Next Level Skiing

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. We've been around for eight seasons, and in that time, we've been able to ask skiing luminaries for tips and strategies, ways to improve our time on snow. From insights into fundamentals of strength and balance to perspectives on confidence, goal setting, and finding flow, this episode has it all. So many dollops of wisdom and vision from skiing's best to help every skier take their turns to the next level. Thanks again for tuning in to Next Level Skiing. We'll see you again next winter. Guests: 1:42 Chris Tatsuno 1:50 Lee Cohen 2:08 Krista Crabtree 2:23 Nader Jamal 2:41 Stephen Casimiro 2:46 Angela Hawse 3:15 Mark Morris 3:27 Adrian Ballinger 3:32 Kim Grant 3:38 Dan English 3:45 Ted Ligety 4:10 Drew Peterson 4:41 Scot Schmidt 5:00 Reggie Crist 5:28 Aaron Blunck 5:34 Kim Beekman 5:52 Cody Townsend 5:56 Doug Stenclik 6:20 Erik Lambert 6:33 Mike Douglas 7:15 Robert Koell 7:37 Skylar Holgate 7:59 Ted Mahon 8:03 Wes Wylie 8:21 Amie Engebretson 8:52 Brody Leven 9:28 Kristen Ulmer 10:04 Lou Dawson 10:51 Mike Hattrup 11:26 Pete Wagner 11: 56 Rob Dickinson 12:06 Willie Volckhausen 12:35 Allen Tran: 12:52 Evan Reece 13:03 Hilaree Nelson 13:22 Joel Gratz 13:31 Jonathan Ellsworth 13:47 Kim Relchhelm 13:59 Lindsay Anderson 14:14 Wendy Fisher 14:18 Parkin Costain 14:41 Mali Noyes 15:08 Maggie Voisin 15:09 Tom Wallisch 15:38 Josh Daiek 15:53 McRae Williams 16:07 Marcus Goguen 16:12 Mark Abma 16:22 Dr. Allen Lim 16:33 Michelle Parker 16:38 Chris Anthony 16:54 Alex Cohen 17:03 Daron Rahlves 17:10 Lorraine Huber 17:15 Julian Carr 17:27 Angel Collinson 17:35 Chris Davenport 17:54 Chris Steiner 18:00 Jake Hutchinson 18:11 Jim Lindsay 18:39 Klaus Obermeyer 19:02 Tom Hackett 19:28 Tommy Moe Resources: Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. For more than 20 years, Ingrid Backstrom has been championing women in freeskiing, through more than 20 ski movie appearances, pioneering first descents, coaching and teaching avalanche awareness classes. The mother of two who grew up skiing in Washington's Cascades continues to plow a path for women in skiing, encouraging up-and-comers to find their creative voice through skiing. Listen in as Ingrid shares insights into coaching, shifting mindsets in the backcountry, balancing life as a pro skier and parent, changing training tactics as you age and the importance of getting out of control on skis. Thanks for listening to Next Level Skiing. Topics: 2:30 Winter weekends in a 1954 Bookmobile at Crystal Mountain 3:15 First move appearance in Matchstick Productions "Yearbook" in 2004 4:30 Carrying the torch for women in freeskiing 5:10 The new generation of female rippers. "The level has just gone exponentially higher." 7:30 Challenges of coming up as a pro skier 20 years ago versus today 9:40 Twenty years coaching with the Superstars Camp in Portillo Chile 11:00 "The best ways of learning something is to turn around and teach it." 12:30 Personality and style in skiing 13:00 Being able to read the front of a sweatshirt from downhill perspective 13:30 The power position 16:30 Lack of industry support for moms in pro skiing 19:10 "If you want to grow, get more women on skis." 21:00 Training shifts as you age. "Play On: The new science of elite performance at any age." 22:10 Nightly mobility exercises for 15 minutes 24:00 Diet and cooking for recovery 27:00 Mental preparation and the "75% rule." 27:40 Tuning in and asking "Why am I doing this?" 28:20 Task driven versus ego driven 30:00 Shifting mindsets in the backcountry 32:10 "Let's ask the stupid questions because there is no stupid question." 33:20 Go into the backcountry like a robot 33:50 Best advice: Get out of control Quotes: "My contracts got cut when I got pregnant. There wasn't really, at the time, a marketing demand for moms as pro skiers." "If you want to grow, get more women on skiis." "Just the maintenance becomes so much more important, training smarter and not harder." "Taking away that ego piece of [asking questions] has led to a lot better discussions and, frankly, a lot better education." Resources: Ingrd Backstrom Website Ingrid on Instagram Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Following explosive wins in the 2025 Freewride World Tour in Georgia and Kicking Horse, 4-year tour veteran Marcus Goguen claimed his first FWT world champion title. His unflappable style and huge tricks are not by chance. The 21-year-old Whistler skier has spent almost a decade following a strict training regimen. And now he's sharing. His Adrenaline Performance program offers skiers customized strength plans to ward off injuries and boost performance. Listen in as the big-mountain boss shares how he is infusing structured training regimens into his freeride skiing, the importance of post skiing workouts, the role of a daily routine in comp-day confidence and how to make your body your armor. Topics: 3:00 "Everything I've done in my life is for skiing." 3:20 The Whistler Freeride Club": peer pressure, buddies, and coaches 4:30 Competing in downhill bike racing 5:30 Honing fast-twitch eye-hand coordination 6:15 Training regimen inspired by his uncle, Canada's legendary Olympic racer Thomas Grandi 7:00 Mixing the structure of training with the fun of freeride skiing 7:40 The building blocks of training 8:30 Maintenance workouts during the ski season to maintain strength 9:00 Maximizing the ski day with gym workouts 12:30 Getting into training after enduring pain at age 12 14:00 Results of training by age 14 15:00 An injury-free ski career 16:05 "In freeride, there's a lot of impact." 16:50 Structure should be fun 17:10 The evolution of Adrenaline Performance 18:00 App-driven motivation with coaches, peers 20:30 Beginner, intermediate, advanced, and Olympic-tiered programs 21:40 Building strength and infusing explosiveness into that strength 23:30 A year-round training program for all mountain athletes 25:20 Meditation to start the day, then mobility, then supplements 25:45 Creatine, omegas, collagen 29:40 The role of daily routines, so "every day is a competition day." 30:00 Skiing with E. coli poisoning 34:00 Accountability and follow-through with Adrenaline Performance app 35:12 Best advice: put a smile on your face at the start gate Quotes: "I try to do as many different sports as possible and that will always transfer over to my skiing." - Marcus "My muscles are my armor." - Marcus "You need to listen to your body because it's easy to burn yourself out if you go too hard." - Marcus "To continue improving in the game, we all need some structure." - Marcus Resources: Marcus on Instagram Adrenaline Performance Wagner Custom Skis

McRae Williams navigated from a childhood on trampolines to aerials on his hometown water ramps at the Olympic Training Center in Park City to become one of the most explosive slopestyle skiers in the sport. He's a World Cup world champion, two-time Olympian and three-time X Games medalist who is channeling years of Olympic-level training into audacious filming performances in remote backcountry locations. Listen in as the 35-year-old slopestyle pioneer explores his work as a mindful athlete with a keen focus on his mental game honed through passions for diverse mountain sports, from flyfishing, pow surfing and mountain biking. Thanks for listening to Next Level Skiing

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Josh Daiek skis remote, highly technical terrain with jaw-dropping speed and flow. After a decade competing on the Freeride World Tour, he's moved into ripping the loneliest lines in the lower 48, snowmobiling deep into Nevada's Sierra and Ruby ranges and skiing down steep, rock-choked chutes far from anywhere. The 42-year-old Salomon-sponsored skier has made two movies — Mountain State and Mountain State 2.0 — detailing his crew's exploration of overlooked terrain in Nevada. You've seen his clips in the Gram and they are scroll-stoppers. Listen in as Josh connects his high-speed, fast-twitch ski style with exploration and patience, the role of repetition in dynamic skiing, using speed to navigate consequential terrain and learning from mistakes on this illuminating episode of Next Level Skiing. Topics: 2:30 The holiday ski family in Michigan, "like the East Coast minus the mountains." 4:30 Moving to Tahoe 5:34 "Rat-packing" at Kirkwood 7:18 10 years on the Freeride World Tour 8:00 Getting serious about training 9:30 Squats, dead lifts, core, shoulders and bike for cardio 12:00 Keeping the mind in-tune with fast-twitch reactions: "bang, bang, bang, react, react, react" 14:00 Time in the saddle and the role of repetition 14:00 Skiing every day all winter 15:20 Learning from mistakes and experience 16:20 The biggest mistakes 17:30 "You'll never catch me wearing ear pods in the mountains" 22:00 Exploring remote lines in Nevada 26:20 Melding a fast ski style with making movies and exploring unasked lines in Nevada 30:00 Using speed as an asset in consequential terrain 32:00 All about the fall line, fast and fluid. Straight and to the point. No bullshit. 34:10 Skiing for Salomon for 13 years 35:00 Best piece of advice: Ask yourself 'Why are you doing this?' Quotes: "When [I] wanted to give up, competition really kept me motivated." - Josh "That's what's more important to me is making split-second decisions." - Josh "When I'm in the mountains, and I'm in nature, I really want to be there." - Josh "Be present in that moment. That's what works for me." - Josh Resources: 💻Josh on Facebook 💻Josh on Instagram 💻Josh on YouTube 💻Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. From the concrete staircases of Pittsburgh to the steepest and deepest lines across three continents, Tom Wallisch has pushed skiing into new realms for more than 25 years. The pioneer of urban skiing infuses a one-of-a-kind creativity and style across all sorts of powdery landscapes. His mastery of park and big mountain steeps is coupled with a filming prowess and business acumen that sustains a vibrant ski career at age 38. Listen in as Tom talks about his Pittsburgh roots, an "East Coast work ethic" that grows from failure, connecting mind and body and "using inspiration in a good way." Topics: 1:30 Finding skiing after unfulfilling spins through team sports 3:00 Growing up skiing city handrails in Pittsburgh. "It's all we had." 4:10 Flipping U-turns to check out quad kink rails 6:10 Transitioning from rails to steep lines 10:20 Thinking differently and creative approaches to skiing 12:40 Honing a business expertise in the ski industry 15:30 Balancing the core insiders with newcomers while announcing for NBC at the Olympics 23:10 The "nitty-gritty balance" and edge control from rail skiing 25:14 Body mechanics and repetition 27:00 Learning how to fall correctly 29:10 Listening to your body. Being smart. Knowing when to push 31:10 Teaching kids at Camp Woodward 34:20 Best advice: Find happiness or fun on the slopes on bad days on the mundane days. Quotes: "We didn't have powder. We didn't have anything like that. So the thing that was the most relatable and the thing that seemed achievable to me were the rails, the urban skiing." "With the Wallisch Project, the one thing we all wanted to do was film everything." "The work ethic from the East Coast, from rail skiing, is like, just hike it again, try it again. And at the same time, if you approach life in that way or skiing in that way, you never get overcome by failure." Resources: Tom on Instagram RENDITION Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Maggie Voisin soared from her Whitefish, Montana, roots into three Olympics and 11 X Games, where she's collected 7 slopestyle medals. Now 26, she's bounced back from several injuries and surgeries to build a soaring career in front of the cameras, filming with Teton Gravity Research and announcing for the X Games. She's navigated incredible pressure as one of the youngest American Winter Olympians, as devastating grief, finding strength and solace on skis. Listen in as Maggie talks about transferring her slopestyle-honed mental fortitude over to big lines in Alaska, strategies for healing, recovering from "the hardest thing ever," and inspiring the next generation of female rippers. Topics: 1:10 Growing up in Whitefish. Dad was a semi-reformed ski bum. 2:00 "Something in the water in Whitefish." Tanner Hall. Tommy Moe. Parkin Costain. 3:50 15 years old and winning silver in first X Games months before skiing in the Olympics 4:20 Younger sibling rippers 6:30 The transition from a decade of teams, coaches and training to filming in AK 8:40 Mental fortitude in slopestyle moving over to steep lines in Alaska 12:10 Breathwork to settle nerves 13:40 Calming concerns around injuries 14:30 Four knee and one ankle surgeries 16:00 Red light, sauna, yoga, breathing, stretching and mindset. "The body is powerful. It's going to heal." 17:40 The importance of rest, meditation 21:30 "The hardest thing ever." Losing Michael to suicide. 23:40 Living and carrying Michael's legacy forward. "I walk through this life differently." 26:40 "They are everywhere." 29:00 A deep, internal knowing that the strength was there. 30:00 "We are human beings who need community." 31:00 Announcing at the Winter X Games with deep knowledge and a feminine perspective 34:30 Inspiring the next generation. 35:30 Best advice: "Fun comes first." Quotes: "The mind can just take over. We all know this." "I always take a deep breath, and on the exhale is when I drop, and I feel like that just really centers me." "In this world, we're always athletes." "If I can live every day, half the way that [my brother] lived his 23 years, that's what I wake up every day and remember." Resources: Maggie on Instagram Maggie Voisin Unleashed: An Exclusive Season Edit Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Salt Lake City skier Mali Noyes, in the spring of 2025, channeled her Nordic skiing roots and more than a decade of ski touring in Utah's Wasatch to set a new bar for swift steep skiing in the West. The 36-year-old skied all 93 lines detailed in Andrew McClean's seminal steep skiing bible "The Chuting Gallery. It took her only 47 days. An epic achievement. Listen in as Mali shares insights into how her Nordic skiing background fueled her exploration of backcountry steeps, pushing through mental fatigue, mentorship, and honing intuition in consequential avalanche terrain. Topics: 2:30 Growing up Nordic skiing in Sun Valley 3:30 Taking up alpine skiing with mom's boots after college 4:00 After three years of downhill skiing, joining the Freeride World Tour. "I crashed my way through … overwhelmed and scared." 4:50 Transitioning to backcountry with Nordic fitness, big-mountain skills, and "a love gf spending long days" in the mountains. 4:20 An "obsessive personality" and the Chuting Gallery project 5:20 The mindset of Nordic: finding weaknesses and improving 8:10 "I wonder how fast I could ski all them?" 10:30 Getting stronger with back-to-back-to-back days 12:0 The physical part was manageable. The mental part was the crux 13:30 A brief breakdown in Cottonwood Creek on Day 24 16:30 The spreadsheet motivator 17:40 Eight rest days in three months 18:30 Balancing objective-driven skiing with safety 19:30 The most in-depth book review of any book ever published 21:10 The mountains are horrible teachers 24:10 Mentorship in the backcountry 29:00 Vetting (and being vetted by) ski partners 31:20 Honing intuition in the backcountry 36:52 Best advice: dreaming big Quotes: "You just get good when all you do is ski." "On my rest days, I started binge watching, like, The White Lotus had just come out. So it was, like, ones that took my brain away from skiing because if I didn't distract myself, all I would do is think about what to ski." "That spide-y sense feeling you get is through experience." Resources: Mali on Instagram Mali on YouTube Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. 26-year-old Parkin Costain grew up in Whitefish as a skiing prodigy. For the last decade, he has been pushing big-mountain skiing with a high-speed, swift-footed style in the heaviest, most technical terrain around. With bust-out performances (like stomping a ridiculous double backflip into Corbets at Kings and Queens) and jaw-dropping segments in Warren Miller and TGR, Parker's fluid, athletic style is helping to define today's big mountain skiing. In this episode of Next Level Skiing, Parker discusses emulating Candide to get banned from his home hill in Whitefish, blending a life on a bike with his globe-trotting adventures on skis, knee-stabilization exercises, unwinding from a ski day, and his new film, "Flipbook." Topics: 2:25 Booted from Whitefish. "It was always such a funny little feud we had going on." 6:00 Honing aerial tricks and bringing them into the backcountry / big mountain terrain 7:10 Being comfortable and confident at each step of learning 8:15 Growing up on mountain bikes, "I almost try to mountain bike like I ski." 9:20 Building trails with his dad, finding inspiration for ski lines 11:50 Early contest and emerging into a ski career 13:40 First time filming with Warren Miller and TGR 14:50 Navigating rocks at Big Sky for fast-twitch talents 16:00 Developing speed in technical terrain 18:00 Preventative maintenance in the gym with a Bosu ball, plyometrics, Adrenaline Performance program by Marcus Goguen 19:00 Working out in gyms since 12 21:04 Mixed success gap jumping with Jake Hopfinger 23:30 Spinning, rowing, and treadmill after skiing 24:07 Making Flipbook 26:30 Drones and social media enabling pro skiers without gatekeepers 29:19 "You're able to build a career out of it on your own if you put in the work." 34:59 "The gnarliest crash ever" on a pillow line in BC 34:40 Bouncing back from a scary crash 35:33 Controlling your speed with piles of snow and careful navigation Quotes: "I also feel like fortunate with the timing there because the event had started a few years prior to that, but it hadn't like fully exploded yet. So when Jake and I were getting to compete there, it was like so many eyes were on that that sponsors took notice." "Big Sky's just made out of like literal daggers everywhere. You have to hone in on your abilities a little bit and understand the terrain and interpret it differently than you do at other resorts. There's plenty of insanely gnarly terrain you can get yourself into." "I've never played video games. I was always outside." "I did the full front flip, so my feet went back because if I had gone headfirst into that thing, it would have been so much worse. It would have been definitely the end of my life, actually. On camera, it looks gnarly, but in person, if you see what I actually fell through, it was the gnarliest thing I've ever experienced." Resources: Parkin Costain on Instagram Wagner Custom Skis

Pete Wagner was building proprietary software to customize golf clubs when he bought a pair of skis in the early 2000s. The mechanical engineer and computer scientist wrestled those skis for a season before realizing he had purchased the wrong skis for his style. Why wasn't anyone designing skis like he was designing golf clubs or like boot fitters adjusted ski boots? In 2006, the expert skier launched Wagner Custom Skis with an exploratory questionnaire that helps skier identify their dream skis and software that guides a warehouse full of machines in building those skis. Nearly 20 years later, Wagner's team of 15 ski builders in Telluride are crafting skis built precisely for individuals taking their skiing to the next level. Tune in to hear Pete's riff on ski design and the manufacturing process, trends in ski designs, and how a customized ski - like a custom-fit ski boot — can improve your every minute on snow. Topics: 1:00 - A background in material science and design software for golf 6:00 - Buying the wrong skis. How come no one is focusing on fit like in golf and cycling? 7:10 - 2006 launch of Wagner Skis with "rapid prototyping" software 8:00 - How custom ski boot fitters inspired the Wagner business plan 13::40 - Building a database of ski designs 16:00 - Customization for beginner and intermediate skiers 18:00 - Optimizing ski design with 2,500 different material combinations 19:00 - Versatility for beginners 23:00 - Ski design trends in the mid-2000s to now 25:00 - Adding rocker to the tip and tail with camber underfoot 27:10 - Matching individuals to skis 28:20 - Manufacturing without molds 36:00 - Repeat customers and changing designs as skiers refine their demands Quotes: "A ski that has the right flex pattern and stiffness, the benefit of that is that it will be stiff enough to give you good stability if you're going fast." - Pete Wagner "The business model of the big companies is not about customization or agility. Their business model is that they go out in the late winter and spring, get people to try their next year's models, collect orders, mass produce stuff throughout the spring and summer, and then deliver them to the shop in the fall." - Pete Wagner "What we realized is that you can keep things simple." - Pete Wagner "Skiing has a lot to offer people. There are different things you can focus on and that's what makes it such a great activity and way to spend your time. And that's our goal." - Pete Wagner Resources: Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Willie Volckhausen started skiing when he was 2 and raced with Sunlight's local ski club for over a decade. He spent 18 years coaching young skiers with the Aspen Valley Ski Club, developing not just ripping racers but athletes with a lifelong passion for skiing. And now he's a ski instructor with the Aspen Ski School who spends his summers working his family's farm near Paonia. Over his decades of being coached and coaching, Willie's picked up more than a few techniques for improving our turns. Listen in and hear Willie talk about critical drills, his description of the best coach in the world, how farming has informed his skiing and when to find the perfect turn. Topics: 1:00: 18 years skiing with the Bad News Bears of ski racing at Ski Sunlight 3:10: Transitioning to alpine racing coach for U12s for the Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club 6:20: Balancing performance and victory with sustaining a passion for skiing 7:00: The best year for winning at Aspen Valley Ski Club wasn't about the podiums 10:10: No pedestals for elite skiers 12:10: What coaching and young racers taught him about skiing 16:00: "Skiing is the easy part" about being a ski instructor 17:00: Standing on the outside ski 19:40: The up and over drill 20:20: The best coach in the world "should be totally deaf and totally mute." 26:00: How learning patience through farming helps with skiing 30:50: How can you identify the perfect turn? Wait. Quotes: "Ski racing is an individual sport that is dominated by teams." - Willie Volckhausen "It's not all about that one person. Only one person's gonna win and there's ten of us. So what are the other nine kids supposed to do the day that so-and-so wins the race? That's what we focused on a lot." - Willie Volckhausen "Coaches and mentors have that opportunity every day to not put their elite athletes on a pedestal. The kids who win know they're good. They know they're going to win again. They know they're expected to win. I think that's some of the worst pressure we could possibly put on junior athletes." - Willie Volckhausen "If you tuck and roll, get your feet back below you, and you stand up without ever stopping, technically that's not a crash; that's a ground trick." - Willie Volckhausen Resources: Willie's Instagram Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Brody Leven doesn't dabble. He's an all-in type of skier. When he decided he was done with park skiing, he moved from 100 days of high-flying park time every season to 100 days of climbing and skiing mountains. And now it's been 10 years since the Fischer Ski-sponsored athlete has ridden a chairlift. He's never eaten meat. During the pandemic, he started exercising outside every day. Now he's more than four years in without missing a single day. He's a lifelong vegetarian, a vehement climate advocate, and, as he says, "obsessed with ideas and doing things that are hard." Tune in and hear Brody talk about growing up skiing in Ohio, his pursuit of untracked sno,w and his evolution into one of the world's top ski mountaineers who considers his skiing outside the traditional definitions used by both pro skiers and ski mountaineers. Topics: 1:10: An after-school ski program in Ohio. 4:00: Moving to Salt Lake City in 2005 for the skiing 12:10: Going from 100 days in the park to 100 days in the backcountry. 14:20: Ten years without riding lifts. 15:40: Principled skiing. 24:00: Perfecting turns without ever skiing on a groomer. 28:30: Climbing and skiing peaks in Uganda, Romania and Georgia. 30:10: The "thief of credibility" in the culture of ski mountaineering. 36:00: The light and fast ethos in ski mountaineering. 41:00: Jumping into exercising outside every day 49:00: Tackling climate change is like coming to a mountain with lots of little steps. Quotes: "When you're back there, you're listening to what the mountains are telling you and what your intuition is telling you and the frequency with which you do it, you know, getting out there so regularly and, you know, kind of higher risk terrain, you develop that fluency, right? And you push yourself to a spot where you have an intuitive fluency." Jason Blevins "I'm not like a woo-woo person, I'm very logical. And so when I say the essence of skiing, I do not mean that in any sort of woo-woo way. I mean, literally, it's how you move around the mountain on skis." Brody Leven "There's this culture of doing cool things and being quiet about it but secretly hoping other people hype you up in the parking lots. And like that's, it's just so weird for me. It's uncomfortable for me. I don't know. So I hype it up myself because I get back and I'm proud of it that part of my job is letting people know what I've done." Brody Leven "In hindsight, I didn't know it at the time, but I think in hindsight, finding that consistency was some way of having control over such an otherwise out-of-our-control situation. And so much of my life seems to lack that control." Brody Leven Resources: brodyleven.com Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Unless you live in Crested Butte, you likely haven't heard about Rob Dickinson. He's a former big mountain competitor who moves like a ninja through the Butte's scary steps. You really only catch glimpses of Rob … a flash in the trees, a splash of snow on a rocky face, a blur beneath impeccable tracks. He's coming up on 20 years skiing Crested Butte and is one of the mountain's handful of inspirational soul skiers. Rob doesn't have a sponsor. He runs his own painting business. But he's got skills and style for miles. Tune in and hear the 45-year-old Rob riff on how CBMR has honed his skiing, how to ride the clutch in technical terrain, and why you should never drop your uphill hand in gnarly steeps. Topics: 2:20: From upstate New York to New Hampshire to Steamboat 4:15: Crested Butte keeps you honest 7:10: Ride the clutch to stay fluid in technical terrain 11:10: Competing in big mountain comps from 2009 through 2014 with a CB shred posse 18:30: Injuries, replacing body parts, and shifting your mindset 24:15: How steep creek kayaking hones ski skills, risk assessment 26:10: Taking vanity out of the equation. 28:00: Check in with yourself 31:00: Finding happiness in healthy, sustainable places 33:00: Gear adjustments and added protection for steep skiing 36:30: Don't change anything on race day 37:30: Play, don't work, in the ski industry Photo credit: Garrett Grove Quotes: "All I did was chase skiing and kind of got the feeling that maybe I was chasing skiing from too far away." - Rob Dickinson "Trying to get better and trying to pull better results at, at freeskiing competitions, like, you just learn how to, I always say, ride the clutch, learn how to instead of like jamming on the brakes to see what's coming next." - Rob Dickinson "Crosstraining is really, really valuable." - Rob Dickinson "You have to steel your mind and you have to make yourself present and you have to check in with yourself." - Rob Dickinson Resources: Precise Painting CB Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Lou Dawson is a ski pioneer who has been setting the skintrack for countless skiers for decades. Since he arrived in the Roaring Fork Valley as a teenager in the mid-1960s, Dawson has helped shape backcountry skiing. From being the first person to ski all of Colorado's 14ers — finishing in the early 1990s — to meticulously documenting nearly every technological advancement in ski gear, Dawson has shepherded backcountry skiing from its nascent roots in the 1970s to today's global juggernaut. His recent memoir, Avalanche Dreams, traces his life from a hard-charging skier to a thoughtful father, husband, and alpinist. Tune in to hear Lou talk about his first ski tour, the 1982 avalanche that nearly killed him, leaning on his spirituality, penning more than 3,000 posts at his WildSnow.com site, the evolution of touring gear, and the art of setting a skintrack. Topics: 2:30: Life in Aspen in the 60s as a teenager with hippie parents. 7:40: First-ever touring up to Conundrum Hot Springs at age 16. 9:40: The "radical sensibility" of progressive adventurers in Colorado 10:50: The 1982 avalanche in Aspen Highlands Bowl. 13:40: The Peter Pan Syndrome challenges many ski town men. 16:10: The spiritual awakening after the avalanche. 19:00: Finishing all the Colorado 14ers in 1991. 20:40: Writing posts for Wild Snow, tinkering and modifying backcountry gear. 24:50: The role of alpine tech bindings in ski mountaineering. 26:40: How gear and improved education have helped protect backcountry skiers. 35:40: North American versus European skin tracks. 36:40: "A beautiful combination of technology and athletic ability and a mystical awareness of the environments and the mountains." 40:40: The fun of low-angle touring Photo credit: Lou Dawson skis Long's Peak in 1990. Photo by Glenn Randall Quotes: "I started on wooden Bonna skis without edges and I literally would take those up and go powder skiing on those things back behind Aspen Mountain and places like that." - Lou Dawson "The difference between the 60-something millimeter skis we were skiing back in the 1970s and 80s with these with say an 80-millimeter ski or a 90-millimeter ski is like night and day." - Lou Dawson "In a lot of ski posses, people would look at you and think, 'Well, I wish he or she had taken an avalanche course.' And, you know, the avalanche course might not serve you to be able to predict whether a slope is safe or not, but it just makes you more aware of the danger." - Lou Dawson "I've always applied my craft to just anything I do. And I think one of the crafts of ski touring is the skin track. It's how you create it." - Lou Dawson Resources: Avalanche Dreams WildSnow.com Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Mike Hattrup has moved from bump skiing boss, to ski movie star to gear designer, covering smooch ground on snow that his work has touched just about every skier in the sport. From chasing his four siblings on the slopes of Alpental to winning mogul medals to hanging with Stump, Schmidt, and Blake in the seminal "Blizzards of Aahhh's" to building backcountry skis and gear for top ski shops, Hattrup's career has covered a lot of ground. Today, he's the director of skiing for Eleven Experience, helping folks plunder powder in Alaska, British Columbia, Chile, Colorado, France, and Iceland. Listen in as Mike traces his extraordinary career from pro skier to guide to gear builder. Topics: 3:05: Growing up skiing during the freestyle rage of the 1970s 4:00: Athleticism of mogul skiing 6:30: Training for mogul competitions 10:00 Filming with Greg Stump in "Time Waits for Snowman" in 1985 11:20: Filming "Blizzard of Aahhh's" in Europe 14:00: Why "Blizzard" resonated so deeply with skiers 16:00: Moving over to K2, helping the company transition from race 22:50: The emergence of the transformative K2 Four 26:00: Moving into telemark ski design, flexible ski boots, and backcountry gear 34:00: Working at Kastle, Fisher, Black Diamond, Marmot 40:30: AMGA guiding on Mount Rainier 46:00: Improving through technique as we age Quotes: "I never thought that skiing was a career. Not like now, I mean, you can go be a film skier, right? But back then it really wasn't an option." - Maike Hattrup "We'll for sure look back on that era from early to mid-90s to the mid-2000s as the golden era of ski design." - Maike Hattrup "I learned to tele purely from a touring standpoint." - Maike Hattrup "In terms of fitness, that certainly becomes more of a challenge as you get older and I think you just gotta find a way to, I mean, find a way to keep training and make it fun." - Maike Hattrup Resources: Maike Hattrup, LinkedIn Maike Hattrup, Instagram Eleven Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Amie Engerbretson grew up ripping Palisades Tahoe, the daughter of a pro skier and filmmaker. She has starred in dozens of ski movies, highlighting a grace and flow honed from years of training as a dancer. Now she's making her own movies, advocating for climate action, and helping women hone confidence on and off snow. Tune in and hear Amie about how dancing influences her skiing, how films can reveal the emotional challenges and rewards of skiing, and how to foster confidence for improving our time on snow. Topics: 1:20: Pro skiing is the family business. 6:10: Grace, rhythm, and flow. 7:20: Years of competitive dance influencing skiing. 10:00: Dance, skiing, and filmmaking as performance art 11:00: "Hypocrite" and "Blue Hour" ski films revealing "the full gamut of emotions in the human experience." 12:20: The changing business of ski films as storytelling. 13:10: Advocacy work with Protect Our Winters. 14:20: "Knowing it's OK to be scared and do something anyway because it's important." 17:00: Life happens in the in-between; savoring the moment of transition between turns. 19:40: How skiing changes as we grow. 21:30: Being mindful of the choices you make as an individual. 23:00: The wisdom of Roy Kent in "Ted Lasso." 26:10: The power of the ski community. 29:30: The importance of recovery days in training regimens. 30:00: Ski camps for women at Palisades Tahoe 31:00: Growing confidence through mind-body connections Quotes: "I was super into dance and ballet also when I was younger and both ski racing and ballet became quite serious and intensive to the point where they kind of have to become your only thing at some point." - Amie Engerbretson "What I'm doing is telling stories, trying to somehow communicate the joy and the ineffable awesomeness of skiing to people through a screen or through a photo or something like that. That's my job is, in a way, it is like a performance, like a ski performance, like a film strip is performing, I think." - Amie Engerbretson "What I do as an individual absolutely matters, but the most important thing I can do as an individual is be part of a collective. To change the system so that then all of us as individuals can make better choices in that system." - Amie Engerbretson "What I've learned as an athlete is to understand my fear, understand when it's rational, irrational, all those things, but also know that it's okay to be scared and do something way because it's important and you want it." - Amie Engerbretson Resources: Amie Engerbretson Official Website Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Today's guest is Kristen Ulmer, who is one of the most accomplished big mountain skiers ever. She is now a fear and anxiety expert, helping her clients overcome disabling confusion or chaos. After studying Zen concepts for more than a decade, she authored "The Art of Fear" as a guidebook for improved mindfulness. Her three-day Fear Ski Camps at Alta are renowned for helping skiers improve their athletic performance and bury the fear and anxiety that can hinder, not just skiing, but living. Take her Fear and Anxiety Assessment on her website. Her decades-long reign as one of the top female skiers in the world has transferred over to expertise in helping people foster stronger mindsets, find flow states, and improve their health and happiness. Topics: 2:00: First full season skiing in Little Cottonwood Canyon after growing up in New Hampshire 4:00: Skiing all day, working in banquets at the Cliff Lodge, competing in moguls comps 5:00: Transitioning from moguls to big-mountain in the early 90s 6:20: "No girls were doing that back then." 7:50: Studying the Eastern approach to fear and readjusting relationships with fear 09:45: Finding flow state through fear. "We are stronger together than apart" 11:50: Interviews with top action sports athletes 16:00: The problem with resisting fear 18:25: Intimacy with fear manifests as focus 21:30: Performance-enhancing relationships with fear 27:40: Ski camps at Alta 34:50: Three themes in why we love skiing Quotes: "I was just trying to hang out with friends and have a good time with friends and go on the trips with them. And I really didn't have any goals in skiing, but the next thing you know, I wound up on the US ski team for moguls." - Kristen Ulmer "We probably should define that [extreme sports] mean that the consequences of failure are death or injury. That's what makes something extreme." - Kristen Ulmer "What he has is, he has a willingness to feel fear. He's young, hungry, and talented. He's stepping 4% out of his comfort zone every day, connecting the dots. This is how y ou become better at anything." - Kristen Ulmer Resources: Kristen's Instagram Kristen's Website Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis! A few years ago I got to join Kim Beekman on a ski trip to the San Juans. We skied at and around Telluride and all over Red Mountain Pass. I don't think she ever wondered why everyone always wanted to ski those backcountry lines before her. It was because we all wanted to get down and watch her ski. Few ski with more grace, ease, and power than Kim. She is a flawless skier. And an incredible writer. As the editor at Skiing and a longtime ski journalist, she has shepherded years of ski reviews, charting the evolution of ski design for decades. She's raised an amazing daughter who rips and has all sorts of insights into making the most of our time on snow. Tune in and learn from a master. Thanks for listening to Next Level Skiing. Topics: 3:40 Growing up chasing her older brother 2:50 The secret sauce of being a good skier: having a ripping older sibling 3:55 Honing her writing chops at the Jackson Hole Guide in the 1990s 6:36 What makes a good ski story? 7:50 Her new children's book about Hilaree Nelson 11:10 The emergence of rocker and shape in skis 18:30 Her favorite ski designs 21:50 Raising young rippers. Candy bribery. 26:00 When ski skills spill over into life 30:30 Hands up! Resources: Kimberly Beekman Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. I love watching Aaron Blunck ski the pipe. The Crested Butte native has spent 26 of his 27 years on skis and it shows, with amazing airs and unrivaled style. Earlier this season I got to see Aaron ski in the Copper pipe and he was throwing this ridiculously cool pipe-grinding, snow-spraying slash in the middle of his run, and the crowd loved it. This is a fun chat with the three-time Olympian who grew up dreaming of competing in the X Games, which he won in 2017. He spent his younger years chasing his older brother Nolan around the steeps of Crested Butte Mtn Resort, where he honed his aerial prowess in gnarly cliffs and trees. Listen and learn from one of Colorado's best as Aaron shares insights into bouncing back from injuries, the relentless pursuit of new challenges in skiing, celebrating every turn, and embracing gratitude on snow. Thanks for listening to Next Level Skiing. Topics: 2:00 - Copper performance 4:49 - Skiing at 18 months 5:24 - Chasing his older brother 7:21 - Unlocking a new wave of younger rippers at Crested Butte 9:10 - Big mountain laps with pipe and terrain park to finish 11:00 - Still living the dream 13:40 - Not just skiing: hockey, baseball, soccer 17:25 - Pay to play: injuries and recovery 22:00 - Mind over matter to bounce back from injuries 24:24 - Overcoming the life-changing injury 26:00 - Why not go skiing? 28:00 - This is my purpose 30:00 - Never stop learning new things 32:00 - Little-kid cruising and embracing gratitude Resources: Aaron Blunck Instagram Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Reggie Crist keeps turning the page on one skiing's most illustrious careers. A decade on the U.S. Ski Team. Pioneer in the Olympic spot of Ski Cross. One of the first to helicopter skiers into Alaska's Chugachs. And now a globe-trotting ski guide whose Stellar Adventure brings skiers to Japan, South America, Alaska and the backcountry of Idaho. Tune in as Reggie tells us where he would take us if we win the lottery and want to spend an entire year crushing powder. Topics: 2:30 - Raised in California and Idaho 3:30 - Earning a PhD in skiing on the U.S. Ski Team 5:10 - Ski Cross and a second ski racing career 6:20 - Ski Cross is more intense than downhill racing Kitzbuhel 7:00 - Stellar Adventure 11:00 - Bringing ski racing technique to the big mountains of Alaska 12:30 - A year in powder 16:49 - Best way to prepare for a month in Alaska 18:30 - Alaska off the couch 22:32 - Catching the Santa Rosa storm in the Andes 26:50 - The rewards of helping people find their best ski day 29:30 - Follow your passion and be a stoke broker Resources: Stella Adventure Travel Wagner Custom Skis

It's difficult to overstate the role of Scot Schmidt in big-mountain freeskiing. He pretty much invented the niche with his explosive, airborne exploits. His signature tucked-knees hop turn and high-speed hip-check smear on 223 downhill skis defined a style that changed skiing. Scot's style inspired untold hordes of skiers in the 80s and early 90s, before skis got wide and rockered. His breakout role in Greg Stump's seminal "Blizzard of Ahhs" ushered in a now 30-year-old era of ski porn. Scot at age 62 is still skiing 100 days a year on big, stiff skis, spending his winters in Montana as an ambassador for the Yellowstone Club. In this episode of Next Level Skiing, the legend himself shares insights into his longevity, his ski style, starring in a movie that captured entire generations of skiers, and "flowing like water" on skis. Topics: 2:00 - Growing up in Montana City, Montana 4:30 - Moving to Squaw Valley, melding with ski racers and speed skiers 9:30 - Idolizing Ingemar Stenmark 11:00 - About that smear turn 14:40 - Put your turns in the sweet spot 19:30 - Still riding a 195 115mm-underfoot Stockli 23:40 - Never been smoother than now 25:30 - The impact of "Blizzard of Ahhs" 28:50 - Keep it smooth and flow like water Resources: Master the Smooth with Scot Schmidt Wagner Custom Skis

There are a lot of great ski movies out there. But only one ranks as the most important. In a year when U.S. suicides reached record highs and many mountain towns are reporting the highest suicide rates in the country, Drew Peterson's "Ups + Downs" exposes the professional skier's anguished struggle with suicidal thoughts. Mental health is at a critical crossroads in mountain valleys and Peterson's willingness to step up and reveal his own battles with overwhelming darkness is one of the most consequential moves in the history of ski movies. Skiing is awesome. It can help people learn how to be mindful and present. It can recharge weary souls. But it cannot heal mental illness. Drew's turn toward therapy and the hard work required to deflect demons is a guiding light for people who can't escape the darkness. Drew's upcoming movie details his turn toward 100-mile ultramarathons as he continues his journey. This is a special Next Level Skiing podcast where Colorado-born Drew shares how skiing is only one tool for rebuilding a life. If you or anyone you know is in need of immediate help, call 988 to reach trained crisis workers at the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or text HOME to 741741. Topics: 2:00 - The 20-year overnight success story 6:40 - Ski the Wild West 11:00 - Raw expose with "Ups + Downs" 12:30 - The falling rock that "changed the track of my life." 18:00 - Skiing can't be the only thing 20:40 - Let skiing just be skiing and find childhood joy 21:40 - The destination fallacy 24:45 - Finding mindfulness and presence on skis 28:05 - Shining the light in a darker corner of mountain culture 33:35 - Ski and enjoy Resources: Ups + Downs If you or anyone you know is in need of immediate help, call 988 to reach trained crisis workers at the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or text HOME to 741741. Wagner Custom Skis

Today on the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis, Jason chats with American gold-medal Olympic ski racer Ted Ligety. In 2011, Ted Ligety put the FIS on blast for the governing body's new mandates for ski lengths, saying the rules would "will eventually ruin this sport." The following seasons, as he skied longer GS boards, he earned the nickname "Mr. GS," winning six World Cup races in 2013 and three in 2014 on his way to his second Olympic gold at the Sochi Games. Ligety is a renowned technician on skis with highly angulated hips, knees, and ankles. His seen-everywhere images of his hips skimming smooth snow at ungodly speeds are inspiring. For this chapter of Next Level Skiing, Ligety talks about how he adapted to longer skis, founding Shred Optics, and what he's learned most recently from the "ski coach in his boots." Topics: 1:40 - Ted's background and journey to the slopes 6:31 - Scrapping with FIS over new rules for ski lengths 8:11 - Libertarian ski rules 09:30 - Perfect storm of ski design and technique 11:00 - Summer testing with 70 pairs of new GS skis in New Zealand 13:40 - Weight training leading into the best season ever 14:15 - Starting Shred Optics 20:35 - The Carv footbed coach gamifies skiing 23:20 - Angling edges at the top of the turn and shins parallel 25:30 - A coach in your ski boots 30:00 - Hamstring curls on the inside leg of your ski turn Resources: Ted Ligety Wagner Custom Skis

Dan English was making waves in the world of high-tech when he veered into a new career focused on one of the oldest fabrics in the world. Today, the founder, president, and CEO of Colorado-based Voormi has infused the foundational principles of the technology industry into a clothing company that is changing how we think about wool and overhauling stagnant domestic manufacturing. On this episode of Next Level Skiing, Dan riffs on how the precepts of technological innovation can be applied to textiles and clothing, the best way to layer for an active day on snow, and how Voormi is moving on its mission to change the narrative around our clothing. Topics: 2:00 - A lifetime in tech in Seattle 7:20 - R&D testing at Wolf Creek ski area 8:50 - Core construction and Voormi's technology 10:20 - Domestic manufacturing for Voormi doubled in 2023 and will double again in 2024 13:00 - Applying technology rules to textiles and clothing 16:00 - New tech coming from Voormi will reduce the water needed for coloring and dyeing 19:20 - Making clothing adaptive for each user 25:30 - Layering and the right clothing for outdoor adventure in winter Resources: Voormi Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. If you've ever crowded into the snowy, frigid lift line at the base of Silverton Mountain in the morning as groups are divided by skill level, you've likely heard requests for Kim Grant. "Is Kim working?" "Where's Kim's group?" The 25-year ski guide who moves between the rowdy San Juans and the Chugachs in Alaska knows how to settle skier jitters like no other. Her relaxed vibe in stout terrain has led countless skiers to their best day ever. She has all kinds of strategies for helping skiers find inner strengths and push themselves into the steepest and deepest. And it all starts with breathing. Topics: 2:43 - College in Georgia, summers in Colorado 5:14 - Telluride ski patrol to Silverton Mountain 6:52 - Facets of the San Juans, the most dangerous snowpack 10:55 - Slow down and take breaths 11:22 - Shed layers 13:32 - One turn at a time 15:52 - Yoga and breathing for focus during the fight-or-flight response 25:45 - The most amazing tool for centering, focusing on fun 29:15 - Big changes for Silverton Mountain 31:30 - Look where you want to go Resources: Moves Silverton Silverton Mountain Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Adrian Ballinger is one of the most knowledgable people out on the mountains today. He is a triple threat: lifelong skier, veteran on technical rock, and a master at high altitude descent. He is one of the world's top ski mountaineer. He has many accomplishments under his belt. He has summited Everest and K2 without supplemental oxygen, was the first to ski descent of Manaslu (8th tallest peak in world) from the summit, founded Alpenglow Expeditions (which now takes 6000+ people a year skiing, climbing and mountaineering), and has had seventeen summits of 8000-meter peaks. In May of 2022, he became the first person to ski from Makalu (in the Mahalangur Himalayas) which is the fifth highest peak in the world. I had the pleasure of chatting with Adrian about his three attempts on Makalu, his risk tolerance now that he's a new father, and how to make sure the first turn is perfect. Topics: [01:36] Adrian's introduction [03:17] How Adrian got started and a snapshot of his career [12:50] Skiing Makalu [20:40] Risk tolerance [25:10] The mental and physical limitations of being so high up [32:15] The idea that it's okay to back off [34:00] Practice everything [37:00] Switching mindsets and cherishing the mundane [42:30] Conclusion Resources: Adrian Ballinger Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Today I'm talking with rock star Mark Morris. He talks about the connection between his music and the mountains. He teaches us how he tries to be a good ambassador for life. Mark talks about trail running, how he comes up with his songs, and how he improved as a skier and as a musician. There are many ways that music and skiing overlap. Between connecting in a spiritual way to the importance of practice, Mark shares how his passions intersect throughout his life. Topics: [01:41] Mark's introduction [03:41] How Mark got started on skis [09:15] Learning how to improve skills with exposure [11:44] Getting into music [16:05] How music and skiing overlap [31:00] Trail running techniques [33:00] On the "runner's high" [36:15] How music and skiing have enriched Mark's life [40:48] Conclusion Resources: Mark Morris' Website Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Today's guest is Angela Hawse. Angela is an award-winning guide, an alpinist, a sponsored athlete, a motivational speaker, and a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Mountain Guide Association. Angela is the second woman in history to achieve that award. She has taken a stand for women in skiing and when speaking about climate change. Angela brings her unique experience as a skier and a climber when she shares her stories about women on the mountains. Topics: [02:39] Angela's introduction to skiing and her journey to being a guide [12:00] The evolution of women in skiing [13:00] Challenges for women in skiing [20:20] Making adjustments so we can better enjoy ourselves in the snow [27:00] The advantage of having a coach [30:15] Tools for safety and fitness [36:30] On what it is like receiving a lifetime achievement award [39:19] Giving back with "Protect Our Winters" [44:45] The future in the climbing and skiing industries [46:05] Conclusion Resources: Angela Hawse Protect Our Winters Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Today I'm talking with the legendary Steve Casimiro. Steve harkens back to the skiing comeback of the 1990s. His unwavering love of skiing shines bright as we talk about everything from what skiing was like in the late 80s to what it is like now, and our responsibilities when it comes to climate issues. There are many ways to help others including respecting others, spreading positivity, and really thinking about how you are valuing your time. Topics: [01:37] Introduction to the resurgence of skiing in the 90s [04:00] Steve's intro into skiing [07:35] Skiing in the late 80s [13:15] Recognizing the transformation in skiing in the 90s [16:50] Skiing with skiers with more experience [23:24] Skiing changing with the times [31:00] Adventure skiing [32:00] From promoting people the respecting people [37:00] Opportunities to share your enthusiasm and [47:30] Acting on big problems, including climate issues [52:00] Your time has value [54:00] Conclusion Resources: Steve on Adventure Journal Steve Casimiro on Instagram Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Today I'm talking with Nader Jamal about how to feel empowered while you're on the powder. Nader's been through a lot in his life. Today he shares tips on how to be more confident while you're on the slopes. He also shares some of his story and the lessons he learned while fighting off cancer and teaching the youth of America how to stay upright while on the snow or in the water. He also emphasizes the importance of learning how to fall. In real life and while you're on skis (or on a stand-up paddleboard), sometimes it's how you take the fall that can teach you the most about confidence and what you're capable of. Topics: [3:00] Growing up with Palestinian parents in New York [4:40] Taking skills from the terrain park into big mountain [5:50] Learning how to ski switch [7:30] Relaxing on rails [10:00] Similarities in stand-up paddling and skiing [11:40] The role of confidence and recognizing physical cues that can shift confidence [15:58] Crossover skills between SUP, skiing and park [19:35] Being loose, playful and vulnerable [20:20] Don't fight the fall [22:55] Nader's cancer fight at 21 and his introduction to outdoor adventure [24:25] A whitewater trip to Montana with First Descents after Stage 3 colon cancer diagnosis [27:00] Being the connector for others seeking outdoor adventure and experiences [28:45] It's OK to fall. Welcome it. [30:50] The motivation of learning with a group [34:10] Developing self-expression in skiing through teamwork [36:30] Conclusion Resources: Nader Jamal, First Descents Nader Jamal, Instagram Nader Jamal, LinkedIn Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Today I have to pleasure of sharing my conversation with Krista Crabtree. Krista has spent decades introducing women to skiing via her 'She Skiis' clinics. From the beginning of her career, she has tracked the evolution of women's ski gear and because of that, she's an expert on the topic. From design to material to shape, Krista knows exactly how skis will perform on the snow. In this episode, Krista and I talk about women in skiing and the evolution of women's ski gear. There have been a lot of gender politics in skiing and Krista shares some of her stories as a woman in the industry. We're seeing plenty of positive changes in skiing, but there's still plenty we can do to get more amazing women in the spotlight. Topics: [01:31] Krista Crabtree Introduction [03:23] Krista's skiing journey [08:00] The evolution of women's ski equipment [13:30] Ski instruction for men versus women [16:52] Five tips that resonate with everyone [27:05] How gear can enable women [30:00] Upcoming advances in women's gear [35:41] Seeing more women on the slopes [44:10] The importance of having an outlet like skiing [45:15] Conclusion

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. On today's episode, I have the pleasure of talking with powder photographer extraordinaire, Lee Cohen. Lee came to Utah in the 1980s as a ski bum and found his calling. He and his friends traveled from Utah down to California and beyond, chasing the snow and powder and photographing the experience. Today we're talking about how Lee got his start in skiing and photography as well as his journey to being one of the most well-known foremost photographers the snow has ever seen. He also talks about how he first pushed back on the transition to digital photography and his thoughts on it now. Lee shares some tips on how to get the best pictures when you're out on the slopes and tips on skiing which he'd gleaned from the pros. Topics: [00:24] Lee Cohen's introduction to skiing [08:57] Salt Lake City [10:00] Lee's start in photography [12:46] Lee's first cover photo [13:29] Lee's ah-ha moment in photography [14:32] The transition to digital [17:37] Tips for big snow [23:40] How to shoot better skiing photos [32:10] What excites Lee about skiing

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Today's I'm talking with Chris "Tats" Tatsuno. Chris has an infectious way of making a turn in snow and he certainly shares it with everyone around him. It's impossible not to have a good time when you're riding around with Chris. Chris has his own style, his own look, and he is a wonderful influence on the youth of the industry through instruction and inspiration. He doesn't put a lot of pressure on the snow and on himself. Chris gives us some tips he learned from his dad, as well as a few of the lessons he's learned from his own journey. From spending time with a crew you love, to his tips on how you can take it easy on your joints so you can ski until you're 90, Chris shares a lot of great info today. Topics: [00:00] Introduction to Season 5 [03:00] Chris' introduction [04:00] Chris' background and how he got into skiing [05:50] What it was like growing up with a ski instructor [08:21] Skiing vs snowboarding in the late 80s and early 90s [14:11] How Chris ended up in Roaring Fork Valley, Colorado [18:35] The Aspen Ripper Factory and the Aspen ski gangs [28:45] Spending time with a crew that you enjoy [30:20] Becoming a ski instructor [36:26] Chris' style and look [42:00] Be the watcher [44:43] Advice that still resonates with Chris [48:18] Conclusion Resources: Powder.com's Adaptive Skiing Article, "The Tao of Tats" Chris Tatsuno's LinkedIn Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. On today's episode, I have the pleasure of talking with California badass, Michelle Parker. Michelle is an amazing skier with excellent form. If you have the chance to watch her ski, watch how she shreds with her feet; she is amazing. There are few skiers out there who have the speed and footwork of Michelle. Michelle shares some great lessons and messages including the importance of visualization and how to develop your inner warrior. She also emphasizes how important it is to be aware of your surroundings, mapping the mountain, and trusting your intuition. California native Michelle Parker started skiing in her home resort of Squaw Valley Ski Resort. Since then, she's competed in the US Freeskiing open, X-Games, and the Red Bull Cold Rush. She's also one of the founders of Skiers Advocating and Fostering Education for Avalanche and Snow Safety (S.A.F.E.A.S.), whose goal is to advocate for snow safety and avalanche awareness. Topics: [02:00] Michelle's footwork on the snow [03:00] How Michelle started skiing [05:25] Michelle's first experiences with freeskiing [07:57] Skills that she transferred from racing to freeskiing [10:45] Moving to the big mountains [12:15] Avalanche education [17:40] What Michelle thinks of when she's up top and waiting her turn [18:30] How to tap into your inner warrior [23:50] The importance of realizing legitimate fears and being confident in your intuition [27:50] How to develop a strong intuition [29:50] Advice that still resonates with Michelle [31:40] Surrounding yourself with incredible athletes (on the screen and in real life) Resources: Michelle Parker, Instagram Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Today, we've got a great conversation with a great guest. There aren't that many high profile skiers out there, who are as thoughtful and introspective as Mark Abma. Mark is an inspiring athlete with a unique outlook on how to improve performance, training, and mindset. From keeping things in perspective when he's on top of a mountain to hydrotherapy, Mark talks about what has shaped him as a skier and as a person. Mark Abma is a professional freeskier. From Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, he was born for the snow. He has a number of awards under his belt including the Powder Video Award for Best Male Performance in 2007 and 2005. He also won Best Natural Air in 2010, and Best Powder in 2009. He recently started an advocacy group called One Step with the goal of helping both ski resorts and skiers reduce their carbon footprints. Topics: [02:11] How Mark started skiing [07:00] Mogul skiing helping with the transition [12:35] What Mark learned from his idols when he was a kid [16:28] How competing led to films [22:25] Mark's mental game when he gets dropped off on a mountain [25:45] A piece of advice Mark goes back to [27:00] Recovery and hydrotherapy [33:50] Lactic training [36:05] Lessons on the snow, transcending into everyday life Resources: Mark Abma on Twitter Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Skiing is about more than just strapping on some equipment and hitting the slopes. Here at Next Level Skiing we want to focus on everything that can affect your ski game. In this episode, sports physiologist Dr. Allen Lim talks to us about how nutrition can affect how you ski. Dr. Lim covers a lot of ground, from fueling your body, to helping your body recover, to staying healthy all year long. Dr. Allen Lim is a sports physiologist, cycling coach, and a founder of Skratch Labs. Scratch Labs is a manufacturer of performance hydration mixes. He has worked with dozens of top American cyclists to improve their performance and nutrition. Today he is here to help skiers with the same type of information that he gives to cyclists. While cycling and skiing aren't exactly the same in terms of what it requires of your body, they do have some overlap. Topics: [01:48] How Dr. Lim got started in athletic medicine and physiology [03:45] Unhealthy American food culture: Ethnocentric versus Technocentric [07:22] How to improve your skiing through nutrition [13:45] The type of food to eat after skiing [17:20] The importance of staying hydrated and listening to your thirst [20:27] How to prepare your body for altitude changes [26:00] The nutritional approach to keeping our head in the game while on the snow [30:00] Hunger and exercise [34:32] A piece of advice that still resonates with Dr. Lim [38:14] Beer and skiing [40:15] Summary and last words Resources: Scratch Labs Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Today we are talking with Alex Cohen. Not only is he a sports psychologist for the US Olympic and Paralympic Teams, he also has a lot to share with everyday skiers. In this episode, Alex talks about the importance of having a game plan, getting out of your own way, and the myths about flowstate. He talks about how Olympians get to where they are and how he got to where he is in life. Alex has learned a lot over the years and shares some of that knowledge with you today. This is sure to be an episode with so many takeaways, you'll have to listen to it more than once. Alex Cohen, the senior sports psychologist for the US Olympic and Paralympic Teams. Alex dives in deep with the team when it comes to mental strategies, mindfulness, and other skills that can transfer over to their daily lives. Topics: [02:25] How Alex got into skiing and started working with Olympians [03:45] Sports psychology on the ski-lifts [12:44] External focus cues in order to execute good technique [13:50] Getting out of your own way [17:13] Training mindsets and flipping that switch [19:15] Flowstate [23:17] Recovery after injury [29:18] Alex's personal skiing habits [29:49] A piece of advice that resonates through Alex's life [33:20] Summary and conclusion Resources: Alex Cohen Twitter: @alexcohenphd "Rethinking Positive Thinking: Inside the New Science of Motivation" by Gabriele Oettingen Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Thinking through the fear with Julian Carr. One of the great things about skiing is that we can apply the lessons we've learned on snow and adapt them to our whole life. Today is no exception. Julian talks about how he gets air, how he got started, and what goes into finding the right conditions. As a natural talent, Julian has a unique and positive perspective on both skiing and life. We've all seen the pictures. X-Games GOLD Medalist Julian Carr is known as one of the skiers who gets the biggest air. It's almost as if he's out there to prove that flying and skiing aren't two different things. Julian's lofty exploits have landed him in Warren Miller films. He's also received "Photo of the Year" from Powder Magazine, the Sickbird Award on the Freeskiing World Tour, and holds two world records in cliff jumps. He's an ambassador for Protect Our Winters and Climate Reality Project. He's also a board member for the Lands Conservation Foundation. He founded Discrete Clothing. He also founded the Cirque Series, which is a mountain running series that's in its fourth season. Topics: [02:00] How Julian got started skiing and getting height [06:00] Being a natural skier and specific his skill set [08:10] Baby steps to getting air [14:00] What goes into finding the right conditions [24:25] Working through the fear [25:45] Patience and recognizing the gap between desire and ability [29:30] How to know when you're ready [31:10] Advice that still resonates [33:20] Summary and conclusion Resources: Julian Carr Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Today, I'm chatting with Lorraine Huber, an Australian skier who has made a career off of making skiing look easy. She's done it all, from big mountain skiing and competitions, to guiding and becoming a mental coach. And she doesn't just teach the pros; she's teaching everyone how to find poise and grace out on the slopes amidst all this chaos. Lorraine is a professional skier from Lech am Arlberg. She is a freeride world champion and is now giving back to the skiing community by becoming a mental coach. She helps skiers become inspired and fall in love with the process. Listen in as she shares her insights on the mental games that occur on the snow, and how to turn our focus to the process of learning through visualization and meditation. Lorraine also offers suggestions on how we can find our flow state. Topics: [01:30] How Lorraine got started in skiing [08:10] The transition process of big mountain skiing to mental coach [12:25] Strategies for quieting your mind [18:51] Finding your flow state [25:35] What to focus on: growing and learning the process [27:59] How to reprogram your brain [33:15] Internal versus extrinsic motivation [34:29] What can come to us when we're in that flow state [37:27] Lorraine's skiing buddies and how they helped her [40:00] A lesson that still resonates with Lorraine [42:00] Lorraine's YouTube channel [42:42] Summary of the big lessons from this episode Resources: Lorraine Huber Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweck Lorraine Huber, YouTube Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Today's guest is a skiing veteran with amazing stories and lessons to share. I'm sure all of you know the name Chris Anthony. In this episode, Chris shares so many of his experiences and tips including how early he started skiing, hard ski lessons, how to ski with an injury, and stories from movie sets. From Warren Miller to Mt. Mangart, he is no stranger to film or the snow. Chris also shares his opinions on how and why skiing has changed over the years. Has it been for the better? How have these technological changes helped injured skiers? Not to mention, we dive into the basics of skiing, because sometimes we need to be reminded that skiing isn't about being the strongest. A lot of the challenge of skiing happens in your mind… and also on your knees. Is it possible to ski with a knee injury? Chris Anthony does it all: award winning skier, ski personality, trainer, guide, and motivational speaker. Chris was also inducted into the Colorado Snowsports Hall of Fame in 2018, is an award-winning documentary producer, director, writer, and editor, and was featured in 28 Warren Miller films. Topics: [00:55] How Chris got into skiing [05:15] Evolving times for skiing and ski gear [09:10] Chris' lessons from his movie career [12:00] On bad habits and trying to get rid of them [14:25] Skiing while injured [21:44] Knee replacement and returning to skiing [26:09] Tips for skiing with knee pain [28:47] Ski gear that won't bother your knees [31:33] Off the wall racing [35:05] Lasting advice from early in Chris' career [36:11] Mission Mt. Mangart film and the history of skiing [41:56] Summary and thanks Resources: Chris Anthony Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. We have quite the treat for you today as our guest is the legendary–the most decorated American, male downhiller ever–Daron Rahlves. Four time Olympian. Twenty-eight world cup podiums. A dozen world cup victories. Seven national titles. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Daron is already helping out future generations of skiers with his Ski Tips with Daron Rahlves series on YouTube. Today he brings a few of those tips with him as well as some great advice and fantastic stories. There are so many takeaways from today's episode, from tips on developing confidence, to technical advice about balance, and big lessons he's learned from his journey to the top. Topics: [01:00] Daron's accolades and journey [02:20] From Ski-Tips to Mortal Tips [06:55] How do we develop confidence [09:43] Technical tip about balance: "From the snow up" [13:00] The importance of knowing the line [19:55] Find a mentor and follow the good guys [22:10] How Daron adjusted his ski style for the film, Chasing the LIne [30:55] How skiing has developed over the years [35:00] How Red Bull treats the athletes they sponsor [41:50] The fastest time at Birds of Prey and other records [45:40] Advice from Daron's youth which still resonates with him [47:50] Tips and warm-ups [49:20] Summary of the episode Resources: Ski Tips with Daron Rahlves Wagner Custom Skis

On today's show, I speak with my good friend, Skylar Holgate of Silverton Mountain Guides out of Durango. Skylar and I have shared a lot of great adventures, however what makes him most interesting is how many days he's logged on major mountains around the globe. Skylar and I talk about his experience as a racer turned big mountain snowboarder and how he passes on his expertise from a lifetime of advanced mountain experience. Join us for this very special episode. Topics: [03:37] Skylar's transition from skiing to snowboarding. [04:45] Skylar's priorities in his twenties. [06:01] Helping people achieve results and overcome fear. [10:00] The challenges of adjusting resort style to backcountry/heli-skiing. [13:50] Why it's important to familiarize yourself with new gear before skiing. [16:45] Skylar's excitement about showing people the ropes and helping them improve. [21:45] Differences and similarities between resort skiers and professional skiers. [23:38] How he handles giving advice to professionals. [25:53] Important turn advice. [31:54] The best way to communicate with someone who is struggling. [36:05] The most helpful advice Skylar has received. [37:50] The main talent of Silverton Mountain Guides. [38:40] The importance of trying new things. Resources: Silverton Mountain Guides Wagner Custom Skis

On this episode of Next Level Skiing, I speak with Ted Mahon, one of Colorado's most respected mountain athletes. He has an impressive 25 years of experience in skiing and mountaineering. During most of that time, he has worked as a ski instructor. He has also skied most of the country's highest mountains. On top of this, he has helped countless skiers reach their peak level of performance. Join us for an interesting conversation about preparation, uphill clinics, and Ted's mountain experience. Topics: [02:44] Tips for kicking off your ski vacation on the right foot. [06:05] Skiing with returning clients. [07:45] Why it's important to show up with a basic level of fitness. [08:35] What separates a great skier from a great bowl skier. [11:33] Ted's uphill clinics and who attends them. [13:46] Weekly social uphills at Buttermilk. [15:10] The appeal of backcountry skiing. [18:18] Easing people into backcountry skiing. [20:35] How boots can affect your footwork and the effort you have to exert. [23:12] Advanced uphill clinics and what they offer. [29:41] Picking your peaks. [32:15] Thinking back on the highlights of his career. [34:10] Ted's parting advice to other skiers. Resources: Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to Next Level Skiing, where we pick the brains of the best in the sport. Today, I speak with Erik Lambert, one of the founders of Bluebird Backcountry. He and his partner wanted to test the idea that skiers needed an intro to the fundamentals of backcountry skiing before diving in. As such, they figured out a middle ground and thousands have flocked to learn from the guides at Bluebird. They have since expanded their program and the training grounds. Tune in to hear more about this fantastic program and Erik's experiences as a mountain sport enthusiast. Topics: [03:15] Starting from scratch with a new reservation system to help keep numbers small. [05:45] Finding a middle ground between resort and backcountry skiing. [10:45] Figuring out how to make the program sustainable. [13:24] What makes Bluebird different from another mountain's Backcountry 101. [14:15] Why people just beginning their backcountry journey are often not ready for Avalanche One. [21:10] The feedback from Aerie-certified instructors. [23:05] Formalizing the way people learn and grow. [24:35] Growing up as a skier in Upstate New York. [27:00] Who the Bluebird Backcountry clients are and why the demographics surprised Erik. [33:00] The different skills required for backcountry skiing. [34:26] Erik's solid piece of backcountry advice. Resources: Bluebird Backcountry Wagner Custom Skis

Welcome back to the Next Level Skiing podcast, brought to you by Wagner Skis. Today, I chat with Cody Townsend, a Southern California football superstar turned mountain hero. He has piloted a career on skis unlike any other I've seen. He claims his achievements were driven by boredom, of all things. His current undertaking, The Fifty Project, exposes the glory and work in skiing and mountaineering. Join us as we discuss his transition from heliskiing to hiking peaks and the unrelenting mental game involved therein. Topics: [03:52] Cody's experience growing up in a football family. [04:22] How his family got him into skiing. [06:41] Critical skills he developed as a racer. [11:42] Cody's experience as a heliskier and the ensuing transition to mountaineering. [12:07] Boredom and danger were catalysts to his shift. [15:54] The single most important skill in ski mountaineering. [19:15] Heading into his Fifty Project knowing he had a lot to learn. [24:25] Skiing the Sphinx in Alaska. [26:45] Perceptions of pro skiers vs. the reality. [29:05] The tendency to pull back when skiing intense steeps. [32:40] A basic drill that helps change your mindset on the steeps. [36:25] The experience that made him dream about skiing The Crack. [37:50] Drawing on past experiences to help you reach the next level. [39:40] Why skiing partners can affect your experience. [45:00] An article made Cody tear up. [46:35] A great piece of advice Cody received. Resources: The Fifty Project' Wagner Custom Skis

Dr. Wes Wylie is the guy you want on your heliskiing crew. He's a heliski guide at Alaska's Tordillo Mountain Lodge as well as Powderbirds out of Snowbird. He's been a ski patroller at Deer Valley for more than 20 years. He travels to Chile and New Zealand in the summer to guide clients. Oh, and he's also a private physician who travels the country practicing medicine. 1:00: Are you a ski guide who practices medicine or a doctor who skis? 2:30: Getting into medicine as a way to ski 3:45: The overlap between doctoring and skiing. A typical year on mountains, with a few months in hospitals. 5:50: "The big dinner conversation." Honing aging bodies for skiing. Clients as patients. How to offset the 1% annual loss of muscle mass in men in their 50s, 60s and 70s. 7:15: The "easy" prescription to offset that muscle loss and even build muscle past age 50. 9:00: And even thwart the insidious weight gain of life after 50. 12:00: Advice for skiers looking to stay on skis deep into their 80s or even 90s: minimize the impacts. 12:35: People get injured for three reasons. Two of them are the fault of the guides. 14:20: Progressing "never-ever" Alaska helicopter skiers into steep, deep, sprawling terrain. 15:20: Second time's the charm. 18:30: Being "really spherical" when talking as a guide. 20:00: The photographic component of guiding. Tips for creating lifelong keepsakes. 23:40: Photos as "a great venue for people to review their skills." 25:50: Building the ultimate guide ski for heavy-pack skiing in variable conditions in Alaska 28:00 The ultimate guide ski looks like this 32:00 The best advice he's ever received: Movement is good. Stay in the flow. When people stay in the flow state, all the mechanics fall into place.

Doug Stenclik opened his Cripple Creek Backcountry shop in Carbondale in 2012 with a premonition that uphill skiing was about to explode. It did, and how he's got three shops in Colorado and an online site that ranks among the top sellers of all backcountry and ski touring equipment. Doug's vision began with a distinct belief that skiers should not be making life-and-death decisions while they are learning a new sport. His take is that backcountry skiing done right can be just as safe as skiing a resort. It's all about making the right decisions early. Liberal uphill policies at a growing number of ski resorts has enabled uphill skiing to thrive. And that's good as we head into the great unknown for the coming season. Doug saw sales at his Cripple Creek shops and website explode after resorts suddenly closed in mid-March. Could that be a clue of what we can expect for the upcoming ski season? Listen in as Doug riffs on the "out of order" alignment in backcountry skiing and avalanche education, how resorts embracing uphill is fostering the backcountry movement, how resort skiing can help your backcountry turns, the right ski for the right day and what he sees ahead as a ski season unlike any other unfolds. 4:30 — Avalanche education, it's talked about out of order. Risk of life should not be your first concern when you are learning how to kickstep. 6:10 - Resort uphill policies are enabling the transition from touring to backcountry. 10:30 — "Find the worst snow possible." Tips for honing backcountry skills while skiing off chairlifts. 13:20 — Is the boom in backcountry ski equipment sales in late March an indication of what's to come? 18:00 — Trail running shoes, home gym equipment and bikes are hot commodities in the pandemic summer. Could uphill skis join that list this winter? 20:30 — Don't necessarily think of touring as a better way to ski. "Think of it as a better way to hike in the winter and get outside and exercise in the winter." 22:50 — Cripple Creek encourages all buyers to sit for a virtual consultation when buying an uphill kit. 24:10 — Light is right. "Know that you will eventually go lighter … 90% of the time you are going uphill." 27:00 — Industry rollercoaster trends push the single-tool quiver but best bet it to have a resort ski and a backcountry ski. 31:10 — Best advice: Enjoy the whole day, the uphill and downhill as one journey in the mountains.

I would argue that no one has taught more people to heliski powder than Robert Koell, aka Roko. The Austrian skier grew up skiing to school and ski racing in his uncle's ski school at a resort his dad built. He was a coach for the Austrian ski team and arrived at Canadian Mountain Holidays in 1989 with a plan to spend a year learning English before returning to coaching. More than 30 years later, he's still guiding with CMH, rotating through the operation's stable of lodges. He's written training programs for CMH's powder masters, enabling skiers in their 80s and even 90s to stay on skis. And he's able to break down the techniques required to rip pow into bite-sized morsels revolving around the notion of up-and-down movement, creating a solid platform in soft snow, focusing on angulation of joints and eliminating bad habits. 2:45: Skied to school as a 3-year-old in Austria's Tirol. 3:50: Injury as a ski racer pushed him into coaching. 4:45: Coaching for the Austrian ski team from 1986 to 1989. 6:02: Decides to stay with CMH 8:14: Powder is an interesting medium, with all ranges of shapes, weights and feels. 9:00: Subtle difference between skiing hard pack and skiing powder "Build your own platform." 10:00: Dispelling the myth that skiing powder is for experts. Experts can ski chopped powder. Untrammeled powder is for everyone. 12:15: Equally weighted versus weighting each ski. 14:20: Overcoming intimidation by "seeing obstacles as friends." 15:30: Give people the feeling they are in control and "the scary things aren't so scary any more." 16:40: Balancing the need for speed and control in powder. 20:00: Motion is lotion. Don't be static on skis. 20:25: Vertical movement is the heartbeat of skiing. 21:50: But keep vertical movement in a range. Not too high. Not too low. 22:12: Handling the "fall-line effect." 24:20: Use small, linked turns to control speed in powder and maintain equal weight on both skis. 26:50: Use bone structure to weight and unweight skis. 28:30: Effective up-and-down movement using bone structure and momentum. 31:00 Building CMH's "Powder Masters Program" to help veteran clients in their 80s keep skiing into their 90s. 34:40: Best advice is to think about angulation in shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. 36:30: Every learning process begins with destruction. 38:10: Learn the soft hockey stop to butter through sketchy terrain and variable snow.

Few skiers have had such a lasting impact on their sport like Mike Douglas. From Olympic-caliber bumper to freeskiing pioneer to ski design innovator to influential filmmaker, Whistler's. Douglas has been at the forefront of skiing for more than 25 years. There's a good reason everyone calls him "the Godfather of Freeskiing." He pushed his young moguls skiers — like Vincent Dorian, J.P. Auclair, J.F. Cusson and Shane Szocs — into "snowboard parks" in the mid 1990s, where the crew became known as the New Canadian Air Force. Their FIS-dissing trickery chafed against international rules that forbid mogul skiers from getting inverted. Douglas and his crew designed their perfect ski, which became the Salomon 1080 and changed skiing. Douglas has spent his life exploring skiing from the perspective of athlete, coach, ski designer, instructor and filmmaker. Tune in as the Godfather holds court. 3:57: Moving to Whistler for a quick year before university, Douglas signs up for moguls contests and ends the season ranked third in British Columbia. 5:00: Making a run for the Lillehammer Games in 1994, Douglas works with the Canadian Freestyle Team. 5:25: Bad habits plagued his early skiing. The worst? The heavy head. "The world slows down the farther you look." 8:00: Started coaching in Whistler Blackcomb, teaching the next generation of mogul skiers. 9:15: Top athletes were grating under the strictures of FIS mogul skiing. Snowboarding was blowing up. Skiers wondered why they couldn't do that same tricks as snowboarders. 10:30: Back then, if you wanted to change a trick, it took two years to win FIS approval. "Meanwhile we were watching snowboarders innovating every week." 11:10: Douglas and top bumpers started poaching the snowboard-only terrain parks after moguls practice. 12:04: The skills from mogul skiing transferred to the park. Balanced at speed. 13:20: Trial-and-error skill development in the park predated trampolines and airbags. 14:32:: The creation of the Salomon 1080. "We knew we needed a ski that was different." 19:45: Absorbing the fire he sparked in freeskiing. "Every day I see something ridiculous that melts my brain." 22:18: Longevity on skis comes from a drive to keep moving and keep improving. 27:10: Almost every day on the same skis and boots. 29:44: The technology that enabled the one-ski quiver. 31:35: Lessons from 18 years teaching at Chile's Superstars Camp. 33:35: Three most basic principles of skiing. Simple is better. "If you can do those three things you can ski well anywhere." 36:16: Seeking the secret to longevity and "The Fountain of Youth" in Japan with Everest skier Yuichiro Miura and his son Gota. 39:50: Step by step. "You got to have a goal." 42:28: Notching wins for the climate as a driving force behind Protect Our Winters Canada. Motivating skiers to write 23,000 letters to the government, forcing a coal mine expansion to undergo intensive environmental review. "We may have saved 15 million tons of carbon dioxide from going into the air every year."

On today's episode, I had the opportunity to speak with Joel Gratz, the captain of a team of meteorologists at Open Snow, who love to give winter sports enthusiasts the most accurate weather reports. Joel has helped people chase powder and find the best snow for years. Tune in to hear us talk about Open Snow and how Joel got his start. Topics: [02:15] Having moderate expectations is important. [03:00] He's a skier, so he knows how to speak the language. [04:05] You can get excited within 3-5 days of a good snow report. [04:35] A 3 day forecast can be 95-98% accurate in terms of storm tracking. [05:00] At 5 days out, you are at 90% accuracy and it continues down from there. [07:50] There is no one who could consistently predict the weather for all the different regions in the U.S. year in and year out. [09:48] Joel discovered his love of skiing at Shawnee Mountain in Pennsylvania. [10:20] Joel has loved skiing and weather since he was four years old. [12:52] When he started out, Joel didn't have a strategy or business plan. [13:05] Basically, he was surprised by the weather and found it frustrating. [13:30] His method was a lot of trial and error. [15:15] Joel credits his success to his team at Open Snow. [15:52] When Open Snow started, they didn't mean to make it a business; it was mostly for their friends. [19:00] Skiing is better than not skiing, so you can't wait for perfect weather. [19:32] If you are on the fence, always choose to ski. Worse case scenario, the conditions aren't perfect, but you still get to ski with friends and family. [21:00] All you can say a week to 10 days out is whether there may be storms in a region. It's very general. [25:02] Wind direction is a key factor in figuring out the weather in the west. [27:50] If you want to look at weather maps, look at them at the 700 Millibar level (around 10,000 feet). [30:48] Open Snow gets a lot of emails from thrilled users. [34:40] The snow report that you see on most apps is a 24-hour snow report. [34:57] That 24 hour period usually covers 5am the previous day to 5am that day. [35:13] So, you have to figure out when the ski fell. [35:50] Joel yells at himself to keep his hands forward whenever he is tired and not skiing well. Quotes: "Science is always advancing and the only way you advance is by trying, failing, trying again, failing, trying again, failing." "We write the way we feel." "Beyond about 7-10 days, you're really grasping at straws." Resources: Open Snow Wagner Custom Skis