Video: Adam Clark

When I discovered backcountry skiing it was a eureka moment. I felt like I had found gold or the holy grail. Hiking up and skiing down snowy mountains was where I was supposed to be, what I was supposed to be doing. I wanted to share it with everyone, share how fucking fun this skiing thing is. I had found my religion and I was zealous about converting others. 

My dad bought a small portable camcorder for recording family events. He never used it, so I commandeered it and started carrying it into the backcountry to try and capture and share this incredible activity. For the next ten years my brother Jonah and I spent our winters attempting to convert others by shooting video of our adventures, cutting it together with music and projecting it on the big screen under the name of Powderwhore Productions. 

We never did accomplish it though, capturing the experience. Skiing down a mountain touches too many senses, it’s too cold, too quiet, too calm, vivid and alive in the moment. Any photos or videos are just two-dimensional remnants, fun reminders, but they fall well short of the real deal. However, we discovered this art, the mixing of snow and skier and music to create emotion and excitement built around this activity we love and hold sacred.

I’ve mellowed out a little in my need to proselytize, but I’m still a devout member of this snow worshiping community. I still love sharing and creating ski art, or ski porn as some would call it. Last winter was a snowy one in the Wasatch, most days were boot to thigh deep powder days. I teamed up with my buddy Adam Clark on one of those days to try once again to capture and share what we love about those hallowed deep days. 

--BD Athlete Noah Howell