If you’re looking at this, you probably get the feeling. You probably
understand why I’ve been working outside my whole life. Why I’ve been
tearing up the bases of my Viciks on rocks with early season touring.
Why I’m coaching for a freestyle team and tail guiding at a cat op
four days a week. Why skiing with friends from high school on a foggy
day in the rain is better than dropping in for the camera.
Ski culture is hungry. It wants the next big thing with a side of more
flips live tweeted over a logo splattered patina. I’m not that guy.
Instead, you can find me exploring the Montana backcountry with my
buddies. Picking up the pieces of my ego after wrecking under the lift
at Big Mountain. Eating nachos at the Hellroaring Saloon and choking
with laughter at somebody’s dumb joke. Living the dream that runs on
peanut butter.
There’s so much to be thankful for in skiing. My biggest goal for this
season is to have my gratitude equal the blessings it stems from.
Instead of innovating, instead of looking for that next level of
danger, I’d like to be grateful for just being on skis. To honestly
appreciate the skiers in my life. To savor the silence of pine trees
piled with snow. Those seem like the worthy goals.
This winter, I’ll be putting my degree to use by blogging about my
adventures. I’d be honored if you check it out, stoked if it inspires
you to go play.
It’s a privilege to still be with ON3P five years after we first
pressed skis at 6th and Oaks in Tacoma. The skis and the people are
the best in the industry. Scott, Rowen, Kip, Trevor, Ryan, thank you.
TWoods, thank you. My fellow ON3P teammates are the best skiers on the
mountain.
Current ON3P Quiver:
181 Jmos for park shredding and rails. Mounted dead center. Wide
enough for contact swaps, slow spins, and buttering around in spring
slush.
186 Jeffery as a daily driver. Mounted -1.5cm from center. Easily the
funnest ski in the lineup. It bounces, charges, butters, spins and
makes a hill that hasn’t seen fresh snow in two weeks a playground.
186 Tychoon for ski mountainerding and long, long tours. Mounted at
recommended. Light, nimble, narrow, and ideal for exploring the peaks
around here.
191 Billygoat Tour for touring. Mounted at recommended. Given the
other options, this might be bringing a .50 cal to knife fight, but
the extra float and length enable straightlining while the taper and
RES allow me to pivot and shut things down.
191 Caylor for deep bootering. Mounted at recommended. Still the best
fat jib ski on the market for a typical resort day–epic untracked to
crud to chunder to moguls to stomping the landing backseat in some
goober’s bombhole. Nothing compares.
196 Pillowfight for snorkeling through the stupid days. Mounted
joyfully at recommended.
