A Full Life

Hiya! I’m coming off a weekend in Steamboat that can only be described as the best 48 hours ever (seriously, ever). Between moving, nursing a trap injury, and January being January, I haven’t felt super inspired to write. So here’s a little rundown of some articles, films, and general links I’ve seen lately; some heavy, some light.

Backcountry Chronicles

I’m pretty sure this takes the cake for my least favorite thing I’ve ever read — and everything Wes Miller writes slaps, so that’s saying something. Wyoming Senators are “demanding” the right to sell Grand Teton National Park, BLM land, and other public lands in the state. If you were wondering what the current administration meant for the outdoors, here’s a quick rundown of what’s happened this year alone: The House of Representatives adopted a rule that will enable it to sell public lands without consideration of their value, the Ways and Means committee proposed selling public lands as a way to offset tax cuts for billionaires, legislation was introduced to Congress proposing the elimination of a President’s ability to create national monuments, and the Supreme Court decided not to take up a poorly conceived lawsuit from the state of Utah, avoiding a ruling which may have added further precedent for protection of public lands. Just please, please read this article.

We’ll end on a fun fact for the sake of being fun: the only reason selling off Yellowstone National Park isn’t included in this proposal is because Yellowstone was made a National Park before Wyoming became a state.

In case you missed it, Powdr, the owner of Mt. Bachelor for the last 25 years, announced last summer that it was putting the resort up for sale. Locals are viewing it as a chance to get it back and recalibrate the direction the ski industry is heading in — ie: $300+ lift tickets, private resorts, and the overall air of exclusivity that surrounds the industry these days. I think this quote sums up the ethos of the whole thing:

“In a globalized, corporate, shifting world that can feel unkind to consumers, the fight for Mt. Bachelor is about the desire to capture something cherished and put it back in the hands of the people who love it most. It’s about regaining control of something before it becomes unrecognizable. It’s about the fraying strands of local connections, the fear of regret and the unease over the future.”

Another ski film with a female protagonist? Fire me the frick up. I love, love, love everything Sierra Schlag stands for — between her activism during the 2024 election to her openness about struggling with depression after losing her dad when she was five years old, she’s easily my favorite lady ripper out there.

Her latest film, NISEI, is all about her experience as a biracial skier; when she’s in Japan, she’s seen as white, but when she’s in the U.S., she’s seen as Japanese. NISEI translates to “second generation” in Japanese and the film shows her journey of self-discovery within the two cultures she has ties to.

outofcollective

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There are some absolutely gnarly clips coming out of the freeride world tour right now. This save, in particular, just about blew my mind (and made my knees hurt). Make sure you check out the Out Of Collective for more highlights.

Speaking of gnarly, I finally got around to watching the Game of GNAR this past weekend. The title “GNAR” comes from the acronym “Gaffney’s Numerical Assessment of Radness,” a game invented by Shane McConkey and his friends to score skiers on their lines and freestyle skiing. All in all, it serves as a tribute to McConkey’s philosophy of life: to live fearlessly, embrace your passions, and never take yourself too seriously. It’s equal parts hilarious and heartwarming and for me, personally, it reminded me why the spirit of skiing is the best part of the entire sport.

While I was in Steamboat, I finally checked out Off the Beaten Path, a bookstore + coffee shop all in one. My friend’s brother told me about this place 2 years ago and I’ve been itching to go ever since. Not only does it live up to the hype, but it also has a dedicated backcountry adventure section — which is where I found the book above, Sidecountry by John Branch. Branch is a sports reporter for the New York Times who describes his work as “the stories you didn’t know you want to read” and Sidecountry is a collection of his favorite stories he’s published.

The first story in the book was a hefty one about the Tunnel Creek Avalanche that killed 3 skiers and almost took out former Freeride World Champion Elyse Saugstad. It’s a great reminder that the red flags are always there in hindsight, but it’s way easier to bite your tongue in the moment.

All hail, the BLISTER review of the news with Cody Townsend is back! Admittedly, I haven’t listened to this yet because I have it queued up for my next early morning drive to go skinning. If history is any indication of the future, though, then this one is a surefire banger.

A quick note before we part: like a lot of other people, I’ve been tossing around the question lately: How much do I need to know? The internet feels like a barrage of the worst news you’ve ever read that somehow gets worse every time you read more. I love listening to Diabolical Lies as a little reminder of the fact that I do have autonomy and agency while putting on my systems-thinking cap and becoming aware of some of the broader schematics that govern everyday life.

That said, if the internet feels overwhelming, I’ve got two things to say: the people who are doing the most online in terms of political activism are typically the ones doing the least in real life, and it’s okay to take a break. It’s actually great to take a break. Recharge. Find your community. Lean on them. Save up your energy so you’re ready to fight for the things you believe in. (Like calling or emailing senators in Wyoming to let them know that the mere thought of selling Grand Teton National Park is fucking abhorrent. I’ll send you a copy of my email if you want a reference!)

Artiste Break

Back on the commission game! Here’s a 95% done version of a Valentine’s Day commission I just made of a first date spot in New York.

After watching the wildfires in LA the last few weeks, I was feeling pretty helpless in terms of what I could do to, well, help. I donated everything I could, but ultimately decided that the best thing I could do is make art.

All that to say, I’m making free drawings for anyone affected by the LA wildfires. If you know someone who lost their home, a beloved local business, or just has a new appreciation for their home after all this and could use a drawing — hit reply. I’ve got about 5 lined up and I’m honestly just feeling really honored to commemorate people’s homes in the way that I can.

To Go Snacks

Since this whole edition was basically snacks, here’s some stats for January from the CAIC. The snowpack is officially spicy.

• 634 avalanches

• 185 human-triggered avalanches

• 16 people caught in avalanches

Keep an eye on their weekly summaries here, recreate with caution, and of course, respect the veto.

“The only Zen you can find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you bring up there.”

Catch ya next time!

- McCall 🌻

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