Where are you from, when did you begin skiing and telemarking, and where do you ski most now?
I grew up in southern NH and learned how to ski at the age of three at Gunstock. In high school, my social studies teacher Dave Hawley told me that if I wanted to ski for real, I would have to free my heel; so here I am now, a telemark skier. Telemarking was also a much cheaper alternative than alpine touring, so I bought my first telemark touring setup for less 100 dollars. I spent a lot of time in high school touring around Mt Washington, and then move to Bozeman MT in 2008 for Bridger Bowl… err I mean college. Now I am based out of Bozeman, ski a lot in the Tetons, and still ski a lot at Bridger.
What do you love about telemarking?
I floated back and forth between alpine skiing and telemark skiing for a while, but have realized that freeheeling is simply easier on my knees. I have had 3 ACL reconstructions and torn my meniscus 4 times; all from Alpine skiing! Comically enough, I really like the work-out I get from telemark turns, and the fluidity of the turn. Both of which make skiing on telemark gear much easier on my body. I also like to have an excuse every time I tomahawk in the middle of my run. :-)
What do you like about our bindings?
I really like the fact that I can adapt the activeness of my bindings based upon which type of terrain I am skiing. I generally ski on a neutral setting when I am skiing slow in steep no-fall terrain, and like a more active setting when skiing in bounds. I also like the fact that they are indestructible.
What do you like to do for fun when you’re not skiing?
When I am not skiing, I am generally working all the time as an instructor for Outward Bound or Montana Wilderness School. Between contracts I do random guiding work, host dinner parties at my friend’s houses, or go rock climbing.
Accomplishments, awards, and sponsors
My main psych for telemarking lies in ski mountaineering; trips and locations both near and far from home. I have first descents in the Revelations, St Elias, and Alaska Ranges of AK, also in the Purcell range in Canada, Peak descents of Cayambe and Chimborazo in Ecuador, and a number of classic ski descents in the Tetons including a solo ascent/descent of the Grand Teton. I most enjoy skiing sphincter clenching couloirs in no fall zones with close friends. I have written for Telemark Skier magazine, run my own personal website www.telemarkty.com, and have been fortunate enough to share my love of backcountry skiing with students at Outward Bound. I am also sponsored by Voilé and Glerups of Denmark.
In the future I hope to continue skiing in wild places, share meaningful experiences with close friends, and push my personal boundaries both as an athlete and human being.
