Which Mountains for Warren Miller?

[riverc0il]

just tux and upper snowfields on the releases i have.

 

[JimG.]

This is the reason that these movies come out in late August/Early September . . . So you don't have to miss out on any skiing, but they still serve to pump you up for the season. It's the same reason that the first issue of most ski-related magazines comes out in August.

As far as soul goes, I don't know why people say that Warren Miller (or Ski Magazine, or Deer Valley, etc.) is sucking the soul out of skiing. I can still get psyched on skiing by watching some sick powder shots in the latest Warren Miller film. I can still get all excited for a season by pouring through Ski Magazine's buyer's guide and resort guide. And even at the most "soulless" mountain (insert name here - Deer Valley, Stratton, etc.), you can find some hardcore skiiers and some pretty sick terrain.

Now, that being said, would I rather watch Born from Ice, read Couloir Magazine, and ski at Jay Peak? Hell yeah. But that's just personal opinion. My parents read Ski Magazine and make a yearly tradition out of the latest WM movie. They also prefer to ski groomed trails, and usually only take 10 or 12 runs a day. I'm not going to sit here and say that what they do isn't skiing, and they are responsible for making places like Killington soulless.

If you want to find soul in skiing, or in magazines, or in movies, it's there . . . And it's much easier to find if you have that fire in your own soul.

I think you missed my point...watching ski movies just doesn't do it for me at all. Doesn't matter what time of year it is. Ski magazines don't get me too excited either.

And I didn't mean to imply that ski movies are sucking the soul out of skiing...ski movies don't exert that kind of power. My point was that new ski movies depict the current "soulless" state of skiing with their persistent product placements and ski resort plugs.

No friends, only that real act of skiing, with all of it's winter wonder and adrenaline rush and being in nature does it for me. Skiing itself is where the soul lies, inside of me and my brain year round, 24/7.

Moderator's note: WM did film in Tuckerman Ravine years ago. Forgot the title but it was in the late 80's or early 90's. The skier hiked up the headwall and then caught some air off the icefall, followed by a facial christie/head auger landing that resulted in a graceful head over heels ragdoll manuver down to the floor of the ravine. This segment was shown with WM's commentary: "People who hike up Tuckerman Ravine once to ski down are crazy, those who hike up again are just plain stupid". Those were the days when WM made some movies with soul!

 

[dmc]

If you want to find soul in skiing, or in magazines, or in movies, it's there . . . And it's much easier to find if you have that fire in your own soul.

Only a picture is there.. A representation of someone elses reality..

The fire in my soul is what drags me out day after day onto snow..

i don't find soul in the pages of magazines or movies or even trip reports...
My soul needs to be on the hill..

 

[jackstraw]

Moderator's note: WM did film in Tuckerman Ravine years ago. Forgot the title but it was in the late 80's or early 90's. The skier hiked up the headwall and then caught some air off the icefall, followed by a facial christie/head auger landing that resulted in a graceful head over heels ragdoll manuver down to the floor of the ravine. This segment was shown with WM's commentary: "People who hike up Tuckerman Ravine once to ski down are crazy, those who hike up again are just plain stupid". Those were the days when WM made some movies with soul!

ya, the guy was a local kook! he was several yrs older than me...i can't recollect his name...it'll come to me. he had absolutely no fear. his list of whacked out crazy stunts is quite extensive.

i think he threw a huge spread off the icefall? it wasn't your 'typical' drop off the icefall either...he had some speed and went huge, old school style to boot!

 

[JimG.]

i think he threw a huge spread off the icefall? it wasn't your 'typical' drop off the icefall either...he had some speed and went huge, old school style to boot!

Yup, that's the guy. Yeah, he had some speed going on there.