The Ski Journal

LAST FLAKE

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 08:28:56 +0000

Annalise Bianco shovels out a window in late March during the 903-inch 2023/2024 winter at Alta Ski Area, UT. Another massive storm had just cleared, along with a 24-hour interlodge. Photo: Noah Wetzel

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CUCHARA FOR THE PEOPLE

Words Megan Michelson — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 08:27:45 +0000

Sunrise over West Spanish Peak and the Cuchara River Valley from the slopes of the former ski area. Photo: Amarante Anderson

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THE START OF TEAM CLAMBIN

Photo Mark Shapiro — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 08:25:00 +0000

“Spring of 1979—one of the first times I skied for Marko taking photos of John Falkiner and myself in Verbier [Switzerland]. Our local shop had given us a few clothes to wear—Powderhorn from Jackson Hole, WY. For some reason, Western stuff in the Alps was super cool back then. It was kinda dust on crust, six inches of fresh on frozen bumps directly above Clambin. I liked to ski in front of John ‘cause I felt safer in case he bit it. Also, he was a lot bigger than me. Marko skied down and around, gave me the wave and there we were: double-page spread in Powder in the fall issue. They got the credit wrong, but back in the day you had to take the slide out of its plastic sleeve to print, so that shit happened sometimes. Marko was pretty livid, but I didn’t care. That spring session is what helped launch our careers and friendships that still exist today, it was the very beginning of our collaboration which became Team Clambin.”
—Ace Kvale

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CONTRIBUTORS

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 08:22:58 +0000

Ariel Kazunas
Ariel Kazunas (she/her) grew up a bookworm in the flatlands of middle America. As a young adult, Ariel started to have adventures like the ones she read about as a kid, and soon discovered the outdoor industry and began working as everything from an adult babysitter (a.k.a. guide) to event producer. Today, Ariel is based in the Tetons of Wydaho, a place that has taught her the many thrills of skiing, mountain biking, blowing ACLs, breaking bones and being The Gaper. Now a full-time writer, Ariel is “quite chuffed” to have returned to her roots in storytelling with its power to create space for belonging, foster connection with people and place and spark needed change in the world by imagining new narratives. You can find her on Instagram at @akazunas.

Nicole Cordingley
Nicole Cordingley is a freelance writer, marketing strategist and total sucker for all things skiing. She grew up in New Hampshire but is now at home in Salt Lake City, UT, skiing as much Alta powder as she can. She finds joy in developing stories about people, places and ideas with the the hope that those stories inspire others as they do her. When not skiing or writing, she’s a river guide, mountain biker, kitesurfer and overly-competitive Mini Crossword player. Check out more of her work at nicolecordingley.com.

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LEXI DOWDALL’S WHY IN WATERCOLOR

Words Nicole Cordingley — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 08:20:11 +0000

I love the way the Park City ski resorts glow under the moonlight. I tried to capture that feeling with this painting of Deer Valley’s Bald Mountain.

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KAI JONES’ BIG MOUNTAIN CLASSROOM

Words Max Ritter — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 08:17:39 +0000

Born to one of the most recognizable families in snowsports, Kai Jones has been skiing in Teton Gravity Research films since the age of 11. At 18 years old, he may be a young veteran, but he’s also just getting started. Jackson, WY. Photo: Nic Alegre

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THE FREERIDER’S HAUTE ROUTE

Words and Photos Aaron Rolph — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 08:14:57 +0000

The express route from France to Italy. Anna Dunér traverses the Aiguille d’Entrèves before dropping into the steep south face.

The historic Haute Route between Chamonix, France, and Zermatt, Switzerland, was first chartered by the English Alpine Club and skied as far back as the year 1911. The 80-mile route, that most opt to do over the course of a week, is legendary for good reason, traveling through complex glacial terrain amongst some of the most iconic peaks in the Alps.

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ELLEN BRADLEY’S CURRENTS OF CHANGE

Words Emily Sullivan — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 08:10:11 +0000

Ellen Bradley stands in front of the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s Walter Sobeloff building in downtown Juneau, AK. Named for her great uncle, the building hosts a Native cultural center and features Lingít formline art on its façade. Photo: Emily Sullivan

A soft glow illuminates Auke Bay as the evening sun, warm and golden, slips lower in the sky. It's one of the first sunny days of spring, and Áak'w Kwáan (Juneau, AK) is abuzz with energy. But the bay remains frigid and quiet, a reminder of the winter that's rapidly melting—both from the town's collective memory as well as the nearby mountains.

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TIPS UP

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 16:07:41 +0000

Girdwood, AK in the spring of 2024 was a momentous trip for Kai Jones. After breaking both his legs in a crash in the Tetons in March 2023, Kai flew up to Alaska with two of his idols, Ian McIntosh and Sage Cattabriga-Alosa and skied some of the biggest terrain of his life. Decades ago, McIntosh and Cattabriga-Alosa had learned from Kai’s uncle, Jeremy Jones—getting to pass that big mountain knowledge back through the family felt like a full circle moment. Read more in Kai’s profile beginning on page 074. Photo: Nic Alegre

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RETURN TO VALLEY X

Words Michael Israelson — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 16:07:21 +0000

The buzz of La Grave is alive as night falls on the historic French ski village. Photo: Mattias Fredriksson

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3:10 TO DURANGO

Words and Photos Matthew Tufts — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 16:06:30 +0000

The official way to hail a train is to cross your arms back and forth over your knees–a move more likely to be found at a middle school dance than a wilderness stop. Hearing the whistle of the train and praying they would A) stop and B) have space, we danced. And jumped. And screamed. We crossed our arms over our legs so fast we almost started flying home. The spectacle was enough to not only make the train stop, but garner the attention of every single passenger aboard the scenic Narrow Gauge Silverton-Durango line. More than a hundred heads with slacked jaws hung out the open-air cabins; we were likely the most interesting wildlife encounter they’d see the entire day.

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A LOW ANGLE LOVE AFFAIR

Words Ariel Kazunas — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:30:04 +0000

Jim Ryan and Max Martin sample a bounty of beautiful corduroy on Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s Easy Does It. Photo: Stephen Shelesky

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FOLLOWING HAZEL

Words and Photos Katie Lozancich — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:27:14 +0000

You’ll find 14-year-old Hazel Scully-Henry almost every weekend at Berkshire East Mountain Resort with the biggest smile.

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TELEMARK EVANGELIST BOB MAZAREI

Words Tom Winter — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:20:19 +0000

Telemark reverence in front of the “Heavenly Mountain,” Khan Tengri, in the Tian Shan mountains of Kazakhstan. For Mazarei, tele skiing opened up the world. Photo: Luca Gasparini

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RIPPLE EFFECT

Words Lily Krass Ritter — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:17:17 +0000

Lily Krass Ritter enjoying blue skies and a fresh coat of paint in British Columbia’s Selkirk Mountains. Photo: Matt Patterson

Skiing is a hassle.

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MASTHEAD

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:05:26 +0000

Editor Lily Krass Ritter

Photo Editor Katie Lozancich

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Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:02:22 +0000

“The solitude in remote Swedish Lapland is so relaxing, and the soft Arctic light is unique. This is where I started my career as a photographer many years ago, and I appreciate the opportunity to return almost annually. Here, Johan Jonsson skis above Kopparåsen late-night while returning from a hut trip at Låktatjåkko Mountain Lodge, which is Sweden’s highest mountain station at just over 4,000 feet.” Photo: Mattias Fredriksson

FEATURES

Photo Essay
3:10 to Durango
Words Matthew Tufts

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