Jackson Hole Skier Clips Rock On High Speed Backcountry Straight Line

Pro skier Tristan Brown, aka Teton Brown, knows something about going fast.

He also knows something about close calls with rocks, as evidenced by this short edit filmed in the Jackson Hole, Wyoming, side-country.

This edit, featuring the The Gothics—a trio of imposing chutes—was shot last season. Conditions in Wyoming aren't this filled in quite yet—although that could change somewhat as this North-America-wide storm comes to bear.

Brown's more recent, pre-storm excursion into Grand Teton National Park would undoubtedly qualify as an "East Coast Powder Day."

On a lighter note, Brown—known for his big mountain skiing prowess and huge backflips—released Hyper Focus this fall. The short film further evinces Brown's on-snow capabilities with an entertaining collection of sends, and high-speeds straight lines.

The Sun Valley, Idaho, native initially cut his teeth racing before pivoting towards big mountain while attending college in Boulder, Colorado. Then, it was off to Jackson, Wyoming, for what Brown calls a "graduate degree in big mountain skiing."

The fruits of his ad-hoc education are now evident. Brown's hucked in the Kings & Queens Corbet's—one of the ultimate North American big mountain showdowns—and continues to wow with his no-holds-barred line selections. In an apparent recognition of his talents, Brown became the first American member of the Chamonix-based ZAG Skis team.

We checked in with Brown over the weekend to learn more about his plans this winter.

This fall you made the jump from Crosson to ZAG Skis. What inspired the change, and how has ZAG been treating you so far?

I’m thankful for my time with Crosson, but I’m always looking for opportunities to grow as a skier, both athletically and professionally. When Zag reached out, I had little knowledge about the skis or the brand, but I was impressed after speaking with them. They’ve been making skis for 20 years, and are headquartered at the base of the Grands Montets in Chamonix. I really liked that they do their R&D right there, in what is widely considered the world capital of mountaineering and freeride skiing. I also appreciate that they’re focused on conserving our mountain environments through the ZAGREEN program. So, as soon as I clicked into a pair of their skis and realized how fun they were, it was a no-brainer to hop on board. Our relationship so far has been great. They’re all passionate skiers, and have been supportive of my vision for my upcoming ski projects.

Snowfall's been limited throughout North America this season. How's Wyoming doing, and what's your trick to managing periods of low tide as skier?

Yeah it’s a trip going from ideal conditions and snowfall all last season to the most lackluster start I’ve ever seen in Jackson. The drought seems to be over though, at least for the time being with recent snowfall and an optimistic forecast. I have been working on my strength and conditioning and planning out ski projects. My skiing has been much more touring-focused lately, going out further in search for good snow. I’ll also be heading to France and Switzerland in a week to go take advantage of their strong start to the season.

You transitioned from ski racing to big mountain skiing several years ago. What has challenged you most in the second act of your career?

Big mountain is a different beast for sure. I’m thankful for the fundamentals and proper form that racing taught me. The challenging terrain, and variations in style and line choice with big mountain is so much more interesting though. I struggled a bit in my first few years competing, mostly because I didn’t have coaching and was figuring out this new discipline on my own. I also got a little lost in the party-side of ski culture, which made achieving my goals more difficult. I’m thankful to be past that. As far as the skiing goes, everyday in the mountains has always been about having fun and challenging myself. It’s dangerous though, and I understand that well. I’ve lost two close friends to an avalanche and a cornice break, so you learn from awful situations like that and close calls of your own. Staying safe in big mountain terrain is an ongoing challenge, and I deal with it by steadily improving my knowledge of the risks involved. I’ve also developed a solid understanding of what I’m capable of over the years, and have no problem walking away from something that I deem too risky.

Any plans to film a follow-up to Hyperfocus (conditions permitting)?

This season my focus is on producing a web series set to be released on my YouTube channel. The goal is to film at least 4 episodes over the course of this season, each in a different location, joined by various athletes. We will be filming the first two episodes later this month in Chamonix and Engelberg, and will then return to North America for the rest of the episodes. The goal is to produce a follow-up to Hyper Focus as well, to premiere next fall, so fingers crossed for more snowfall in North America to get all that done.

The role of the professional skier has shifted in recent years. Now, producing, influencing, and filming are all key to success. How do you balance the demands of maintaining an online presence while skiing at an elite level?

Yeah, some people probably view it as a profession where you go ski and then just chill, but there’s a lot of work involved unfortunately haha. I’ve learned to streamline the process of creating content, and organize my time more effectively. I am still naturally scatterbrained though, so I do my best. I’m also working with an excellent cine and editor, Morgan Shields, who has been instrumental in the production of past and upcoming projects. Lately, I have been buried in a lot of busy work, but that is about to change when we get to Europe. Filming will then be game on for the rest of the season, hopefully, and I will be sneaking in the backend work on occasional days off and in the evenings.

Related: Legendary Filmmaker Scott Gaffney Pioneers Iconic Line After First Major Tahoe Storm

Don't miss another headline from POWDER! Subscribe to our newsletter and stay connected with the latest happenings in the world of skiing.

We're always on the lookout for amusing, interesting and engaging ski-related videos to feature on our channels. Whether you're a professional or just an amateur, we want to see your best footage and help you share it with the world. Submit your video for a chance to be featured on POWDER and our social channels. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to watch high-quality ski videos.