Instagram’s latest up-and-coming ski star may be lacking in height, but not in style (or ego, for that matter). While Batman, WyldStyle and Bad Cop captivated audiences in The Lego Movie, Lego Skier Bro stuck to his guns and chose the ski bum lifestyle, spending his winters tearing up the slopes in Aspen, Colorado. We caught up with the pocket-sized powder-slasher for an inside look at his recent success.
The Q&A:
Have you always lived in Aspen, or are you just ski bumming? Where did you grow up?
My family origins go back to Denmark, but I’ve been all over the world. I’ve been living in Aspen for as long as I can remember, though. I only got my Instagram account going recently and that’s when the whole world started to take notice [of my abilities].
Who’s the best skier in Aspen right now?
I’ve never cared about being better than anyone—well, everyone for that matter—when it comes to my skiing, but I am constantly surrounded by exceptional skiers who end up making me look even better. I watch them ski, but I try not to emulate their style ‘cause I’m not into that. I’m trying to do something original to meet that “next level” criteria. It gets hard when that “next level” is met so often.
What were some of the best trends in Aspen last year?
Aspen is the fabled and fabulous town where the rich and famous find comfort in their own lifestyle. It’s where you find women with dark shades and platinum blonde bangs, the famous and beautiful, but also the young and the ski bums, the hippies and even those suspected of being hippies. Fashionable doesn’t mean just one thing in Aspen. You can be practical or polished, relaxed or refined—Aspen encourages diversity of personal expression. Being seen might be the best part of Aspen and I’m pretty sure I was the best trendsetter this past year.
What do you want to get out of skiing?
It sounds silly but I’ve never wanted to be better than anyone at skiing. Skiing isn’t just about being the fastest down the mountain with the hottest babe right behind you. It’s about style. Skiing is about wasting a whole lifetime to ensure that at some point you made a spectacle by linking a few turns on a steep slope and someone on the lift saw you.
Who inspires you?
I got to meet Tim Durtschi one time. But seriously, I have to say that Socialite Barbie was my biggest inspiration. I was watching what she was doing and I wanted to do something similar but I’ve never understood how to make fun of hipsters like she does. I know about skiers and they are easy to imitate in an ironic fashion. I have been Insta-messaging Socialite Barbie for weeks to try to get a repost and hopefully she is reading this. She hasn’t gotten back to me but she will.
What got you into Instagram?
I started looking at all these Insta-bros out there and got the feeling that I could take their pictures better than they could, while making fun of them at the same time. So I started my own account.
What’s up with the #NakedGondy Instagram hashtag among Aspenites? Have you stripped down in the Silver Queen Gondola yet?
My #nakedgondy is on Instagram and was probably my favorite photo of last year. Being naked in a gondola, alone or with multiple people, is really where I feel most in my element.
How do you keep your Instagram followers begging for more?
The Instagram community has been good to me and I am grateful for all the support. Once people see that you are throwing down they want to share your stuff and that makes everything grow. It’s been great for skiing and it has been great for me.
You seem to be skiing more or less every day in the wintertime. Would you ever consider just “soul shredding” or are you compelled to share your experiences with the world? Some might say you’re a bit braggadocios.
We have a saying in Aspen that goes something like, “If you don’t get the shot — it didn’t happen.” So I always get the shot and photographers are begging to work with me, because I’m hands down the most photogenic skier on the mountain.
Another Lego skier gained popularity via Salomon Freeski TV back in 2013. Have you two skied together?
That guy is my boy. He throws down in the powder and the backcountry. We haven’t had a chance to collaborate on a project yet but I see something coming in the near future. TGR and Warren Miller are going to have to fight for the rights.
Have you figured out how to do anything other than a Daffy yet?
I have tricks in my little-Lego pants that I haven’t even named yet. I can’t necessarily spread eagle but I can get corked and stay corked all day. In the air is really where I shine.
How about lift lines… Do you ever have any trouble pushing your way to the front of the lines on deep days?
Lift lines are never a problem in Aspen. The only time we wait is at the gondola on a powder day. My whole crew (the town of Aspen) and I stand on the steps and wait for the boxes to start heading up the mountain. The anticipation and the atmosphere make for some of the best moments of the year.
You were able to get up to Revelstoke this past season, what was that experience like?
Revelstoke really opened me up to a whole new universe. I was hitchhiking north when Colter Hinchliffe, also from Aspen I would later find out, picked me up. He basically showed me everything I needed to know to become a pro.
Was this year your first time in Alaska? How was it?
I got to go up to Alaska a few times this year. Those mountains are insane and let you know how small you really are. The good thing for me is that I don’t weigh too much so they always let me fly on the cheap.
What skier babe are you crushing on the hardest right now?
Years ago I left my vacation babe on vacation and settled down with my hometown babe for a couple weeks. Then it was time to get back on the road so I hit up my long-distance babe and met her up north for a weekend. Then, Lego made a Lego Skier Babe and it couldn’t have come at a better time. I have since become a one-babe bro and she rips harder than any girl I know.
What’s your biggest life goal?
I’ve always wanted to start a clothing line or, better yet, DJ a pool party in Las Vegas. But right now I’m just along for the ride. I travel light and I can hop on board any road trip so hit me up if you are chasing winter storms. I plan to see the world.
