Can you tell us a little bit about your current objectives in ski mountaineering?

Right now I’m working on my 8000m and specifically Karakoram and Chogori(K2)goals. It looks at the moment that this spring/summer will be a warm up session in the Gasherbrum zone to work up to Chogori (K2) for 2007. In training for those I’m just pursuing more and more physically challenging and technically aesthetic objectives, like ski-ice-mountaineering (incorporating mandatory ice and mixed climbs in a ski route) and doing traverses safari style to remote and unskied peaks. Kluane this past spring was great training.

I’m also still evolving my paragliding to be able to incorporate that into ski-fly-touring. One day I’ll get around to learning the kite but it’s not a priority. On that note, I’m still plugging away at my ski-wing, the Phawked UHP. I need a sponsor that can share my vision. Then there’s my extreme-ski-mountaineering binding prototype*(1) which also needs development. Any friendly philanthropists out there? Always trying to keep getting stronger for shredding up AND down faster and smoother.



You’ve been skiing Big Lines for a lot of years. What were some of your early inspirations that helped you go after skiing big descents, basically how did you get to where you are?

I did my level 1 CAA in 1990 as soon as I really knew I was going to dedicate some time to pursuing ski-mountaineering. My close friends Troy Jungen, Chris Kettles, Graydon Card, Matty Shred and Johnny Thrash all got the bug for expanded mountain freakout scenarios and we all kept stoking each other in the Whistler golden days of the early 90s. Peter Chrzanowski first introducd me to the “backcountry” and to Trevor and Eric. Far from their level, I was inspired to catch up. Scot Schmidt was definately a formative inspiration as well. All those guys pointed the way to the conceptual evolution of how I wanted to express myself through skiing in the mountains. Training and diet became part of the routine. Getting into rock climbing and later ice-climbing were a crucial part of the evolution. Ski-mountaineering as a lifestyle/focus is basically self-propogating once you get a real taste and forever succomb to the beauty of a ski-line or a particular mountain. Whislter and the coast mountains were a great place to start, but I knew that tramping about in different mountain ranges and different snowpacks was essential to become a well rounded ski mountaineer. Hans Gapp, an Austrian mountainguide/Canadian Downhill Team Fischer Ski Tech that Troy and I met in Chile, was my first mountaineering mentor. Chamonix was a huge influence and set the stage for my technical abilities
to germinate. That place is very inspiring. The Ski-Fou Masters like Vallencant, Boivin, Baude, Cauchefoin, Saudan and Tardival are pillars in the evolution of extreme ski-mountaineering. Exposing oneself to bigger mountains evolves everything; legs, mind, skills, intuition. I always treated skiing like surfing, in that I wanted to be able to keep paddling out all day into the mountains on skiis, on my own power. Pushing personal limits (not other peoples) and knowing fear seems to be part of the deal.

Going to Nanga Parbat in 1995 enlightened me as to how far I still had to go and made it psychologically easier to approach Yuh-hai-has-kun (Mt Robson) that same year. In Pakistan I learned of Hans Kammerlander who, to me, is the greatest of all the ski-fou masters. The first to ski Everest, Nanga Parbat and a few other 8000m peaks, there is nobody badder. (Maybe Boivin would have been, he stood on the summit of Everest with his skiis before everybody else and chose to fly off instead with his paraglider, he also flew
from 7000m off K2 with his hang glider). Hans actually already skied from the summit of Chogori(K2) in thigh deep powder, but only the top 400m, ending his descent out of respect for a Korean climber from another party that fell down the Bottleneck to his death while Hans was skiing. To me, Chogori(K2) has already been skied. Marc Twight, Doug Coombs, Greg Noll and Laird Hamilton have always been great inspirations as well.



You’ve skied all over the world. What are some of the experiences that have helped shape your perspectives on life?

Moving to Whistler from Ontario. Experiencing India. Living in France. Shredding the North Face of Yuh-hai-has-kun(Robson). Discovering South America. Colombia was one of my most poignant scenarios where meeting the Kogis and my relationship with Natali Vasquez were
deeply engrained in me. Skiing has been the main catalyst of experience and transformation for me for the last 18 years. Learning to fly paraglider bifurcated from the path my skiing passions took me on and has greatly altered my perspectives. Many of my perspectives have been catalyzed by non-skiing experiences.



Some people deem what you do as crazy. What inspires you to hike for days with 100 pounds on your back, just to ski a mountain?

Sometimes there's just no other way, especially when the mission calls for a tent and a week plus of supplies. I love National Parks because it forces you to hoof it from the road. It equalizes things because you can’t pay for it to get easier.

Now it’s not really a big deal to me to slog in with a big pack because I’ve done it so much. It’s awesome training although now the evolution is to minimize and completely forego camping on missions that can be done in 24-36 hours non-stop, maybe longer. That’s how we did the North West Face of Vancouver this spring, 30 hours straight with light packs to cheat the altitude on a 3123m climb and ski. Unless you are always out of the car or flying to basecamp, the 100lb pack is inevitable. I really like heli-ing or ski-planing in and then carrying a hundred pound pack for days.

Reinhold Messner’s philosophies are close to my heart. When you expose yourself unsupported, then you know you are giving the mountain the fairest chance and yourself the purest challenge. Maybe not having alot of money or big sponsorship has necessitated all this “purity” but if people think that developing the strength to burl into zones with a giant pack is crazy, they’re infected by those societal values (evolved, degenerated or whatever) that breed weakness. Technological dependence, instant gratification and materialistic sedentary sloth obfuscate what should otherwise be normal. Personally, I feel obliged to approach an unskied mountain in the purest possible style, kind of like having to sink the 8 ball on a bank shot to win properly, especially if people are going to know about it. It’s just the proper way and a matter of pride. Muffin compared to cupcake. Every virgin should be shown how it’s done right their first time.



How do you push the limits of what you do safely?

Primarily, lots of safety meetings. Also, keeping aware of conditions regarding all the projects I have envisioned and then making choices that best fit a particular scenario. Flexibility. Spending the season primarily in one area, not hurrying when travelling.
Keeping track of myself and my partners emotionally, psychologically, physiologically. Always trying to not let things begin adding up to disaster. I still feel great about a day in the mountains even when the plug was pulled. Training to withstand the worstcase
scenario is also vital. I try to keep my focus sharp with a crucial diet and sufficient rest. Partying is not an option when it’s time to session. Ice climbing is crucial. Paragliding makes my skiing better. Spending time in the alps and especially La Grave, where easy access to challenging terrain and actually living IN the mountains, prepares one for the real thing. Mileage!



What has allowed you to achieve so many great descents?

My freewill, inspiration and intuition are key factors but being available to go any time is the key. So much love and support from my mom. Good genes from mom and pop help too. Powder Magazine has sent me on some of my most incredible trips. I’ve been blessed with
crucial gear support from my sponsors. In the 90’s the North Face helped me out a lot. In the new milenium, Patagonia and myself share core values and I am ultra stoked to represent as an Ambassador. Life-Link is my longest running sponsor. Bird Where, Ridea Skis, Black Diamond/Scarpa, Surefoot, Intuition, Vuarnet, Carrera have been super generous to me as well. I’m super grateful for having the energy needed to amass gear be
freed up for given’er. But if only I had a million dollars...



What is it about the Mountains that have driven you to vie for such an outstanding objective like K2?

I’ve always had an innate passion for mountains and there is just something about gigantic rock and ice pyramids that does it for me. K2 or actually Chogori, is the King of Mountains. To me it’s always been the ultimate run, especially since seeing Jim Haberl’s slideshow with “the bottleneck” of the Abruzzi Ridge in powder. It represents the culmination of the ski-mountaineering process for me. What else is there to do? Die choking on a cheeseburger like some rockstar? Putting it all together just for the chance
of such an experience, embracing evolution and the preciousness of our time on earth. It’s more of a pilgrimage, much as it is to any of the special mountain realms.



What is skiing to you?

Skiing to me is essential, kind of like I was born with it. It’s what I’m supposed to be doing.



What does it do for you?

Helps me become myself. Makes me feel like what it feels like I’m supposed to feel out of life.

Stay Tuned for more with Ptor coming soon!

*1 Ptors Binding is Bomber - a non releasable system for skiing the exposed gnar.