Aspen! Aspen! Aspen!

Scoping Lines in Chile

I wasn’t in Aspen. I was standing at the top of my first film line with Warren Miller. The helicopter was circling around, Chris Patterson was hanging out the door holding a 16mm camera, and it was finally happening. I slowed my breathing and prepared myself for one of the biggest opportunities of my ski career. I was filming with Warren Miller!

Chris Patterson Doing What He Does Best!

I watched the heli circle around. It was almost time for me to drop in. I reminded myself of the advice Chris Davenport had given me. “Filming is just like free skiing. Do everything the same, but faster!” I stared down my line. It was a beautiful couloir. There was nothing difficult about it. The snow was perfect and all I had to do was rip it! Really fast. The heli came around full circle. I waited to hear 3.2.1. Drop. The radio in my pocket started to crackle and out came, “Aspen! Aspen! Aspen!” I didn’t know what to do. Aspen? Aspen? Aspen? My mind raced as the heli came over head. Aspen? Colorado? What? I didn’t move. I had no idea what Aspen meant.

Helicopters are sooo Cool!

The heli circled around again. I knew that when it came back over head I was supposed to ski, but I had no idea what Aspen meant. The heli came around full circle once more and again, “Aspen! Aspen! Aspen!” I watched for another sign, waiting to hear 3.2.1. Finally Chris waved his foot and I dropped in.

The snow was awesome! Perfect pow and I sent it! I arced two beautiful turns and then dropped into a straight line through some rocks. Out of the straight line, I laid down a fast turn on the side of the couloir. The snow was flying out behind me. I was having a great run. Everything was going well until the snow changed. I was 100 meters from the exit of the couloir when the snow turned from perfect pow to bullet proof crust. I remember thinking, “Oh no, Jess! You are going way to fast!” I knew I had way too much speed for the conditions, but I was also going too fast to try to shut it down. I decided to try to point it towards the good snow. My skis started to vibrate and then wiggle and then it was all over. I went into a full tail spin; hitting my head on the concrete like snow and then my feet and then head and then feet. I came to an abrupt stop upside down in the snow. I was sick about it. My first real line with Warren Miller and I blew it.

The radio crackled again, “Jess are you ok?” I thought to myself, yes I’m ok, but my psyche has been bruised. I called back on the radio that I was ok, just needed to pick up the pieces of gear that I had yard sailed all over the mountain and then I would ski down. Chris Patterson was so worried that he picked Dav up in the heli and dropped him on ridge close to me. I was really embarrassed when Dav skied up to me. I couldn’t believe that I had just blown it. He asked me if I was ok. I him told yes, just really bummed. His next sentence was so encouraging, “It’s no big deal. It happens to everyone. And if it makes you feel better, I just cliffed myself out on my line.” This coming form a man who has had more film time than I could ever dream of, it did make me feel better.

Dav and I filmed one more quick line on our way down to the heli pickup. I was feeling better. We joined Chris Patterson and talked about the next line we would ski. I drank some water and tried to decide how hard I had really hit my head. After taking a few minutes, I decided I was fine, but I still didn’t know what Aspen meant. I turned to Chris Patterson, “What does Aspen mean?” He looked at me like I had completely lost it. “How hard did you hit your head? Are you sure you are ok?”

“My head is fine, but when the heli circled around you kept yelling, Aspen! Aspen! Aspen! I don’t know what that means.”

Laughter filled the mountains. And the joke was on me. “Not Aspen! Aspen! Aspen! Action! Action! Action!” I couldn’t help but laugh! Of course. Action! Action! Action!

The Andes are Incredible!

The rest of the day was incredible! We worked for four more hours. It is a day I will never forget. Aspen! Aspen! Aspen!