Tom Wallisch is first return guest to The Powell Movement and there’s a reason for that…..He’s Tom Wallisch…..He sits on the board of directors for the US Ski and Snowboard Team, he’s all about giving back to the sport, he’s a living legend, and even as he’s gotten older, he’s kept his finger on the pulse of all ski media while continuing to  create his own. Wallisch always makes for an entertaining podcast.

Mike Douglas is a living legend in the ski industry.  He’s known in the ski world as “The Godfather”, he was one of the behind the scenes leaders of the New Canadian Airforce, a group that takes credit for the development of the first modern twin tip.  Nowadays, he’s still a paid, pro skier but his focus is on filmmaking and his production company Switchback Entertainment has been killing it for over a decade.  We talk about it all on the podcast.

Pro Skier Sean Pettit’s career started with a move from Quebec to Whistler.  From there, he became a child prodigy, the freeride kid who could do anything on his skis.  We pick up our conversation from 2016 (I include 10 minutes of our old conversation for background) and talk about his focus from skiing to snowboarding, injury, his lifestyle clothing brand and more. 

Angel Collinson was born into the ski world.  She grew up in Snowbird employee housing, where she honed her race skills enough to barely not make the US Ski Team.  With racing over, college and big mountain skiing competitions took over.  Skiing won.  Over the years there have been a lot of women who have pushed the envelope on snow but Angel transcends gender….she’s just a bad ass skier who charges harder than anyone these past few years…guy or girl.  Her story is not what you expect…..

Scott Gaffney is a Sherpa in the world of elite athletes.  He carries a 40 pound backpack through some of the more remote places in the world all in the name of “getting the shot”.  Like many before him, the ski dream was only achieved through hardships that a lot of us don’t know.  Sleeping in cars, taking showers in local sprinkler systems and doing whatever it takes to make it.  And for Scott, “making it” became a sort of groundhog day of filming, editing and producing rad ski movies.  Hear the whole story on the podcast.  

Giray Dadali spent his whole life in the shadow if his older brother, pro skier Ahmet Dadali.  While working to create a name for himself in the ski world, Giray realized he already had a name that everyone knew, Ahmet’s Brother.  Fast forward to today and Giray has had 3 signature Ahmet’s Brother Pro Model Skis and has finally stepped out from his brother’s shadow, kind of.  On top of all that, Giray is a schooled engineer who created and is currently selling the often sold out Daymaker Touring System.  His story is awesome and his experience, totally different than his brothers. 

Eric Iberg grew up in Edina, MN, but there was no cake-eating in his life.  It was all about skiing and baseball...and baseball didn't work out.  This legendary filmmaker is also a true ski historian.  He’s a creative who’s also a people person that used film-making as his launch into the ski world.  Over the years, there were a lot of companies, movies and experiences…everything but a big payday for Eric and we talk about it all on the podcast.

Ahmet Dadali knows -better than most- that to make it as a pro skier, coming from the East Coast, you have to have that one-track mind, the drive to push though the bs and make it happen for yourself.  Ahmet and his 'I hate NY Crew', not only came form the East but helped shape the game in the world of street skiing.  Ahmet is opinionated and has no problem saying what he's thinking. 

Devin Logan is the youngest of 5 kids and was treated like a little brother by her two closest siblings, Sean and Chris.  Chasing her brothers around in between runs at contests and their general influence on her has given her the relaxed confidence that she uses to reach the podium at places like the Olympics….which she is about to do so tune in to watch Devin go for Gold in Slopestyle and Halfpipe in South Korea.

David Wise is the most decorated halfpipe skier of all-time.  Going into the Olympic Games, he is on fire and is everyone’s favorite to win back to back gold medals.  He’s a likable 27 year old going on 40.  He has a wife, 2 kids, and likes to spend a lot of time alone in the woods bowhunting.  In a world of rock stars, he’s a man of faith with nothing to prove to anyone other than himself.  We talk life, getting dropped from 4FRNT and more on the podcast

Brita Sigourney has spent most of her ski career in two places:  Standing on the podium and laying in a hospital bed.  She’s going into the Olympics with a clean bill of health and the some of the best results she’s ever had as a professional skier.  On the podcast Brita and I talk about her whole life and focus on the multitude of injuries she has experienced over the past 8 years, coming back to podiums each time and more.  It’s another good one!

Torin Yater-Wallace had to overcome more challenges than anyone I’ve talked to.  From growing up with a dad in prison, to moving countess times as a kid, to injuries, to a sickness that became so bad that he was medically paralyzed for 10 days.  Through all of this, Torin had skiing and all his dreams revolved around becoming a professional.  With all the cards stacked against him, Torin never quit or felt sorry for himself and made his dreams happen.  The funny thing is, listening to the podcast, it doesn’t even sound like he likes halfpipe skiing.

There was a time when Axl Rose left his small town in Indiana as there was nothing left for him there.  To make it, he needed to move west where he would surround himself with other, likeminded people.  While Nick Goepper is no Axl Rose, his story is the same.  He started honing his craft in the Hoosier state, moved west to Windells Academy and found more success than he ever dreamed of.  Like Axl, Nick learned that with success comes problems.  While Nick didn’t alienate his fans and get fat, he did uncover some real issues that we talk about in the podcast.

Alex Schlopy set a goal for himself going into the 2014 Olympic Games:  In his words it was “make the Olympics or I’d rather be dead.”  Unfortunately, Alex missed making the US Olympic Team by the slimmest of margins and decided to seek out crack and heroin to dull his pain and follow through on the ‘or I’d rather part’.  A few suicide attempts and an arrest later, Alex went to treatment and is currently getting back into the sport he loves.   He’s young and still has a chance to regain all that he thought he threw away.  Hear his whole story on the podcast.

Joss Christensen was on the bubble to make the US Olympic Team in 2014 when he lost his dad.  When he was selected to the US Team with the discretionary spot, skiers all over the internet were outraged and Joss was put down, harassed, bullied, and even asked to give up his Olympic spot for someone else.   While this hurt Joss’s pride, it also gave him something to prove…And he did by becoming the first ever Ski Slopestyle Olympic Gold Medalist.  Fast forward 4 years and Joss is on the bubble to make the team again.  He’s coming off a horrific knee injury and has only been on snow for a month.  Will he qualify?  That and a deep dive into his while career on the podcast.