One of the most talented athletes of our time, JT Holmes is an action sports star and has been considered a professional athlete since the age of 17. He’s pushed the boundaries of both extreme skiing and speedriding and helped pioneer and popularize ski-BASE jumping. Now, at 36, this self-described “adrenaline enthusiast” is still finding his edge atop some of the highest mountains and along the most formidable cliff faces, constantly challenging the status quo of human-powered adventure. Ironically, though, in a fast-paced environment with a nearly constant buzz of trip-and-trick-planning and execution, it’s in the quiet times that Holmes finds the most peace and meaning.
Holmes has experienced all that being an extreme athlete entails, including the highest of highs and the lowest of lows—the rush that comes with a successful ski-BASE stunt and the numbing low of losing a close friend on the proverbial playground. Despite these extremes, one thing is certain: for the past 21 years, Squaw Valley, California has been home.
When he’s home, rather than seeking burly lines and steep couloirs, JT Holmes relishes in the quiet moments in between his extreme passions. These rare moments, he says, are the most authentic source of payment for a life well lived.
“Payment isn’t always in the form of money,” he explained. “Just because there’s a growing number in your bank account, that really doesn’t do anything for you in real life.”
From the outside looking in, many view Holmes’s life as spontaneous and fun. Indeed, Holmes has made a comfortable living for himself following his passions to the world’s most technical mountains—not to mention leaping off them. His lifestyle provides a certain freedom that most individuals will never know or even remotely understand. However, living on the edge 100 percent of the time can be taxing. Holmes’ life in Squaw Valley has been exciting and awe-inspiring, but it has also been filled with hardships most of us can’t even begin to fathom. But, as Holmes explained to me during a recent conversation, “It’s all about balance.”
I was fortunate to be able to spend a few days in Squaw Valley with Holmes this winter; exploring his favorite places, meeting his favorite people and taking a deep dive into who he is when he’s not performing stunts, BASE jumping,or speed skiing down the side of a mountain. In short, I got to discover a lesser known side of this world-class hero.
Holmes greeted me at his house, a cozy cabin sitting at 6,349 feet above sea level on a south-facing slope with views of Squaw Valley Ski Resort. I commented on the view only to hear JT’s response airing on the side of sarcasm, “I don’t miss a good powder day if I don’t have a really good reason,” and I’m guessing based on the view, there’s never really a good reason.
We sat down and planned out the next few days together: Ski, yoga, gym, tacos. Repeat. Our first destination was obvious. Holmes, the die-hard skier, had already loaded the skis in his truck and was ready to go within minutes.
After taking his first lap at Squaw Valley, a local on the chairlift recognized the world-acclaimed skier and shouted, “JT Holmes! I’m way sicker than you are!” to which JT responded by raising his right arm, ski pole still in hand, pumping it up and down in the cool, crisp air, laughing loudly. Then almost immediately, another skier identified Holmes and shouted, “Hey JT, check me out. I’m gonna rip the sh#t out of this!” Both individuals were quoting G.N.A.R., a prolific ski film Holmes starred in featuring the Unofficial Game of G.N.A.R., a popularized ski resort game in which its players set out to prove who’s the best skier on the mountain.
After skiing a handful more laps and reciting lines from the film with his local admirers, JT stopped skiing just below the chair lift, saying he’d had enough fun for the day, a smile spread wide across his face. What he didn’t tell me was that he was about to show me one of the special places he spent time at as a kid, and where now, as an adult, he still frequents.
Just a few feet from the lift line, we walked into one of Holmes’s favorite local spots to meet up with his dear friend, Susan Lopez—a.k.a. Cookie Sue—owner of Wildflour Baking Company. Locally famous for her chocolate chip recipe, she’s been sneaking morsels to Holmes since 1988, when he was enrolled in Squaw Valley Academy. Lopez also runs an after school program for the Academy called “Squaw Kids,” an after school curriculum JT was involved with during his time at the Academy that includes skiing, writing, reading and physical education. She also runs the bakery, where her student’s work is often displayed throughout the cafeteria. Every February, she encourages her students to write poetry and then displays their work proudly. Hanging up along with this year’s best work are a few laminated poems penned by an eight-year-old Holmes. Her admiration for Holmes is quickly apparent, demonstrating a strong bond she’s shared with JT over the years.
She ushered us over to one of her favorites and began to read JT’s poem aloud:
Once there was a coach who led Squaw’s kids,
She was known to ski KT and Red Dog Ridge
One day on Gold Coast while loading the posse
A young boy began to slide off a seat that was glossy
The chair ran higher as the crowd yelled, “STOP!”
But Gold Coast Express was bound for the top.
Higher and higher they rose, and as the young boy tried to cling,
If they didn’t go soon it could be a terrible thing.
The coach grabbed her kid with all of her might
And slid off the chair from a scary height.
Together they fell to the groomer below
She took the impact on the icy flat snow.
The youngster skied on, while Ruth took the sled
Patrol was concerned about her back and her head.
But this coach would prove to be one durable monkey
A week in the hospital and she walked out proudly.
For bruises and pain for your broken back
You’ll need 3 cookies daily with every snack.
Nurse Susan obliged and sent her home with a smile
And the kids from Squaw Kids will miss Ruth for awhile.
She read excitedly as JT laughed and jumped in, reciting it from memory, beside her.
Holmes was surprised to find a handful of poems from this year’s students that mention both him and the KT lift line, Squaw Valley’s marquee chairlift and one of the most infamous inbounds freeride zones in the Lower 48. He held up his phone to snap some photos, then finished his chocolate chip cookie before hugging Lopez goodbye and thanking her for the mid-morning treat.
Leaving Wildflour Baking Company, beyond the scrumptious treats, I’d also tasted just how embedded Holmes was in this community. Almost as if he was reading my mind, Holmes explained that this place, Squaw Valley, is the definition of home for him. Filled with so many memories and surrounded by such good friends, there’s not a moment he spends here in between extreme adventures that he doesn’t appreciate.
So if you’re not into the whole process and everything in between, then you’re really going to be chasing a high that isn’t going to satisfy you.
As we made our way back to the parking lot, Holmes pointed out his favorite buildings, ridgelines and chair lifts—each holding a unique story that helped define and evolve his love for skiing. Most of my reactions were filled with wonder, amusement and, sometimes, the occasional response of, “Wait. You did what?” before JT would redirect to another story about a different time he hucked himself off of a monstrous cliff or dropped into a ski run so steep it gave me vertigo just looking up at it.
From the time he could walk, Holmes was skiing at Squaw Valley Resort with his family, who drove from San Francisco’s Bay Area on the weekends to find an escape from city life and a connection to nature. Later on, he’d enroll in Squaw Valley Academy, where his passion for skiing ramped up 10-fold. He felt constantly fueled by watching local ski pros like Julia Mancuso and Jonny Moseley whizzing across the hill, and also by pondering the endless skiing routes Squaw has to offer.
I listened intently before asking what his favorite memory from Squaw was. He laughed and then dove right into a story I’d heard him explain to mainstream media before. But, hearing it first-hand and standing just feet from where it took place only reiterated the fact that it was the quiet, personal moments like this spent with JT’s community and in his hometown that truly ground him.
One day, while still in school, Holmes dipped out to ski over lunch and had run into local ski legend, Shane McConkey, who he had only heard about but hadn’t actually met. They decided to ski a few laps together before Holmes realized the time crunch he was under, and wondered how he would find a ride back to class. Holmes turned to McConkey and simply asked, “What do you do? Like, what do you for money? How is it that you don’t have any obligations on a Tuesday afternoon?”
McConkey looked at Holmes with a grin and said, “I’m a rock star pro skier, man.” It was these words that fully set Holmes’ life in motion.
Holmes continued skiing with McConkey after that day, building a foundation that started as a mentorship but quickly developed into something stronger and helped him rise in the ranks as an athlete. Holmes and McConkey quickly became best friends and, together, they started imagining how to push the sport of skiing as far as humanly possible.
For the next 14 years, Holmes’ life was integrated into McConkey’s. The two daredevils became more than best friends; Holmes was welcomed into Shane’s life like family, becoming close to Shane’s wife, Sherry, and his daughter Ayla, who liked to refer to JT as “Uncle Potato Head” when he came over for dinner.
JT finished his story as we loaded up the truck and I began piecing his career together with what I knew about his life, and friendship with Shane.
The duo traveled together, adventured together, experimented with new bindings, researched ski BASE technologies and concepts, wingsuits, parachutes and more. They poured over maps, explored ridge lines, completed first descents, starred in ski films together… the list goes on. They were always pushing the limits of what they believed was possible.
They had experienced remarkable feats and accomplished the unbelievable together. But while being a professional skier has extreme perks, Holmes learned the hard way that it also has severe downfalls. In March 2009, Holmes and McConkey had been scouting the Italian Dolomites, where they would film a new ski-BASE jump together. After JT performed the stunt, he waited at the bottom for his best friend, but he never came. One of Shane’s skis failed to release during the jump, sending him into an unrecoverable spin. Shane was gone.
The in between moments are really the moments that I look forward to as much as the ones I look back on and realize they were the highlight of my day.
Holmes’ strong familial bond with Shane’s wife Sherry and daughter Ayla became even stronger after that fateful day. And while there has never been any doubt about the dangers of his preferred sports, his resilience and unwavering love for the McConkey family infinitely shines through today.
“Sherry and Alya are of paramount importance to me,” Holmes explained. “The first thing I do when I get home, typically, is drive Ayla to school. See what’s up, you know? Sometimes she’s quiet and we don’t even say anything and sometimes we catch up or I get to hear a cool new joke or something.” Holmes went on to explain that, without the McConkeys, his dedication to Squaw Valley just wouldn’t be the same.
As history began to unfold after Shane’s death, Sherry quickly became more than “JT’s best friend’s wife.” She became one of his closest, dearest friends. Sherry was instrumental in helping JT heal both physically and psychologically through a yoga practice they share together, helping him tune into his body and mind and live life in the present.
JT and I arrived at Sherry’s house, just down the road from his own, for a yoga session. Sherry greeted us warmly, hugging JT tightly and catching up on his most recent trip overseas as she got everything ready for our yoga class. Walking into a serene and tranquil studio that boasts an entire wall of natural light, looking out into the forest behind Sherry’s home, JT took a few deep breaths before honing into his practice. Sherry began to instruct him through a series of poses.
Halfway through his lesson, Ayla came bounding into the studio, happy to be home from school. She ran to JT, gave him a big hug and told him about her day. Then, she disappeared into the house to get started on homework after she told him that she couldn’t wait for dinner, where tacos, her favorite, were on the menu.
Next on our daily to-do list was a trip to the gym where, Scott, JT’s trainer would coach him through a workout to improve balance, core strength, and flexibility.
I watched as the two went through a workout that included squats, battle rope exercises, and agility drills.
At one point, JT made eye contact with me and cracked a grin before saying, “doesn’t this look like fun?”
It did, actually. It was clear to me that JT was having a blast and that he considered his trainer more than just a trainer. They were good friends.
After the workout, I asked JT how important cross training is for him and whether or not it builds confidence that he can tap into when he’s about to drop a line or leap from a mountaintop. His reaction was straightforward, “Scott recognizes all of the muscles that don’t get worked when I’m skiing. He targets the overlooked muscles, so I’m usually pretty sore. But it’s the kind of soreness that addresses all the muscles that I would never think of. So yeah, I think it’s really important to cross train with him as a means of injury prevention.” Finding peace, even in the most physically exhausting moments and connecting with both his body and each individual muscle isn’t something Holmes takes for granted. In fact, it’s clearly something he looks forward to.
Then, Scott walked over and gave JT a high five before getting started with another client. But JT didn’t hesitate to invite him over for dinner.
When we got to JT’s house a few hours later to begin dinner preparations, I asked him just how important it was to be surrounded by such amazing friends. During our conversation, he reflected back on the exceptionally difficult times he’s experienced as an extreme sport athlete. “You don’t feel judged if you’re sad or if you’re just going to be a hermit for a little bit,” he said. “It’s a no-filter sort of feeling when you have a strong community like this.”
This comment was made even more clear just a few minutes later, as handfuls of JT’s friends and loved ones gathered around his kitchen for a family-style dinner; laughter, excitement, hugs and an overall sense of gratitude poured from everyone in the room. Ayla proudly read jokes from a new book she checked out from the school library that afternoon. Sherry invited everyone to a morning yoga class. I noticed Holmes look around while taking a deep breath, smiling widely and making eye contact with each person before sending up a toast of thanks.
Prior to settling into dinner, Holmes made sure everyone had enough to drink, reminding them all there was plenty more food and that he was really, really happy they were all there with him, sharing in this special moment.
JT’s life outside of the extreme moments shouldn’t have come as a shock to me. Because as a human being, JT easily ranks among the best. And if his community of friends and loved ones taught me anything, they simply reiterated this fact every day that I spent with him.
He’s more than just a stuntman, more than just a skier. He’s friend, family member, and an excellent cook. He’s Uncle Potato Head, a yoga enthusiast and an exceptionally funny guy who appreciates taking the time to be calm, to be still and to truly experience the moments in between his extreme exploits. Because while his professional career takes him all over the world to speed ride across mountains or base jump from dizzying heights, it was unquestionably clear that the intimate times and amazing people in Holmes’ life are what matter most. Other passions and extreme sports may take hold when there’s time, but it’s these laid back, in-between moments spent with his loved ones that truly keep him grounded.