SAMMY CARLSON || GROWN

Revelstoke, British Columbia | Active: FIS record listed as not active | Discipline: backcountry freestyle, freeride, slopestyle, big air | Verified: 8 X Games medals, 2011 X Games Slopestyle gold, 3 Real Ski Backcountry golds, TGR and Quiksilver film projects | Current: Armada and Quiksilver film athlete Valdez When The Slough Started Moving The face above Valdez was steep enough to make the snow move before Sammy Carlson reached the apron. Light broke across the Chugach peaks, the upper panel held cold powder, and each turn pulled a white river behind his skis. Harmony, released in January 2026, showed Carlson deep in the terrain that now defines him.... Read more on the Athlete page

S. big-mountain region from Girdwood to Haines and Valdez | Known for: Chugach spines, Alyeska lift access, Thompson Pass heli terrain, Natural Selection Ski, FWT Alaska returns | Season: December to April with heli windows strongest from February to April | Best for: advanced freeriders, film crews, heli guests, and backcountry skiers with avalanche discipline Chugach Faces Above Tidewater Snow The Chugach Mountains rise directly above sea-level communities such as Girdwood and Valdez, putting maritime snowfall against slopes that climb fast from the coast. Alyeska Resort lists 1,610 skiable acres, 76 named runs, 7 lifts, a 40-passenger aerial tram, 2,500 feet of vertical rise, and 650 inches of average annual summit snowfall.... Read more on the Location page

American ski brand | Founded in 2002 as one of freeskiing’s first athlete-founded companies | Known for: ARV, ARW, Declivity, Whitewalker, Zero Collection, Tanner Hall, JP Auclair, Phil Casabon and Sammy Carlson | Focus: freestyle creativity, freeride progression, athlete-led design and modern skis built for park laps, powder days, side hits, touring missions and video-part culture. 2002 roots: the AR5 rewrites freeski from the inside Armada belongs to the rare group of ski brands that changed not only what people bought, but what they imagined skiing could look like. Founded in 2002, the brand grew out of a moment when freeskiing was pulling away from traditional alpine identity and building its own language through park, street, powder, film parts and athlete-led creativity.... Read more on the Sponsor page

Alaska heli ski and snow operations brand | Founded in Valdez by Tabatha and Josh Swierk | Known for: Chugach heli skiing, Robe Lake Lodge, snowcat and sled backup options, yacht supported trips and a No Down Days approach | Focus: guided access to Valdez and Thompson Pass terrain for skiers and riders chasing classic Alaskan spines, glaciers and long fall line descents. From Thompson Pass snowmachine laps to a Valdez heli operation Black Ops Valdez is not a ski manufacturer, a film crew, or a studio. It is a snow operations brand built around guided access to the mountains surrounding Valdez, Alaska.... Read more on the Sponsor page

American energy drink and action-sports sponsor | Launched in 2002 by Hansen Natural | Known for: black-and-green claw logo, X Games visibility, Monster Army, freeski athletes, street edits, park contests and backcountry film projects | Focus: funding athletes, amplifying ski media and turning freestyle, freeride and youth culture into a global sports platform. 2002 cans, black-and-green branding and the rise of the claw Monster Energy is not a ski manufacturer, crew or film studio, but it has become one of the most visible sponsor brands in modern freeskiing. Launched by Hansen Natural in 2002, the brand entered action sports with a loud identity: black cans, green claw marks, heavy event branding and a marketing language built around intensity rather than traditional beverage advertising.... Read more on the Sponsor page

American snow optics and protection brand | Founded 1975 in California from performance driven moto roots | Known for: Prizm Snow lenses, Flight Deck, Line Miner, Flow Scape, MOD helmets and signature athlete goggles | Focus: helping skiers and riders read terrain, manage changing light and pair goggles with helmets across park, freeride, race and backcountry environments. 1975 California roots from moto grips to mountain optics Oakley is not a ski manufacturer in the classic sense. Its place in skiing comes through vision, protection and the visual identity of snow sports.... Read more on the Sponsor page

Australian-born action-sports apparel brand | Founded in 1969 in Torquay | Known for: surf heritage, mountain-wave identity, DryFlight snow outerwear, GORE-TEX shells, Travis Rice collections, Sammy Carlson and Thibault Magnin | Focus: bringing surf-influenced style and practical storm protection into ski, snowboard, backcountry and resort winter culture. 1969 Torquay boardshorts and the mountain inside the wave Quiksilver is not a ski manufacturer, but its place in snow culture is real because the brand has always lived between movement, weather and style. Founded in 1969 in Torquay, Australia, Quiksilver began with surf apparel, especially boardshorts made for surfers who needed gear that worked in saltwater instead of simply looking beach-ready.... Read more on the Sponsor page