Podcasts
Brought to you by Ikon Pass:
My guest today is the legendary Scot Schmidt:
- Scot was the very 1st professional freeskier in North America.
- He created the genre, and he did it with style.
- Scot’s intro into the ski industry was him dropping a 100’ cliff at Squaw Valley Palisades Tahoe, California in the 1983 Warren Miller Ski Movie, and as he drops the monstrous cliff, Warren says: “Scot Schmidt, his parents raised him wrong.”
- Scot has been in at least 46 ski movies.
- His style is smooth and tight, and cameramen ate it up upon first sight.
- Scot was discovered by a Warren Miller filmmaker visiting Squaw Valley in 1983 – all the filmmaker had to do was say: “I wanna film whoever it is making those tracks.”
- Scot was making “those tracks,” the tracks that stood out and took him to the highest heights of ski stardom.
- Scot traveled the world making ski movies for 25-years before settling down in Big Sky, Montana, so he could ski more (there’s a lot of standing around in ski movie making.)
- Scot was even a stunt double for Dexter Rutecki in the legendary Hollywood ski movie: “Aspen Extreme.”
- The North Face has sponsored Scot for 30-years, and while there, he designed a line of ski mountaineering clothing called Steep Tech that is worth three times more than what it sold for back in the 80s and 90s.
- Scot has seen it all in this industry, and he helped reinvent it.
- His stories of skiing all over the world are truly an inspiration.
Please enjoy!
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This episode is brought to you by Ikon Pass:
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- Related: Ikon Pass: It’s YEWWW Time
Please enjoy!
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The SnowBrains Podcast Episode #36 – Scott Schmidt – The Original Freeskier
Recorded on February 17, 2022, in the Park City, UT (Miles Clark) and Big Sky, MT (Scot Schmidt).
This episode was edited by Jared White
Music by Chad Crouch
Host, producer, and creator = Miles Clark
About The SnowBrains Podcast:
- Top 17% of all podcasts
- Interviews the most intelligent people in the snowsports industry and passes their fascinating knowledge to you, our listeners.
- We explore skiing, snowboarding, snowsports, avalanches, technology, climate, COVID, snow science, medicine, nutrition, fitness, technique, and cutting-edge adventure with our listeners.
- The SnowBrains Podcast is hosted by professional freeskier, professional mountain guide, UC Berkeley Molecular Cell Biology graduate, and the Founder & CEO of SnowBrains, Miles Clark.
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The SnowBrains Podcast Season 1 Episodes:
- Episode #1: Why Is The Colorado Backcountry the Deadliest in the USA?
- Episode #2: Are Ski Resorts Safe To Visit During COVID-19?
- Episode #3: Why Do Skiers Tear Their ACLs So Frequently?
- Episode #4: What’s The #1 Tool Available To Skiers & Riders in Avalanche Terrain?
- Episode #5: Renaming Squaw Valley, CA & Squaw Alpine’s 2020/21 COVID Strategy
- Episode #6: Alta Ski Area – Skiing First, COVID, Canyon Traffic, & Possible Mt. Baldy Tram
- Episode #7: Andrew McLean, The Big Mountain Scientist [Part 1]
- Episode #8: Andrew McLean, The Big Mountain Scientist [Part 2]
- Episode #9: Whistler Blackcomb – Climate Change, The Future of Summer Skiing, COVID
- Episode #10: Chris Davenport – Legendary Freeskier, Ski Mountaineer, Mountain Guide
- Episode #11: Cody Townsend – Star & Producer of The Fifty Project
- Episode #12: Randall Osterhuber – Winter Survival Instructor, Search & Rescue Badass, Snow Scientist, Avalanche Forecaster, Mountain Guide
- Episode #13: Adrian Ballinger – Climbing Mt. Everest & K2 Without Supplemental Oxygen
- Episode #14: Bode Miller – The Winningest American Male Ski Racer of All-Time
- Episode #15: Dr. Ethan Greene – Why Did The USA Just Have Its Deadliest Avalanche Cycle in History?
- Episode #16: 27 Avalanche Deaths in Only 29-Days in the USA… Why Did the US Just See Its Deadliest Avalanche Cycle of All-Time?
- Episode #17: Dr. Michael Fischman: COVID Vaccine – When Will Ski Resorts Go Back To Normal?
- Episode #18: Jeremy Jones – Legendary Big Mountain Snowboarder, Climate Change Activist, CEO/Founder of Jones Snowboards
- Episode #19: Angela Hawse – President of the American Mountain Guide Association
- Episode #20: Daron Rahlves – 4 Time Olympian, King of Kitzbühel, and World Jet Ski Champion
The SnowBrains Podcast Season 2 Episodes:
- Episode #21 | Doug Stoup – More North & South Poles Than Anyone on Earth, Pro Soccer Player, Mountain Guide, Founder Ice Axe Expeditions
- Episode #22 | Bjarne Salen – Filmer of “The Fifty” w/ Cody Townsend, Hardcore Ski Mountaineer, Adventurer, Philosopher
- Episode #23 | Todd Offenbacher – Comedian, Mountain Guide, Body Builder, Badass Rock Climber, TV Personality, Climbing Community Builder
- Episode #24 | Scott Gaffney – Matchstick Productions Editor, Producer, Filmer, the G in Shane McConkey’s GNAR, Lake Tahoe Surfer, & Badass Freeskier
- Episode #25 | Ingrid Backstrom – Legendary Freeskier, Fierce Competitor, Game-Changer, Ski Movie Star
- Episode #26 | Dr. Ethan Greene, Director of CAIC – Why Did the USA Have the Most Avalanche Deaths in History Last Season?
- Episode #27 | Travis Ganong – Badass World Cup & Olympic Ski Racer, World-Class Freeskier
- Episode #28 | Tommy Moe – Olympic Gold Medal Ski Racer, Alaska Heli-Ski Guide, Co-Founder of Tordrillo Mountain Lodge in Alaska
- Episode #29 | Doug Fish – The Genius Who Created the Indy Pass, the Fastest Growing Multi-Mountain Pass on Earth With Over 80 Ski Resorts
- Episode #30 | Tom Day – Emmy Winning Cinematographer, 38 Years as Warren Miller Director/Filmer/Skier, “Blizzard of Aahhhs” Ski Movie Star, Smoothest Skier on Earth
- Episode #31 | Dr. Russ Costa PhD – Why People Do Dumb Shit in the Mountains!!
- Episode #32 | Eddie Taylor – Member of “Full Circle Everest” 1st All-Black Team to Attempt 29,032′ Mt. Everest
- Episode #33 | Park City Professional Ski Patrol – Battling Vail Resorts For a Living Wage
- Episode #34 | Julian Carr – 210-Foot World Record Cliff Invert, Pro Freeskier, Discrete Founder, X-Games Gold Medalist, Cirque Series Founder
- Episode #35 | Lel Tone – Alaska Heli-Ski Guide for 23-Years, Winner of National Geographic’s “Ultimate Survival Alaska,” Ski Patroller for 28-Years, Avalanche Professional
Not the original free skier, Americans…. are so provincial.
I remember this guy. Hitting the Palisades HUGE way before anyone else and the “Ice Goddess” definitely one of the first. Great to see this old timer again, cheers to the Original Freeskier. What was that movie he starred in, Daydreams?