Featured Image: Courtesy of Stellar EQ | Skier: Adrien Grabinski
We all need validation, but some certainly seem content with less than others. Especially in the instant gratification, need-to-share age of social media—we’re all guilty of wanting more views. Skiing isn’t exempt from this conundrum. Many of us share out latest turn quicker than the snowpack melts on a warm day in March. There’s no shame in that, and most would argue this digital collaboration has helped usher skiing into a new era, fueled by a global sense of community.
With all that being said, there’s still something incredibly admirable about those who say, “I’m good.” Those who step away from the desire to be seen and pursue a path knowing it leads to fewer eyeballs. Adrien Grabinski is one of those people, and as we learn in the latest short film from Stellar Equipment, he just might be, “The Best Skier You’ve Never Heard Of.”
Grabinski is a former ski racer, having hung the bib up in Alberta and moved west. He stumbled upon Shames Mountain in northwest British Columbia, and the rest is history. But he’s far more than a resort director. Shames itself is nothing to brag about, though it looks awesome on a pow day. But the mountains one can access from it are humbling to say the least. These peaks are Grabinski’s backyard, and he’s used them to hone his big mountain skills to a tee.
But don’t take it from us. This monumental short film, crafted by Marcus Ahlström and Mattias Fredriksson, is a grand reminder that when we steer clear of hunting for views, the deeper meaning always comes to the surface.
From YouTube:
Adrien Grabinski is the ski patrol director and a caretaker at Shames Mountain, a tiny ski hill in British Columbia’s northwest. The mountains, the snow, and the big lines first captivated him, but the local ski community truly stole his heart. But somehow, despite his demanding responsibilities, the 24-year-old also manages to push himself harder than anyone else on the mountain. Actually, Grabinski might be The Best Skier You’ve Never Heard Of.
During winter 2023, Stellar Equipment produced and filmed a documentary film about Adrien Grabinski at Shames Mountain.
