I’m in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in the luxurious comfort of the Teton Mountain Lodge, and I’ve now officially been in bed for 24 hours straight. Stifle the tittering giggles my friends, it’s not due to a romantic rendevous, but rather an unwelcome date with a demon that has possessed my digestive system. I can’t imagine feeling any further from sexy.
I’m not afraid to admit I’ve spent my entire day watching endless episodes of What Not to Wear and America’s Next Top Model. I had aspirations of burying myself in a book, but this is one of those times I feel so badly it hurts to exercise my brain.
I will say, though, that prior to my intestinal demise, I enjoyed a few spectacular winter days in Jackson. Our first day on the mountain, my friends and I were privy to perfectly groomed trails, uncrowded slopes and the welcome kiss of winter sunshine, creating mystical columns of light amidst the blowing snow dust. Day two saw a shift in the weather with overcast skies and non-stop flurries, translating to a five inch fresh powder blanket.
I’m here because GU is a sponsor of the Alpinist Magazine’s 2008 Film Festival, a celebration of films honoring the best of ski, surf and stone. It’s somewhat as I imagine Sundance would be, only minus the Gucci, Prada and drunken A-list stars. The AFF is full of filmmakers, industry bigwigs, editors, loyal Jackson locals and most of all, extreme athletes and adventurers. My personal experience with these three sports is minimal (I’m a rookie surfer, I ski sporadically every 4 or 5 years and until this weekend I didn’t know the first thing about climbing), so it’s been wonderful to step out of the bounds of my triathlon focused world and engage with some hardcore athletes of another genre.
I particularly enjoyed meeting Resi Stiegler, a beloved Jackson native, US Ski Team member and former and future Olympian. She’s been temporarily sidelined by significant injuries, but hearing her speak and witnessing her self-possessed spunk & sparkle, there’s no doubt in my mind she’ll come back stronger than ever.
I also had the pleasure of chatting with Wes Brown. Wes is the grandson of surf filmmaking legend Bruce Brown (The Endless Summer), son of Dana Brown (Step Into Liquid) and an accomplished filmmaker in his own right. Dana and Wes were on hand to present an amazing retrospective of their family’s history in film.
Another highlight of the festival was watching the 1963 climbing film Sentinel: The West Face. It starred two young climbers, Yvon Chouinard and Royal Robbins, who have both gone on to impact the outdoor industry in ways they probably never dreamed of while tackling that giant slab of rock. Let’s just say that climbing fashion has evolved dramatically over the past 45 years!
I head home tomorrow where I hope to recuperate fully before getting back on the road to the Outdoor Retailer industry trade show, followed the next weekend by the Endurance Sports Awards, honoring the greats of triathlon and multi-sport. While I’m looking forward to some serious fun among my familiar crowd of friends and colleagues, I’m thrilled to have had this opportunity to witness the achievements - and occasional insanity - of another breed of athletes. I certainly hope to be back again next year.