Warren Miller’s films are about death-defying dashes down seemingly impossibly steep slopes that should turn even above-average skiers and boarders into broken ones.
Miller’s latest extreme snow-riding film is “Impact,” which plays Friday in Everett.
As usual, Miller’s crews racked up thousands of air miles zipping between several U.S. and British Columbia sites and off to Bansko (Bulgaria), Davos (Switzerland), and Acapulco (Mexico).
Acapulco is where you’ll find extreme skier Glen Plake training at sea level on water skis. It’s also a segment with some of the best photography, at least in part because it’s a change from brightly clad snow-riders bursting out of a cloud of powder or surviving steep slopes.
It’s also the segment that features “Senorita,” a song by former Edmonds resident and guitarist Omar Torrez.
The photographers maintain the series’ reputation for high-quality shots and set-ups, so relax in your theater chair and imagine quitting your day job for a life of daredevil backcountry adventure, dropping off razor-edged peaks, outskiing avalanches and carving clean lines in absurd places.
This year’s challenges sometimes force an admission out of the best of the athletes about the dangers below: “It’s scary up there,” said big-mountain skier Micah Black.
Women snow-riders are doing less window shopping and more adrenaline-boosting runs in “Impact,” which features more female athletes than previous Warren Miller films. This is an improvement, not to mention jobs and role-modeling opportunities for 17 women.
When you see Hilaree Nelson O’Neil, a former Chamonix, France, resident, return to take on knee-shaking slopes, you’ll know the increased number of women was not a gimme.
The extreme skier has claimed first tracks in unmapped regions of China, Lebanon, Tibet and Mongolia. On this run, which starts with a 55- to 60-degree slope of slick ice, exposed rocks, and crevasses, O’Neil wins.
A little closer to most viewers’ reality is the scene at Snowmass, Colo., in which 4-year-old ski racer Bridger Gile causes jaws to drop. If being outskied by a 4-year-old is depressing, remember to cover your eyes.
Of course, he has to leave the slopes early for preschool, so wait to make your run until he’s trucking off with his disappointed body language.
Not every segment is full of impossible dreams. Check out the age and skill range at NASTAR’s National Championship, the largest recreational ski and snowboard race program in the world, providing competition involving a handicap system.
The only handicap for Big Sky backcountry skiing is skier Chris Anthony’s, who seems ill-equipped to deal with the horse that will take him to the snowline. He’s better with climbing hand-over-hand up steep chutes before launching himself down the mountainside for a spectacular run.
This year’s music selection plays well to the scenes.
Even many titles seemed created for extreme snow-riding: Josh Martinez’ “Rip Rap,” The Vines’ “Ride,” Iggy Pop’s “Success” and “Lust for Life,” RJD2’s “Chicken Bone Circuit,” Yellowcard’s “Believe,” Gomez’ “We Don’t Know Where We’re Going,” Coldplay’s “Shiver,” Red Hot Chili Pepper’s “Good Time Boys,” and Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell.”
Miller retains the traditional old-video-clips segment from the days of 7-foot-6-inch skis, always good for a smile and a shake of the head.
An amazed look will go along with the head shake when adaptive skier Sarah Will cruises through the half-pipe at Vail, Colo., on her sit ski.
“I think it’s really nice that people stare at us for our ability and not our disability,” Will said.
Whether grabbing some bark, dropping in on an ice wave, hucking a giant cliff, sit-skiing a jump, or just soaring, “Impact” is about one thing.
The ride.
Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.
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