The 2017-18 ski season marks FREESKIER’s 20th anniversary; to celebrate two decades of the best storytelling in skiing, we’re hitting the road in our brand-spankin’ new RV, bringing stoke to mountain towns across the Rockies. The tour officially kicked off this weekend at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort (JHMR), where we 1) witnessed one of the most insane skiing competitions of all time and 2) let loose with the locals from the parking lot, to the ski hill, to the ol’ Mangy Moose, Jackson’s storied après bar. All told, the past few days have been nothing short of legendary and we couldn’t have asked for a better start to this action-packed road trip.
Our extended weekend here at Jackson Hole began on Thursday, February 1, when upwards of 30 world-class skiers and snowboarders gathered atop Jackson Hole, at 10,450 feet above sea level, and performed some of the most fantastic, awe-inspiring aerial maneuvers this editor has ever laid eyes on. The first-ever Kings and Queens of Corbet’s contest—hailed as one of the most spectacular big-mountain competitions in skiing history—was the motivator for said huck-fest. The buzz surrounding the contest ran rampant for two days following the affair; the awards ceremony was to be hosted Saturday night amid our party, so speculation as to who won, etc. loomed large.
First thing in the morning, on Saturday, February 3, we parked our beautiful rig directly underneath the tram dock here at JHMR and greeted skiers with coffee, donuts, magazines, high fives and booming 80s rock music (as will be customary on the tour). Thousands of skiers passed by our set-up and it was an absolute blast to connect with locals and visitors to the resort, alike.
Whether it was the rowdy bunch of thirty-somethings from Chamonix, France, who excitedly reported that they’d subscribed to the magazine since they were kids; the hordes of football fans sporting Patriots and Eagles jerseys, in preparation of Super Bowl LII; pro skiers like Greg Hill, who skied two million vertical feet in a year, sans chairlifts, i.e. he accomplished the feat via 100-percent human powered skiing; or even a pro skier’s mom, like Ms. Dyer (mother of Lynsey), who sported a sticker on her helmet that read, “Wake up and be awesome,” we were grateful for each and every encounter and conversation, and we’re certain that on the other end, folks were grateful to have some delicious Joe and sugary fuel before loading into “Big Red” and ascending 4,139 feet to the summit, then pointing their skis downhill.
After the coffee and donuts ran dry—some three hours after we set up shop—we too enjoyed some fantastic skiing: 9” in the past 24 hours and 16” in the past 48 provided the “soft soft good good” that we crave.
Come evening-time, we made our way to the Mangy Moose, where we hosted a ripper like only FREESKIER can. The venue was packed to the gills with rambunctious skiers who were eager to celebrate FREESKIER’s anniversary, take advantage of the drink specials, soak in the live music courtesy of Goldcone, witness the crowning of the King and Queen of Corbet’s and maybe, just maybe, walk away with some of the abundant free ski gear that we passed out through the night, including skis, outerwear, helmets, goggles, backpacks and more.
We’ll be enjoying another day of skiing here at Jackson (duh) before making our way to Crested Butte, CO, where we’ll host another early-morning-skier-stoke-out and late-night party on February 10. All are encouraged to join. For a full listing of tour stops, visit 20.freeskier.com. For now, enjoy a selection of photos highlighting one heck of an awesome day here at JHMR.
Early-morning stoke with Team FREESKIER
Burning down the house, late-night style, at the Mangy Moose
FREESKIER’s 20th anniversary; thanks to our readers
Twenty years ago FREESKIER’s founder—then 25 years old—stood on a secluded lakeside dock in Wisconsin, clad in nicely pressed khakis, hoping to appear professional. He carried a laptop case in one hand and a prototype edition of FREESKIER in the other. He was there attempting to get world renowned model and actress Cindy Crawford—who was a ubiquitous presence on magazine covers, runways and in fashion campaigns in the 80s and 90s—to star on the magazine’s first-ever cover, alongside newly crowned Olympic champion and skiing celebrity, Jonny Moseley. To his surprise, she obliged. The next few years were much more “all-nighters in a dirty office than hanging with supermodels on the dock,” jokes our founder and CEO, Brad Fayfield, but it was the same entrepreneurial drive and anything-is-possible attitude displayed that fateful day that helped grow the magazine that is now celebrating two decades of fun-filled and inspirational storytelling.
Since the ‘97-98 ski season, FREESKIER has enjoyed a front-row seat to the sport’s greatest moments. The magazine has covered the technological breakthroughs of skiing’s top manufacturers, from the advent of rockered ski profiles to the widespread utilization of super-light yet super-strong materials in today’s top planks—not to mention the incredible advances in boots, bindings, outerwear, helmets and beyond. The magazine has supported your favorite ski hills, partaking in countless chairlift openings, base lodge unveilings, terrain expansions and noteworthy anniversary parties. Beyond the resort boundaries, FREESKIER has partnered with athletes, guides and under-the-radar adventurers to chart new territory in unexplored backcountry zones. We’ve shed light on iconic backcountry lodges and heli- and cat-skiing operations. The magazine has celebrated skiing’s unsung heroes, from patrollers to marketing managers to ski shop warriors. And FREESKIER’s staffers have witnessed skiing performances of the most fantastic sort, from the high peaks of the European Alps to Olympic stages to the halfpipes in Aspen.
Dozens of individuals have called the FREESKIER offices home over the past 20 years and I speak for the lot of ‘em when I say we’ve been mighty fortunate to collaborate on a near daily basis with visionaries and pioneers… with athletes, engineers and designers, snow scientists, “lifties” and instructors, photographers, cinematographers, writers, artists and so on. And we’ve been fortunate to serve a reader base that spans the globe. Today, we disseminate stories about our favorite products, places and personalities to millions of skiers whose collective appetite for great content is completely and utterly insatiable. It’s a whirlwind, and it’s a damn honor.
Though much has changed since FREESKIER’s inaugural issue hit newsstands, the skier’s passion remains constant. Yeah, we may still experience the occasional all-nighter in a dirty office, but those late-night fire drills are quickly forgotten about come morning, when we click into a pair of skis, ascend to a summit, point our skis down the hill and succumb to gravity’s pull. Today, we’re gearing up for the next 20 years of big fun and inspirational storytelling—covering gear innovations; exploration; rising stars and growing legends; and countless “firsts.” We’re looking forward to another two decades of smashing pow, cranking up the speed dial, engaging in high flyin’ antics and clinking our après mugs together, and we’re grateful to have you along for the ride.
— Henrik Lampert, Editor-in-Chief
