頑張って – Photographic Reflections of Japanese Spine-Pillows

Miles Clark

editor’s note:  check out Zach Paley’s website here for more fantastic photos and words from skiing around the world:  Zach Paley Photography

頑張って = Ganbatte = “Do Your Best”

Spines and pillows: two of the more desired features in skiing. They come together in one of the most profound and sought after zones.

The terrifyingly joyful minutes between top and bottom provide years of living, learning, and experience.

At the bottom, you’re too breathless to shout, too exhausted to feel elated, too surprised you’re alive to be excited. Religious, out of body, life changing, orgasmic.

Txema Trull watches his sluff from the upper right

Love outweighs fear. We find ourselves sprinting up the skintrack to ski these prolific lines.

Persistence prevails. We’re finally making heads and tails (and tomahawks) of things.

It’s more than just a quarter. It’s changed the way we look at what we can do. Where we can go. And what’s possible.

Redefined. Old boundaries no more. Onward. Push. The time is nigh.

Lee Lyon

Txema Trull

Miles Clark

Charlie Landefeld