Thread: who are the unknown living legends?

Its been an eternity since Ive started a thread here, but with the upcoming release of MSP's movie on Shane Ive begun to wonder who else is out there fearlessly chasing down their dreams and living every day as if its their last. They might not be an athlete, they could be pioneers like Aaron and Jen Brill opening up Silverton, or innovators like Stephan from DPS inventing new shapes and materials. Perhaps they are renegades like Charlie Toups fighting the law to ski every day, or someone like Josh Dueck with incredible spirit, courage and perseverance.

Tell me about someone I dont know, never heard of, and will inspire me and everyone else, preferably related to the mountain sports or action sports world, but again, DOES NOT have to be an athlete, but if they are one what makes them so special? ((Feel free to PM me if its super personal and you want to share someones story, but not to the whole world.))

In the words of the late great Shane M, who else could be saying to themselves, "I am doing what I love and if you're doing what you what you wanna do all the time you're happy. You're not going to work everyday wishing you were doing something else. I get up and go to work everyday and I'm stoked.....that does not suck."

unknown living legends is an oxymoron!!!!

I like to think I'm pretty fucking awesome. I'm a living legend - in my own mind.

I could tell you...but then they wouldn't be unknown...

PM Rontele he's the chief organizer of the Denver Men's Legend Status club. It's not what you think.

Originally Posted by Evil E

Perhaps they are renegades like Charlie Toups fighting the law to ski every day,

Hah! Charlie lives across the street from my gf's family. He pulled up on his motorcycle as we were eating dinner tonight. The guy rents a house but refuses to live in it unless it's freezing outside. He spends most of his time in his camper in the driveway.

As far as 'unknown' living legends go, there are a few around here. Bill Miller, Ken Nefflen, Jimmy Koepsel, and Al are some of the names that come to mind.

Does being a dentist count?

Originally Posted by Johnny Deep

Does being a dentist count?

Only if you're an extreme dentist.

Originally Posted by Buster Highmen

Only if you're an extreme dentist.

This place makes me laugh!

I get drilled without painkillers! LIVE THAT LEGEND. my budd john in NJ is most legendary....3rd degree thumb burn,and he could still party 36 hrs more.He picked up a burning firework on acid ! LIVE THAT! ROONEY!

Eric Bakst is a legend..............he starts epic threads.

legendary for what, drinking, smoking, women, not working, working, skiing, climbing ?

the world is full of outliers that don't/can't march to the same drummer as regular society, do weird shit and they all know each other cuz who else you gona relate to BUT what exactly is a living legend ?

Originally Posted by XXX-er

the world is full of outliers that don't/can't march to the same drummer as regular society, do weird shit

No shit.

A living legend is someone who raises their profile to the level that people who want to know, but can't be bothered to find out, can find.

I know its summer, but Im really surprised at the amount of douchebagery cunting up this thread from its inception. I thought it might be cool for people on this board to share stories of people that inspire them and individuals that are living out their dreams everyday. Sorry for trying to raise the level of conversation above pass prices, heated gondolas, and people hiking to ski suncupped leftovers from 4 months ago. Oh, and thanks Brett McNary, you start epic threads too from time to time.

around here I know locals who are legends for doing wierd and/or crazy shit but then the normal folks think they are fucked so where does that different POV put these legends in the mix ?

OR we could just go on the american value scale of success where buddy cashed in on his status, has his own signature line of whatever and of course ... the hot girlfriend

Originally Posted by Evil E

I know its summer, but Im really surprised at the amount of douchebagery cunting up this thread from its inception. I thought it might be cool for people on this board to share stories of people that inspire them and individuals that are living out their dreams everyday. Sorry for trying to raise the level of conversation above pass prices, heated gondolas, and people hiking to ski suncupped leftovers from 4 months ago. Oh, and thanks Brett McNary, you start epic threads too from time to time.

Hey man, you shooting for legendary butthurt status? You've got a lot of ground to make up to put yourself in the running around here. Your name is in your sig.

disclaimer-evil e and i are friends in real life, so you jongs that don't know any better can save your 2 cents

Originally Posted by Evil E

I I thought it might be cool for people on this board to share stories of people that inspire them and individuals that are living out their dreams everyday. .

since you put it that way , a local bud who I will not name has been extreme for years, nobody ever heard of him, he ended up a quad in a motor chair , he claims it is the hardest thing he has ever done and watching bro deal with it inspires me, roughly parapharasing sir Ed "to conquer myself "

Originally Posted by Evil E

I know its summer, but Im really surprised at the amount of douchebagery cunting up this thread from its inception. I thought it might be cool for people on this board to share stories of people that inspire them and individuals that are living out their dreams everyday. Sorry for trying to raise the level of conversation above pass prices, heated gondolas, and people hiking to ski suncupped leftovers from 4 months ago. Oh, and thanks Brett McNary, you start epic threads too from time to time.

OMFG! SOME DUMBSHIT WOULDN'T WHORE THEIR ASS OUT TO MY LAZY FUCK FOR A PITTANCE!\

PM some "industry" shit who gives a crap. or die in the pool of mediocrity with the rest of the retards

not sure about "unknown living legend", but there's a guy who helps out in the same ski school i do who is a really quiet, borderline awkward nerd, aiming for an academic career as an historian. very nice person. recently figured out he climbs 8c, I thought that was pretty impressive.

also, old guy living in the area, must be around 80 now, 2 artificial knees, goes touring every day in winter. don't know the whole story but got the idea he was a pretty acomplished mountaineer, hanging out with the bigshots a few decades ago.

A friend/neighbor in VT turns 80 this month and still rips at Mad River regularly. Skied since age four and has one of the best collections of old ski gear I've ever seen.

He's an Austrian Jew and escaped the Nazi's during WW2, after seeing his grandparents taken off to "camp". He met his wife while working on ski patrol when she broke her leg. Gave her a sled ride, then followed up with a hospital visit and flowers.

Big party for him later this month, so it'll be fun to hear more and to celebrate his life.

There's innumerable ski or board freaks lurking in the shadows. There's the contractor who quietly floats at employee housing in the evenings to show up in the first 10 folks on most days. There's people who work travelling sales jobs who in their off hours are always slicing through the hazy edges of the glades and who constantly immerse themselves in the perimeters. There's part time guides, saw mill owners who don't really pay for lift served much anymore. Old hairy telemarkers and crampon wielders whose days around the San Juans number in the thousands.
But overall, it's not really my place to say who they are per se. It's what they do that's the message and what they love.

Skiing at the bird 2 trs ago...a bird instructor ran my private instructor ,off into some trees(no hurts luckily)as they got up,he said holy shit ,your Gordy Peifier,and lemented how gordos' poster was on his wall, not to long ago.... legend and living! pretty well unknown,considering he pioneered cliff hucking in utah,so respeced..alf engen gave him a pair of personal skis!

oh man...i feel so bad........i'm gonna commit verbicide!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thomas Perren