The phrase that I hear thrown around in the ski industry the most that I truly believe has no validity to it is “No friends on a powder day.” You either need to find friends who are better skiers, or you need to lighten up a bit because if there’s no one to hear you hootin’ and hollerin’ as you fly in and out of the white room, did you really have the best powder day of your life? Let’s be real, the best memories are those that are shared with the ones you love.
In every Q&A interview that I have done with professional skiers, I always ask the same question at the very end, “what does the perfect ski day look like to you?” While some may describe a beautifully manicured terrain park on a slushy spring day, bluebird pow at the resort or brappin’ around in the backcountry and building booters, there is one thing that every single athlete has included in their answer, and that’s a crew of their closest friends.
Whether it hasn’t snowed in weeks—like this year—or it just never stops dumping—like last year—the single ingredient that can make or break a ski day is the people you surround yourself with while out in the mountains. I can tell you firsthand that some of the most standout moments in my ski career have absolutely nothing to do with the conditions and everything to do with the company. If the snow is shitty, you can goof off and laugh about it together. If conditions are all-time, you’ve got someone to match your level of stoke—and maybe even pull out their phone to capture the moment forever, though not necessary. If you flip the argument on its head, I’m sure most of us have had a shitty ski day not because of the snow quality but lack thereof in a ski partner. Nothing sours the vibe faster than a debbie downer who refuses to look at the bright side or a gardy go-hard who never stops to smell the roses, if you will.
So here’s a friendly reminder to not only ski with friends on a powder day but every day, and choose your ski partners wisely—are they someone who fills your cup or drains from it? Can you trust them with your life in the backcountry, or are they your go-to for hot laps on the chair? It may not be the same person for every kind of ski day, and that’s okay too. There’s always a time and place for solo soul shredding, but there’s truly nothing like that perfect ski day with your closest crew of friends.
