Nils Larsen

Home Base: Curlew, WA

Current Quiver: Storm BC, XCD Guide, and a lot of history over the years

Recent Accomplishments: Currently working on a film project from my travels through the Altai region of Central Asia.

Recent Media: Backcountry Magazine, Couloir Magazine, and my film, Skiing in the Shadow of Genghis Khan.

I got my first backcountry gear when I was 18 or 19, Bonna 2400s with ABC bindings. I was at the time a mediocre alpine skier, so the Bonnas immediately raised the bar beyond my limited ski skills. I could not buy a turn on the Bonnas, but I had lots of fun crashing around the mountains, gaining experience based on the maxim, "Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment."

In 1980 I moved from the west side of the Cascades to northeast Washington, from a wet winter to a white winter. Once there, I spent all my free time in winter skiing, both cross-country and telemark. Tele – well, in the mid 70’s a friend showed me a picture of what he claimed were telemark turns. His description of the turn was vague and when I arrived in northeast Washington 5 years later I had yet to complete a single telemark turn. I only broke that drought when I ran into Don Portman and friends in the Methow Valley. I was quickly hooked on the turn and its potential, which led me into the crash and burn years.

In 1981 I started a ski shop in Curlew, a quixotic endeavor to make a (winter) living off skiing. The shop did OK and kept me immersed in skiing – both learning and teaching, but also introducing me to the ski industry.

In 1984 I joined a ski trip to Peru with Steve Barnett and Brian Finney. The skiing was difficult, a mix of bad snow and high altitude, but it was a great trip. Since then, I have been fortunate in my ski travels, skiing in Europe, Alaska, Canada, Iceland, and recently, Asia. And over time, I backcountry ski more and lift ski less. As much as I love the art of skiing, combining it with a good wander in some wild place enriches the experience beyond measure.

The last few years have been the most rewarding, combining my love of skiing, with wild places and ancient cultures as I document the indigenous skiing traditions of Central Asia. I stumbled onto this when a friend showed me some pictures of locals from the region with their handmade skis. I was immediately hooked and have been working on the project since, traveling to the region four times. I am now working on a film on the subject. Along with the film project, I teach freeheel skiing and backcountry skills around the country, and backcountry tour as much as I can. I still live in Curlew, WA and some of my favorite skiing is out my door on XCDs.

As to the roots of my devotion to skiing I can offer only this – I was born and raised in a warm climate, totally lacking in winter and snow. This early damage to my seasonal psyche left me chronically needy for winter. I believe that this winter neediness set the stage for my skiing addiction. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.