Who are all of these ski experts, anyway?
It’s graduation time. Believe it or not, it’s our 18th anniversary this month. We’re heading into adulthood having learned some lessons, made amazing friends, failed some classes, and we’re ready to embark on a new chapter. From selling skis out of a garage to over 90 employees, we’ve come a long way. To celebrate this mega-birthday with you all, we wanted to share some of our staff’s stories. What they’re riding on, where they want to go on ski trips, and most importantly, what’s in their après ski kit.
Amy + Jordan — Powder7 Co-Owners
How long have you been at the shop?
Jordan: It’s been 18 years since we started Powder7! Time flies by and it feels like yesterday that we were handling everything from buying, to merchandising, to customer service, to packaging skis for shipment, to my daily trip to the post office in my red station wagon.
Skis of choice?
Amy: I have a lot of favorites. This year, I’m excited to have Atomic Bent 100’s as my daily drivers. I’ve been working on my carving technique over the last few seasons (I still have a long way to go!), and the Stockli Montero AW is my go-to when I’m out on early morning corduroy. I also love the Stella 106 when it’s soft but not deep, and for the deep days I have some older DPS Pagoda Tour 112’s and Pagoda Lotus 117’s.
Jordan: Ok it’s a very aspirational ski, and one that I only get to ski them on a few select amazingly deep days a year. It’s the K2 Crescendo. The Crescendo builds on the legendary Pon2oon to make it lighter and more responsive. Somehow, they bend the laws of ski physics and they’re adept at high speed, better-be-on-your-A-game Alaska turns as well as Steamboat trees soul turns.
What’s a dream ski area for you? No budget, no constraints.
Amy: Not a particular area, but my dream trip is a long hut-to-hut trip in the Alps. Preferably involving a few different countries, amazing food, and my closest friends.
Jordan: Asahidake in Hokkaido, Japan. Matt at Powder7 went there years ago, and something about his powder day there stuck in my mind. Amy and I want to go to Japan as a family with our three kids. Our youngest is only three years old so we’re waiting for her to get her ski legs so we can really all get out there and ski and not just be trading off kids for the whole trip.
First memory playing in the snow?
Amy: Sledding at my next door neighbor’s house. When I was really little my older brothers and their friends hogged the hill, so my parents took pity on me and built me a mini hill in our driveway. Once I was in elementary school my friends and I played on that hill all day long, only coming inside when we absolutely had to, never caring that we were completely soaked through our KMart snowsuits.
Jordan: I was born in Canada and lived there until I was 5. I distinctly remember the school parking lot having huge piles of snow and we’d furiously tunnel into them like little weasels creating igloo like caves to hang out in all winter. Once we had them dug out they felt like winter palaces.
Who’s inspiring you on Instagram right now?
Amy: I’m not super into Insta, but I love @tinaemelie‘s vibe. She’s an incredible athlete, but seems to strike a great balance with other interests and passions too. She’s my skiing, baking, gardening, and mom goals all in one, plus she lives on the coolest Norwegian fjord.
Any embarrassing ski stories?
Amy: I got stuck in orange barricade fencing on my first day of ski school as a 4 or 5 year old. As an adult, more recently than I care to admit, I had a backpack strap get stuck to the chairlift and the lifty had to stop it so I could get off.
Jordan: Ok, in typical expert yet dumb guy skier fashion I showed Amy how directly dumping a bunch of Skittles in a ski pant pocket was an excellent minimalist way to stash a ski snack. Then of course a few hours later she asked me how that snack was going and when I went to show her all I had a mess of sticky Skittles that left a technicolor rainbow on my hands. Like many embarrassing ski stories, I ask myself “what was I thinking” because it seems so avoidable in hindsight.
Favorite lift snack?
Jordan: I’ve really come to enjoy being prepared on powder mornings so much so that sometimes I can get into the lift line early, near the front, well before chairs start spinning, all with big fat flakes falling from Ullr. Then I bring a black coffee and PB&J from home, enjoy the energy and anticipation of the crowd, and have my humble breakfast. So like many a fine meal, it’s just as much the atmosphere as the food itself. Powder mornings are so easily a powder panic that it’s nice to gain those 15 minutes of peaceful breakfast to enjoy the moment before the powder slaying frenzy begins.
Annabelle — Customer Service Assistant Manager / Donations + Outreach Coordinator
How long have you worked here?
Since January of 2020.
Skis of choice?
K2 Mindbender 106C, mounted 3 back from rec.
Dream ski area?
I just think of Crested Butte. Or Taos. I think Taos honestly. Caveat: Taos in a good snow year.
First memory playing in the snow?
Well, growing up in the South, if it snowed a little, we’d take the four-wheelers to drag sleds around.
Any embarassing ski stories?
The first time I ever tried to ski was student night at Wolf Laurel in NC and I went to click into my bindings and the boot just crumbled. The lifty asked me if I had ever done this before and I said no, and they told me they’d turn the magic carpet on for me for the bunny hill. And they did.
What’s in your après ski kit?
Beanie, puffy, comfy insulated boots (I prefer the Vans), my ID and some money, snacks. I’m pretty low key.
George — Customer Service
How long have you worked here?
One year and five? four? three? two? months.
Skis of choice?
Volkl Revolt 121. It’s my daily driver.
Dream ski area?
*big sigh* Snow Mountain in the Nagata area of Japan. I was supposed to go and then we didn’t make it, so got to go back.
First memory playing in the snow?
Building a snow fort in Vermont outside of my house. I made it pretty big and then it collapsed on me and I had to get rescued.
If you could fix any problem with your ski or snowboard boots, what would it be?
I wish I was just given the Zipfit instead of buying it and I wish I could make them orange so It would match my kit.
What’s in your après ski kit?
Pit Vipers, Labatt Blue Light, and a squirt gun full of Labatt Blue Light.
Ben S. — Tech Supervisor
Skis of choice?
An ON3P Jeffrey on the daily, Volkl Revolt 121 when it’s deeeeeeep.
How many seasons have you worked here?
Over four years on the calendar, five seasons in ski time.
What’s your favorite ski area?
I yearn for a trip to ski Japan, deep snow, delicious food, and snow monkeys. It’s kind of my holy trinity.
Who is inspiring you on Instagram right now?
@kellysends is killing it on the big mountain scene, @74_jordy is the young generation’s Candide, and always inspired by @donnypelletier207
Favorite lift snack
Without a doubt has to be a Smucker’s Uncrustable. Still waiting on that sponsorship.
What’s in your après ski kit?
My Intuition booties, a big comfy hoodie, some small brand beanie, and a Coors Light with a slice of lime. Giddy up!
Kat — Customer Service
How many seasons have you worked here?
Just hit one month!
Snowboard of choice?
Salomon Rumble Fish. I’ve had too many to say anything else.
Dream ski area?
Alyeska right now.
First memory playing in the snow?
My birthday always happened to be a snow day at school so I always remember having my birthday not in school. We lived on the top of a hill and we would take our little boards and slide down.
Favorite music to listen to while riding?
I sort of have hearing loss in my right ear, so I’m not jamming on the mountain anymore. But! When I was younger my go-to first no skip album was Songs by Jane by Maroon Five.
If you could fix one thing with your snowboard boots, what would it be?
They’re not stiff enough!! A lot of work to be done on women’s snowboard gear.
What’s in your après ski kit?
Tylenol, a heating pad typically, sourdough bread, and a Coke.
Phil — Softgoods + Accessory Buyer
How many seasons have you worked here?
Five years!
Skis of choice?
Let’s go with the Noctas. Because what’s better than skiing powder on a powder ski. That’s always the hope: you get to take out the big sticks.
Dream ski area?
Revelstoke.
First memory playing in the snow?
Playing in my backyard as a kid, making snow people. Wrapped up like Randy little brother from a Christmas Story.
What do you like to listen to when you ride?
High BPM house music.
If you could fix anything with your ski boots, what would it be?
Two BOAs instead of one?
What’s in your après ski kit?
Cozy warm clothes, cooler with cold bevvies, and a couple o’ coozies.
Dave — Custom Bootfitter + Customer Service
How long have you worked here?
This is my fourth season!
Skis of choice?
The Yes Warca Uninc. It’s this sick volume shift. It’s super slashy.
Dream ski area?
Japan. Yeah, pretty much anywhere I can go in Japan. I’m missing the cold smoke in my life.
First memory playing in the snow?
Ha! There’s this massive blizzard in NJ when I was 4, I jumped out the front door and just dove into the snow and completely disappeared. I had to get totally dug out. My parents thought I was going to be scared and freaked out, but I was just stoked.
What do you like to listen to when you ride?
High BPM house music.
Worst snow day?
My whole teenage years? I grew up on the East Coast.
What’s in your après ski kit?
Usually a Powder7 More Snow Days hoody, fleece pants and my Line booties.
Lydia — Customer Service
How long have you worked here?
Two months!!
Skis of choice?
I like the Line Pandoras a lot….I like my Zag Bakans for touring.
Dream ski area?
Ooooooh. I would probably go to Japan, I’ve been really wanting to go there.
First memory playing in the snow?
When I was a kid in Mass, we got a lot of snow. We had a few storms where the snow would be over my head. We could make igloos.
Any embarrassing ski stories?
There’s definitely some. One time (not that long ago) I was trying to get off the lift and I actually fell off at the top. My ski came off, and all sorts of people came over. It was very painful.
Favorite lift snack?
Not a Clif Bar, they freeze. Beef jerky, probably.
What’s in your après ski kit?
Cool Ranch Doritos, any New Terrain beer. Really upscale situation.
Ty — Customer Service
How long have you been at the shop?
This is my second season at the shop, I started about half way through last ski season.
Skis of choice right now?
My skis of choice are the Moment Deathwish.
Dream ski area?
Dream ski area would be Revelstoke! Then maybe some heli/cat skiing on the Powder Highway.
First memory playing in the snow?
First memory playing in snow is just making a sweet snow fort with my brothers in the cul-de-sac we grew up in
Any embarassing ski stories?
Too many embarrassing moments to pick from but probably dropping my phone off Black Mountain Express.
Worst snow day you’ve had?
Worst day on snow was probably the day I got frostbite at Loveland, still can’t feel my big toe.
