2015 - Chasing Shadows

Chasing Shadows - 2015

Skiers & snowboarders aren't born - they're made. Every day on the hill, every lift ride with their friends and family is a brick in the foundation of a life spent waiting for the temperature to drop. Warren Miller Entertainment's 66th film, Chasing Shadows, explores how experiences and influences turn out everyone from world class mogul skiers and elite big mountain riders to fringe snowsports lovers including monoskiers, powsurfers, and speedriders.

Follow JT Holmes, Hannah Kearney, Seth Wescott, Sage Catabriga-Alosa, Kaylin Richardson, Mark Abma, Lexi duPont and more as they explore the edge of possibility in the world's most inspiring mountain ranges from Alaska's Chugach to the French Alps and Utah's Wasatch to the Himalaya in Nepal. It's always winter somewhere as we chase the last remnants of the season in Alaska and fresh southern hemisphere storms in Chile.

Take a second to remember that, somewhere along the line, someone put you on snow and convinced you to chase something you'll never quite catch - a feeling, a memory or a turn. You've been chasing it your whole life and you'll chase it a lifetime more. You're Chasing Shadows.

What do you enjoy doing to give your body a break? (Recovery routine, healing tips, etc.) No breaks

Can you tell us about some of the gear you were using in your segment with WME? ID One Skis, I help run the US distribution operations as well as ID One Pro Mogul Camp in the summer in Whistler, BC

Other than professional athlete, what is your dream job? Stand up comedian or marketing consultant

Most memorable moment filming with WME this year? Joe Discoe almost taking the drone in the nuts, midair

Your idea of a perfect vacation sans skiing? Sand, frozen drinks, and girls

Mantra to live by? Be good. If you can't do that, be safe. If you can't do that, be good at it.

Tunes to ski to? Competition music is usually metal or upbeat hip hop.

What do you enjoy doing to give your body a break? (Recovery routine, healing tips, etc.) Gym time, spin, stretch, and a light workout

Can you tell us about some of the gear you were using in your segment with WME? Volkl Shiro skis are the best I've ever had. Smith helmet and goggles, I love the Gage helmet and the I/OX. The North Face jacket and pants, base layers, gloves and backpack, it's all amazing stuff that keeps me warm and dry on those long film days. Sony Action Cam for all my POV footage.

Other than professional athlete, what is your dream job? It's hard to think of a dream job when I'm living my dream job

Most memorable moment filming with WME this year? Record snowfall and best ever conditions in Protillo Chile

Your idea of a perfect vacation sans skiing? Base jumping in Europe

Mantra to live by? All we have is the present moment, the future is a concept so live in the now.

Tunes to ski to? Everything from Iron Maiden to House and anything in between.

 

Nickname: Mimbre

Pets: Pickles, a toy poodle, and Chompers, a Maine Coon cat.

Favorite Movie: Under the Influence

Favorite Moment In History: Invention of the fat ski.

Off-Season Activities: I skateboard, long board, mt bike, paint, do computer art, shoot photography

Favorite Destination for Your Sport: Traveling to far off places like Alaska and Japan are great but your backyard is often where you find the most joy! Favorite Mountain: Alta and Snowbird in Utah

Favorite Place to Travel: I love travel in general, seeing new terrain, having new experiences, and meeting people is what makes life great. I love road trips because you can be flexible and mobile.

Favorite Event: Burning Man, because it’s a voyage into another world

Adapted from an interview with The North Face

Headshot by Neil Provo (via Instagram)

Current favorite piece of gear?
Currently, my favorite piece of gear is my fat tire bicycle because of its incredible versatility. Glaciers, beaches, trails, mountains, deserts - I can ride it everywhere!

What is your number one goal in skiing/riding right now?
I just want to keep searching for clean lines and perfect snow. I want to keep it fun and continue to explore my potential and my surroundings.

Best advice you were ever given?
Keep your fly wet.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I get inspired by life, and all of its natural processes. What an amazing time to be a human - we get to powsurf in the mountains just for fun! How cool is that?

What is your greatest fear?
The greatest fear I ever felt was during a glacier camping trip in SE Alaska in the spring of 2015. There was a brief moment during an absolutely savage, 9-day snow storm, where I thought things might go south. That feeling was soon followed by the greatest sense of accomplishment I've ever felt.

Best moment filming with WME this year?
There was one day in particular where we were riding pow above the clouds. It was a dream-like setting, from sunrise to sunset. I also packed a really good lunch that day. At Mustang Powder in BC, you go for the skiing, but you'll likely want to return for the food alone. It is amazing.

Featured Athlete: Amie Engerbretson 

 

Name a person who inspires you to be a better skier?

My dad! He is a great skier, my favorite ski partner and as he always likes to point out, he did it on skinny skies, so it should be easy for me!

What would you do if you won the lottery?

Invent (okay find someone to invent) an electric helicopter and then take all my friends heli-skiing all the time! 

Breakfast of champions?

Sourdough toast with extra butter. Whatever else you want to pair with it is great, but good sourdough with good butter is a must!

Favorite chairlift and why?

KT-22, duh! (at Squaw) It's my favorite because it is the best chairlift on the planet! The terrain access is amazing, fall line, steep skiing. No hiking, sidestepping or mega traversing necessary. The lift access multiple aspects which is great for spring skiing as well because you just follow the sun to ski great snow all day long.

The most interesting thing you’ve read or seen this year? (books, podcasts, TV shows)

I have been on a documentary kick lately... my top three are The Fantastic Fungi, Biggest Little Farm and Miss Americana (the T-Swift doc, oh ya!).

Ideal down day?

I love to sleep in and enjoy a long morning with great coffee (and heavily buttered sourdough toast of course) on a down day. Beyond that I love spending down days with my dog Bill, snuggling and playing. If I can find a killer massage or a great bubble bath, then I am the happiest girl in the world! 

Fictitious character you most identify with from a book, movie, etc. and why?

I mean Carrie Bradshaw duh! No idea why, other than I want to! "Later that day I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back. But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that’s just fabulous!" - Carrie Bradshaw

Highlight memory from filming with WME for this year's film?

We scored the day of my dreams in Engelberg this year. My first trip as a professional skier was to Engelberg about 8 years ago. I have wanted to go back ever since and more specifically I have wanted to shoot with Oskar Enander at Engelberg. Well my dreams came true and we had a spectacular blue bird pow day! Oskar showed us all the goods and you know we got some banger shots!

Gear you are loving right now, on or off the ski slopes, and why?

I am obsessed with my new Spyder Solitaire Kit. I have been working with Spyder for a few years on the new Big Mountain Freeski line and we released the second generation of the Solitaire jacket and bibs and I couldn’t love them more. The kit has a great practical, athletic fit but is still super flattering and comfortable. We changed a few of the details of the garments, upgraded a few things and I love where we are at. The kit is Goretex pro and I LOVE the new colors!

What is a cause you care about that you'd love to share with the Warren Miller audience?

POW! Also known as Protect Our Winters. Keeping our planet, our climate and our winters alive and well for generations to come is cause that all of use, lovers of the mountains, can come together on. Check it out and find out how you can help!

How do you think the year 2020 will shape the future of skiing?

This year was different in so many ways and I have to say I have never been more grateful for a ski season. Skiing was the first thing I got to do that felt normal in a long time and while I didn’t travel like normal, I still found great snow and had epic days in the mountains with friends. 

What is your vision for the future of skiing?

My vision for skiing and snowboarding is a culture, an industry and a community of inclusion. I hope that rather than our sport becoming more exclusive, that we can grow the sport to include more and more people, sharing the joy of the mountains and sliding on snow with as many people as possible. I believe there is plenty of powder to go around for everyone!

Favorite classic ski film and why?

Ski Movie 1. I am not sure it qualifies as a classic but it has been my favorite for most of my life. The skiing is killer of course and I love the way all the athletes play a character and you get see their silly and goofy side. To me skiing is fun and I love movies that show that!

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Don't miss Amie in our 72nd film, Winter Starts Now, dropping Fall 2021!

What is your number one goal in skiing/riding right now?
Have as much fun as possible while exploring new possibilities and terrain.

Current favorite piece of gear? Why?
Grassroots Powsurfer - It's one simple tool that provides a feeling unlike anything else. There are no moving parts, nothing ever to adjust or break.

Best advice you were ever given?
Follow your dreams.

Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Nature, surfing and skateboarding.

What is your greatest fear?
Letting life pass me by without making the most of it.

Best moment filming with WME this year?
Watching the sunrise atop a peak in British Columbia, realizing what an amazing day of riding we were about to enjoy.

What do you enjoy doing to give your body a break? (Recovery routine, healing tips, etc.) Foam roller, yoga

Can you tell us about some of the gear you were using in your segment with WME? During the WME Wasatch shoot I was skiing on my Volkl Shiro with a Marker Duke binding. The Shiro is a super versatile ski that I can trust to perform no matter what the snow is like in the backcountry. The Duke is great because it delivers the performance of an alpine binding in a touring binding platform. I tour in the backcountry so that I can ski fast and hit airs in fresh snow, and i need a setup built to handle that sort of skiing.

Other than professional athlete, what is your dream job? Orthopedic Surgeon.

Most memorable moment filming with WME this year? Skiing 'Thunderstruck' off of Cardiac Ridge was definitely the highlight of the shoot for me. This is one of the more exciting lines in the Wasatch with a knife-edge ridge and a mandatory straight line out of the bottom. I remember being surprised at how fast I was skiing out the exit. It marked the end of the good snow that shoot and capped off a great couple of weeks at home in the Wasatch.

Your idea of a perfect vacation sans skiing? Surf trip to Nicaragua.

Mantra to live by? Follow your passion.

Tunes to ski to? Alt-J

What is your number one goal in skiing/riding right now?
My number one goal is to always stay healthy and strong, so I can keep doing this for the rest of my life.

Current favorite piece of gear?  
My Splitboard Powsurf. When Pow surfing and Splitboarding are combined, the possibilities are endless! I think that binding free Powsurfing is the future of snowboarding.

Best advice you were ever given?
Eat more alkaline foods, more greens, less meat. Health is Happiness!

Where do you draw your inspiration from?
 I get inspired by people who live their life to the fullest. Folks like mountain climbers and big wave surfers, who live in the moment. It's amazing to see the capabilities of the human mind and body in those environments!

What is your greatest fear?
Getting eaten by a grizzly bear, or mountain lion, or a shark would be gnarly!

Best moment filming with WME this year?
Taking top-to-bottom powsurf party laps with Jeremy, Scotty and Ian was something out of a dream! That feeling of standing sideways on a board with no bindings, in perfect snow and sun with your buddies, is unmatched to me. Powsurfing is one of the greatest feelings on earth!

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