That's A Wrap

This past season in Jackson Hole has been one of the most progressive and fun seasons of my life. Here, we ride hard and enjoy the Apres scene more than the gaping tourists with their Bogner one pieces and white Zinc noses. Everyday is an adventure with new lines to be had and more limits to be broken. But sometimes we push the limits too hard and it is ourselves that break... not the mold.

On April 9th, I pushed the limits of my anterior cruciate ligament and that of my pain threshold. The force of my body colliding with a ditch on Teton Pass caused my ACL to snap and sent me into orbit. I couldn't snowboard, I couldn't think and yet we were two miles deep in the back country with no foreseeable way out. Luckily for me I have strong friends. As I lay there in excruciating pain and agony about blowing my knee without health insurance, my friends assured me that it was going to be all right.

Forrest Jillson and Maggie Steward helped me evaluate the situation and we did the best that we could with what we had. Maggie and I used my shirt as a makeshift brace and Forrest gave me his ski poles to trek down the mountain with. We went slowly and tried to make the best of a bad situation by joking and stopping to enjoy our beautiful surroundings. After about a mile of limping along the ski path my knee had swollen immensely and I could barely walk. At this point Forrest convinced me to let him carry me the rest of the way off the Pass. So Maggie took my backpack and snowboard and Forrest took me.

It was amazing to see such incredible individuals work together to help a friend. A special thanks to Forrest for rescuing me on the Pass and skiing me to safety... considering that three years ago he shattered his own femur in a skiing accident in between Corbett's and S and S Coulier. And thanks to Maggie for keeping the spirits high and a level head. Here's too good friends and a speedy recovery in the off season.