Jason West

Home Base: Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah

Current Quiver: Team 130s for telemark and AT, Team 100s

Recent Accomplishments: Made the most of a low snow year in the Wasatch, and shoot a lot of photos with Steve Lloyd and Mike Tittle. I got more perspective on the balance of risk after successfully rescuing Steve in an early season avalanche.

Recent Media: MSNBC/Today Show, Skiing Magazine, Couloir Magazine, Backcountry Magazine, Tough Guy Productions

I grew up skiing in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains but didn't know how well I had it in my own backyard until years later, traveling outside of the Cottonwood Canyons to ski. Experiencing such great skiing at a young age instilled me with a passion for the sport, the mountains and the community of skiers.

One of the great things about skiing for me is that no matter how much of it I do, I never get bored or feel like I can walk away completely satisfied. I enjoy the challenge of trying to ski that line a little faster or smoother or to put together something completely new. I like to learn the mountain, so I know the feel of every terrain feature, even as they change. Early season is one of my favorite times, before the deep snows of mid-winter bury so many of the terrain features.

As I have expanded my horizons past the boundaries of the ski areas I have come to love the wildness and unpredictability of the backcountry. For me this is the essence of skiing and in the backcountry, I find complete freedom and endless terrain to experience.