By Emily Stifler Wolfe EBS CONTRIBUTOR
BIG
SKY – As a kid growing up in New England, I always hoped to see Dan and John
Egan—famous extreme skiers and locals at my home hill—while I rode the chair.
Those stars never aligned for me, but the ones that did were even better when I
joined a Dan Egan Steeps Camp at Big Sky.
Founders
of The North Face Extreme Team, the Egans starred in 12 Warren Miller movies
from 1985-1994, skiing daring lines in remote locations worldwide. In 1999,
Powder magazine named the brothers among the most influential skiers of our
time, and last year they were inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of
Fame.
Skiing
with Dan—indeed doing anything with him—is an affirmation of everything that is
good about our sport. First: the Grin. When he’s skiing, or teaching skiing,
his love for it is writ large on his face and in his rock-solid technique.
Dan
has been teaching steep camps for more than 20 years, and he’s one of those
people who knows how to make you feel comfortable—on your skis, and in your
skin. That, in fact, is his teaching method.
“I
come at skiing with a little different approach,” Dan said. “I teach the
psychological side of skiing. … People [might be] nervous about certain trails
or descents. They want to know how to control their acceleration or learn the
strategy and tactics for skiing the North Summit Snowfield. That’s where I fit
in. I give the Cliffs Notes on how to get down, how to keep up, how to hang
with your friends and not feel pressured.”
He
focuses on mindfulness, relaxation and breathing first, then technique,
athleticism and balance. An electrified current of positivity runs through it
all.
“When
I was looking for a West coast home, Big Sky was a great fit,” said Dan, who
lives mostly in New England but spends more time in Montana every winter. “It’s
the closest thing to Europe in the Lower 48. It’s got amazing snow consistency.
It’s got the steeps, couloirs and the Headwaters. There is so much terrain and
such a variety of terrain here. … And there’s never any lines.”
At the
Early Bird Camp in December, the group skied all over the mountain—from
Challenger to Lone Tree to Liberty Bowl. “It was amazing because the Peak was
open and we had great snow.”
Dan
Egan Steeps Camps are designed for skiers who ski off-piste in variable
conditions and want to take their skiing to the next level. Participants will
receive three days of guiding and individualized instruction, VIP tram access
and video movement analysis session. This year’s sessions will be offered Feb.
20-22, Feb. 27-29 (leap year), and March 5-7.
A version of this article originally appeared on Big Sky Resort’s blog on June 4, 2019. For more stories, visit blog.bigskyresort.com.