People say a picture is a thousand words, but sometimes there's more to the story...
Powder Gal
Powder skiing is competitive. Few skiers would consider themselves a competitor on a powder day but they are. Identifiers like "Powder Panicking" are that of what makes up the soul of this controversially competitive activity. And this is not just for youngsters; the older crowd gets competitive too. Often referenced as “Crustafarians," they are the keepers of the old soul to competitive powder skiing. They still don’t talk about where they ski whereas the youngsters POV edits are up before the lifts stop turning. One fearless powder competitor is Kelly Mackenzie. Growing up at Grand Targhee, she’s straight ruthless on a powder day. From what you can tell in this easterly-lit photo, she’s likely loaded first chair and then trenched a line only a few steps away from Alta Ski Area's coveted Wildcat chairlift. Lets see you try to top that? You go girl!
Words : Matt Sterbenz // Photo : Sam Watson
Fully InThayne
There's days when it all lines up and then there's those that don't. Here's a perfect day of when it does both. We discovered this featured wall on a trip to BC late in the day after bagging numerous lines of team riders Eric Hjorleifson and pictured here, Thayne Rich. Thayne was just teeing off this natural takeoff, stomping an insane cork 3 first try. Thayne returned several laps later, now trying this cork 7 on his signature InThayne ski to ultimately leave without a stomp but a smile wide and in full health. The lesson: Be grateful for what you have and live to ski another day.
Words : Matt Sterbenz // Photo : Sam Watson
Summit Scramble
An alpine scramble is when you rely on all fours to summit your objective. Crampons, ropes, ice axes are often considered the tools of a mountaineer. A freeskier on tour often tends to “make-do” in more primitive ways of reaching the summit. Over the course of 3 days in the Esplanades, our team relentlessly shredded every pillow and cliff-band in sight of Golden Alpine Holidays Meadow Lodge. Sheltering the lodge was Cupola Peak, the tallest in the range at 2640m, which had a massive split couloir on the north face that Harrison Brickman talked Shane Treat into going up to “have-a-look.” Well, anytime someone ask you to make a 1000m exposed accent to just “have-a-look” its safe to say you’re going skiing. The two took our photographer Sam Watson up the ridge-line and scrambled their way to the summit. Once on top, the group successfully organized a ski cut on rappel and then one at a time left puckering arcs down the 1000m face.
Words : Matt Sterbenz // Photo : Sam Watson
