SnoWorld #67: Here, There & Everywhere

FILM #
67
NTENTS
5
TAL ES FR O M THE R OAD
COURT LEVE
DEPARTMENTS
12
TALES FROM THE ROAD

Behind the scenes of what
moved the crew on the road.
16
THE MAKING OF
MY FIRST FILM
The film Deep and Light
kicked off 55 years of
Warren Miller sharing his
passion on the big screen.
22
PLAYBILL
A guide to the segments in
Here, There & Everywhere.
FEATURES
26
MONTANA
Collin Collins and Tyler Ceccanti
follow in Warren Millers tracks
in Glacier Country.
46
FENWAY
Top freeskiers and snowboarders go big, catching air
at the iconic Boston ballpark.
66
SQUAW VALLEY
Some of the worlds best
skiers and snowboarders
call this resort home.
32
CORDOVA
Theres no place like home for
childhood friends Ryland Bell
and Morgan Hebert.
50
CRESTED BUTTE
Whether youre on skis or a
fat bike, its all about having
a good time in the snow.
74
SWITZERLAND
Jess McMillan and Grete
Eliassen take on extreme
terrain in a freeride hotspot.
40
DEER VALLEY
Chris Anthony and Kaylin
Richardson remember one
of the sports greats.
58
KICKING HORSE
A behind-the-scenes look
at the unsung heroes of the
mountain: the ski patrol.
84
GREENLAND
Long-time riding mates Seth
Wescott and Rob Kingwill
cruise the islands icy peaks.
Fall 2016, Volume 67

Editor Lindsay Konzak
Art Director Sign Higgins
Photo Editor Bailey LaRue
Copy Editor Courtney Holden
Contributing Editor Josh Haskins
Contributors Jessi Hackett, Brigid Mander, Chris Patterson
Photographers Mike Arzt, Cam Mcleod, Tony Wilhelms, Court Leve, Grant Gunderson,
Hank Devre, Kevin Krill, Chris Segal, Colin Witherill
Design Intern Carina Singletary
Narrator
Jonny Moseley
Screenwriter
Micah Abrams
Marketing Director
Jessica McGee
Director
Chris Patterson
Music Supervisor
Travis Schneider
Digital Marketing Coordinator

Meghan Funk
Producer
Josh Haskins
Sound Supervisors
Mark Rozett, Alex Pugh
Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Jessi Hackett
Editors
Kim Schneider, Kyle Schneider
Online Editor
John Barcklay
Film Tour Production Artist

Elizabeth Holt
Directors of Photography
Tom Day, Chris Patterson
Managing Director
Andy Hawk
Digital Marketing & Promotions Assistant

Amanda Markert
Associate Producer
Ian Anderson
Operations &
Distribution Director
Fiachra Stokes
Partnerships &
Strategic Alliances Manager
Julie Bynum
Operations &
Distribution Manager
John Shafer
Partnerships &
Strategic Alliances Coordinator
Ben Cooperman
Independent Promotions Coordinator

Conor Sedmak
Executive Producer
Andrew W. Clurman
Production Coordinator
Jessi Markowitz
Additional Cinematographers
Mike Arzt, Daniel Day, Josh Haskins,
Jeffrey Loewe, Colin Witherill, Jeff Wright,
Jeff Engerbretson, Matt Hardy,
Adam Greenberg, Ian Anderson
VP, GM Outdoor Group Kent Ebersole Vice President of Sales and Marketing Al Crolius
Advertising Manager Lori Ostrow Mountain Group Editorial Director Greg Ditrinco Group Production Director Barb VanSickle
Prepress Manager Joy Kelley Color Specialist Mark Dobroth Ad Production Caitlin OConnor
Executive Chairman Efrem Zimbalist III President & CEO Andrew W. Clurman Executive Vice President & CFO Brian Sellstrom
Executive Vice President, Operations Patricia B. Fox SVP, Digital and Data Jonathan Dorn Vice President, Finance Craig Rucker
Vice President, Controller Joseph Cohen Vice President, Research Kristy Kaus
GLACIER COUNTRY
NIGHT
AND
DAY
Collin Collins and Tyler Ceccanti tour Western Montanas Glacier Country
and hunker down like Warren Miller once did in a teardrop trailer, mixing it
up with night skiing, snowmobiling and daytime backcountry shredding.
Photos by Colin Witherill
Tyler Ceccanti, left, and Collin

Collins prepare for a night run in
Whitefish. The awesome thing
about night skiing is that its almost like a dream, Ceccanti says.
Youre kind of floating through
the trees... Its a whole different
experience from day skiing.
SN OWO R LD / H ER E, TH ERE & EVERY WH ERE
WAR R ENMI LLE R.C OM
WA RRE N MI LLE R.C OM
H E R E , TH E R E & E VE R Y W H E R E / S NOWO R LD
27
PROFILE
COLLIN COLLINS
WE S T ER N MO N TAN AS GL AC IER C O UN TR Y
28
Collin Collins started out as an alpine racer, only to fall in love with freeskiing at the
age of 15. He never looked back. The parktrained Collins now considers the backcountry his playground, making it his business to huck cliffs, dial in new tricks and
wow crowds while competing in contests
like the Freeskiing World Tour and the Red
Bull Cold Rush.
Born in Ketchum, Idaho next door to
Sun Valley Collins moved away after high
school to Montana and then to Utah, where
he got his first taste of the professional ski
life. But Sun Valleys relaxed scene and untapped backcountry lured him back a few
years ago. The area boasts several pro skiers native to the area. Among them: past
Warren Miller athletes Lexi DuPont, Lynsey
Dyer and McKenna Peterson.
Touring across Montana with Warren
Miller last year was far and away Collins
favorite part of the winter. I was blown
away, he says. It was the best trip of the
season. He grew up watching Warren Miller films, so getting the call to film for the
first time was, he says, insane.
Collins himself enjoys working behind
the camera as much as in front of it. This
winter, he plans to head into the Idaho backcountry to film. Warren Miller was obviously a huge inspiration growing up in Sun
Valley watching his movies, Collins says.
This trip really rekindled that inspiration
for me, getting in the spirit of classic filmmaking and enjoying the experience on the
road, documenting it all.
Hes working on building his own legacy in
the sport by coaching the Sun Valley freestyle
team. His goal: Impart the joy he feels ripping down a mountain and just going out every day and having fun. LINDSAY KONZAK
ABOVE: Taking a birds-eye view, the Warren Miller crew scouts locations for
the next shoot.
BELOW: Ceccanti skims the top of a snow ghost, a tree encased in layers of ice
but appearing to be covered by snow. Whitefish is famous for its snow ghosts.
The snow ghosts up here are insane. Just the way that they form on the trees
is crazy because they dont look like trees, Ceccanti says. They kind of look like
something out of a comic book or a drawing or something like that.
WE S T ER N MO N TAN AS GL AC IER C O UN TR Y
30
TOP: Collins floats above the trees.

BOTTOM: The crews snowmobiling
guide, Keith Curtis, flies. Snowmobiling gave the guys a raw backcountry
experience. (Snowmobiling) really
gets you deep into some zones that
people have never even skied before,
Collins says.
/////////
WHERE TO GO
/////////
GLACIER COUNTRY MONTANA
46.8797 N, 110.3626 W
Montanas Glacier Country, home to Glacier National Park, boasts six downhill ski
areas and thousands of acres of backcountry terrain for the more adventurous.
DONT MISS Try Whitefish Mountain Resort (skiwhitefish.com), a laid-back destination
that gets more than 300 inches of snow each year. Go all backcountry with yurtski.com,
with yurts nestled in the Southern Swan Mountains and access to some of Montanas
best powder skiing.
GETTING THERE Whitefish is 20 minutes from Glacier Park International Airport,
so its a great first stop for your getaway. Or kick it like Warren did with your own
custom-built teardrop trailer (check out Teardrop Fix-It-Shop at teardropparts.com)
and road-trip across Western Montanas Glacier Country.
CORDOVA
32
THERES
NO PLACE
LIKE HOME
Childhood friends Ryland Bell and Morgan Hebert ride the
Chugach Mountains in their home state of Alaska.
Photos by Court Leve
TOP: Snowboarders Ryland Bell and Morgan Hebert take a moment to soak in the stunning
features of the Chugach range.
OPPOSITE PAGE: Alaska gives new meaning to big-mountain riding, which even veteran
snowboarder Bell (shown) finds breathtaking. There is a lot of history here, a lot of beautiful, pristine lines that you see pictures of and video of people riding. Just to be here and
have the chance to get out there and get on some of that is just awesome, Bell says.
33
34
35
C O R DOVA AL ASK A
C O R DOVA AL ASK A
ABOVE: Heberts first experience in Chugach powder didnt disappoint. Its just a whole new,
beautiful set of mountains down here that Ive never been on, that Ive only experienced behind
the TV screen, he says. Its pretty cool just knowing that this place has so much history in
snowboarding. Its always been an allure to me.
TOP LEFT: Bell lets loose. I really evolved my snowboarding in the lower 48 and all over the
world, traveling and finding new mountains, new zones, new types of snow, the athlete says.
Something thats really special to me is to be able to come back to Alaska and use all these
skills I have learned elsewhere. Its like coming full circle.
BOTTOM LEFT: Bell and Hebert, who grew up riding together, take stock of the land. Just
knowing that theyll have your back and youre watching out for each other really creates a
safer environment in the backcountry, Hebert says of their relationship.
C O R DOVA AL ASK A
36
ABOVE: Riding in Alaska means immersing yourself in the wild and meeting new
friends, like this eagle making a pitstop
during filming.
TOP RIGHT: Hey slacker! Bell shows off his
balancing skills and walks across a makeshift slackline at the end of the road
in Cordova.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Points North Heli-Adventures professional mountain guide Tino
Villanueva brings up the rear. Villanueva
spends most of his year looking for unclimbed peaks and unskied lines to add to
his growing list of first ski descents.
/////////
WHERE TO GO
/////////
CORDOVA ALASKA
60.5424 N, 145.7525 W
LODGING Make the 37-room lodge run by Points North Heli-Adventures (PNH) your home base
for more than 2,000 skiable acres in the Chugach Mountains.
GETTING THERE Cordova, in southeast Alaska, is the closest town. Its accessible only by air or
ferry across Prince William Sound.
DONT MISS Book a PNH package deal, with hard-to-beat options such as a private helicopter
for you and 12 friends, a ladies-only tour or a seven-day cruise on a private boat with helicopter.
Another option: Head way south with PNH for the trip of a lifetime to the Antarctic peninsula.
PROFILE
RYLAND BELL
C O R DOVA AL ASK A
38
If anyone knows Alaska, its Ryland Bell,

who grew up riding Fairbanks powder as a
snowboarder all winter and the waves with
his familys commercial fishing business
every summer.
After cutting his teeth in Alaskas backcountry terrain, Bell has a healthy respect
for snowboarding hard, working harder and
staying safe in a state with a personality all
its own. The mountains are just amazing
there, Bell says. Super steep. They hold
snow on them. Theyre fluted and spined, and
they are the spot to be. Its pretty amazing to
be standing on top of this vertical face, and
you look out, and three ridges over, theres
the ocean. Youre just on top of the world,
and its a super powerful experience.
Bell hasnt just been on top of the world.
Hes also been on top of multiple podiums,
including that of The North Face Masters of
Snowboarding competition. Last February,
he scored a career high, winning the Freeride
World Tour stop in Haines, Alaska. To win
in that contest was awesome, he says. To
come to Alaska and have all these super-talented riders, just the top of the game, and to
come out on top Im still really stoked about
it. I think the day they threw that contest was
probably the best day of the whole winter.
Three feet of blower and stable and totally
sunny all day. Conditions were just perfect.
His appearance in this years Warren
Miller film was also a highlight: It was the
trip of a lifetime.
These days Bell spends his winters riding all over the world, but he still returns
to Alaska every summer to captain his own
commercial fishing boat. You have to fish
every hour thats light, so theres essentially
three weeks of 20-plus hour days, he says.
Its pretty ragged, but its really fun and
satisfying. LINDSAY KONZAK
TOP: During filming, it was raining at lower elevations, which meant epic
powder stacked right where they needed it: at the top, perfect conditions for
Bell as he winds his way down the peak.
BOTTOM: The Points North Heli-Adventures crew stages for another run in
the Chugach.
DEER VALLEY RESORT
40
41
DEER VAL L EY
A LEGENDS
TRACKS
PHOTOS COURTESY OF DEER VALLEY
Chris Anthony and Kaylin Richardson pay tribute to the father of freestyle
skiing, Stein Eriksen, at the resort he called home.
PROFILE
KAYLIN RICHARDSON
PREVIOUS PAGE LEFT: Warren Miller veteran Chris Anthony tackles a groomer, following in the tracks of one of his heroes, Olympic medalist
and long-time Deer Valley Resort Director of Skiing Stein Eriksen.
PREVIOUS PAGE RIGHT: Located just outside of Park City, Utah, Deer Valley
Resort was founded in 1981 as a ski-only getaway. It has 2,206 acres, more
than 100 runs and one of the largest ski schools in the country. When you
get to the top of the mountain, and you look out and see open glow on Empire
Bowl and the mist filling in Heber Valley, it doesnt come as a surprise that
Stein came here, looked around and said, Im home, says alpine ski racer
Kaylin Richardson.
ABOVE: qRichardson bombs down a run at Deer Valley Resort. When you
ski this mountain, you can try every single type of terrain in a span of one
day, she says.
PROFILE PHOTO: CAM MCLEOD
DEER VAL L EY R ESO R T UTAH
42
Known among her fellow skiers for her

fearless style, Kaylin Richardson says this
years shoots with Warren Miller at Deer
Valley Resort and Kicking Horse Mountain
Resort were pure, untarnished fun.
This was her fifth year as part of the Warren Miller family. Youre with a group of
people who are really dedicated to making a
great segment and sharing an authentic skiing experience At the same time, youre
just out there to have fun, she says. Its
people who really have a passion for the
sport and being outdoors.
Among her favorite sessions with the
Warren Miller film crew: hitting the slopes
first thing in the morning this year at Deer
Valley and trips in previous years to Norway
where you ski to the ocean. [It] was just
staggeringly beautiful.
Native to the Minneapolis, Minn. area, the
alpine ski racer is a four-time national champion and two-time Olympian, having competed in the alpine skiing combined event in both
the 2006 and 2010 Games. Six years ago, she
retired from the World Cup circuit, and since
then, has moved on to big-mountain skiing.
She hasnt looked back.
Richardson hopes her journey inspires
others to live life to the fullest. The cool
thing about skiing is that its this sport that
I absolutely adore, but also people get a little bit of a glimpse of how I live my life and
how much I enjoy following my passion,
Richardson says. There are few people
who get to live a life like I do and do exactly
what they love, but I think that if everyone
could try, or at least be inspired to be totally themselves in their workplace, in their
family, in their home that is definitely the
legacy I want to leave. LINDSAY KONZAK
Stein Eriksen is known as the father of freestyle skiing, inspiring future generations of
professional skiers to take to the air.
LATE SKI LEGEND STEIN ERIKSEN is widely viewed as the father of freestyle skiing,
a man who cut first tracks for future superstars of the sport like Olympic alpine ski
racer Kaylin Richardson and Warren Miller film veteran Chris Anthony. For this years
film, Richardson and Anthony followed in Eriksens footsteps at Utahs Deer Valley
Resort, where Eriksen served as the director of skiing for more than 35 years.
Eriksen, 88, died Dec. 27, 2015, in his home in Park City, Utah.
He was skiings first superstar, Richardson says. He had style; he had charisma. Every single skier tries to have their own way about it, and he was the first
person to do that.
Norway-born Eriksen took home gold and silver in the 1952 Winter Olympics in
the giant slalom and slalom. In 1954, he was the first alpine skier to win triple gold at
/////////
WHERE TO GO
/////////
DEER VALLEY UTAH
40.6374 N, 111.4783 W
LODGING Deer Valley Resort offers multiple lodging options. For a luxurious experience, choose the Stein
Eriksen Lodge, a classic European lodge named for and inspired by ski legend Stein Eriksen.
COURTESY OF DEER VALLEY
DEER VAL L EY R ESO R T UTAH
44
a world championship. Deer Valley Resort credits him with pioneering the forward somersault,
a forerunner to the aerial acrobatics regularly
seen in freeskiing competitions today.
Eriksens most lasting achievements, however, go far beyond the prizes he took home. He
spent most of his career as an ambassador to the
sport, spreading awareness about it and sharing
the love he had.
Anthony considers himself lucky to have skied
with Eriksen, experiencing that passion firsthand. When I got to follow him down the hill,
I saw something very special, Anthony says.
This is a guy who had style. He did it gracefully.
He knew how to take advantage of the terrain.
It was effortless.
Anthony, who has been inspiring the next
generation of skiers himself for more than 27
years in Warren Miller films, remembers how
impressed he was by the skill Eriksen demonstrated in the earliest Warren Miller features.
Youre watching something magical. If you take
yourself back, I wonder what it was like sitting
there, floundering on the mountain, and then you
see this guy just coming through making it look
so easy, Anthony says. The other part that is
just unbelievable when you look at that footage
is the equipment that hes on. I mean, theres no
way that I could ski like Stein on that equipment.
The way that he was doing it the air that he took
is amazing.
Eriksen leaves behind an enduring legacy,
one that is sure to inspire generations of skiers
to come. I cant ever think I will have an impact
on skiing like Stein did, Richardson says. But
I can try to emulate the passion he had for the
sport and a life lived playing in the snow. Thats
a life well lived.
GETTING THERE Fly into Salt Lake City International Airport. Take a shuttle or rent a car for the 36-mile trip to
Deer Valley Resort.
DONT MISS Top-notch dining options at Deer Valley Resort, including fresh fish at the Seafood Buffet, creative
contemporary fare at The Mariposa and Alps-inspired favorites eaten fireside in the Empire Canyon Lodge.
FENWAY PARK
GOING
BIG
46
The worlds top freeskiers and snowboarders defy

gravity at Bostons iconic ballpark for the Polartec
Big Air at Fenway, a Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand
Prix tour event last spring.
Photos Courtesy U.S. Freeskiing
LEFT: Swiss freeskier

Jonas Hunziker catches
big air on his way to a
third-place mens finish.
RIGHT TOP: The U.S.
Grand Prix event featured
a 140-foot snow ramp,
which towered over the
lights at the ballpark.
RIGHT BOTTOM: Canadian snowboarder and
2014 Olympian Jenna
Blasman took second
among the ladies.
FE N WAY PA R K BO STO N MASSAC HUSETTS
48
CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP: Swedish freestyle skier Oscar Wester, who competed in slopestyle in the 2014 Winter Olympics, takes flight
during the finals of the Polartec Big Air at Fenway; a large and enthusiastic crowd cheered as some of the sports biggest stars corkscrewed, tail-grabbed and daffied their way to medals; the top three finishers in mens freeskiing were, from left, Jonas Hunziker,
Vincent Gagnier and Andri Ragettli. Champion Gagnier took gold in Big Air at the 2015 Winter X Games.
CRESTED BUTTE
50
Whether youre bombing down the mountain on skis or a fat bike, at Crested Butte, its
all about getting outside and having a good time. Pro skiers Ingrid Backstrom, Wendy
Fisher and Aaron Blunck show how its done on the slopes, while the Fat Bike World
Championships uphold the towns status as a hotspot for mountain biking.
THIS PAGE: KEVIN KRILL, OPPOSITE: TONY WILHELMS
SNOW PLAY
THIS PAGE: The Fat Bike World Championships took
advantage of Crested Buttes extensive Nordic skiing
routes. These big-tire bikes, designed for snow, have
gained popularity over the past few years. Its good.
It gets more people outside and is another way to
play in the snow, says race organizer Dave Ochs.
LEFT: Big-mountain skier Ingrid Backstrom navigates a steep line. Skiing has come naturally to her
since she first put on a pair of planks at age 4.
PROFILE
AARON BLUNCK
ABOVE: Zach White (left) and Mike Day pop wheelies on a downhill stretch during
the Fat Bike Worlds.
BELOW: Blunck makes tracks at the resort he knows better than any other. His
grandfather Robel Straubhaar started the ski school in Crested Butte, and the
family has called the small mountain town home ever since. Its been nothing
but a blessing to grow up in such a beautiful place, surrounded by the mountains and learning everything I know from these mountains, he says. Im
really blessed and honored that my grandpa decided to stay here and my mom
and dad decided to stay here. Hopefully in the future I can raise my kids here.
TOP RIGHT: TONY WILHELMS
C R ESTED BUTTE C O LO R ADO
52
Aaron Blunck may not be able to buy his own

beer, but he sure can ski. One of the youngest in this years film, the 20-year-old athlete has earned his share of podiums over
the past four years in ski halfpipe contests
across the globe. One major highlight: securing seventh in the first-ever Olympic
halfpipe competition in 2014s Sochi Games.
After battling injuries in 2015, Blunck
went on to win the 2016 Grand Prix in Park
City, Utah, last February. Everything about
that competition was so fun, he says. I
took that mentality into the rest of the competitions of the year and ended up having a
blast having a great year.
Blunck has been on skis since he was 18
months old. You could say its in his blood:
After all, his Swiss German grandfather
founded the Crested Butte ski school, and
his mother and uncle both had long stints
there as ski school instructors.
His success in the halfpipe should come
as no surprise to anyone who has watched
his career unfold. Even when he was little,
he was never content staying on the ground.
It was just something about catching air
that clicked for me, he says. Thats what I
wanted to do. I just remember being a little
kid and finding jumps anywhere I could.
Bluncks affinity for big-air moves occasionally made his parents nervous, he
says, but he never felt anything but support.
They were definitely at times like, Oh,
what are we getting our kid into? he says.
They were also super trustworthy. They
knew I was as safe as I could get. I was always around the coach.
With a long career yet ahead, Blunck
plans to continue pushing the limits. Id
like to be on the forefront of the sport,
where youre progressing it, he says. I
want to be part of that. LINDSAY KONZAK
54
Thank goodness for a powder day! While fresh snow isnt always a perfect match with fat biking, Mike Preston benefited from the soft
landing after going head over heels during the Fat Bike Worlds. The event drew vets and rookies alike, some to compete and some to
just play around. What Crested Butte does well is bust out the costumes and add a little color to any event, organizer Ochs says.
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WHERE TO GO
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CRESTED BUTTE COLORADO
38.8697 N, 106.9878 W
LODGING Stay at Crested Butte Mountain Resort properties in any season for the best access to
Crested Buttes world-class runs and trails. Try the Grand Lodge for a touch of luxury.
GETTING THERE Fly nonstop into the nearby regional airport from Dallas, Denver, Houston, Chicago or Los Angeles. Or rent a car at the Denver International Airport for the scenic five-hour drive.
TONY WILHELMS (2)
DONT MISS A slew of festivals and events like the Chili & Beer Festival, CB Film Festival,
Fat Bike World Championships and CB Bike Week. Get the latest on happenings in the valley
from Crested Butte Mountain Resort (skicb.com) and the Crested Butte/Mt. Crested Butte
Chamber of Commerce (cbchamber.com).
TOP: Mother of two ski racing boys, Wendy Fisher gave new mom Backstrom advice on raising the next generation. Even though
Im a mom, I still feel that itch to ski a harder line and charge with the boys to show my sons that girls kick ass. Its not a point that I
try to make; its just staying true to me, she says. She also loves seeing skiing through her kids eyes: It brings it all back. It makes
you reminisce about why you fell in love with skiing.
BOTTOM: Backstrom and Fisher shift gears and cruise Crested Butte on a couple of fat bikes.
FROM TOP: CHRIS SEGAL;

TONY WILHELMS
56
KICKING HORSE MOUNTAIN RESORT
UNSUNG
HEROES
OF THE
MOUNTAIN
By Brigid Mander / Photos By Cam McLeod
While powder skiers enjoy their last

hours of sleep, theres always a crew
that is wide-awake: car shoveled off,
ski gear on, coffee in hand and on the
way to work long before the sun rises. This is the ski patrol, upon whom
the safety and the fun of the coming day depend.
Twelve hours from now, with lifts
closed and hooting, joyful crowds ensconced in aprs, the patrollers will sit
down and enjoy a well-deserved beer.
In the meantime, its still dark. Weather and on-slope snow conditions must
be assessed, and snow control routes
bombed. Nature can make it difficult,
putting up a fight with winds, deep
snow and twitchy layers.
But as the sun rises, the rewards
of the job trickle in: the admitted fun
of tossing avalanche bombs, beau-
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

near Golden, B.C., is known for
its gnarly features and champagne powder. Here, skiers have
access to more than 2,800 acres of
challenging terrain, including steep
chutes, open bowls and plenty of
cliffbands and rollovers.
tiful mountains slathered in fresh

snow, and a deep powder run to the
base to report the inbounds ski area
is safe for the public. Thats just the
beginning of the day. Patrollers head
back up the mountain, keeping an
eye on the snow, winds and developing safety hazards. When people fall
and get hurt in the deep snow, patrol
is there even though theyve been
up for six hours and still havent had
time for breakfast.
So at the end of the day, when its
finally time for a beer, patrollers are
exhausted. But theyll be back to do
it all again tomorrow, drawn not only
by the powder but also the busy, chaotic action, unpredictability of each
day, and the close-knit camaraderie
of a group that depends on each other to carry out a dangerous job.
59
K IC K IN G HO R SE
K IC K IN G HO R SE
58
THE BIGGEST
MISCONCEPTION
OF SKI PATROLLERS IS THAT
THEYRE COPS,
OR THAT THEYRE
JUST HERE TO
RUIN YOUR FUN,
WHEN REALLY
THEYRE PUTTING
THEIR LIFE ON
THE LINE SO THAT
YOU CAN GO
HAVE FUN WITH
YOUR BUDDIES.
LEFT: Olympic alpine ski

racer Kaylin Richardson
takes advantage of
terrain recently opened
by the patrol.
RIGHT: Ski patroller Rob
Street performs daily
maintenance around the
explosives cache; Often,
explosives are tied
to a rope and dangled
over cornices to mitigate
avalanche hazards.
place before the mountain opens, it is hard for those waiting impatiently in the lift line to completely grasp what happens behind
the scenes.
The biggest misconception of ski patrollers is that theyre
cops, or that theyre just here to ruin your fun, Caston says,
when really theyre putting their life on the line so that you can
go have fun with your buddies.
Richardson agrees. The gnarliest skier on the mountain is not
the guy thats showboating and posturing under the chair. Its the
guys that are up before were even out of our beds, making sure
the slopes are perfect and safe.
For people like Kyle Hale, Mountain Safety Manager and a
16-year veteran of KHSP, the constantly morphing physical and
intellectual challenges are part of what keeps him coming back
season after season. There is no average day. You can be sitting
in the patrol room drinking coffee, and five minutes later you are
hopping in the helicopter and off on a high-angle rescue.
Its a lifestyle job; youre not going to get rich being a patroller.
You need a strong technical skill set: ski ability, medical training,
but also the right attitude and mindset.
That last part is key. Ski patrolling routinely attracts strong, motivated adventure- and service-minded individuals. Often, a patrol
stint is a stepping stone for those who want to be mountain guides,
work in snow science, or go to medical or nursing school. Thats not
to say ski patrollers shuttle in and out like a revolving door. The average career at most ski hills is eight to nine years. And some ski areas are known for their patrollers lifetime dedication to the job. My
knees wont allow me to be here forever, admits Hale, but for now,
Im enjoying being program manager, avalanche forecasting, and
also being on the pointy end of the job and going out on rescues.
Seasoned veterans like Hale admit financial security isnt a
perk of the patroller life. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the average annual wage of ski patrollers in 2015 was
about $20,000, with similar compensation in Canada. Despite the
asymmetric pay compared with the skills needed and services performed, aspiring patrollers recognize the reward is not monetary.
61
K IC K IN G HO R SE MO UN TAIN R ESO R T BR I T I S H C OLUM B IA
KI CK I N G H OR S E MO UN TA IN R ESO R T BR ITISH C O LUMBIA
60
SKI PATROL IS OFTEN PORTRAYED IN THE MEDIA AND MOVIES

AS A GLAMOROUS, SOUGHT-AFTER JOB: the ultimate status symbol in ski towns. Indeed, its got elements of glory, but it is nonetheless a tough gig filled with long hours, physical labor, harsh
elements, the handling of minor and serious injuries, and the dangerous, precision work of avalanche control. The larger and more
challenging the area such as at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
in Golden, B.C., Canada, where the Warren Miller Entertainment
team visited last winter with athletes Kaylin Richardson, Marcus
Caston and Matt Elliott the more intense each of these scenarios
has the potential to be. But the same goes for the rewards.
Ski mountains with serious terrain like the one Kicking Horse Ski
Patrol (KHSP) operates in require a high level of athleticism and
fitness, rope skills, first aid experience, avalanche education and
assessment skills, as well as the ability to deal with the public, take
on resort management duties and monitor weather conditions.
Kicking Horse has the fourth-highest vertical drop in North
America at 4,133 feet. It has only two chairlifts on the upper
mountain: a gondola that runs the full vertical from the base area
and a quad chair. These two lifts plus some rigorous, ridgeline
bootpacks access over 2,800 acres. With ridges of steep technical terrain, chutes and big open bowls scattered with multiple cliff
bands and rollovers, the area is not for the faint of heart. Nearly
two-thirds of the mountain is classified as advanced and expert.
The scale of terrain the patrol is responsible for was not lost on
the Warren Miller athletes and crew this past winter. When you
get off the gondola, there are huge mountains in every direction.
Id never seen anything like it before. Its unique in that so much
of the (inbounds) terrain is hiking-only access, and the patrol is so
safe in everything they do here, says Warren Millers Ian Anderson, who was on hand at this years segment on Kicking Horse.
Without a doubt we could not have filmed at Kicking Horse this
year, or any of our segments at any ski mountain, without the help
of ski patrollers bombing, guiding us to the best spots, and making us feel safe while we do our job.
Because much of the dangerous and consequential work takes
PROFILE
MATT ELLIOTT
KI CK I N G H OR S E MO UN TA IN R ESO R T BR ITISH C O LUMBIA
62
For Matt Elliott, skiing has always just been

about having fun.
Elliott didnt take the traditional path many
pro skiers have taken; in fact, hes never competed. Instead, he just did what he could to ski
every day, kicking off his love for the sport at
a small hill in Ontario, Canada. Hed go out
with a group of kids, eat chocolate bars, drink
hot chocolate and ski all day. Today, he still
lives near most of those old friends. We all
moved out West together to ski. We all just
loved it so much.
Elliott considers himself lucky to be a
sponsored professional skier. It just all fell
into place. I wasnt really hunting for it when
I was young, he says. The balls still rolling,
so Im pretty happy.
His career has had its challenges, though.
A few years ago, he fractured his neck after
getting bucked over a roller and landing on his
back. I think its definitely changed my life a
bit. I worry just a little bit more about everything, he says. That was a pretty big injury. I
think I got pretty lucky out of the whole thing.
But Elliott recovered quickly, pushing
through rehab and not letting the injury slow
him down in the years to follow. Watching him
confidently shred through deep powder and
launch himself off of gnarly cliffs today, its
clear he got his mojo back.
Among his favorite ski spots? Chamonix because it oozes ski culture. But his home ski
hill since 2001, Whistler in British Columbia,
rates tops. It doesnt get any better.
This is Elliotts first time filming with Warren Miller. It was kind of surreal at first. I
didnt expect that it would be happening, but
its huge. LINDSAY KONZAK
Take Rob Street. A four-year veteran of the KHSP, he has found the challenge
and excitement of the job and the lifestyle it facilitates far outweigh a fat bank
account. Street quit a comfortable job as a business analyst in Ottawa to move to
Golden almost a decade ago, and he hasnt looked back. I made decent money, but
what do you look forward to? A few weeks of vacation each year wasnt enough, and
while Street is well aware of the financial trade-offs, the excitement and challenge
are better compensation for now.
These days, Street enriches his life with a keen awareness of the terrain, working with good people, knowledge of rescues and haul systems, rope skills and, his
admittedly favorite part, throwing avalanche bombs. All of this training keeps me
coming back. And the team we have here makes it hard to leave, when its so easy to
go to work everyday. There is no one I dont want to work with on patrol.
That camaraderie not only makes it fun to go to work, it also has the potential to
save lives. Like any dangerous profession, patrol has to constantly look out for its
own. Partners must have faith in each other, and the whole team must be ready in a
heartbeat if another patroller needs help.
When pressed for the downside to being on patrol, Hale cites dealing with an uneducated public or skiers who do not pay attention to posted signs. The worst part
of the job is having to take passes or worse, handle serious or fatal injuries from
people who ignored safety signs or closures.
FROM TOP: For Canadian-born Matt Elliott, Kicking Horse provides the best access
to the best lines: Its just too easy to get to the good terrain.; pro big-mountain
skier Marcus Caston makes his mark on Kicking Horses blank canvas.
CLOCKWISE (FROM TOP): Kicking Horse ski patroller Lisa

Scott prepares for an injured guests helicopter rescue flight;
Kicking Horse uses local helicopter operators to assist in both
avalanche mitigation and search and rescue; ski patroller
Ryan Harvey loads an explosive round into an avalanche gun
to start mitigation work in the ski area.
THE GNARLIEST SKIERS ON

THE MOUNTAIN ARE THE
GUYS THAT ARE UP BEFORE
WERE EVEN OUT OF OUR
BEDS, MAKING SURE THE
SLOPES ARE SAFE.
/////////
WHERE TO GO
when recreational skiers go out of the gates and get into trouble,
ski patrol is often first on the scene. We have a strong relationship with Golden District Search and Rescue, Hale says.
Even though their missions can sometimes be draining, the
story usually has a happy ending with the patrol rescuing and educating skiers. And skiers both inbounds and out know that
ultimately, whatever the reason they are in trouble, patrol will do
their best to come and help.
/////////
KICKING HORSE BRITISH COLUMBIA
451.2976 N,
117.0483 W
LODGING Wake up to Kicking Horse Mountain Resorts famous powder and jump right on the lifts.
GETTING THERE Fly into Calgary International Airport, about a 2.5-hour drive from the resort.
DONT MISS Take advantage of professional tours, such as those operated by Purcell Heli-Skiing
(purcellheliskiing.com), an independent local operator offering guided trips to advanced skiers
and snowboarders. Theyll help you hone your off-piste skills while staying safe in a notoriously
unforgiving environment.
WA R R E N M I L L E R . C OM
HER E, THER E & EV ER YW HER E / S N OWOR L D
K IC K IN G HO R SE MO UN TAIN R ESO R T BR I T I S H C OLUM B IA
The good work patrollers do inbounds does sometimes have

unwelcome consequences. Skiers sometimes take the safety we
provide inbounds, and translate it to the terrain in the adjacent
backcountry, Hale says. Theres a lot of public outreach we do to
educate on the difference between inbounds, where we have made
it safe, and the danger and complex risks of the backcountry.
Kicking Horse has a vast amount of skiable but uncontrolled
backcountry terrain accessible from the resort boundaries. And
65
RIGHT: Moseley has

been skiing Squaw Valley
for more than 37 years.
He loves the variety that
comes with the area:
I think Ive only skied
probably 70 to 75 percent
of the mountain. There are
so many lines and areas
I havent gotten to. The
other thing is that with
every snowfall, every year,
it resets so often that
lines look different. You
find stuff you may have
thought you skied, and
you go back to it, and its
totally different.
BELOW: The Alpine
Meadows grooming
crew prepares the ski
hill for the day.
S Q UAW VAL L EY AL PIN E MEADOWS CAL IFO R N IA
72
SWITZERLAND
SMALL
COUNTRY,
BIG PEAKS
74
Jess McMillan and Grete Eliassen travel by train through the heart of
Switzerland. From Verbier to Andermatt, they soak in the culture and
take on extreme terrain in the global freeride hotspot.
Photos by Grant Gunderson
With 48 of its mountains rising more than

13,000 feet above sea level, the relatively
small Switzerland sports more than its
fair share of big mountain terrain. Its
just mountains on mountains on mountains everywhere you look, Grete Eliassen says. You ski one line and its like oh,
theres a hundred more mountains over
there. Switzerland is a really small country, but the mountains are so big.
75
77
SWITZER L AN D
LEFT: Dont look down! At the top of the tram on Gemsstock, a mountain that overlooks the village of Andermatt,
Jess McMillan (front) and Eliassen take the high road to their next lines.
ABOVE: McMillan, a self-described ski bum, tears down the mountain. Skiing is not only my passion, its my
life, she says. Its who I am. This wasnt the Freeskiing World Tour champs first time commanding the peaks
of Switzerland. She took second three years in a row at the Verbier Xtreme, one of the most prestigious freeride
events in the sport.
/////////
WHERE TO GO
/////////
ANDERMATT / VERBIER SWITZERLAND
46.6339 N, 8.5936 E / 46.0961 N, 7.2289 E
Want your share of the seemingly unending mountains in Switzerland? Get your fill by
following in McMillan and Eliassens footsteps.
GETTING THERE Dubbed the slowest express train in the world, The Glacier Express will
let you skirt the top of the Swiss Alps between Zermatt and St. Moritz. After skiing Verbier,
the gals jumped on at Brig an hour away and took the train to Andermatt. Take a virtual trip
at myswitzerland.com.
DONT MISS The unmatched off-piste runs in freeskiing meccas Verbier and Andermatt,
in particular off Gemsstock. Gemmstock benefits from frequent powder dumps.
PROFILE
GRETE ELIASSEN
SWITZER L AN D
78
When she got the call to go to Switzerland

with Warren Miller, champion freeskier Grete
Eliassen dropped everything. After all, it was
a chance to ski the Alps for two weeks with
one of her idols, Jess McMillan. Just skiing
with her was an incredible adventure, Eliassen says. Eliassen herself is part Swiss,
making the trip even more meaningful. Im
pinching myself that I got to go on that trip.
This was her second time filming with
Warren Miller after a debut appearance in
Children of Winter. The opportunity has been
a dream come true for the native Minnesotan, who grew up watching ski films when
she wasnt out on the slopes. The hills arent big (in Minnesota), but there are some,
and it snows a lot. Its a long winter. ... If you
dont go outside to play in the snow, youre
probably not going to do anything, she says.
Eliassen has racked up her share of accolades as a professional freeskier. Shes a
six-time X Games medalist (two golds) and
four-time U.S. Open champion. Shes the
only female skier today to win medals in
halfpipe and slopestyle in the X Games and
the FIS World Championships. And back in
2010, she set the womens Hip Jump World
Record by launching herself off a ramp and
soaring more than 31 feet in the air.
Although Eliassen is proud of her accomplishments on the hill, shes just as passionate about her work to pave the way for the
next generation of female athletes.
Its all about creating equal opportunities for girls growing up, says the Womens
Sports Foundation board member. Every
girl should be able to be on the ski team. Every girl should be able to be on the soccer
team whatever it is. They should get equal
chances, equal funding and equal training.
LINDSAY KONZAK
Eliassen takes a corner hard. I do what I want and I ski what I want and with
who I want, when I want. Thats whats so cool about skiing, she says. Its just
freedom. There are no boundaries or rules. Its just going out there and doing
whatever you want to do that day.
SWITZER L AN D
80
McMillan and Eliassen carve a path down the slopes. Standing at the top of the Alps or
just being in the deep canyons, it makes me feel so small, McMillan says.
SWITZER L AN D
82
TOP: For Eliassen skiing is a form of meditation. Im not thinking about anything except skiing at that exact moment, which is so
cool, she says. You just think about your next turn or your next jump or your next slash.
BOTTOM: McMillan and Eliassen make a new friend on the resort in Verbier. Switzerland was the pairs first trip together. It was
really, really refreshing to see (Gretes) take on it. Grete is a phenomenal skier, and I think she has the potential to be one of the best
big-mountain female skiers out there, McMillan says. For her part, Eliassen says skiing with McMillan was an honor and applauded
her role in the generation that pioneered womens professional freeskiing.
GREENLAND
WHERE
LAND
MEETS SEA
84
Snowboarders Seth Wescott and Rob Kingwill reunite for a remote

island adventure riding the icy peaks of Greenland.
Photos By Mike Arzt
The village of Kulusuk, located on the
island of the same name in Greenland,
has just 200 year-round inhabitants.
After flying over the territory for years
on the way to Europe, riding in Greenland
has always been on Seth Wescotts bucket list: It had been a place that I wanted
to come to for decades, and to get to
finally do that has been amazing.
85
86
87
GR EEN L AN D
GR EEN L AN D
TOP: Wescott shreds what felt like endless terrain. You get so removed from any sign of humanity that you kind of get lost in the
grandeur of it all and how large everything is and, until you get to the bottom and turn around and see the hundreds of turns left
behind you, it doesnt really sink in. It is just so vast, he says.
S N OWO R LD / H ER E, TH ERE & EVERY WH ERE
BOTTOM: Wescott and Kingwill take it all in. One of Kingwills favorite memories of the trip was flying in a helicopter over Greenlands
incomparable landscape. Everywhere we flew, it was like this other epic vista that was just beyond compare in some ways, Kingwill
says. It was just a really neat contrast between icebergs and water and sharp peaks with awesome, incredible terrain on them.
PROFILE
BELOW: Kingwill and Wescott effortlessly cut first tracks down the islands
epic peaks.
TOP RIGHT: Wescott digs into the corn snow so typical of spring, some of the
best hes experienced anywhere. It was a full spectrum of things we rode
here, from scratching your way down super icy, bumpy, frozen conditions to
burying the edge into the deepest corn snow youve ever experienced, he
says. That was pretty rad.
BOTTOM RIGHT: Kingwill catches air. The scenery is so complex you can
barely wrap your mind around it, he says. We did really big runs that seemed
like they went on forever and ended up right at the edge of this giant bay with
huge icebergs. Every experience is almost a little surreal.
SETH WESCOTT
GR EEN L AN D
88
After crashing into an Alaskan crevasse in

2013, snowboarder Seth Wescotts path detoured away from 2014 Winter Games in Sochi,
and he headed instead toward the long road
to recovery from a torn ACL. But the two-time
gold medalist wasnt ready to hang up his
board. He now has his eye on the 2018 Olympic
Games in South Korea.
Wescott was the first Olympic champ in snowboard cross when it debuted at the Games in
2006, and he defended that gold in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Wescott finally returned to competition post-injury in 2015. He got stem-cell
surgery last spring, and a trip to Chile confirmed
he was on the right path: It was the first time in
three years that I snowboarded pain-free.
While Olympic gold was definitely a high point
in his career, he calls his win in the 2013 Mount
Baker Legendary Banked Slalom contest his
biggest accomplishment. Its the oldest running, continual race in snowboarding, he says.
This years trip to Greenland with Warren
Miller was also a high note. He was joined on the
bucket-list expedition by his long-time frequent
riding partner Rob Kingwill.
Wescott hunkers down in Maine when not on
the road. He took an ownership stake a couple
of years ago in Winterstick Snowboards and
recently opened a production facility for the
44-year-old backcountry-focused board-maker.
Hes working alongside Tom Burt, a legend in
the sport.
After 30 years on the hill, Wescott is eager to
instill his passion in the next generation. Im
trying to give back in any way that I can to my
local community and get more kids involved.
I think if you look at Warren (Miller) or Stein
(Eriksen), its the same thing. We all had a passion for what our experiences were in the mountains and wanted to pass that on to as many
people as we can because we want to see winter
sports grow, evolve, be healthy and survive.
LINDSAY KONZAK
LEFT: Kingwill kicks off a

beautiful peak-to-ocean
run in classic form. Kingwill and Wescott benefited
from experienced guide
Kevin Boekholts direction. Greenland just has
something thats next-level as far as the scenery
and unexplored terrain
and just so much variety
in places to land. With
Kevin as our guide we
really pretty much killed it
every single day we were
here, Kingwill says.
BELOW: Leave the car at
home. Kulusuks locals
have two better forms of
transportation: dog sled
and boat.
/////////
GR EEN L AN D
90
WHERE TO GO
/////////
GREENLAND
71.7069 N, 42.6043 W
LODGING Take your choice of more traditional hotel accommodations or opt for an igloo, trail hut or remote
lodge deep in the backcountry with front-row views of Greenlands iconic glaciers.
GETTING THERE Go through Iceland for a flight to your final destination.
DONT MISS Book a tour with Greenland Heliskiing (greenlandheli.com) to explore the East Coast like Kingwill and
Wescott. Youll spend up to five days in the remote Tasiilaq Mountain Hut, touring the nearby high glacial region.
LEFT: Village native Gideon Kunak introduces the Warren Miller crew to
the newest additions to his sled dog team.
BELOW: Having arrived in late spring, Wescott, Kingwill and the Warren
Miller crew got the most out of Greenland, with the sun lighting their runs
long into the night.
BOTTOM: Kingwill and Wescott drop in for a ride from peak to bay.
GR EEN L AN D
92
IF YOU DONT DO IT THIS YEAR,

YOULL BE ONE YEAR OLDER WHEN YOU DO.
WARREN MILLER
S EE YO U NEX T YEA R . SA M E T I ME . SA ME PL ACE .

SnoWorld #67: Here, There &amp; Everywhere

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FILM #

TALES FROM THE ROAD

Fall 2016, Volume 67

Digital Marketing Coordinator

Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Film Tour Production Artist

Digital Marketing & Promotions Assistant

Independent Promotions Coordinator

Photos by Colin Witherill

Tyler Ceccanti, left, and Collin

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TOP: Collins floats above the trees.

GLACIER COUNTRY MONTANA

SN OWO R LD / H ER E, TH ERE & EVERY WH ERE

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If anyone knows Alaska, its Ryland Bell,

DEER VALLEY RESORT

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DEER VAL L EY R ESO R T UTAH

Known among her fellow skiers for her

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DEER VALLEY UTAH

COURTESY OF DEER VALLEY

DEER VAL L EY R ESO R T UTAH

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The worlds top freeskiers and snowboarders defy

Photos Courtesy U.S. Freeskiing

LEFT: Swiss freeskier

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FE N WAY PA R K BO STO N MASSAC HUSETTS

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THIS PAGE: KEVIN KRILL, OPPOSITE: TONY WILHELMS

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TOP RIGHT: TONY WILHELMS

C R ESTED BUTTE C O LO R ADO

Aaron Blunck may not be able to buy his own

C R ESTED BUTTE C O LO R ADO

CRESTED BUTTE COLORADO

SN OWO R LD / H ER E, TH ERE & EVERY WH ERE

TONY WILHELMS (2)

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FROM TOP: CHRIS SEGAL;

C R ESTED BUTTE C O LO R ADO

KICKING HORSE MOUNTAIN RESORT

While powder skiers enjoy their last

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

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SnoWorld #67: Here, There & Everywhere

SnoWorld #67: Here, There & Everywhere