one of those guys everyone knew up there, everyone gave him respect and him and I connected on a cool level throughout the days filming up there. I knew I had to access the zone before anyone else, assess the diving board, to see if it could in fact get me over the whole zone. Then go down in the landing and probe. Then come all the way back around to come back to the air after another chairlift ride. All the while I knew I could trust Christian to politely ask any locals that wanted to punch Air Jordan the proper double cliff stage way, if they wouldn’t mind waiting til I got back and was considering hitting it as a single stager.

Christian and I wake up early, meet the Sherpas crew. It’s a glorious sunny morning, the entire upper mountain had been closed for two days. Unbelievably beautiful. We loaded the gondola and when we got up to the base of Peak Chair, holy crap the line was LONG. Everyone made their plans of attack. Hoji was heading there, Matt Elliot was headed there, and so on and so on. I told Mossop I was headed to inspect the Jordan zone for a potential single and told him I’d radio him when I had a yay or nay. It’d most likely be over an hour before he’d hear from me. Game on.

Christian and I head down to Peak chair, line up is massive. We head to the liftie and we mention we’re with the film crew and we’re hoping to snag early chair, he says hold up, he goes into shack, comes out in a hurry and says, “You guys hop up there!”  Holy shit OK. We hop up in front of first chair and before we know it he lifts the closed sign and we’re all loading and we have the FIRST chair! Haha! No way.

We head up, the mountain is unreal. No tracks, beautiful sunshine and thousands of hungry skiers ready to take no prisoners.

We unload and rally to the Jordan zone. I had never been there before, so Christian shows me the way. We roll up on the spot. I look down and see a really obvious diving board that shoots you off into the oblivion, of what I instantly knew was the famed double stager called Air Jordan. So far so good. Intense.

I ski carefully down to the take off of the diving board and have a look over the edge. Oh boy, I knew to air the whole zone it was not going to be a sheer cliff, but when I first looked over the air, it was FAR from sheer. It appeared, to get over the rocks and cliffs below, I’d have to travel VERY far to get out to the landing zone WAY down there. Instantly my gut reaction was gripped with fear and a fleeting mentality. Nope no way was this cliff doable. Dang. Oh well. Holy shit it was terrifying. I’m out of there. Too bad. “Wait wait wait wait a minute.” my inner voice was saying to me. “you don’t KNOW it’s not doable.” I realized I had to make absolute certain, with my intellect, not my fear that the cliff wasn’t possible. After I got comfortable and found my footing underneath me, I took it all in. The in run length for approximate amount of speed I could, ball park, have, the cliffs underneath me, the landing way out there, it all lined up, maybe. Was it impossible? No it wasn’t. In fact, it looked very potentially doable. Dang it! I studied it for 10 minutes intensely. It was doable, the take off would take some time to stamp out and manicure, but it was doable. I looked up and saw that Christian had made friends with a handful of hungry locals wanting to hit Jordan as a double. They all told me take my time and they wouldn’t hit it. What a bunch of bad-asses. I told them I was going down to inspect the landing, probably for 30 minutes, then hustle down to catch another chair lift, hopefully not have to wait in line.

Photo Credit: Sherpas Cinema

I went down to the landing zone. Probed. Landing was great. I could penetrate the snow with my entire pole, then my whole arm to my shoulder. Perfect. The only way I’ll jump off 100+ footers is to have snow like this. I was stoked. But also not sure about the air still. I like to hit SHEER cliffs. This cliff was not sheer, any mistake on my speed calculation would be certain death. And I not only couldn’t under calculate the speed necessary, I couldn’t over calculate, for there were trees past my preferred landing spot.

I headed down to the chairlift and knew I’d stare the dragon in the face and make a decision once I got back up to the take off. Breathe. Breathe. Let the calm and meditation start to seep into my being. For I was going to need it. I could not simply make a mental “choice” to hit the air, I knew that, I was going to need to make a full body meditational, universal, present awakening of intent up there. I knew that. Breathe. Breathe. It’ll all unravel in the way it should. Whether it works out or not for me to take it down. Breathe.

I was lucky enough to cut the line again, SO MANY PEOPLE! Wow I was treated to a show on my way up the lift, Matt Elliot nailed a super impressive air and stomped it, same with Hoji and a handful of rippers. Whistler was going off. Peak Chair represent!

I cruised back over to top of Jordan and in classic Christian form, he tipped his cap to me. No words were spoken, none were needed. Quite a few people had gathered at this point. Everyone gave me all the space I needed. I skied back down to the take off, had another look down to my landing zone. Holy smokes this was a spicy endeavor. I still couldn’t gauge my yes or no, so I simply decided to start making my take off and while I did this I knew my body would start to make sense of the energy around me and in the feat.

As I side stepped up and slid down time and time again to form my take off, it literally became a booter off the diving board. The in-run was about 50 feet long with a steep down ramp set back about 30 feet before the actual take-off. On top of the steep down ramp was the deck where everyone was hanging out. I knew I would not only need a well manicured 50 feet of in-run, but would need another 50 feet to pole push to get me into my steep in-run to have any chance of needed speed. No games here kids. Any miscalculation would have me coming up short. I immediately thought of 90′s deceased cliff jumper, Paul Ruff, RIP. He miscalculated a 140 footer, came up short and passed away due to internal injuries. He ruptured his aorta on impact. I would not have this happen.

Photo Credit: Sherpas Cinema

By now, Stan Ray pulled up and asked if he could hit Jordan as the double while I hit it as a single. Of course. He got into position. LOTS of people were showing up now, all the other skiers had nailed their lines and now it was my turn, the attention of the Sherpas magic Peak shoot was now on me.

I still didn’t know. Breathe. Breathe. Meditate. Think. Don’t think. Be. Free. Be free. Absorb. Be the in-run. Be the air. Be the landing. Breathe. Breathe.

I made the in-run picture perfect. It was solid. I couldn’t run the risk of having any of the in-run become “soft” as I railed into it. I needed to have it fast and ready for me to pop like a champion off the end of it.

I still didn’t know. Breathe.

I stood at the top of the in-run, all 50 feet of it. Even with a really steep ramp and a massive booter, it wasn’t fast enough yet. I stamped out the snow leading up to the down-ramp. It was a blind roll over situation, so I marked the snow where I need to be aimed as I came over the blind roll over to have me squarely coming down the ramp with maximum speed. A point of no return situation on my hands. Instense! Breathe. I still didn’t know. Damn this was rowdy. A very tremendous energy field had formed in the area. It was thick. Breathe.

I backed up all the way to my start point, a good 150 feet away from the booter off the end of the diving board. I mimicked my pole push into my ramp. I had a fair amount of speed that would lead me into the point of no return, steep ramp directly into the booter. OK OK OK… I’m getting a grasp of this.

I did that a few times. Then skied down to my take-off again. I began to have body affirmations all was good. I like that. It was not 100% yet.

I side stepped back up, on the steepest part of the in-run, I really BECAME the in-run. I felt an authentic connection between every cell in my body and every particle of snow that made the in-run and shared a vision of exactness together… it was total unique affirmation. It wasn’t a choice, this was the mediation I was awaiting. To become hyper aware of all things in my vicinity. I am the vicinity. Breathe.

I started to side step up to announce I was ready. But I had a powerful voice come from somewhere inside me, it said, “Julian, you just had one affirmation, and that is great, you need to step back down to that exact spot back there and think this through with your intelligence to back up your meditational affirmation.” Indeed, it was my body checking in with me. It said, “that’s fine and dandy you’re in a profound state of zen right now, but you are a living young healthy human right now, if you make any mistake right now, right now, this exact moment, it will be taken from you.”

Breathe.

I stepped back down. Closed my eyes. Had a complete visualization of the physical aspects of the feat from start to finish. I liked it. Then my whole body took over my thinking self. I was now again part of my surroundings, I was seeing and being from the cliffs perspective, the snow’s, my skis, the air, myself, my ego, my detachment from self, from the atomic level. It’s really a magical transmission.

I opened my eyes, I now was 100% certain in my pursuit.

I hiked up to the top of the in-run. I took in all the people that were now up there with me. We had a lot of “extras” for the shot to be skiing in the background while I aired. Stan was in position, what a pimp, he’d been hanging out for a good hour now.

I announced to all the extras that under no circumstance were they to make a right hand turn once they started to descend in their respective paths. If they made a right, they may just have my skis chopping their head off as I landed on them and kill both of us. I heard a little bit of chitter chatter as I announced this. I had no problem asserting myself and clearly announcing again until I had every single person nodding their head in understanding.

I stepped back to my start point. Crazy thing is my heart rate. After a transformation to pure confidence, it takes out the intensity of the situation. For I see it for what it really is… it’s a sharing of my energy field with the energy field of the in-run, take-off, air, cliff, and landing. I was in harmony and had achieved equilibrium with the frequency of the feat between all these components. So I do not have a fast heart beat, I do not have any need to yell or scream into the air and bump my chest. I am not here to dominate my surrounding, I am here to share with it.

Breathe.

I radio I am ready.

Sherpas radio back they’re 1-minute out.

Breathe.

I am in air on their 5 count. Stan drops into line at 8 count, and the extras start to ski at the commencement of the 10 count.

Breathe.

Focus. Maintain the equilibrium.

Momme with Sherpas starts the count, “ten”, “nine”, “eight”, I start to push with my poles, “seven”, I pick up speed towards my blind rollever to my down-ramp, “six”, I crest my blind roll-over and am hauling ass, perfectly, down my steep ramp, as we’ve all experienced with going fast on firm groomers when your skis chatter a bit, I experienced a bit of chatter on my down-ramp. I was moving, I internally smiled to myself, I was going FAST, as fast I needed to, nothing more nothing less. “Five”, I pop off the booter and I am now airborne, and moving FAST, I love it, usually I have some time to take it all in, but this time I’m moving so fast things are moving fast in my peripheral vision, last thing I see is I am beyond the bottom of the cliff as I flip my front flip over. What a feeling to swan dive off a cliff going that fast. I was now into the safety zone.

Photo Credit: Sherpas Cinema

Photo Credit: Sherpas Cinema

I switched gears mentally to have total relaxation upon impact with snow. I breathe out and go limp entirely. This is all instinctual. I have thoughts react and catch up to what my body already knows and is executing on meditation-wise. I am still not me, I am everything around me. But I still have vision and internal dialogue of self. Very interesting. I am the observer. Even though I am the subject.

I make impact as the observer and feel the interaction of the energy of body and snow. It melds together seamlessly, I don’t feel a thing. Pure energy sharing. Amazing. I’m a spectator in awe. I have no explanation. I have no way to attach meaning to it from anything I’ve read or studied. It’s pure. Transcending boundaries of human supposed limits. With no abrasiveness. It’s all the same frequency. There is no way to define the difference in energy in myself and energy in the snow. It’s one.

In a continuous motion, I am back on my feet skiing away out of my dust of smoke. Magic. Haha. Breathe. Laughing. High fiving.

Yelling with happiness.

Yelling again from charged particles in my body.

I loved my time in Whistler, what an amazing opportunity.

BREATHE! Haha

Cheers!

A big thanks to the Sherpas crew and Whistler mountain. And all my old and new friends up there.

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