The Athlete Edits: Sam Smoothy

Sam Smoothy is a tough skier to define. His long list of appearances in TGR films has cemented his reputation as a jack of all trades. In fact, we’d even go so far and say he’s pretty much a master of all things big-mountain skiing. Over the years, his career has taken him from his home in New Zealand to some of the biggest and most rugged mountains around the world, to Freeride World Tour podiums, and just about everything in between. Watching Smoothy move through the mountains, particularly on his Volkl skis is a real treat for the eyes, and his appearance in this year’s film Make Believe was no different. Starring in two segments, Jackson Hole and Pemberton, Smoothy really put in the work.

After stepping away from competition freeriding, Smoothy put a new focus on foot-powered freeride mountaineering, putting tracks in places like Alaska, Bolivia, and the New Zealand Alps to name a few. This year, that push into massive lines continued when he joined his The North Face teammates Christina Lustenberger, Ian McIntosh, and Nick Mcnutt in the mountains around Pemberton, British Columbia. Using snowmobiles to gain access to the high alpine, the team took advantage of prime conditions to climb and ski some of the biggest lines of their lives, and the footage is simply breathtaking.

TGR is stoked to offer Make Believe free for all Teton Gravity Research Premium members on our new streaming platform TGRtv. Check here for more information on the film.

Spot the skiers. Eric Parker photo.

Stairway to heaven. Eric Parker photo.

Getting into the high alpine sometimes requires a little extra help. Eric Parker photo.

Chucking pillow lines like a true BC local. Eric Parker photo.

"I think I go left here." Eric Parker photo.