Scot Schmidt Goes Into US Ski Hall of Fame 9/19/14

[Gepeto]

What, Schmidt is supposed to live off the $ made in the 90s with Stump? You think Blizzard of Aaahhs sold as well as Star Wars, or something?

SS, Pocahontas & Hattrup held my interest for more than a few years. Scott always let you know there was more going than what you saw in those eyes. Unlike Plake whose intelligence was always way out in front of him (then). I was in Hattrup’s company at a Hunter Mtn. hardware show on snow around 90ish. Mike had his hair grown out past the middle of his back and a receding hairline that had passed the halfway point. Out of the three, his technique was the easiest to emulate. And he was a little smaller than I had thought he would be. It’s always the case with your chosen icons??

What I suspect to be the truth is that SS was smart enough to have an agent within the first few years of his relationship with film Co. and Corp sponsors. If that agent was doing good work, then SS should have had options as part of his payout with at least TNF. TNF wasn’t much larger than Stumpy’s outfit really. He has been in the employee of TNF for 25 odd years now and I hope aside from his plum dividend check from TNF (I don’t know shit about tnf or were its been since the 70’s, except a buyout vaguely) that he’s backed himself into a nice 7digit income as one of the current spokesman and designer. That’s what I hope for the man.

As to dancing with the wolves at YS. Most of the hollow bodies (excluding workforce course) over at yellerstone are the wannabe 1percenters and consider the other 90 percent of humanity as part of their personal minions to do the bidding. I’ve only seen YS from the lone peak side but I didn’t see any distinguishing terrain that would make Scott call that home. Lastly, after poking around, his association to the mountain is not Billy Kidd or even Tommy Moe like either.

I realize SS needs a public image in his home state. I don’t know enough about his local history, but why not BSky before the current boondoggle or Bridger? Curious people want to know.

[creaky fossil]

I realize SS needs a public image in his home state. I don’t know enough about his local history, but why not BSky before the current boondoggle or Bridger? Curious people want to know.

I definitely don't know, but I would guess it has something to do with who owns BS vs who created YC.

I have an old friend from HS days who worked as an electrician on the construction of YC's facilities. I'll have to tell him he's a dingbat for earning $$ on a job in a state where income is hard to find, merely because certain people like to piss on the idea of a YC kind of place. This friend isn't a skier, he'll wonder who the real dingbat is.

As to Bridger vs YC, I think if I were Schmidt, I'd be happier to be affiliated with a low-skier-volume place than one where everyone's out-posing each other. I don't think the consortium of communitarians who bought & run Bridger would be interested in paying the same $$ for an Ambassador/Icon position. Who'd be more likely to shell out the cash? Warren Miller, or a bunch of trustafarians who moved to MT to be King of the Hill / Big Fish in Small Pond. The answer would probably be easier if Stump rather than Miller were behind YC.

As to dancing with the wolves at YS. Most of the hollow bodies (excluding workforce course) over at yellerstone are the wannabe 1percenters and consider the other 90 percent of humanity as part of their personal minions to do the bidding.

Which makes YS a lot like, say, Sun Valley in the 1950s. Or 2010s. Flip side is YS is more personal, though within that narrow stratum of persons. Does Schmidt seem to you (or anyone else) to be a Lindsay Vonn kind of headline/celebrity seeker? Also, I'm not sure you can really distinguish between "wannabe 1%ers" and whatever is a true 1%er. Old money or nouveau riche, if you have the coin the real difference between the two is habits, not economic power.

He has been in the employee of TNF for 25 odd years now and I hope aside from his plum dividend check from TNF (I don’t know shit about tnf or were its been since the 70’s, except a buyout vaguely) that he’s backed himself into a nice 7digit income as one of the current spokesman and designer. That’s what I hope for the man.

In the 1990s, building celebrity value was nothing like it is in the 2010s where you can build a "marketable image" based solely on frenzied fad popularity. You're grafting How to Build a Lucrative Income Stream in 2014 onto a 1990s reality. Also you're assuming that what you've seen in the intervening 20 years (how you've seen people build a "marketable image") is what Schmidt not only saw/thought, but also is why he chose to ski.

[detrusor]

I skied w a bunch of guys he grew up w in helena, always came back to prop the ski team movie fundraiser. Pretty awesome. I remember our kids playing together in the lobby. Cool guy, unpretentious.

All the best and well deserved!


Killing it with the 3-5 year old crowd!

[Dhelihiker]

Scott and Glen Plake were def my biggest influences. Glad to hear

[hooked]

That sonofabitch caused me to quit a perfectly good job and move out West. I probably would have done it anyway but seeing “Steep and Deep” gave me the when and the where. I ended up moving to Tahoe the following winter.

[Gepeto]

I definitely don't know, but I would guess it has something to do with who owns BS vs who created YC. I have an old friend from HS days who worked as an electrician on the construction of YC's facilities. I'll have to tell him he's a dingbat for earning $$ on a job in a state where income is hard to find, merely because certain people like to piss on the idea of a YC kind of place. This friend isn't a skier, he'll wonder who the real dingbat is.As to Bridger vs YC, I think if I were Schmidt, I'd be happier to be affiliated with a low-skier-volume place than one where everyone's out-posing each other. I don't think the consortium of communitarians who bought & run Bridger would be interested in paying the same $$ for an Ambassador/Icon position. Who'd be more likely to shell out the cash? Warren Miller, or a bunch of trustafarians who moved to MT to be King of the Hill / Big Fish in Small Pond. The answer would probably be easier if Stump rather than Miller were behind YC.Which makes YS a lot like, say, Sun Valley in the 1950s. Or 2010s. Flip side is YS is more personal, though within that narrow stratum of persons. Does Schmidt seem to you (or anyone else) to be a Lindsay Vonn kind of headline/celebrity seeker? Also, I'm not sure you can really distinguish between "wannabe 1%ers" and whatever is a true 1%er. Old money or nouveau riche, if you have the coin the real difference between the two is habits, not economic power.In the 1990s, building celebrity value was nothing like it is in the 2010s where you can build a "marketable image" based solely on frenzied fad popularity. You're grafting How to Build a Lucrative Income Stream in 2014 onto a 1990s reality. Also you're assuming that what you've seen in the intervening 20 years (how you've seen people build a "marketable image") is what Schmidt not only saw/thought, but also is why he chose to ski.

I call "BOWLLLSHIT"And I hope your electircian friend is still getting 20 hours OT a week over at the YC

[Tye 1on]

That sonofabitch caused me to quit a perfectly good job and move out West. I probably would have done it anyway but seeing “Steep and Deep” gave me the when and the where. I ended up moving to Tahoe the following winter.

yeah.....that's awesome...he was sort of defining 'stoke' in those days...

[creaky fossil]

I call "BOWLLLSHIT"And I hope your electircian friend is still getting 20 hours OT a week over at the YC

Yeah, well I call BHAWLSCHEIT on democracy, on gravity, and on the concept of time.

[strawjack]

yeah.....that's awesome...he was sort of defining 'stoke' in those days...

Good to see those clips again. Long board jump turns He and Day were the shit back then. MSP and TGR are the by-products of Scot's skiing via Stumpy and Warren.

[fomofo]

You guys have any stories or thoughts to share?

Something in the way he moves - attracts me like no other skier.

I dig the pedal thing.

Bonus

[Benny Profane]

And, to top it off, he's never been injured, he says.

[ill-advised strategy]

He’s like Nolan Ryan, just the exactly correct mix of physiology and technique. Ryan had such a perfect motion he could throw 100 mph uninjured into his 40s. Same with Scot Schmidt.

One of the most blessed human beings I can think of.

[mtnjam]

Scot couldn't be a nicer guy. Met him a few years ago at a fundraising event for the Bogus Basin Ski Racing Alliance.
I had just finished up an afternoon of skiing and headed down to the event center. I got there a little late, just before "Blizzard of Aaahs" started and low and behold, who is holding the door open for me with a quick nod, Scot.
The movie wrapped up, questions were answered and asked of Stump, Hattrup and Schmidt, Weiland, etc.
I got a chance to talk to Scot for about 30 minutes, just simple conversation. I asked him how the skiing was at Bogus Basin and got him to sign a poster I've had for about 25 years. He told me the story of the photo shoot for that particular shot, etc.
Skiers talking to skiers, just talked to him like any of my other friends. He never struck me as wanting to be in the spotlight, he just found a perfect time to show off his skills and filmmakers recognized that and marketed him.

[fomofo]

If you're here you'll likely enjoy this...

http://www.thepowellmovement.com/lis...8-scot-schmidt

There are a lot of interviews spanning era and interest you can peruse here...

http://www.thepowellmovement.com/listen

Great stuff for the drive to the hill!

[Benny Profane]

I may be stating the obvious for this crowd, but a 2018 re release of Blizzard is on Amazon Prime, and the last twenty minutes is a lineup of Stump, Plake, Schmidt, Hattrup, and I forget the woman's name, (played a minor role in Blizzard and crashed out on the first day in Chamonix, which actually opened up the spot for Plake) as they face questions from an audience in Tahoe, I think. Stump is really fucked up.

[GoldMember]

^^ Lynne Wieland