"Ultimate Ski Bum" Identified In Whistler
Professional freeskier Alex Beaulieu-Marchand went on a hunt to find the "ultimate ski bum" in Whistler, Canada.
But before we spoil the surprise (okay, it's not much of a surprise, Alex writes it in the caption of his social media post), what makes someone a ski bum?
I'm going to quote Cy Whitling here, back from some wise words he wrote over at Newschoolers. Now he's POWDER's gear editor (talk about a ski bum's dream)!
In an article titled simply "What is a 'Ski Bum'?" Cy talks about telling his parents he was sleeping in his car to max out his days on the mountain, working from his laptop, and being offended when they didn't "get" his lifestyle.
He was "still frustrated that my parents didn’t get it when I started my senior year of college online while I was skiing in New Zealand. I used free resort wifi to take quizzes and I laughed a little as I finished up my final papers and graduated while on a three week bender of a ski road trip. But I took offense at anyone who called me a ski bum."
Sure, there used to be a negative connotation. Maybe there still is.
But with that, Cy determined that a ski bum is not necessarily the easiest (or first) person who comes to mind. It's not usually a liftee (they don't ski a lot, but they're sure outside all day working while there's sunlight--bummer)! It's not always a dirtbag. And they're probably not filthy rich with a sprinter van, either.
But here's where we can all agree, because Cy describes what it means to be a ski bum better than--or at least on par to-- how Allen Ginsberg describes the Beat Generation and the spirit of America. "A true ski bum is just anyone who’s dedicated to creating a mountain-centric life."
No matter the specifics, that is the heart and soul of a pure ski bum. So with that in mind, who is the ultimate Whistler ski bum?
Alex investigates.
"We were thinking: who is the ultimate Whistler ski bum in 2024, in our day and age, and we think we found the perfect guy. This guy is Je Pac."
Does Je Pac live in a car? Yup, a Honda Fit.
As another skier mentions, "this dude lives in a car. Not even a van, a car. He's been doing it for seasons, and he is here bell to bell, rain or shine."
Let me add: Honda Fits are small. I've done my time sleeping in the back of my truck living the surf bum life (to be fair, not in the middle of winter, and not with my full ski quiver stuffed back there with me), but it's no Honda Fit. That deserves respect.
Alex appears as perplexed as I was. "So, straight up, you sleep all winter in there?"
"Straight up, all winter. Did it last year and skied 188 days. Didn't miss one day."
Je Pac has four pairs of skis in his Thule case on top of his car, which is also casually dented in the front from when he "hit a bear". Can't let minor things slow you down, I guess!
The rest of the video shows some beautiful footage of his skiing, which, as you could probably guess, is smooth, stylish, and looks like the kind of skiing from someone with more skis than toilets in their house--or, car.
Now, the important questions. Does Je Pac fit the definition of a ski bum? I'd say yes, judging by Cy and Alex's quest for answers on the topic.
But the bigger question: are you convinced to quit your job, build out the back of your car, and ski every single day the rest of this season? Je Pac is sure making it look good.
Related: Up To Two Feet Of Snow Forecasted For California's Ski Resorts
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