Ben Hoiness is one of the best skiers you have never heard of. Formerly a guide for Exum (The oldest guiding service in North America), and skiing some of the most badass lines all over the Tetons, he now resides in Red Lodge, Montana.
When he isn't crushing vert in the Backcountry, he is crafting some of the finest cabinets you have ever seen. We sat down with him to see how he balances his life in the mountains and the jobsite.
Hey Ben! Your work with Tendaro looks insane, when did you first get into high end craftsmanship?
I started building at a very amateur level as a kid building skate ramps in my driveway. I think that planted the seed of a love for building and brought me to custom van building and now to Tendaro.
I believe carpentry and craftsmanship ship is a constant progression and you’re always learning new tricks and workflows. Just a like a good skill turn…It can always be better.
I feel that! I don't think a hopturn in exposed terrain can ever be perfected. What kind of products and services does Tendaro Specialize in?
Tendaro specializes in modern high end custom cabinetry and millwork in the mountain west. We pride ourselves in having our hands on every piece that comes out of our shop which I feel like is becoming unique in the cabinetry world where shops farm out all the pieces and just assemble. We’re a small shop, just me and my buddy James Sigl. We also strive to use sustainable materials and VOC free natural finishes whenever we can.
Your stuff looks amazing, you can tell a ton of time and effort went into these pieces. What is your favorite project you have worked on, and how long did it take?
I’ve been really enjoying the current project we’ve working on in Wilson, WY building built in dorm style units in a small school. The whole inside is made of the same sustainably forested panel product from Europe and it fits our modern style well. As of this interviwew we’re a little more than 6 months in and should finish up in less than a week.
Damn! That sounds like quite a project, How would you compare planning a project with Tendaro, to planning for a big ski objective?
Honestly quite similar in some ways. The details always matter and problems can exacerbate if they’re over looked. There can be a lot pressure on performance in both but in end I really like doing both and the pressure fades once im doing my thing. I like to think my style in skiing blends into my style in building and vis versa.
I can tell, whether its your skiing or woodwork: they both look good. What is your favorite line you have ever skied?
My favorite line in the Tetons is probably the Diagonal Couloir on Mount Owen. In the Cooke area (where I live now) it has to be The Becky Couloir on Glacier Peak.
