Industry News
Although the ski season is still months away in North America, a 30-year-old Boston native has already accomplished an astonishing skiing record. Noah Dines has officially set the new world record for ski-touring the most human-powered vertical feet in one year. With a jaw-dropping 2,506,500 feet already under his belt and nearly four months left in the year, Dines is not done yet either.
- Related: Skier From Stowe, VT, Aims to Hit Record-Breaking 3 Million Human-Powered Vertical Feet in 1 Year
Over the course of Dines’ record-breaking 2024, a great deal of time and energy went into planning and execution, and it did not come easy. Some of the most difficult aspects he encountered along the way were surprisingly not while skiing but rather “the logistics, the business side and funding, and learning social media,” he told SnowBrains in an interview. While skinning, the biggest challenges were, without a doubt, “the heat and the flat parts of the mountain. You get tired, and you don’t get vert.”
Throughout this remarkable journey, Dines traveled all across the United States, to France, Austria, and eventually to Chile, where he broke the record just days ago. Although he has already surpassed Aaron Rice, the previous record holder, his chase for three million vertical shows no signs of slowing down. It was 7:15 p.m. his time when we spoke, and the new world record holder was just taking his ski boots off for the day. “Just wait until you see tonight’s sunset,” you could hear his smile and gratitude radiating through the phone, “there were horses.”
Aside from the monumental statistic, Dines mentioned the one thing that truly left an everlasting impression on him during the past nine months: “The highlight really, more and more as the year’s gone on, is the friends that I’ve made along the way. I’ve met such incredible people from around the world. Talented, kind individuals.” During the record-breaking climb, Dines was accompanied by two friends from Vermont; a meaningful way to complete the final push towards his world record. However, along the skin track and around the mountain, the camaraderie and sincerity he experienced over the year so far were immeasurable.
With a few more months of skiing in Chile and possibly Argentina before picking up his truck in Oregon and meandering back to Boston to speak at the Boston Ski Expo in November, Dines has nothing short of a busy fourth quarter ahead. Right now, where he will ski in November and December is up in the air and mostly in Mother Nature’s hands. Then, as the year draws to a close, he will return to Stowe, where it all started to celebrate one hell of a year, just as he has planned since before he started.
As we wrapped up our conversation, I asked Dines, who has a background in education as a school teacher in Vermont, what he would like people who are reading, watching, and inspired by his outstanding efforts to know. “Just how much I’ve enjoyed interacting with the ski world and the world at large this year in a way that I never have,” the fresh record-breaker mused. “All of the positive comments, people saying hi on the hill, or shooting me a message, has meant so much and been such a positive influence on me this year.” He continued humbly by mentioning, “Go and try to do something hard and push yourselves. Nothing makes me particularly special, but I’m trying pretty hard.”
Going into 2025, Dines has a lot he is looking forward to. Spending lost time with family and friends sits high at the top of his list. Reflecting on the people and places involved in his record year. And you guessed it, more skiing, but without an agenda.
What started on January 1, 2024, in Stowe, Vermont, as the clock struck midnight, has turned into an incredible world record and a fascinating story of one’s love and dedication for skiing and the mountains. The most inspiring takeaway for me is that, with over 2.5 million feet and a world record, Dines is still excited to be skiing.
