Featured Image: Courtesy of Salomon
Winter is right around the corner. The telltale signs are all around us. The first storms of the year are hitting resorts, new skis are releasing, and the temps are dropping. But just in case you missed those signals, there’s yet another universal omen telling us that we’re almost to our favorite time of year. Yes, ski movie season is also upon us, and Salomon is bringing back one of the best film tours around.
It really is a glorious time to be a fan of freeskiing. There are more talented skiers and filmmakers than ever before, with the sport reaching a wide audience and expanding the culture for the better. Salomon has played a crucial role in helping the sport reach this point. They’ve funded spectacular content in the form of films and web series, created innovative products from skis to jackets, and have undoubtedly accelerated the progression of skiing as we know it today. Because of their great track record, we were ecstatic when they announced that the Quality Ski Time (QST, get it?) Film Tour is returning for a fifth year.
With athletes in tow, Salomon is hitting the road starting September 24th, traveling to multiple stops across three continents. Based on last year’s success, the brand is projecting over 10,000 people worldwide will be attending the Quality Ski Time Film Tour. This year, there will be over 10 stops in North America, eight throughout Europe and three stops to close out the tour in Asia.
Perhaps our favorite part of the QST Film Tour is the diverse storylines and action on display. Each show will feature four distinct Salomon films, covering everything from big mountain to street skiing, and addressing themes like mental health in our mountain communities. It’s a unique blend of story telling and cinematography that is rare and necessary in the world.
The four films included at each stop are:
“Camp Blank” – Blank Collective
Freeride skiiing at its finest is on display in the newest electrifying project from the Blank Collective
“Open” – Départ Crew
A unique visual freeski exhibition from the talented and new Départ Crew, including Sämi Ortlieb, Gavin Rudy and more
“Fifty” + “The Pursuit of New Classics – Northstar Couloir, Alaska”
The next evolution of Cody Townsend’s iconic Fifty Project
“Feel it All” – Drew Petersen
Addressing mental health in an organic and impactful way
Plus, every show can expect the possibility of a bonus flick (or two), as well as a bountiful selection of prizes and giveaways. The team will be wheeling and dealing full Salmon outerwear kits, skis, GoPro’s and more. Salomon also announced that they have, “partnered with… evo to offer a fully guided ski touring trip to their Journeyman Lodge at The Callaghan, Whistler BC, as part of their exclusive Salomon trip. One lucky winner and their friend are in for a great time!” And yes, there will be posters and stickers because let’s be honest, it wouldn’t be a very good ski movie premier without that.
When speaking about the unique and exciting structure of the film tour, Salomon’s Alpine Marketing Manager Joe Johnson said, “One ski movie always leaves you wanting more. So, we pack 4 [four] into a single night giving fans the opportunity to get stoked on more skiing, more athletes and more stories. We’ve made [those stories] the focus of our film tour. While we definitely give fans their fair share of ridiculously awesome skiing, our goal is to tell stories, stories that matter, stories that make skiers think and stories that connect fans to our athletes and filmmakers.”
Full QST Film Tour North American Schedule
September 24 – Bend, Oregon
October 3 – Seattle, Washington
October 4 – Vancouver, British Columbia
October 5 – Calgary, Alberta
October 9 – San Fransisco, California
October 12 – Jackson, Wyoming
October 15 – Denver, Colorado
October 18 – Salt Lake City, Utah
October 19 – Bozeman, Montana
October 21 – Burlington, Vermont
October 24 – Boston, Massachusetts
October 29 – Minneapolis, Minnesota
To be frank, missing a stop on the QST Film Tour would be like missing a powder day. Why would you do that? Salomon is once again bringing together the freeski community and supporting meaningful projects in a beneficial way, and we’re stoked to see it. And who knows, you might even see the FREESKIER crew at a stop or two on the road. Keep doing those snow dances and prepare to get fired up for winter!
