Skiing's Next Big Mapmaker Shares One Of His First Creations

Ian Greenwood
·2 min read
2

Illustrator and painter Rad Smith has earned praise in the ski world as the next great handpainted resort mapmaker, following in the steps of his legendary mentor, James Niehues.

But Smith wasn't always committed to creating ski resort maps the old-fashioned way—with paint. His first resort mapping creations were created digitally.

It's odd seeing Smith work in the digital medium.

Thanks in part to a great campaign led by one of Smith's clients—Keystone Resort, Colorado—his name quickly became synonymous with the supposedly dying art of handpainted ski resort mapmaking.

Several skiing-focused outlets, including POWDER, ran articles on Smith, suggesting that he was the second coming of Niehues, the longtime champion of handpainted ski resort maps.

Sure, it might be hyperbole putting it that way. But, ultimately, Smith is the second coming of Niehues. He's worked with several high-profile resort clients since mentoring under Niehues, establishing that demand for handpainted trail maps still exists in a digital first world.

To those who prefer handpainted work over digital, that's a development worth celebrating. And it explains why it's so bizarre knowing that Smith's first ski resort maps didn't use paint. It's like learning that a famous pianist started their career as a triangle player.

Okay, that's a slightly unfair comparison. Digital maps aren't inherently worse or easier to construct than their painted counterparts. In some cases, they outperform their predecessors in terms of readability.

However—I think a few of you will agree with me here—there is something more soulful about the handpainted trail map. And, as corny as it is writing this, if there's anything skiing could use a little more of right now, it would be soul.

Related: Mt. Hood Meadows First New Trail Map In 15 Years Sparks Debate Among Local Skiers

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