COVER “In the space between frozen fingers and silver light, I’m at my most pres-ent. I was skiing amid slow-moving sluff when I shot this image in Sölden, Austria. Its dream energy was accented by snowshoe hares dashing downslope after skier Julian Carr, effortlessly bounding 1,000 vertical feet, spirits among the snowflakes.” Photo: Jana Rogers TIPS UP 01 • “When I was younger, I nearly didn’t graduate from the bunny hill. The trouble was that I didn’t want to turn—straight-lining and hockey-stopping felt much better. My parents wanted to see safe, neat turns. I wanted speed. At some point, my perverse love of sketchy skiing grew from tow rope to full mountains. Many of my childhood runs were pinned, straight down Sunshine Village, AB’s Divide Chair, laughing maniacally while my cringing parents looked on. Funny to find myself back at Sunshine at 30 years old, praying Ben Atherton’s skis don’t touch mine, gritting my own teeth and pointing it in the place I learned to love real speed.” Photo: Reuben Krabbe 02 • “Sanne Mona works at the legendary Ski Lodge Engelberg in Swit-zerland, the perfect gig for someone who skis a lot and competes on the Freeride World Qualifier circuit. Stealing away from her duties at the hotel last season, we scored one of the deepest days in years—almost too deep to move.” Photo: Axel Adolfsson 03 • “Tatsuya Tayagaki on the backside of Hakuba Cortina Ski Resort in Otari, Japan. This area had gotten hit hard in the last few years thanks to increased ski tourism, but not this year. With COVID-19 restrictions keeping most powder pilgrims grounded, we had no problem finding fresh tracks and a nice stump for throwing a laid-out backie. Tayagaki spots his land-ing—and me.” Photo: Takahiro Nakanishi 04 • “Kei Karino at the top of Mount Zao slicing turns toward the peak’s crater lake. Karino is a local ski guide that often accompanies me on my springtime missions. Usually we take a rope tow up part of the mountain before skinning to this location, but with the rope tow shut down due to COVID-19, we had to tour from the base. Despite the long approach, the descent is always worth it.” Photo: Takahiro Nakanishi 05 • “Once in a great while the overnight temperature and relative humidity can swing just like a perfectly hit tee shot. Coupled with the absence of wind, the result is a sensory deprivation tank of snow and quiet calm—like skiing through a deep, blissful sleep. If you were there, you remember. February powder nirvana in Wyoming’s Teton Range with Shroder Baker (left) and Jeff Leger (right).” Photo: Chris Figenshau 06 • Tom-Oliver Hedvall takes it to the trenches, finding soft turns through the wind-affected powder fields above Engelberg, Switzerland. Photo: Elias Lundh 07 • ”Skier, photographer, creative genius and music producer—Adam Falk has more than one string to his bow. He also throws a mean backflip, in case you were curious.” Åre, Sweden. Photo: Emrik Jansson 08 • A short subrange of the Garibaldi Ranges, the Spearhead Range makes up the northwest apex of Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler, BC. It’s also a prime setting for steep descents with a view. Chad Sayers indulges under rare midwinter sun. Photo: Chris Christie 09 • Kye Petersen ain’t afraid of no (snow) ghosts! Among the frozen sen-tinels, Petersen makes his way deep into the Pemberton, BC backcountry in search of winter salvation. Photo: Blake Jorgenson The Ski Journal 015
The Ski Journal Volume 15, Issue 3: Page 15
