SAMMY CARLSON || HARMONY

11:56 min • 17/01/2026

Sammy Carlson- HARMONY Peace amidst the chaos. We’re back and beyond excited to share HARMONY with you. Join Sammy and the crew as they return to Valdez, Alaska with Black Ops Heli & strike_Towering spines, Bottomless Lines and Raw Alaskan terrain that demands precision, committment and trust. With a rare weather window and a solid snowpack, the boys pushed freeriding to new heights—stepping into new terrain and tagging a couple of first descents along the way. “Every year, this place never ceases to blow my mind. Riding in Alaska is a truly special & powerful experience. This season we were blessed with great weather and stable conditions, allowing us to explore new terrain and capture some unforgettable moments while making this film. Alaska is the ultimate freeride experience—powerful and humbling.” Thanks for watching and for being part of the journey. Many thanks to everyone who had a hand in bringing this project to life. Enjoy the film! 🫡 -Sammy Supported By: QUIKSILVER https://www.quiksilver.com MONSTER ENERGY https://www.monsterenergy.com/en-us/ ARMADA https://www.armadaskis.com/en-us OAKLEY https://www.oakley.com/en-us BLACK OPS VALDEZ https://blackopsvaldez.com Film Credits Produced By SAMMY CARLSON Director of Photography JUSTIN MAYER FPV PATRICK CONROY LUKE BREDAR “LUKABEE” Drone By JUSTIN MAYER NATHAN MCBRIDE Edited By CODY ROSENTHAL JUSTIN MAYER Sound/Color By JUSTIN MAYER MUSIC: Part 1: "At the end Of the Day"- Amon Tobin Part 2: "Spitting Off the Edge of The World"- Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Pefume Genius Special Thanks Black Ops Staff & Fam Josh & Tabatha Swierk Heli pilot: Nick Matisse Safety team: Peter Biskind, Steve Schumm, Keree Smith, Ely

Athletes

Sammy Carlson

Locations

Alaska

Sammy Carlson

Profile and significance

Sammy Carlson is a U.S.-born, Revelstoke-based freeski icon whose career bridges park innovation and backcountry mastery. Raised near Mount Hood and forged by endless laps at Timberline, he first stormed the contest scene with technical slopestyle runs and history-making tricks—most famously the first switch triple rodeo (2010)—before pivoting to film and deep-snow freestyle. The hardware is undeniable: X Games Slopestyle gold in 2011, three straight X Games Real Ski Backcountry golds from 2013 to 2015 (with a Fan Favorite sweep in 2015), and a FIS World Championships slopestyle silver at Deer Valley in 2011. Over the same arc he became the face of rider-led backcountry projects, headlining “The Sammy C Project” with Teton Gravity Research and later releasing “Over Time,” “GROWN,” and “ECHO,” statement pieces that codified a surf-informed, pillow-stacking style.

Today his name signals two things at once: innovations that changed what’s possible—switch takeoffs in real mountains, buttered doubles on natural rolls—and a movement language that any progressing skier can study. You can see the blueprint clearly in his clips: calm entries, patient pop, early grab definition, landings that read centered and inevitable. That clarity, plus a rare stack of medals across Slopestyle, Big Air, and Real Ski, makes Carlson one of the most influential freeskiers of his era.

Competitive arc and key venues

Carlson’s competitive résumé traces freeskiing’s evolution. He broke through in the late 2000s with X Games Slopestyle silvers (2007, 2009), added bronzes (2010 slopestyle, 2011 big air), and sealed the park chapter with Slopestyle gold at Aspen. Then he proved that film-grade creativity could be judged: Real Ski Backcountry golds in 2013, 2014, and 2015, where his precision on natural features outpointed the field and his 2015 Fan Favorite vote showed how strongly the audience responded. In parallel he collected World Championships silver in slopestyle at Deer Valley, confirming that his method traveled from edits to the start gate.

The places tied to his name explain the skiing as well as any podium. Timberline on Mount Hood delivered repetition and switch comfort, the raw materials for a first-in-history switch triple rodeo and years of technical slopestyle. Aspen Snowmass provided the broadcast-stage pressure where he took Slopestyle gold and later showcased creative takes on features under floodlights. Basing in British Columbia anchored the second act: the storm cycles and terrain above Revelstoke Mountain Resort turned into a classroom for pillow lines, wind, and speed management that define his Real Ski and film segments. Spring trips to Mammoth Mountain added XL build cadence and wind reads that sharpen big-feature timing when he wanted to return to jumps at scale.

How they ski: what to watch for

Carlson skis with economy and definition. Into a lip—sculpted or natural—he stays tall and neutral, sets rotation late, and locks the grab before 180 degrees so the trick breathes and the axis reads cleanly. On natural takeoffs he starts butters from the ankles and hips instead of an upper-body lean, which is why his nose-butter doubles feel suspended rather than forced. In pillows and cutbanks he favors lines that preserve speed, entering features square and exiting with shoulders aligned so momentum survives for the next move. Landings show soft ankles and hips stacked over feet; even on consequential terrain, recoveries look unnecessary because edge pressure is organized early.

On rails—less frequent in recent years but still visible—the same grammar holds: square entries, long-enough presses and backslides to be unmistakable, and quiet surface swaps that keep the base flat through kinks. Whether the backdrop is a contest jump, a Real Ski kicker in the trees, or a spine, the takeaways are consistent and teachable.

Resilience, filming, and influence

Film seasons are the backbone of Carlson’s legacy. “The Sammy C Project” reframed him from contest winner to backcountry author, pairing booters and technical lines with the same patient setups that worked in slopestyle. “Over Time” (with CK9 Studios) extended the language—pillow stacks, fall-line airs, switch takeoffs in places that once looked too chaotic—while “GROWN” and “ECHO” kept the focus on honest speed and compositions that show approach, slope angle, and body organization. That visual honesty is why riders and coaches still pause his footage for breakdowns; the shots teach as much as they impress.

His influence also runs through product and events. With Armada he shaped the Whitewalker series (116/121), pow-focused twins that reward buttered takeoffs and centered landings without folding at speed. Apparel with Quiksilver and long-standing support from Oakley and Monster Energy helped fuel a career built as much on films as on podiums. The through-line is intent: rather than chase every start list, he picked formats that rewarded touch and storytelling, then used films to raise the ceiling on what “slopestyle in the backcountry” could look like.

Geography that built the toolkit

Place explains the method. Mount Hood’s Timberline allowed nearly year-round repetition, perfect for codifying switch approaches, late sets, and clean grabs. Aspen’s stage at Aspen Snowmass added long decks, TV timing, and wind management under lights. The interior of British Columbia—anchored around Revelstoke—layered storm snow, pillows, and complex terrain where speed choice matters more than spin count. When spring jump blocks called for XL timing, Mammoth provided consistent shapes and the headwinds/tailwinds that decide whether a trick reads cleanly. Trace that map and you can see fingerprints in every clip: local-hill repetition, broadcast composure, and deep-snow decision-making that holds up at half speed.

Equipment and partners: practical takeaways

Carlson’s current toolkit reflects his skiing. The Armada Whitewalker series gives a balanced, press-friendly platform that still tracks when you need to carry speed into a second feature; the 121 shines on storm days, the 116 covers most of the season. Outerwear and support from Quiksilver, optics from Oakley, and energy backing from Monster Energy round out a program built for film blocks and selective starts.

For progressing skiers, the hardware lessons mirror the footage. Choose a true twin with medium flex that you can press without folding, a mount close enough to center for neutral switch landings, and a tune that detunes contact points just enough to reduce hookiness while keeping reliable bite on the lip. Keep binding ramp angles neutral so you aren’t tipped into the backseat. More important than any single product is the process his parts model: film laps, compare shoulder alignment and hip-to-ankle stack against a short checklist, and repeat until calm entries, patient pop, early grab definition, and square-shoulder exits become automatic.

Why fans and progressing skiers care

Fans care about Sammy Carlson because his skiing ages well. The clips prize timing, organization, and line design over noise, whether the camera is on a pillow stack in Revelstoke, a sunset jump at Mount Hood, or an Aspen feature built for prime time. Progressing skiers care because the same choices are teachable on normal resorts and real snowpacks: organize early, let the trick breathe, and land on edges you already prepared. Add the résumé—X Games Slopestyle gold, three Real Ski Backcountry golds with a Fan Favorite sweep, and a World Championships silver—and you get both proof and a path. In an era that demands creativity and craft, Carlson remains a reliable reference for how to make freeskiing look inevitable.

Alaska

Overview and significance

Alaska is the world’s archetype for big-mountain skiing—a place where steep, glaciated faces and ocean-fed snowpacks create the freeride lines that fill film segments and athlete highlight reels. From the Chugach above Girdwood and Valdez to the spine fields near Haines and Juneau, the state’s mountains have shaped modern freeskiing’s idea of scale, exposure, and flow. Lift-served laps center on Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, while helicopter and touring programs unlock vast terrain across coastal and interior ranges. For freeski culture, Alaska is more than a destination—it’s a rite of passage. The Freeride World Tour’s return to Haines in 2026 underscores that status, bringing the sport’s best back onto Alaska’s dramatic, technical spines. On skipowd.tv, the state already stands as a cornerstone location; see the growing archive at Alaska for a sense of how often the cameras point north.

Terrain, snow, and seasons

Coastal Alaska sits under a maritime snow climate that tends to lay down deep, cohesive snow with fewer but larger storm events than many continental regions. In the Chugach near Girdwood and Valdez, that translates to thick storm slabs, powerful wind transport, and, when conditions align, confidence-inspiring powder that sticks to angles most skiers only dream about riding. The hallmark features are long fall-line panels, fluted ribs, and knife-edge spines broken by hanging ramps and glaciated benches. Interior and northern zones trend colder and drier, with clearer spells between systems, but the classic heli windows along Prince William Sound and the northern Inside Passage are what many visitors plan around.

At the lift-served core, Alyeska’s metrics tell a clear story: roughly 2,500 feet of vertical rise, seven lifts including a 40-passenger aerial tram, and a long-standing reputation for “steep and deep.” The resort reports well over six hundred inches of annual snowfall at upper elevations in strong winters, and its high-speed chairs and tram make quick work of laps when visibility and control work cooperate. Spring brings larger corn cycles on south aspects and longer, stable windows on northerly faces; midwinter serves most of the cold powder. Above and beyond the ropes, the Thompson Pass area outside Valdez is one of the snowiest road corridors in the state, and the Haines backcountry presents a concentration of spine walls that ride as cleanly as they look when the snowpack bonds.

Park infrastructure and events

Alaska is not a classic terrain-park destination; the draw is big-mountain riding. That said, Alyeska typically builds small to medium parks for progression, and in-season it supports night laps on illuminated terrain where features like Pump Station 3 and the Refinery Park open when conditions and staffing permit. Girdwood’s club scene contributes to athlete pipelines through organized freeride and alpine programs, keeping local stoke high through the dark months. Historically, Alaska has hosted major freeride moments—from Valdez’s extreme competitions of the 1990s to multiple Haines stops on the sport’s top tour—and the planned 2026 return of the Freeride World Tour reaffirms the state’s position on the global stage. In Valdez, rider-run outfits such as Black Ops Valdez appear frequently in film credits and video parts, reflecting how guiding culture and media production interlock here.

Access, logistics, and on-mountain flow

Most trips route through Anchorage’s Ted Stevens International Airport for Girdwood and the broader Chugach. From there, it’s an easy, scenic forty-mile drive along the All-American Road–designated Seward Highway to reach the resort base. Alyeska’s “Getting Here” guidance confirms the short highway transfer and common transit options if you’re not renting a vehicle; see Alyeska Resort for details. For heli venues, Haines is accessed via Juneau by air and ferry combinations, or overland via the Haines Highway through Canada, while Valdez has a regional airport and road access over Thompson Pass when conditions allow.

On the hill at Alyeska, the tram and high-speed quads are your backbone for storm-day tree skiing and, when patrol drops ropes up high, for steep north-facing panels. Weather and avalanche control drive openings; set expectations accordingly and build flexibility into your itinerary. On heli programs, plan for down days and have a backup like resort laps, touring on the Turnagain Arm sidecountry with a guide, or avalanche coursework. The logistics rhythm is simple: watch the forecast, be ready to mobilize when ceilings lift, and stay patient when winds and precip pin operations down.

Local culture, safety, and etiquette

Alaska’s winter community blends hard-earned local knowledge with a welcoming, small-town cadence. Respect for avalanche work, land use rules, and weather realities is non-negotiable. Before any backcountry day, check regional bulletins from the Alaska Avalanche Information Center and the dedicated Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center, and remember that hazard varies dramatically with elevation, aspect, and wind. Glaciated terrain adds crevasse and serac exposure; rope travel, glacier partners, and guide supervision are essential where blue ice and bridges complicate route finding. In heli zones like Haines, permitted areas, seasonal operating windows, and community noise considerations are codified by the borough; consult current updates via official channels such as the Haines Borough’s heliski pages to understand where and when commercial skiing is allowed.

Etiquette follows a few clear lines. Give ski patrol wide berth during control, respect closures, and yield to locals working lines they’ve waited on all season. In guided contexts, speak up about comfort levels, stay tight on radios and transitions, and treat pilots’ and guides’ calls as final. Wildlife considerations—especially along Turnagain Arm and coastal inlets—also matter; don’t crowd animals from roadsides or flight paths, and leave-no-trace at pullouts and skin tracks.

Best time to go and how to plan

For heli-skiing, the prime window is late winter into spring—February through April—when daylight expands, storm cadence eases, and aviation conditions are more cooperative. The state tourism board’s overview of ski options aligns with that reality and highlights core heli hubs in Valdez, Cordova, Girdwood, Haines, and Juneau. Lift-served travelers will find Alyeska spinning from early winter into April, with night operations scheduled in peak season during many winters. If parks are part of your plan, track resort updates to know when features are live.

Build redundancy into travel logistics. Book cancellable stays for the front and back end of heli weeks, carry a rental car reservation you can drop if weather strands you, and pack for true maritime winter: durable shells, high-loft midlayers for static time on ridgelines, multiple glove systems, and goggles for flat light and storm snow. If touring, formal avalanche education and rescue practice are baseline. Before driving any of the main corridors, check current road conditions and avalanche advisories; coastal highways like the Seward and Richardson can close during major cycles. If your trip centers on Girdwood, base yourself near the tram to make the most of short weather windows and quick rope drops.

Why freeskiers care

Alaska is where freeride dreams meet the physics of real snow. The angles, the scale, and the clean panels deliver a sensation you can’t simulate elsewhere: long, top-to-bottom lines on terrain that rewards composure and precise speed control. Alyeska gives you a reliable, lift-served anchor with serious snowfall and enough pitch to feel the state’s character under your feet. Haines and Valdez provide the spines and ramps that define the aesthetic of modern big-mountain skiing, and the Freeride World Tour’s Haines stop puts that terrain back under the sport’s brightest lights. Whether you’re linking tram laps under the northern lights, stepping into glaciated zones with a rope and a guide, or finally ticking off that first spine run, Alaska sets the bar. Start by studying Alaska segments on skipowd.tv, then build a plan anchored to Alyeska Resort, validated by avalanche centers, and, if your skills and budget align, capped with a heli window. This is the reference point for big-mountain freeskiing, and it belongs on every dedicated rider’s map.

Brand overview and significance

Armada is widely recognized as skiing’s pioneering athlete-founded brand. Launched in 2002 by a crew of influential freeskiers and creatives, it set out to build equipment around how modern skiers actually ride—park, powder, streets, and big, natural terrain—rather than filtering innovation through traditional race heritage. The brand’s identity has remained anchored in rider input and film culture, with a product line that mirrors the creative, playful approach that reshaped freeskiing in the 2000s and beyond. In March 2017, Amer Sports acquired Armada, bringing the label into the same winter portfolio as other major ski manufacturers while preserving its athlete-led philosophy and distinct design language.

Armada operates from the Wasatch and the Alps, with day-to-day brand life connected to Park City Mountain in Utah and a European hub near Innsbruck. That cross-Atlantic footprint helps shape a catalog that feels at home in North American freeride zones and on the varied snowpacks and park scenes of the Tyrol. Culturally, Armada remains closely tied to athlete films, creative web series, and team projects—touchstones that communicate the skis’ intended feel as much as spec sheets do.

Product lines and key technologies

Armada’s lineup is organized by intent, not marketing buzzwords. The ARV/ARW family represents the brand’s all-mountain freestyle DNA; Declivity and Reliance (directional all-mountain) serve resort skiers who want confidence at speed and on edge; Locator targets fast-and-light touring; and signature freeride shapes such as the Whitewalker translate film-segment creativity to deep snow and mixed terrain. Within those families, Armada refines behavior with a set of in-house technologies that have become calling cards.

Two construction ideas stand out. First, rocker/camber profiles like AR Freestyle Rocker and EST Freeride Rocker blend long, forgiving rockered zones with positive camber underfoot to preserve edge hold. Second, base and sidewall details tune how the ski releases and smears: Smear Tech adds subtle 3D beveling in the tips and tails for drift, pivot, and catch-free butters, while AR75/AR100 sidewalls and tailored cores (including lightweight Caruba in touring models) balance mass reduction with damping and strength. Together these choices explain why Armada skis often feel both lively and composed—easy to pivot yet trustworthy when speed comes up or the snow gets choppy.

Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)

If you like your all-mountain laps to include side-hits, switch landings, and a bit of exploration off the groomer, Armada’s ARV/ARW models are designed for you. They’re energetic, smearable, and predictable in variable resort snow, with enough camber to carve cleanly back to the lift. Resort chargers who prioritize directional stability and precise edge feel will gravitate toward Declivity and Reliance: more metal and more length options yield a calmer ride on hardpack, while still keeping the Armada “surf” in soft conditions. For backcountry skiers who want to keep the uphill efficient without giving up fun on the way down, the Locator series blends low weight with real-snow suspension. And on storm days and film-project lines, signature freeride shapes like Whitewalker are aimed at powder, pillows, and wind-affected steeps where you want loose, pivotable tips, supportive platforms, and confident landings.

Team presence, competitions, and reputation

Armada’s reputation rides on the shoulders of its athletes as much as its skis. Over the years, names like Henrik Harlaut, Phil Casabon, and Sammy Carlson have defined the brand’s look and feel—style-first skiing that still handles real-mountain speed and impact. That visibility spans major events like the X Games and high-profile film releases, reinforcing Armada’s role as a tastemaker for park, street, and backcountry-freestyle aesthetics. The roster’s breadth—from urban icons to big-mountain specialists—helps keep the catalog honest: new designs trace back to specific needs revealed in segments, contests, and long-day resort laps.

Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)

Armada’s U.S. presence is tied to the Wasatch—easy access to long season mileage, park laps, and storm cycles near Park City Mountain and the Cottonwood canyons. In the Alps, the scene around Innsbruck gives the team fast access to varied venues like Axamer Lizum and the Golden Roof Park, useful for repeatable park testing and quick condition changes. Historic filming staples like Mammoth Mountain continue to influence sizing, rocker lines, and the playful-but-capable feel that many skiers now expect from all-mountain freestyle shapes.

Construction, durability, and sustainability

Armada pairs wood cores and fiberglass/carbon laminates with sidewall constructions that vary by intent. All-mountain freestyle models use thicker edges and reinforcement underfoot to handle rails and landing zones; directional models lean into torsional stiffness and damping for edge fidelity; touring models deploy Caruba cores, strategic rubber/titanal binding mats, and lighter edges to keep mass down without making the ride nervous. On the softgoods side, the brand publishes “Honest Social Responsibility” notes outlining material choices in apparel and gear. For hardgoods, a two-year warranty applies to skis and most equipment, a standard that signals baseline confidence in materials and build. While any ski can be damaged by rails, rocks, or improper mounts, Armada’s construction playbook is tuned for the mix of freestyle creativity and resort mileage its audience demands.

How to choose within the lineup

Start with where and how you ski most. If your days blend carving with side-hits, trees, and the occasional lap through the park, look to the all-mountain freestyle family with waist widths in the upper-80s to mid-90s for a balanced daily driver. If you spend more time at speed on firm snow, directional all-mountain models with metal reinforcement and slightly longer radii will feel calmer and more confidence-inspiring on edge. If you tour, match Locator widths to your snowpack and objectives: narrower for long approaches and mixed conditions; wider for soft-snow zones and mid-winter storm cycles. Powder-first skiers who still like to trick and slash should consider signature freeride shapes with loose, rockered tips/tails and sturdy platforms underfoot. Size for your intent: freestyle-oriented riders often pick slightly shorter for maneuverability; directional and touring skiers typically size to nose/forehead or longer for stability and float.

Why riders care

Armada matters because it helped define what “modern” skiing feels like—and continues to translate that feel into products that make sense for real resort laps, backcountry tours, and deep days. The brand still reads like a dialogue between athletes and engineers: skis that pivot and smear when you want, yet bite and track when you need; graphics and shapes that look the part in a park edit but stand up to chunder at 3 p.m. Whether you arrive through contest clips, a team movie, or a storm cycle backcountry mission, the through-line is the same: creative expression backed by functional engineering. That combination keeps the label relevant to skiers who value both style and substance, from first chair corduroy to last-light pillow stacks—and it’s why Armada has a lasting footprint across freeski culture as well as everyday resort skiing.

Brand overview and significance

Black Ops Valdez (often “BOV”) is a rider-run heli and snow-operations brand based in Valdez, Alaska, built around the huge spine walls and glaciated faces of the Chugach. Locally owned and operated since its inception, BOV blends small-group guiding with a deep menu of backup options so trips aren’t dictated solely by helicopter flight windows. The brand’s home base doubles as mission control at Robe Lake Lodge, and its terrain footprint spans the mountains around Valdez and Thompson Pass—an area renowned for a maritime snowpack and storm totals that fuel big-mountain skiing. Not to be confused with ski model names that use “Black Ops,” this is a guiding operation, not a ski manufacturer. For Skipowd readers, the quick hub is the sponsor page for Black Ops Valdez, while the broader place context sits under Alaska on our platform.

What makes BOV matter is simple: dependable access to classic Alaskan terrain, paired with “no-down-day” alternatives when weather or stability say no-fly. That pragmatism—plus a steady presence in film projects—has made the operation a familiar name for skiers chasing steep faces, long fall lines, and photogenic spines.

Product lines and key technologies

BOV’s “products” are guided experiences, with the marquee being weeklong heli-skiing that packages flight hours, guiding, lodging, and meals. The operation also offers semi-private and private formats and runs specialty programs such as yacht-supported skiing aboard the Alaskan Adventurer, along with touring camps and adaptive-private options. When storms shut down rotor wings, snowcat and sled-assisted skiing keep the meters running, reflecting the brand’s stated “No Down Days” approach. Explore the offering overview via BOV’s packages pages: Skiing & Riding Packages and dedicated Heli-Skiing.

Operationally, the “tech” is about people, terrain management, and local systems rather than gadgets. The guide roster emphasizes avalanche education (U.S. Avy Level II/III or Canadian equivalents), medical certifications (WFR, OEC, WEMT/EMT), rope skills, crevasse rescue, and long familiarity with glaciated travel. Terrain intel is formalized around BOV’s Chugach zones and the logistics that support them—staging, weather windows, and backup modalities—so groups can move efficiently when the green light flashes.

Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)

If your skiing wish list reads “steep spines, clean runouts, and big, sustained pitches,” you’re in the BOV sweet spot. The classic Chugach day is about helicopter laps when conditions align: long lines with room to open turns, playful ribs and features on powder days, or chalky facets when high pressure settles in. When visibility drops or winds pin the heli, snowcat and sled programs shift the focus to treed shots, gullies, and leeward bowls—mellower but still meaningful vertical that preserves momentum in the week. Newer backcountry riders aren’t excluded; progression terrain exists and the guiding style aims to match pitch and exposure to the group’s comfort without diluting the “Alaska” feel.

Team presence, competitions, and reputation

BOV’s reputation flows through film credits and visiting athletes more than podium stats. Segments from high-profile freeskiers have showcased the operation’s terrain and guide craft, helping set expectations for the lines and snow quality around Valdez. That visibility is mirrored on Skipowd via projects associated with Black Ops Valdez; the sponsor hub for Black Ops Valdez aggregates films that show how groups actually move in these mountains. The brand’s value proposition remains consistent season to season: small groups, local decision-making, and itinerary resilience when the weather shifts.

Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)

Valdez and Thompson Pass sit at the heart of this story—one of the snowiest corridors in the state and a gateway to glaciated bowls, ramps, and spine walls. The terrain lives within and around the Chugach National Forest, with maritime storms delivering frequent refreshes and spring bringing longer, more stable windows. A typical travel flow is flight into coastal Alaska, road transfer to Valdez, then daily decisions based on visibility, wind, and stability. Alongside heli staging, the brand’s lodging partner at Robe Lake Lodge keeps groups close to ops staff and weather calls.

Construction, durability, and sustainability

In a guiding context, “construction” means safety systems and operational discipline. BOV’s guide qualifications, crevasse-rescue training, and avalanche education framework underpin decision-making in glaciated terrain. The maritime snowpack can be generous but complex; local forecasting inputs and conservative group management help stack odds in the right direction. The operation’s focus on multi-modal access (heli, cat, sled, touring) reduces wasted days and spreads pressure across zones. Regional land stewardship and permitting intersect with federal and local agencies; for a sense of the formal backdrop governing heli operations in this area, see public agency resources such as the U.S. Forest Service for the Chugach and local tourism authorities for Valdez and Thompson Pass.

How to choose within the lineup

Match format to goals, group size, and tolerance for weather variability. If you want maximum classic-AK exposure and you’re comfortable on sustained 40° faces when conditions allow, a weeklong heli package with included flight hours is the flagship experience. If you’re budget-sensitive or prioritize guaranteed movement over peak-hour airtime, look hard at semi-private formats and the snowcat/sled options baked into BOV’s programming. Yacht-supported trips unlock zones with boat access and a unique base-camp vibe. Adaptive-private packages pair custom logistics with guiding focused on specific mobility or sensory needs. For timing, mid-to-late winter stacks storm cycles and soft snow; spring often offers bigger, longer windows with a mix of powder, chalk, and corn. Regardless of choice, arrive with beacon-shovel-probe familiarity, realistic fitness, and comfort discussing risk tolerance with your guides.

Why riders care

Black Ops Valdez is about turning an Alaska dream into dependable reality: small groups, big terrain, credible backups, and local ownership that treats “should we go?” as a daily craft, not a script. The operation’s film footprint shows what’s possible; the on-the-ground logistics make meaningful skiing likely even when the weather deals a tough hand. For skiers who measure trips by line quality rather than lift rides, BOV offers a clear path into the Chugach—with the right mix of ambition and judgment to come home stoked and safe.

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.

Brand overview and significance

Oakley is one of skiing’s definitive optics and protection brands. Founded in California in 1975 by Jim Jannard and part of the EssilorLuxottica family since 2007, Oakley moved from moto grips to goggles and sunglasses, then expanded into snow helmets and technical apparel. The company’s impact in freeski culture is simple to trace: Oakley standardized high-contrast snow lenses for variable light, built intuitive quick-swap systems for lens changes on storm days, and backed athletes across park, pipe, street, and big-mountain segments. For Skipowd readers, the brand’s hub lives at skipowd.tv/sponsor/oakley/, where team edits and film projects are organized alongside place context.

In competition and media, Oakley’s “O” logo is part of the modern visual language of freeskiing—on helmets at X Games Aspen, in glacier training calendars, and in rider-led films. Its snow portfolio—goggles, helmets, and outerwear—sits on decades of optical research and athlete feedback, reflected in technologies like Prizm™ Snow and the MOD-series helmet fit systems.

Product lines and key technologies

Oakley’s ski offering centers on goggles and helmets. On the optics side, the lineup includes spherical-vision frames such as Flight Deck, cylindrical options like Line Miner and Fall Line, and lens-change systems that balance speed and sealing—RidgeLock™ on Flight Deck/Fall Line and Switchlock® on Airbrake L. Prizm™ Snow tints (official overview) are engineered to heighten contrast and help riders read snow texture: Black for bright, Sapphire/Torch for variable light, and Rose for flat-light depth perception.

The lens stack pairs familiar Oakley fundamentals—High Definition Optics (HDO®), impact-resistant Plutonite® lens material, and F3 anti-fog coatings—with frame details such as triple-layer face foam and flexible O Matter® chassis. Many models integrate discreet OTG notches so prescription frames can sit comfortably under the goggle. Oakley’s goggle family is aggregated here: oakley.com/goggles/snow.

Helmets live under the MOD series and emphasize fit, integration, and protection. The MOD5, MOD1 MIPS, and related variants feature Mips® brain-protection systems, BOA® 360 Fit dials, Fidlock® magnetic buckles, and tuned ventilation. Oakley’s helmet technology overview is here: oakley.com/lp/helmet-technology.

Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)

Park and pipe riders who need consistent sight-lines and reliable anti-fog performance gravitate to Line Miner and Fall Line for cylindrical look and speed, or Flight Deck for maximum peripheral vision. All-mountain skiers who rack up storm laps appreciate quick-swap lens systems and Prizm tints that maintain definition as light swings from flat to filtered sun. For backcountry and big-mountain use, the priorities are breathability and sealing: F3 anti-fog dual lenses and well-matched helmet/goggle interfaces reduce fogging on climbs and transitions, while Plutonite impact resistance and HDO clarity preserve confidence when speed and exposure increase.

Helmet “feel” hinges on the BOA dial and liner design: MOD1/5 models sit low and stable, minimizing bounce on landings and keeping pressure even across long days. Riders who move between rail gardens, jump lines, and sidecountry gates benefit from the all-day fit and eyewear integration that keeps goggles seated and dry.

Team presence, competitions, and reputation

Oakley’s snow roster blends contest leaders and style specialists. Athlete collaborations and signatures connect product to the scene: Mikaela Shiffrin’s Flight Deck and Sielo signatures sit alongside Henrik Harlaut’s Line Miner colorways on oakley.com and signature pages. At X Games Aspen—hosted at Buttermilk—the brand’s presence is visible across SuperPipe, Slopestyle, Big Air, and newer crowd-favorite formats. Event calendars and results live on official hubs such as X Games Aspen.

Beyond podiums, Oakley’s backing of rider-driven projects keeps street and backcountry edits moving during shoulder weeks. That continuity—contest windows, spring build weeks, and film seasons—gives the brand credibility with both weekend skiers and the athletes who set the bar.

Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)

Oakley’s heritage is Southern California, but its snow footprint tracks global freeski hubs. In North America, Mt. Hood is a summer touchstone for park laps and camps; British Columbia’s Coast and Interior feed backcountry film calendars; and Aspen hosts winter’s highest-profile broadcast week at Buttermilk, with terrain-park infrastructure documented by Aspen Snowmass. In the Alps and Scandinavia, glacier training and spring shoots refine goggle/helmet integration for mixed weather and long days. Whistler remains a spring icon for park and big-mountain flow; see the place context here: Whistler-Blackcomb and the resort hub at whistlerblackcomb.com.

Construction, durability, and sustainability

Goggles pair injection-molded Plutonite® dual lenses with F3 anti-fog coatings and moisture-wicking triple-layer foams. Frames use O Matter® for cold-weather flexibility, and OTG-friendly notches on select models accommodate prescription eyewear. Helmets are built around hybrid or in-mold shells, EPS liners, and safety integrations (Mips®, BOA®, Fidlock®), with performance options like Skull Matrix appearing on higher-end variants. Official specs and family overviews are listed on Oakley’s snow category pages for goggles and helmets.

On responsibility, Oakley operates within EssilorLuxottica’s “Eyes on the Planet” framework (public sustainability reporting details packaging reduction efforts and material choices). Recent seasons have highlighted recycled content in select goggles and more sustainable packaging across snow categories. Apparel initiatives include responsible-cotton sourcing targets. The practical upshot for skiers: gear designed for multi-season durability, shipped with lower-impact packaging than prior generations.

How to choose within the lineup

Start with fit and field of view. If you prioritize maximum peripheral vision for jumps and all-mountain speed, Flight Deck (spherical) is the benchmark. If you prefer a flatter look and easier speed reads on rails, Fall Line (cylindrical) or Line Miner are strong. Choose size (S/M/L) based on face width and helmet interface; low-bridge fits are available in key models.

Lens logic. Build a two-lens quiver around Prizm™ Snow: a bright-light tint (Black) plus a variable/flat-light tint (Sapphire, Torch, or Rose). Quick-swap systems matter if you ride changeable weather—RidgeLock™ (Flight Deck/Fall Line) and Switchlock® (Airbrake L) keep swaps fast while preserving a complete seal.

Helmet pairing. MOD-series helmets are designed for clean interfaces with Oakley goggles. If you want maximum adjustability and deep feature sets, the MOD5 with Mips® and BOA® 360 Fit is the top choice; the MOD1 is the low-profile, park-friendly option. Prioritize a snug, even BOA feel with no goggle gap and clear nasal breathing under the strap.

Use-case fine-tuning. Park and pipe: cylindrical frames (Fall Line/Line Miner) for speed consistency and style. All-mountain: Flight Deck or Flight Tracker for panoramic vision. Big-mountain/backcountry: anti-fog performance and sealing with a variable-light Prizm lens; carry a spare for storm cycles. If you wear prescription glasses, look for models with OTG notches and medium-to-large volumes.

Why riders care

Oakley’s value to skiers is part optical science, part cultural consistency. Prizm™ Snow lenses make variable terrain legible; HDO® and Plutonite® maintain clarity and impact resistance; RidgeLock™/Switchlock® systems keep your lens choice honest when weather flips. On helmets, Mips® and BOA® integration translate to all-day comfort and protection that stays put from first lift to last lap. Layer in signature collabs with athletes like Mikaela Shiffrin and Henrik Harlaut, and visible support at global stages such as X Games Aspen, and you get a brand that shows up where progression actually happens—summer laps on Mt. Hood, deep weeks in British Columbia, and bluebird finals at Buttermilk. For skiers choosing gear that amplifies what they can see—and how they ride—Oakley remains a benchmark.

Brand overview and significance

Quiksilver is a surf-born, snow-proven apparel brand founded in 1969 in Torquay, Australia, that today outfits skiers and snowboarders with outerwear built for storm days, park laps, and travel-heavy seasons. The “mountain and wave” DNA shows up in the snow line’s relaxed silhouettes and rider-led details, while the performance story rests on credible waterproof/breathable fabrics, pragmatic insulation choices, and long-running athlete feedback. For Skipowd readers, the curated hub for Quiksilver pulls together signature films and place context tied to the label’s backcountry and freestyle presence.

Within freeski culture, Quiksilver has earned visibility by backing heavy-hitting film projects and a small, influential roster. Backcountry icon Sammy Carlson wears the outerwear in deep British Columbia and Alaska segments, while Spanish-Swiss slopestyle/big air talent Thibault Magnin came through the brand’s Young Guns pathway and now bridges contest venues with creative edits. The net effect is a lifestyle label with real on-snow substance: recognizable style backed by weatherproof builds that hold up to long winters.

Product lines and key technologies

Quiksilver’s snow range is organized by protection level rather than race-derived hierarchies. At the top sit 3-layer and 2-layer GORE-TEX shells (including Highline Pro capsules) for riders who need true foul-weather reliability—fully taped seams, storm-sealing hoods, and quiet, durable face fabrics designed for repeated lift laps and sled days. The middle tier relies on the brand’s DryFlight® waterproofing in 20K ratings for technical shells aimed at aggressive resort skiers who want strong weather insurance without stepping to full 3-layer price or weight. Everyday resort kits round out the line with DryFlight® 10K and WarmFlight® Eco insulation, a low-bulk synthetic fill mapped by zone to keep chairlift mornings warm without swamping you on traverses.

Across tiers, the practical tech stack repeats: taped seams (critical or full), long pit zips or mesh-lined core vents, glove-friendly zippers and pulls, powder skirts, boot-friendly cuff gaiters, and helmet-compatible hoods. A material throughline uses recycled polyester—often REPREVE®—and many insulated pieces carry PFC-free durable water repellent finishes. For a quick brand overview of the snow philosophy, see the “Surf The Mountain” Snow Guide hosted by Quiksilver.

Ride feel: who it’s for (terrains & use-cases)

All-mountain resort skiers who mix trees, groomers, side hits, and short hikes will be well served by DryFlight® 10K + WarmFlight® Eco insulated jackets and pants: warm on the chair, ventable on traverses, and cut roomy enough for movement. Storm chasers and skiers in wetter maritime climates will prefer 20K DryFlight® shells or the GORE-TEX capsules for consistent sealing in wind, heavy snowfall, and mixed precipitation. Park and slopestyle riders benefit from the relaxed fit and soft-hand fabrics that slide without snagging, with enough reinforcement at cuffs and hems to withstand rail seasons.

If your winters look like early starts, snowmobile bumps, and back-to-back filming windows, GORE-TEX shells deliver the calm, quiet ride that lets you focus on line choice and speed control. If most days are lift-served with occasional hikes-to, the 20K tier is the value sweet spot—dependable weatherproofing, long vents, and durable shells that shrug off trees, lifts, and repeated pack carry.

Team presence, competitions, and reputation

Quiksilver’s snow credibility is athlete-driven. Carlson’s films and seasonal edits help stress-test storm sealing, hood patterns, and pocket layouts that still work with packs and beacon harnesses. Magnin’s path—winning the brand’s Young Guns Ski final at Whistler-Blackcomb before stepping onto World Cup and major content stages—shows how the label nurtures both contest progression and creative output. The reputation inside liftlines is straightforward: “surf the mountain” style paired with builds that hold up to real winters.

Geography and hubs (heritage, testing, venues)

From Australian surf roots, the snow program now rides where big winters happen. British Columbia’s deep zones and long seasons remain a visual anchor—see Revelstoke and the Coast/Interior film corridors—but you’ll also spot the line in the Alps and Pyrenees through the European team calendar. For official resort context, Whistler-Blackcomb and Revelstoke Mountain Resort provide the kind of storms, wind, and mixed textures that reveal whether shells, vents, and cuffs are truly dialed.

Construction, durability, and sustainability

Top-end shells use GORE-TEX laminates with fully taped seams and hard-wearing face textiles for longevity; mid-tier 20K DryFlight® pieces rely on tightly woven shells, long pit zips, and weather-resistant zippers; resort insulation pairs DryFlight® with WarmFlight® Eco fills to keep bulk down and warmth up. Reinforcements appear where they matter (cuffs, hems, and high-wear zones), and articulation at knees and elbows preserves mobility when you’re skating, side-stepping, or throwing grabs. Many garments incorporate REPREVE® recycled fibers and PFC-free DWR on insulated styles, a practical sustainability signal backed by the more impactful choice of making gear that lasts multiple seasons with basic care (wash, re-proof, and store dry).

How to choose within the lineup

Match your climate first. Ride a wetter snowpack (Pacific Northwest, coastal BC)? Choose GORE-TEX shells for consistent storm performance. Colder, drier interior or high-altitude climates? 20K DryFlight® shells are a smart balance of protection and breathability. For chairlift winters and night laps, DryFlight® 10K + WarmFlight® Eco insulated kits keep things simple and warm.

Decide shell vs. insulation. Shell systems maximize versatility—add or subtract midlayers as temps swing. Insulated jackets and pants simplify the kit for sub-zero mornings when you want one warm piece and reliable vents for the afternoon.

Pick pants vs. bibs thoughtfully. Bibs seal snow and keep pockets high for pack waistbelts; pants are easier to vent wide and tend to cost less. Either way, look for reinforced cuffs and scuff guards that match your boot buckles and stance.

Fit & movement. Quiksilver favors modern-relaxed cuts with articulation. Size for layering without bagging, and check sleeve/hem lengths in ski boots to avoid snags when skating or hiking.

Why riders care

Skiers choose Quiksilver because it combines an unmistakable surf-influenced look with serious mountain function. GORE-TEX and 20K DryFlight® shells stay quiet and sealed in sideways snow, WarmFlight® Eco insulation takes the sting out of long chair rides, and recycled fabrics with PFC-free finishes on many insulated pieces keep the footprint sensible. Layer in a track record of athlete-tested details from places like Whistler-Blackcomb and Revelstoke, and you get outerwear that looks the part and performs when winter turns real.

SAMMY CARLSON || HARMONY

Athletes

Locations

Sponsors

Sammy Carlson

Alaska

Recommended Videos