Artistic Footprint

Some people get the travel bug and go see the world. I got the snowbug. I do firedances on occasion to please the snow god Ullr and bring big coastal dumps. I’d happily skip on work to be knee deep in pow, but I fixed that problem by getting a job on the hill. Problem-solved (sort of)

The thing I find interesting is that there are many different ways to enjoy the hill (or perhaps I’m just addicted to categorizing things):

Moustached-grandpa: has a ski-in/out chalet, is a local at the family resort and knows the resort like the back of his hand. He’s loyal to this hill alone, and is uncomfortable anywhere else.

Overconfident business-man: who believes he owns the slopes, and his skiis have been custom-made shitty. LOVES moguls and the opportunity to advertise their successes on the chairlift. (their trophy wives usually don’t ski, and spend their time in the resort spa all day)

Little Fat kids: Sweatty, Stumpy loud and often annoying little shits. But hey they enjoy the field trip that gets them out of school, and a little exercise and time away from their PS3 is a refreshing change

Steeze Junkies: – well in my opinion just look plain fucking retarded. They wear pants and jackets in sizes that no human could fill, their bulbous eyes hidden behind impractical sunnies, they taught themselves how to ride – with an invisible friend or sitting in the back seat, power sliding from side to side. But they can rip up boxes and rails like nobody’s business.

The Escaped Pro: This guy is the shit. Drives an old pickup, lives in the backcountry, and literally is known by a select few. The phantom of the slopes, he was born with a snowboard attached to his feet, and at the first sight of sponsorship, realised that money can’t buy the love he’s got for true solitary pillow-dropping. He realises the bad taste that corporate sponshorship does to his riding style and would rather make his own friends.

Ski-bums: People who live out of their vans, on the dull when they can get it, eat canned beans over toast, ride broken equipment and have no style – I think I fall into this category

The Bi-sexual: This person does it all. owns 3 pairs of skis, 2 boards, a split deck, snowshoes and a set of skins. Usually not seen on the chairlift, but digs a snow-pit to put their AVI-one to use and then hits the backcountry. The total undisclosed pro who rides for themselves only, and wets themselves at the possibility of riding where no-one has ridden before.

In any shape or form, it’s awesome to see people so in love with a mixture of gravity and frozen water.

To Be Continued……