LEFT One of the more interesting plot lines of the film is the dichotomy between Robin and Bryce, two characters representing the heart of a ski town (local Robin) and the glitz of mountain life (city-based businesswoman Bryce). For Patrick Hasburgh, writer and director of the movie, Aspen Extreme should have been a darker film. He has ideas for a sequel loosely following the Doug Coombs-to-Alaska storyline for T.J., but no plans are in place for the film. Photo: Alex Patrick Hasburgh’s TV career was at a zenith, but he was feeling the heat. He was burnt out. While Aspen Extreme would ulti-mately go on to achieve cult-classic status, in 1993 it wasn’t exactly breaking box-office records. “Because it wasn’t a giant financial success,” Hasburgh says, “I got a lot of blame. But in fact the movie was only as good as it was because I fought so hard.” On top of the film’s box-office failure, Hasburgh’s hearing had taken a turn for the worse. He signed on for one more big-budget TV show, seaQuest DSV, with Steven Spielberg, which paid him what he considered to be “fuck you” money, or enough money for him to push through any project at the time. But it wasn’t. He walked away from Hollywood. Nowadays, Patrick writes novels, enjoys coastal living with his wife and surfing with his kids. If there’s one thing that is apparent, it’s that Hasburgh and his work are absolutely without pretense. His characters in Aspen Extreme and many of his other works are deeply flawed but remarkably resilient. “The point I wanted to make in the movie was that your dreams can come true,” he says. “And we can pull shit off that makes our lives have real value and meaning to others.” Dreams did come true. Peter Berg went on to become a most prolific actor/director/producers of all time, with hits like Friday Night Lights , Lone Survivor , and HBO’s Ballers. He still skis to this day. E.J. Foerster still lives in Aspen but works as a commercial producer. He was the second-unit director for such movies as Tropic Thunder and Twilight . Paul Gross’ biggest role was as TJ Burke. He lives in Canada. On the phone with E.J., he tells me how it typically goes for outdoor sports enthusiasts in Hollywood. “Everybody’s gone on to have their careers,” he says, “but in the back of our hearts, surfing, skiing—it’s that lifestyle that keeps us going.” After the film, Hasburgh published a novel, Aspen Pulp in 2004. The rumor mill began to buzz. Would they ever make a sequel? ”Don’t hold your breath,” E.J. says. “Our goal is to make Aspen Extreme 2 one day, but even if it’s just a one-off, it’s been such an incredible ride.” If there’s a takeaway from how this beloved classic came to be, it can be found in the movie. “Dream big or don’t dream at all, baby,” TJ Burke says. Aspen Extreme 043
The Ski Journal Volume 13, Issue 2: Page 43
