Cue the FOMO: Pro Skiers Score Bottomless Powder at Jackson Hole

POWDER’s own Matt Lorelli was at Jackson Hole during this almost too good to be true storm, but in an ugly twist of fate, was afflicted with the flu. Rather than enjoying the snowy harvest, he spent much of his trip in his hotel room, recovering.

Editor's Note: Hi, Matt here. This was arguably the worst week of my life. I spent four days watching my friends ski bottomless powder while I could barely get out of bed. I will be getting the flu shot this year...

Lucky for Matt—and the rest of us—there will always be another powder day. Maybe it’ll be at Jackson next January. It could happen at any other mountain, too. Regardless, when you’re a skier, you always have something to look forward to. You just need to be patient.

That sentiment is particularly true now as ski resorts across North America announce their first snowfalls of the season. The waiting game is reaching a fever pitch, and, depending on what the weather does, some ski resorts in Colorado might be open within a month. Keystone Resort, for instance, is targeting a mid-October opening date. If you haven’t done so already, you might want to make sure your skis are waxed.

Madison and Jim recently participated in an article that showcased childhood photos of modern pro skiers. Take a look below.

In the meantime, watching skiing presents a way to deal with the pent-up skier’s energy. Ostergren and Ryan have plenty of options to choose from. Their YouTube exploits aren’t confined to blower ski resort days. The dynamic duo has also gone backcountry skiing at night, slid through a couloir called the “Birth Canal,” and explored the wild world of skijoring. 

They join a growing cadre of ski vloggers who are remixing the traditional ski movie model and lifting the curtain on the professional skiing lifestyle.

The people seem to love it. We’ll always advocate for the ski movie as an art form, but videos that make you feel like you’re in the mountains alongside your favorite athletes are great, too. 

Other ripping skiers turned YouTubers who are worth following include Alex Hackel, Nikolai Schirmer, and Veronica Paulsen.