Facebook page: www.facebook.com/forrest.coots

Website: www.forrest-coots.squarespace.com/

Riding since: Started skiing at 4

With Dynastar since: 2006

Other sponsors: Arcteryx, Smith Optics, Pull-in underwear, Suunto

Hobbies: Rock Climbing, Mountain Biking, surfing

Dream resort: North Island of Japan in January, Chamonix from April to June.

Favourite music: Indie Rock, and hip hop

Favourite ski website: ESPN freeskiing

Favourite no ski website: The daily beast

My hero?  My folks

Best trip up until now: My best trip so far was last fall when I went down to Chilean Patagonia along with three other athletes to work on our own athlete filmed ski mountaineering project. We spend 12 days snow camping high up in a valley skiing, climbing and filming. And the end product we put together a segment for the Powderwhores lastest movie.

Link to the story: http://www.powdermag.com/photos/between-cardboard-and-ice-in-cerro-castillo/

Background in skiing: I grew up in the mountains and I’m the product of a life spent in the outdoors. Born in Klamath Falls, Oregon, my family moved to Mount Shasta when I was three. With a ski resort fifteen minutes from my home and with my parents working at the resort, it was natural that I took to skiing at an early age. My early focus in skiing was geared towards ski racing. During high school, I won two high school state championships and was the 1998 USSA J1 Jr. Olympic Champion in the Slalom.  While on a college spring break road trip, I was introduced to backcountry skiing. This experience opened my eyes and changed the way I would look at the mountains forever. That new outlook on the sport induced a passion for big mountain riding.  Over the next five winters I hit the road competing on the Subaru freeskiing tour, but over time I grow tired and frustrated with the competition world and began to feel burned out. So turning my focus with the skills learned from the freeskiing completion to the world outside of the competition boundaries and into the world of ski mountaineering.

Goals in skiing: My goals in skiing are to keep pushing my limits and abilities exploring new terrain and places around the world. I pretty much want to travel the world mountains with my skis on my back, seeing what is out there and what can be accomplished with a little hard work and sweat. Moving more into the world of ski mountaineering, combining the skills of ski mountaineering with the freeride elements.

In the land of Fire and Ice from Forrest Coots on Vimeo.

Spring time in Chamonix from Forrest Coots on Vimeo.