There are incredible skiers–people who change our perception of what is possible physically, on a mountain, on a pair of skis. And then there are guys like Eric Hjorliefson, who change our perception of pretty much everything in skiing while simultaneously being one of the quieter pros in the spotlight.
Hoji has been blowing minds for years in the backcountry with a style that relishes full-throttle speed, drives forward with purpose into every turn, and which has developed a pretty incredible tolerance for air time. When it comes to skiing powder, few make it look better. But at the same time, Eric's relentless pursuit for improvement in all aspects of his skiing has led to some of the most talked-about pieces of ski equipment out there today.
His legendary Frankenboot–which took a Dynafit Titan boot and morphed it into a pure custom creation from parts from Salomon, Garmont, and Dalbello–eventually led to the creation of the Dynafit Vulcan, which was a quantum leap forward in touring boot design for more aggressive skiers. A similar amount of obsessive tinkering with his ski sponsor, 4FRNT, led to the Hoji pro model ski, a big-mountain staple that has since birthed variations of all kinds. Few match Eric's contribution to skiing in as many ways.
Of course, Hoji's significant other, Jen Ashton, is not far behind when it comes to displaying mad skills. Having met on the plane to South America years ago, when Ashton faked that they were girlfriend and boyfriend so they could get seats together on the flight down, the pair now live the fairytale power couple life in Whistler, drinking strong coffee together in the morning before biking down the street to hit their home bases' legendary terrain. Even for us Jackson snobs, it sounds like a pretty good setup...
For more videos about infamous Whistler locals, from Mike Douglas to photographer David McColm, check out The Beyond Series.