HOTLAPS • Quinn Wolferman MAMMOTH
Quinn Wolferman
Profile and significance
Quinn Wolferman is an American freeski standout from Missoula, Montana whose calm, creative movement has translated across edits, SLVSH games, World Cups and the broadcast stage. Born in 1997, he grew up lapping Montana Snowbowl before basing in Utah and splitting his days between Park City Mountain and Alta Ski Area. His breakout moment came at the X Games in 2022, where he won Ski Knuckle Huck gold with a run built on patient nose-butter takeoffs, inventive body slides and the kind of timing that reads perfectly in slow motion. Around that milestone he stacked a deep catalog of rider-led projects—Strictly’s street-and-backcountry films and backcountry-heavy cuts with the Montana/Wyoming crew—that made him one of the most “replayable” skiers of his generation. With long-standing support from Armada and a profile on Monster Energy, Wolferman matters because he shows how modern freeskiing can be both inventive and teachable.
Competitive arc and key venues
Wolferman’s competitive résumé balances culture and results. Early top-10s on the FIS World Cup—most notably ninth in slopestyle at Snowmass in January 2018—signaled that his film-ready mechanics could survive start-gate pressure. He appeared in World Cups across Europe and North America, then refocused on formats that reward touch and originality: SLVSH Cup matchups, jam-style nights, and the X Games Knuckle Huck, where Aspen’s floodlights and long decks at Aspen Snowmass showcased his trademark nose-butter doubles and shifty-heavy takeoffs. The 2022 X Games gold confirmed what crews already knew from years of filming with him: he makes complex ideas look inevitable.
Venue-wise, the map explains the method. Snowbowl provided repetition and thin-cover discipline. Utah added volume and infrastructure—structured laps at Woodward Park City to drill rail timing and knuckle feel, powder days at Alta to carry speed and manage landings in softer snow, and contest buildouts at Park City Mountain to keep jump cadence sharp. Spring film blocks at Mammoth Unbound layered in XL spacing and wind reads, while European detours to Grandvalira’s Sunset Park Peretol tied him into the SLVSH ecosystem where line reading beats brute force. Those places formed a rider who can win under lights and deliver segments that stand up to frame-by-frame scrutiny.
How they ski: what to watch for
Wolferman skis with economy and definition. Into the lip he stays tall and neutral, sets rotation late, and locks the grab before 180 degrees so the trick breathes without throwing the body off axis. His knuckle vocabulary is unusually clean: nose presses start from the ankles and hips rather than an upper-body lean, which is why his buttered doubles and late shiftys look suspended rather than forced. On rails, look for square entries, backslides and presses held long enough to read, and exits where the shoulders remain aligned so speed survives to the next feature. Surface swaps are quiet—minimal arm swing—and edge pressure is organized early so the base stays flat through kinks. Even at higher difficulty, landings read centered and inevitable, a product of soft ankles and hips stacked over the feet.
Resilience, filming, and influence
Film seasons are the backbone of Wolferman’s profile. He helped carry Strictly’s run of influential projects through the late 2010s and early 2020s, showing equal comfort on city steel and in sled-accessed terrain. Those parts emphasized honest speed, horizon awareness, and compositions that let viewers study timing and body organization. Parallel to Strictly, he appeared in Montana/Wydaho backcountry projects that prize sled hustle and measured line choice—segments that broadened his résumé without blurring his identity. SLVSH games, from Sierra-at-Tahoe to Grandvalira, put his rail craft and trick definition under peer review and expanded his influence with the riders who care most about how skiing reads in real time.
The X Games chapter amplified that influence to a global audience. Winning Knuckle Huck gold in 2022 on the Aspen course—under cameras, commentary and live scoring—validated a movement language he’d refined for years. Since then, he has toggled between selective contest starts and filmer-led winters, increasingly steering projects where the shots serve the skiing rather than the other way around. The through-line is a method that rewards attention to detail: calm entry, patient pop, early grab definition, and exits that preserve speed. It’s why coaches use his clips in breakdowns and why park crews copy his lines when they rebuild features.
Geography that built the toolkit
Place is central to Wolferman’s skiing. Missoula’s Snowbowl forged his edge control on modest vert and variable snowpacks, the perfect classroom for centered landings and clean exits. In Utah, Woodward Park City supplied consistent takeoffs, dense rail sets and a winter-long progression ladder for knuckle moves. Alta added soft-snow timing and the patience required to keep structure when visibility drops. Spring and early-summer at Mammoth Unbound contributed XL spacing and wind management; European weeks at Sunset Park Peretol drilled nighttime rhythm and feature-dense flow. When Aspen calls, Aspen Snowmass becomes the stage where those habits show at full scale. Trace those dots and you can see their fingerprints in every clip.
Equipment and partners: practical takeaways
Wolferman’s current and recent partners reflect his priorities. With Armada he rides park platforms that balance press-friendly flex with predictable pop for nose-butter takeoffs; Monster Energy backs his split calendar of contests and film trips; past apparel support from Spyder layered in long park days and glacier laps. For skiers trying to borrow his feel, the hardware lessons are straightforward. Choose a true park ski with a balanced, medium flex you can bend without folding; detune contact points enough to reduce rail bite while keeping dependable edge hold on the lip; and mount close enough to center that switch landings feel neutral and presses sit level. Keep binding ramp angles that don’t push you onto your heels so you can stay stacked over your feet. The bigger “equipment” is process: film your laps, compare shoulder alignment and hip-to-ankle stack against a short checklist, and repeat until patient pop, early grab definition and square-shoulder exits are automatic.
Why fans and progressing skiers care
Fans care about Quinn Wolferman because his skiing ages well. The clips prize timing, organization and line design over noise, which is why they stand up to slow-motion scrutiny years after release. Progressing riders care because the same choices are teachable on normal parks and real snowpacks. If your winter looks like weeknights at a small hill, weekend missions to a destination park, and a few floodlit jams or SLVSH-style games with friends, his blueprint fits perfectly: calm entries, patient pop, early grab definition, long presses that read, and exits that preserve speed for what comes next. The medal—a 2022 X Games Knuckle Huck gold—is a milestone; the lasting takeaway is a method any skier can study and apply from Missoula to Mammoth to the lights of Grandvalira.
Mammoth Mountain
Overview and significance
Mammoth Mountain is the Eastern Sierra’s flagship and one of North America’s most influential freestyle venues, pairing a vast high-alpine footprint with a park-and-pipe program that has set industry standards for more than two decades. The resort’s official figures list 3,500+ acres, 25 lifts and a 3,100 ft vertical rise to an 11,053 ft summit, which helps extend the season into late spring in most years. That scale supports a daily rhythm where storm-chasing, groomer mileage and park progression all coexist, and it underpins Mammoth’s recurring role as a host for U.S. Grand Prix World Cups, Nor-Am Cups and the U.S. Revolution Tour. If you are building a California itinerary around modern freeskiing, Mammoth is the anchor. For context within our own network, see skipowd.tv/location/mammoth-mountain/ and the statewide overview at skipowd.tv/location/california/.
The mountain’s identity is equal parts dependable logistics and credible terrain. Multiple base areas funnel efficiently onto upper chairs and gondolas; treeline zones stay workable on whiteout days; and when the sky clears, long ridge lines and bowls hold chalk and soft snow by aspect. Overlay Unbound’s contest-grade setups and a hike-to freestyle zone on the backside, and you get a venue that converts time on snow into rapid progression for park riders and freeriders alike.
Terrain, snow, and seasons
Mammoth skis big, but it’s the way the terrain layers that matters. From Main Lodge, high-speed chairs and the summit gondola stack long fall lines, wind-buffed ridges and scooped bowls that ride well after storms. Canyon and Eagle add rolling groomers, side hits and quick access to mid-mountain benches that hold visibility and speed when clouds sit low. The backside opens to broader alpine panels and, when coverage allows, hike-to freestyle terrain in The Hemlocks—steep, natural features that the shape crew enhances with hand-built takeoffs during peak cycles.
Snowfall is both deep and durable by California standards thanks to elevation and exposure. During active periods you can expect dense, shapeable snow that smooths landings and lets lips rebuild quickly; between systems, leeward faces set into supportive chalk while north and east aspects preserve winter surfaces. The resort’s published norms include roughly 400 inches of annual snowfall and a typical season from November into May or June, with 300 sunny days a year also in the marketing mix. The net effect for freeskiers is reliable surface quality across a long window, with storm weeks for soft progression and blue spells for speed and filming.
Park infrastructure and events
Mammoth’s Unbound Terrain Parks remain a benchmark: the official brief cites 10 parks, 2 halfpipes, 100+ jibs and up to 40–50 jumps on more than 100 acres when fully built. Main Park is the pro-stage lap with a 22-foot superpipe and large jump lines accessed via Unbound Express; South Park offers long, flowing lines and a secondary pipe; Forest Trail and the playground parks at each base give beginners and intermediates a clean ladder for repetition. The Unbound park map and daily status updates are the control tower for which lines are open and how they’re riding.
Event pedigree is current and deep. Mammoth regularly hosts the U.S. Revolution Tour with freeski halfpipe, slopestyle and big air competitions staged in Unbound’s Main Park and the 22-foot pipe, and the mountain has closed World Cup calendars with Toyota U.S. Grand Prix stops in recent seasons. Nor-Am Cup starts appear frequently on the FIS calendar, and spring also brings Far West alpine series finals on the race network. The through-line is that Unbound builds to competition standards while keeping public flow workable—one of the reasons teams and film crews treat Mammoth as a repeat training base.
Access, logistics, and on-mountain flow
US-395 is the spine of any Eastern Sierra trip. In winter, chain controls and full closures are possible during major storms, so plan around Caltrans’ live tools and road information pages before you roll. Once you are in Mammoth Lakes, the free town and mountain shuttles simplify car-free days; the Red and Green lines connect Main, Canyon and Eagle pods on frequent winter schedules, with additional routes and evening service linking The Village and lodging zones. If you’re mixing days with June Mountain, note that Mammoth lift tickets are valid at June the same day (beginner tickets excluded), which makes pivoting for wind or crowds low-friction.
Flow tips are simple. On storm mornings, prioritize treeline off Canyon and Eagle to keep visibility and speed honest; as ceilings rise, step to the summit panels and backside bowls. For park volume, build a two- or three-feature circuit in Forest Trail or South Park to check speed and pop, then move to Main Park and the superpipe when temperatures stabilize and lips are crisp. When The Hemlocks are in condition and open, treat it like big-mountain freestyle: watch wind loading, manage group spacing and expect ungroomed landings.
Local culture, safety, and etiquette
Mammoth’s scene blends high-output park laps with serious mountain management. Inside the ropes, respect closures and staged openings—wind and snow transport can change hazard quickly on the ridges, and patrol will hold lines until they are safe. Beyond the ski area boundary or on touring days, start with the daily bulletin from the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center, travel with beacon, shovel and probe, and move with partners who know companion rescue. Tree wells are a recurring risk in deep cycles, especially below storm snow in glades; keep partners visible and communicate during powder laps.
Park etiquette is non-negotiable: inspect features, call your drop, hold a predictable line and clear landings and knuckles immediately. Give the shape crew and winch cats space during rebuilds; they adjust lips and takeoffs to protect speed, not to slow the session. Altitude also matters here. With a base around 7,953 ft and a summit at 11,053 ft, hydrate, manage sun exposure and pace early days if you are new to high elevation.
Best time to go and how to plan
For cold surfaces, stable jump speed and frequent refreshes, target mid-January through early March. That window typically yields the most repeatable park laps and forgiving landings. March into April adds longer light and classic spring cycles—corn on solar aspects by late morning and preserved winter on shaded, higher faces—while Unbound keeps rotating rebuilds so rail lines and jumps stay fresh. Build a flexible plan each morning: check the mountain’s lift and trail report for wind holds and staged terrain openings, confirm Unbound’s line status, then pick sectors by aspect and visibility.
Transit and tickets reward a little homework. If you intend to mix Mammoth and June, structure days by weather and crowds and use the same-day ticket validation to pivot midday if needed. If you are aiming for event weeks, book early and expect footprint changes around Main Park and the pipe during training blocks. For car-free trips, align lodging with shuttle stops on the Red and Green lines so uploads are simple even on busy days; if you drive, monitor Caltrans QuickMap for chain controls and rolling closures on US-395 during storm cycles. Mammoth’s official winter trail map and Unbound page are the daily baseline for what’s spinning and how to lap efficiently.
Why freeskiers care
Because Mammoth turns a long, high-quality season into repeatable progression. You get a massive, weather-resilient mountain with tree zones for storm days and chalky ridges for bluebirds, plus Unbound’s tiered park system and a superpipe that mirror competition standards. You can add big-mountain freestyle in The Hemlocks when conditions align, pivot to June on the same ticket if wind or crowds push you to change plans, and rely on a shuttle network that keeps the day moving. The combination—credible terrain, contest-grade shaping, and frictionless logistics—explains why Mammoth remains a global reference point for skiers who want to learn fast, film well, and ride real mountains all season long.
GoPro
Brand overview and significance
GoPro is the reference name in action cameras and a cornerstone of modern ski media. Founded in 2002 by Nick Woodman, the company turned rugged, mount-anywhere cameras into a creative toolkit that reshaped how freeskiing is filmed—POV from the helmet or chesty on storm laps, pole-cam follow lines in the trees, and stabilized, edit-ready clips from lift to backcountry. For skiers, GoPro’s value isn’t just the camera; it’s an ecosystem of mounts, lens options, accessories, and the Quik app with cloud backup and automatic highlight videos. In 2024–2025 the lineup is led by HERO13 Black (single-lens POV) and MAX2 (8K 360 capture), supported by a growing family of HB-Series Lens Mods that expand field of view and creative looks. Within the ski world—from park laps in Austria to deep British Columbia tree lines—GoPro is the default device you’re most likely to see clipped to a helmet, pole, or chest harness.
Product lines and key technologies
HERO13 Black. Flagship single-lens camera with 5.3K/4K capture, advanced HyperSmooth stabilization, hydrophobic lens cover, and improved Enduro battery performance for cold days. HERO13 adds automatic lens detection for the HB-Series Lens Mods so the camera switches into the right mode without fuss. The HB collection currently includes an Ultra-Wide Lens Mod (up to 177° FOV for immersive POV), a Macro Lens Mod (close-focus with a variable focus ring), an Anamorphic Lens Mod (true 21:9 look with cinematic flares), and ND filter packs for motion control. GoPro also offers a HERO13 “Ultra Wide Edition” bundle pairing the camera with the ultra-wide mod for ski-ready POV.
MAX2 (360). Second-generation 360 camera capable of true 8K spherical video with replaceable, water-repellent lens elements, upgraded battery, and improved touch UI. Skiers can capture everything in one take, then “reframe” angles later in Quik—useful when you’re shooting a partner on unpredictable lines or want both forward and backward POV on a single run.
Quik + Subscription. GoPro’s app ties the system together: charge the camera and it can auto-upload runs to the cloud, generate a highlight cut, and let you refine it without downloading source files. Subscription adds unlimited cloud storage for GoPro footage, extra storage for non-GoPro files, and camera replacement coverage in many regions—practical for heavy winter use.
Accessories that matter for skiing. Media Mod (directional mic + I/O), Light Mod, Volta battery grip/remote/tripod, chest and helmet mounts, glove-friendly remotes, and pole/grip mounts (for “third-person” follow). The small details—glove-operable buttons, locking fingers, hydrophobic lens cover—are what make GoPro workable in blowing snow.
Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)
Think of “ride feel” as what the footage looks like. HERO13 with the Ultra-Wide Lens Mod is the classic resort POV: steep feels steep, turns feel fast, and cliff takeoffs read clearly. Macro is niche but fun for gear B-roll and snow crystals on storm days. The anamorphic mod gives your backcountry stories a cinematic flavor without post hacks. If you often swap who’s filming whom mid-lap, MAX2 shines—capture everything and pick angles later. For creative park skiing, a pole-mounted HERO13 produces stable, low-effort follow shots; for big mountain lines, a chesty mount smooths pole swings and keeps skis in frame. Night laps and flat-light days benefit from ND choices and HDR/Log profiles that grade cleanly.
Team presence, competitions, and reputation
GoPro maintains a visible snow roster and commissions seasonal projects and contests that drive progression and culture. Recent ski names tied to GoPro content and team news include Sammy Carlson, Eric “Hoji” Hjorleifson, Arianna Tricomi, Parkin Costain, Dennis Ranalter, Hedvig Wessel, and Jesper Tjäder. The company’s seasonal “Line of the Winter”–style community contests regularly surface standout edits from resorts and backcountry zones, while athlete films and POV drops keep GoPro footage at the center of ski media. Reputation among skiers is simple: reliable cameras, lots of creative options, and an ecosystem that rewards experimentation.
Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)
GoPro’s cameras show up wherever skiers lap and film: storm cycles and spring parks at Whistler Blackcomb (see our page for Whistler-Blackcomb), deep-snow pillows and long fall-line exits at Revelstoke Mountain Resort (see Revelstoke), and high-traffic pow runs in Utah’s Little Cottonwood at Alta (see Alta Ski Area). The brand’s own ski presence on Skipowd is aggregated here: GoPro (skipowd.tv).
Construction, durability, and sustainability
Housings are waterproof without a case, with hydrophobic, scratch-resistant lens covers; MAX2 adds replaceable protective lenses. Enduro batteries are tuned for better cold-weather performance (a noticeable benefit on lift days below freezing). Mods and mounts are designed for glove use and repeat abuse—buckles, adhesive bases, and locking fingers that hold up when you tomahawk or stuff the camera in a pack. On the software side, in-camera stabilization plus Quik’s cloud workflows reduce the number of takes you need, which means fewer failed shoots and less wasted travel. As with any electronics, longevity is sustainability: keep spare lens protectors, swapables like batteries and doors, and use the subscription’s repair/replacement coverage where available to extend service life.
How to choose within the lineup
Pick your capture style first. If your goal is classic POV and follow shots with the least editing overhead, choose HERO13 Black; add the Ultra-Wide Lens Mod for immersive 177° resort POV. If you often film a partner or want both forward and backward angles from one run, choose MAX2 and reframe later in Quik.
Decide on look controls. Want cinematic ski stories? Add the Anamorphic Lens Mod (21:9 look and flares). Shooting close gear details or snow textures? Macro Lens Mod earns its keep. If you prefer simple, vibrant output straight from camera, stick with standard lens and HDR modes; if you grade, enable GP-Log/10-bit for more latitude.
Power & carry. For all-day lift laps or sled days, the Volta grip extends runtime and gives one-handed control; a compact 20–26 L ski pack fits camera, Volta, a spare battery or two, and a microfiber for lens clearing. In very cold climates, keep batteries warm in an inside pocket and rotate.
Mounting basics. Helmet mount for most POV, chesty for stable pole-swing shots and steeps, pole/grip for follow-cams. Keep a 3-way pivot and extra adhesive bases in your repair kit. Check goggle clearance with helmet mounts and test chesty angle on a groomer before dropping into consequential terrain.
Why riders care
GoPro makes it easy to turn ski days into shareable stories without hauling a cinema rig. The stabilization is trustworthy on chopped exits, batteries last longer in the cold than they used to, and the new lens mods let you pick an aesthetic—from ultra-wide immersion to anamorphic drama—without complicated setups. Add Quik’s cloud backups and automatic highlight videos and you get a simple, end-to-end pipeline: shoot, charge, receive a cut, refine if you want, and post. That predictability is why GoPro stays strapped to helmets and poles across resorts and backcountry zones worldwide.
Quick reference (places & hubs)
- GoPro (skipowd.tv)
- Whistler Blackcomb • Whistler-Blackcomb (skipowd.tv)
- Revelstoke Mountain Resort • Revelstoke (skipowd.tv)
- Alta Ski Area • Alta (skipowd.tv)
Principal athletes & ambassadors
- Sammy Carlson
- Eric Hjorleifson
- Arianna Tricomi
- Parkin Costain
- Dennis Ranalter
- Hedvig Wessel
- Jesper Tjäder
- Note: Team rosters change seasonally; consult official GoPro channels for current lists.
HOTLAPS
Brand overview and significance
HOTLAPS is a ski-focused YouTube and social channel led by filmmaker Andrew Gayda, best known for ultra-close follow-cam work that captures park and freeride skiing from a skier’s eye. Rather than functioning as a traditional gear brand, HOTLAPS operates as a creative label and filmmaking style—tight framing, precise timing, and long, flowing lines where the camera moves with the rider. The approach has become a fixture at marquee freeski gatherings and sessions, from spring park weeks to elite competitions, helping athletes and fans experience tricks, speed, and terrain transitions with unusual intimacy. For skiers, HOTLAPS is a media brand that documents the sport’s progression and spreads it globally through widely shared clips and event recaps.
Across recent seasons, HOTLAPS has produced high-visibility edits around major venues and sessions. You’ll see the name attached to spring park weeks such as Kimbo Sessions in Sweden, training days and highlights around X Games Aspen, and rider-led drops from glacier parks and early-season snowparks. The audience is international, and the roster of featured athletes regularly includes World Cup and X Games medalists, which keeps the channel on the leading edge of modern freeski culture.
Product lines and key technologies
HOTLAPS does not sell skis or hardware; its “product” is video. The signature technique is handheld or gimbal-assisted follow-cam filming performed at the athlete’s speed, often within a ski length or two. That proximity reveals grabs, edge sets, body position, and landing control in a way tripod or drone angles struggle to match. The channel’s workflow pairs fast, on-snow acquisition with careful editing that respects trick cadence and course flow, creating edits that feel like riding along rather than spectating from the fence.
Recurring deliverables include event highlight reels, session montages, and rider-focused mini-features. Shots are often captured at action-sports hubs like Woodward Park City, glacier and high-alpine parks such as Stubai Glacier, and spring sessions at Kläppen during Kimbo Sessions. Competition pieces and athlete collaborations may publish on partner channels as well as HOTLAPS’ own platforms, which extends reach while keeping the visual language consistent.
Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)
Although it’s media, not equipment, HOTLAPS speaks directly to park, slopestyle, and big-air enthusiasts who study trick form and line choice. The edits also resonate with all-mountain freeskiers who appreciate speed control and terrain reading—skills that good follow-cam work makes obvious. For athletes, HOTLAPS content is useful for scouting line options and reviewing technique; for coaches and younger riders, it’s a clean lens on how elite skiers set edges, manage airtime, and exit landings.
If you ride park laps, chase spring slush, or follow the contest calendar, you’re the natural audience. The “ride feel” of HOTLAPS videos is immersive and fast: you hear edge noise and see takeoff timing as the camera knifes into the same transition. That makes the edits valuable beyond entertainment—they’re learning tools and stoke generators before a session or trip.
Team presence, competitions, and reputation
HOTLAPS has become a go-to lens for high-profile athletes and events. The channel’s clips from X Games Aspen have circulated widely, and collaborations frequently include Olympic and X Games champions in slopestyle and big air. The brand’s spring coverage from Kimbo Sessions—an invite-only park gathering at Kläppen—helped define the visual memory of recent editions, showcasing standout runs from top freeskiers in golden-hour conditions. Outside of marquee events, HOTLAPS appears at rider-led shoots and brand activations, adding credibility for sponsors that want authentic, athlete-first storytelling.
Within the ski community, reputation rests on trust: athletes are comfortable with the filmer operating inches away at real speed. That trust is earned through precise skiing, risk awareness, and a collaborative mindset with park crews and organizers. As a result, HOTLAPS is regularly welcomed onto venues where access is limited and timing windows are tight.
Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)
HOTLAPS is itinerant, following snow and competition schedules across North America and Europe. Repeat touchpoints include Woodward Park City for stateside park laps, the Austrian Tirol’s Stubai zone in early season, and Sweden’s Kläppen for spring sessions. The calendar also aligns with Aspen’s winter contest window and periodic athlete gatherings at glacier parks. This mobility keeps the footage current with park design trends—fresh rail sets, revised jump lines, and new course builds that push trick evolution.
Construction, durability, and sustainability
In a media context, “construction” means how projects are built. HOTLAPS shoots favor minimal crew footprints, light camera setups that can withstand cold and impact, and efficient lift- or sled-assisted laps to maximize good weather. Durability shows up as repeat collaboration with athletes and organizers season after season, and as edits that continue to surface in highlight reels long after an event ends. Sustainability is practical: compact travel plans around event clusters, using established resort infrastructure, and producing fewer, better cuts that earn longer watch-life instead of disposable volume. The result is content that ages well in a sport where tricks and courses evolve quickly.
How to choose within the lineup
Viewers: start with HOTLAPS’ event recaps for context—X Games pieces convey speed and pressure on competition builds, while spring session edits highlight creativity and style. Then move to athlete-specific cuts to study signature grabs, axis control, and landings. Coaches and developing riders can pause follow-cam clips to analyze approach lines and timing.
Partners (brands, resorts, events): choose HOTLAPS for projects where authenticity and technical clarity matter. Competition organizers benefit from fast-turn social edits that show runs from the rider’s perspective; resort and park crews gain from session pieces that document build quality and flow; product and apparel brands can anchor launches with athlete-led stories that feel like real laps, not staged commercials.
Why riders care
Because the best camera work disappears and lets the skiing speak. HOTLAPS brings viewers into the pocket—over knuckles, through compressions, and into landings—so you can feel why a trick works and how a course rides. That perspective elevates both entertainment and understanding, preserving the energy of bluebird finals, storm-day training, and golden-hour spring laps. For a community that learns by watching and then trying, HOTLAPS has become a reliable lens on modern freeskiing and a catalyst for the next round of progression.
Level 1
Brand overview and significance
Level 1 is a Denver-based ski media brand conceived in 1999 to document the rise of freeskiing and push the craft of storytelling on snow. Over two decades, the crew evolved from dorm-room edits into one of skiing’s defining creative engines—filming street, park, and backcountry projects across the globe and premiering them to packed audiences. Level 1’s hallmark is a rider-first perspective: cinematography and editing that serve style, line choice, and snow feel rather than overshadow them. In 2019, the brand capped its 20-year run of annual features with its final tour film, then shifted focus to episodic projects and events without losing its role as a cultural touchstone.
Level 1 also builds community. Its channels highlight emerging skiers alongside established names, and its tone remains consistent—curious, welcoming, and uncompromising on quality. For skiers who follow freeski culture as closely as gear, Level 1 functions like a trusted label on the spine of a record: if it bears the stamp, it’s worth your time.
Product lines and key technologies
Level 1 doesn’t make skis; its “products” are films, event series, and premium digital content. The brand’s classic annual features culminated with 2019’s farewell chapter, after which production pivoted to focused short films, athlete-driven projects, and event coverage released throughout the season. Distribution prioritizes high-quality streaming and downloads, with archive access to past work for new audiences discovering the catalog.
On the craft side, Level 1’s technology is editorial. The team blends location-driven shooting, steadied tracking, and drone perspectives with meticulous pacing so tricks and lines read clearly. Sound design and score choices amplify snow texture and impact without drowning them. The result is a consistent “feel” across urban, park, and big-mountain segments—an aesthetic that many crews have since emulated.
Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)
Level 1 speaks to everyone who cares how skiing looks and feels. Park riders find trick shape, grabs, and switch landings framed so progression is visible. Street fans get thoughtful spot selection and build details shown honestly. Freeriders see line decisions and snow quality captured with enough context to understand speed, exposure, and consequence. If your winter mixes rope-tow laps, storm-day trees, and the occasional backcountry mission, this is the media that keeps you inspired between sessions and informs how you approach your next hit.
Team presence, competitions, and reputation
Level 1’s athlete network is deep, spanning multiple generations of influential freeskiers whose segments helped define modern style. Just as important is the brand’s long-running talent incubator: SuperUnknown, an open-submission video contest launched in 2004 that turns standout ams into finalists and, often, pros. The 2025 finals were hosted at Palisades Tahoe, underscoring how closely the series is woven into resort culture. Within the industry, Level 1 is regarded as a standard-setter for editorial discipline and rider partnership—projects ship when they’re ready, not when a schedule demands.
Awards have followed that approach, including major festival recognition for the brand’s capstone feature in 2019. But reputation here is earned less by trophies than by trust: riders, filmers, and fans expect a certain clarity and creativity whenever a Level 1 project drops.
Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)
Rooted in Denver, Level 1 films wherever skiing is happening at a high level. Urban segments span North America and Europe; park and spring projects often orbit glacier and camp venues; and big-mountain shoots chase storms. On the resort side, the crew’s cameras are frequent sights in the Pacific Northwest and the Coast Mountains, with many Skipowd readers finding Level 1’s fingerprints around Whistler Blackcomb. Recent event chapters have also anchored in California’s Tahoe basin, where accessible lift networks and established park programs make for efficient production weeks.
Construction, durability, and sustainability
For a media brand, “construction” means repeatable quality and safe, responsible shoots. Level 1’s process emphasizes clear communication with resorts and municipalities, appropriate permitting for urban builds, and safety-first rehearsals on features that demand it. Durability shows up as editing restraint—keeping shots that stand the test of time and cutting anything that doesn’t. The sustainability angle is practical: smaller, high-impact projects minimize travel churn, and partnerships with resorts allow efficient use of lift-served terrain and existing park infrastructure.
How to choose within the lineup
If you’re new to Level 1, start with the milestone year that closed the annual-film era, then sample recent shorts to feel how the brand’s voice translates to tighter, more frequent drops. Fans of rider spotlights should look for contemporary one-offs and film-tour edits that foreground a single skier’s style arc; those who love community and discovery should dive into SuperUnknown recaps, which package street, park, and pow into a single week of progression. If your local hill favors deep storms and natural hits, chase the freeride-heavy pieces; if you live on rope-tows and rails, queue the street and park chapters first.
Want to connect dots on the map? Pair an evening of Level 1 with planning for real-world laps at destination hubs. Our readers often bridge screen to snow at British Columbia venues and other West Coast resorts; watch what the camera emphasizes—speed control, line setup, pop timing—and bring that intent to your next day on snow.
Why riders care
Because Level 1 makes skiing feel true. The brand documents progression without losing the small details—edge angles, snow sound, the quiet beat before drop-in—that make sliding on snow addictive. It champions new voices through SuperUnknown while continuing to produce polished work with established pros. And it has stayed remarkably consistent: projects are built around the skiing itself, not trend-chasing transitions. If you want media that informs your riding and fuels your stoke, Level 1 remains essential viewing—proof that the culture grows strongest when the camera serves the turn.
Monster Energy
Brand overview and significance
Monster Energy is a global beverage brand that became a fixture in freeski culture by backing athletes, contests, and film projects across park, pipe, street, and big-mountain skiing. Launched in the early 2000s by the company now known as Monster Beverage Corporation, the “claw” logo migrated from motocross and skate into winter sports and quickly showed up on helmets, sled decks, and banners at major venues. In skiing, Monster’s value is less about hardware and more about platform: funding rider-driven media, supporting athlete travel, and amplifying edits so lines and tricks reach audiences far beyond a single premiere. For Skipowd readers, our curated hub for Monster Energy pulls those stories together in one place.
At competition level, Monster’s presence is visible on the world’s most-watched stages. The brand is a named partner at X Games events, including Aspen’s winter edition, with title integrations on Big Air and SuperPipe segments that keep freeskiing front-and-center for a mainstream audience. Combined with a deep roster of athletes and a grassroots pipeline, Monster has helped bankroll a generation of clips and projects that shaped modern freeski style.
Product lines and key technologies
Monster’s “products” for skiers are twofold: beverages and media infrastructure. On the beverage side, the lineup spans the classic Monster Energy range, sugar-free options like Ultra, coffee blends under Java, and hydration-oriented Rehab—formats riders choose for long travel days, dawn call times, or late-night rail sessions. On the media side, the brand runs dedicated snow news and athlete pages, plus the Monster Army development program (Monster Army) that gives emerging skiers a route to small stipends, exposure, and eventual pro support.
The real “tech” is distribution and continuity. Monster’s content operation turns contest weeks and filming windows into year-round storytelling: pre-event previews, daily recaps, and athlete features that keep freeskiers in the broader sports conversation. That consistency has helped edits from core hubs break out of niche channels and reach new viewers who might never attend a premiere or follow a film tour.
Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)
Translate “ride feel” to culture: Monster shows up wherever skiers want volume and visibility. Park and slopestyle crews benefit from athlete travel and media support that keep jump lines and rail gardens in view all winter. Big-mountain and backcountry riders leverage the same amplifiers for spine shoots, wind-lip sessions, and sled-accessed zones. For grassroots skiers, Monster Army functions as an on-ramp—local edits and regional podiums can become invitations, product flow, and small travel budgets that make the next step possible.
Practically, skiers tap Monster’s platforms around the cadence of a season: early-preseason park laps, mid-winter contest blocks, spring build weeks, and Southern Hemisphere or glacier sessions. The through-line is repetition and reach—support that helps riders stack attempts, refine style, and put the best version of a trick or line in front of the world.
Team presence, competitions, and reputation
Monster’s freeski roster blends icons, contest winners, and film specialists—most visibly at X Games, where the brand’s partnership and athlete presence span SuperPipe, Slopestyle, Big Air, and newer formats like Knuckle Huck. Recent seasons in Aspen saw Monster-backed skiers and snowboarders rack up headline results across the program, validated by the brand’s own event recaps and athlete features. Beyond podiums, Monster’s support of style leaders and legacy projects—think multi-year film arcs with Scandinavian and Québec crews, or rider-led street projects—gives skiers room to pursue the parts that influence technique and aesthetics for years.
The pipeline matters as much as the top end. Monster Army highlights junior and up-and-coming riders, publishes results, and showcases standout edits, creating a credible path from local scenes to international rosters. That continuity—grassroots to global—underpins the brand’s reputation inside the sport.
Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)
On-snow, Monster’s winter footprint tracks freeski infrastructure. In North America, Aspen hosts X Games on Buttermilk’s courses under the Aspen Snowmass umbrella (Buttermilk), stacking high-mileage training and broadcast-grade venues in one valley. West Coast film crews cycle through Mammoth Mountain and coastal British Columbia, while the Alps and Scandinavia add spring and late-season looks that show up in team edits. In Québec, hometown hills and night parks feed the scene; you’ll even see Monster projects roll through compact venues like Vallée du Parc when storylines call for local roots.
Between tours, Monster uses city-based touchpoints and festivals to premiere or promote projects, then folds those stories back into athlete pages and season recaps so they remain discoverable long after a live event.
Construction, durability, and sustainability
For a beverage brand embedded in outdoor sport, responsibility shows up in packaging and operations. Monster’s corporate reporting outlines steps such as recyclable aluminum as the primary package, efficiency improvements in manufacturing, and sustainability targets published in annual updates (Sustainability Reports). On the events side, large activations coordinate with venue partners to manage sampling, waste, and energy use—pragmatic measures that matter at scale when contests and festivals bring thousands of fans to alpine towns.
From an athlete’s viewpoint, durability is cultural: consistent budgets, long-term relationships, and support for serviceable projects (from street trips to heli windows) keep skiers productive through full seasons, not just headline weeks.
How to choose within the lineup
If you’re picking a Monster can for ski days, think context. Sugar-free Ultra variants suit riders who want flavor without added sugar; classic Monster Energy is a familiar choice for long travel days or early starts; coffee blends (Java) make sense for base-area mornings. Hydration-forward options (Rehab) are useful for spring sessions when temps rise. As with any caffeinated drink, match intake to your tolerance and hydrate—especially at altitude and during high-output days.
If you’re an aspiring rider looking for support, study Monster’s athlete pages and the Monster Army program: publish clean edits, compete regionally, and keep results and clips organized so you can be found. For coaches and filmers, align output with the season’s storytelling windows—contest weeks, park build cycles, and spring features—so your work lands when the audience is paying most attention.
Why riders care
Skis and boots define how you turn; brands like Monster help define whether the wider world sees what you did. By underwriting athletes, events, and films—particularly around anchor venues like Aspen—the company has amplified freeski progression from rope-tow nights to global broadcast. Add a visible presence at X Games, a credible grassroots pipeline in Monster Army, and year-round content that keeps freeskiing in front of non-core audiences, and you get a sponsor that materially supports the sport’s culture—not just with logos, but with the resources that let skiers stack laps, film lines, and share them widely.
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