Ski

Nick McNutt on skiing Patagonia to Pakistan

The North Face Athlete Nick McNutt hails from British Columbia, Canada and skis all over the world.

Meet long-time TGR, Atomic and TNF Athlete Nick McNutt. Photo Jeremy Allen

Nick McNutt embodies a complete skier; his effortless style intertwines with innate skill in all sorts of terrain–from mini golf pillows to burly big mountain lines. According to Nick, it’s all been a natural progression, from growing up ski racing to embarking on a months-long journey into the Karakoram Range in Pakistan this past spring. If you’ve been fortunate enough to attend a premiere of Legend Has It since its debut in Jackson Hole on September 16, you’ve probably had a similar feeling of disbelief after watching Nick’s skiing throughout the entire visual spectacle. Over the course of the following Q&A with this burgeoning legend and The North Face athlete, what became apparent is that Nick’s passion for and wisdom of different disciplines in skiing have forged him into an unstoppable force. Fueled by love, one’s full capabilities are boundless. Watch Nick's Legends In The Making Episode and dive deeper.

Nick! You were quite the busy man last winter. Where did you film for Legend Has It?

Yeah, it was a fun one! Filming for Legend Has It began about a year ago last October, when Durtschi, Janelle Yip and I flew down to Patagonia. Once winter began in the Northern Hemisphere, I was basically skiing in the Sea to Sky corridor here in B.C., ski touring and snowmobiling. I also had the opportunity to go to Mike Wiegele Heli Skiing. The craziest part of my season was when I went to the Karakoram Range in Pakistan. That was an absolute journey!

Poppin' airs brings Nick McNutt much joy. Photo Jeremy Allen

Sounds incredible. We all want to hear about this epic journey to Pakistan, but first, fill us in about your strike mission to Patagonia.

I got the invite to fly down there only a couple of weeks beforehand, but I couldn’t refuse. I’ve been down to South America before, but this was my first trip to Patagonia. We traveled down to southern Chile, it’s basically the southern version of Canada’s west coast, minus any major infrastructure. The terrain down there was super cool, the mountains are really steep and vegetated down low, snow up above the lush treeline, and the peaks look out over the Pacific Ocean. I think it must be similar to how B.C. looked before logging. Along the coast, there are so many sounds and fjords, it’s all pretty dramatic.

Tim Durtschi, Janelle Yip and Nick McNutt doing their homework in Patagonia. Photo Eric Parker

Your description certainly conjures scenes of grandeur in my mind. Now, let’s hear about your epic journey to Pakistan.

It was incredible! It was definitely the most remote location that I’ve ever been to. Plus, just getting there is an adventure in itself. First, I flew to the other side of the world, and once we’re in Pakistan, it took us a week to get to the Karakoram Range. Once there, we drive along this heinous road until it ends; then, we trek across a glacier up to camp. One of my favorite parts about it was interacting with the locals, who were really friendly and genuinely curious about what we were up to. We arrived in that region a bit earlier than their typical summer busy season, so that added to their curiosity. The mountains there just seemed to go on forever. Just a wild, wild landscape. Our objective with that mission was to go somewhere without a history of skiing, but a really storied mountaineering history, and to go somewhere to experience the rugged beauty of special mountains and find a way to ski them.

How did you stay locked in throughout the process, I mean, just the journey there sounds extremely involved and tiring.

Sure, the travel was slow, but we had something to look forward to the whole way there. Once we made it there, we spent our time letting our bodies adjust to such a new environment at such a high elevation. But also, allowing time for your mind to adjust because the sheer scale of terrain warps your perspective at first. It takes a while to adjust and figure it all out, so going slow is really the only way. It’s completely opposite of a powder day [laughs]. It was just super cool to be in tune with the environment there.

Atomic Athlete Nick McNutt in BC Backcountry. Photo Jeremy Allen

Well, the segment turned out amazing and the visuals were absolutely jaw-dropping. Between Patagonia and Pakistan, which trip was your favorite and why?

It’s almost too opposite to compare the two. The trip to Patagonia was really short in comparison, we stayed at a luxury lodge, went heli skiing, ate super well. Definitely a vacation-type feel. As for Pakistan, the entire journey was super rugged. We spent five weeks in a tent; the temperature swings were almost hard to believe–especially because of how rapid they were. The altitude is really tough and the food was marginal at best. However, Pakistan is unforgettable and definitely one of, if not the most personally rewarding trip I’ve been a part of.

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Amazing, I’m happy we could all experience that adventure in a much more diluted, comfortable way. Switching gears; you’re notorious for your effortless, buttery style and landing everything switch. How have you evolved your skiing from freeriding into more expedition-based ski mountaineering pursuits?

My skiing has evolved my whole life. Like, I started racing, then skied moguls, then snowboarded for a while, went back to skiing, got into skiing park, then from there I moved to a bigger mountain to hit bigger jumps. After doing that for a while, I started snowmobiling to access bigger terrain. Throughout the last eight or nine years, I’ve spent a lot of time rock climbing, so that helped me progress in alpinism. It’s basically all been a natural progression propelled by the culmination of skills I’ve gained over the years. It’s a different demand on your body, looking at park skiing versus backcountry. The features are huge in park, it’s definitely a young man’s game. As for ski mountaineering, proficiency and wisdom come from years of experience. Let me be clear; I don’t want to stop skiing powder and doing tricks. My mind is drawn towards mini golf lines most of the season when the conditions are ideal. But, in late spring when things are set up for big terrain, I enjoy going on climbing adventures. It brings a totally different feeling to my skiing. This transition doesn’t feel forced, like I said, my skill set has developed over a long time.

It’s incredibly inspiring to hear you recount your natural progression through many different chapters in your time on-snow. Relatedly, a number of your peers have cited your breakout segment in Almost Ablaze (2014) as truly inspirational. How does that feel?

I mean, it’s definitely pretty cool. But, it’s the natural way things happen. I can say the same thing about segments I watched when I was a grom. During those formative years, the skiers who’s segments I drew inspiration from inspired me to become a better skier. It’s just a natural progression, to see what’s possible and then take the next step forward to progress the sport. Right now, the generation coming up is insane. Of course, it’s humbling and I’m honored, but it’s not unique to just me. I’m lucky enough to be showcased in TGR’s films, but it’s always been possible. Evolution is natural. This next generation, they’re gonna take the ball and run with it.

Nick McNutt finds his line in Patagonia. Photo Eric Parker

You’ve been filming with TGR for about a decade. Skiing has progressed so much in that time and undoubtedly, skiers everywhere have looked up to your skiing. As someone cementing his legacy and continuing to push deeper into “legendary” territory, how does that feel and what do you hope to accomplish this coming season?

I feel super fortunate to keep doing what I love to do. I get to ski with a lot of the best skiers in the world and I try to never take any of it for granted, I’m just super thankful to do it for this long! I have no vision of it stopping anytime soon, either. I plan to keep going on trips and skiing the way I want to, and hopefully inspiring skiers everywhere to try new things and have fun. It’s super fulfilling and humbling. Growing up watching ski films, and now I’ve been in them for I think like 10 years. I’m just doing what I can to spread the stoke. As for this upcoming season, I don’t have anything specific right now. I’ll see what happens with conditions as we get closer to winter, but I like to keep things loose and open in case some enticing opportunities come into play

All in a day's work. Photo Jeremy Allen

We’re looking forward to seeing what you accomplish this winter, no doubt. Before I let you go, who were your legends growing up and who are they currently?

I grew up in the revolution of freeskiing, and growing up in B.C. the Canadian Air Force guys were really inspiring to me. Rockered skis came out around then and totally changed the game. Guys like Pep Fujas, the Nimbus Crew (Chris Benchetler, Andrew Pollard, Andy Mahre), a local crew here in Whistler (Charley Ager, Josh Stack, Chris Turpin), all those guys truly inspired me and influenced my style, like skiing backwards and double corks. As for now, I’m drawing a lot of inspiration from legends like Ian MacIntosh, Sage [Cattagriba-Alosa], Dana Flaher, Hugo Harrison, Dylan Hood, Dash Longe. I guess I’m pretty similar to most passionate skiers out there, watching ski films every year and taking that inspiration and pushing myself to become better at skiing park, pow, and in the backcountry.

Thanks for your time, Nick. Best of luck this winter!

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