JOURNAL

Willie Volckhausen started skiing at 2, raced for over a decade, and coached with Aspen Valley Ski Club for 18 years. Now an Aspen Ski School instructor, he also farms near Paonia in summer. Tune in as he shares top drills, lessons from farming, and what makes a great coach—all in pursuit of the perfect turn.

Late spring might be our favorite time to ski. For starters, everyone else has moved on to summer sports, and the only lines anywhere are the ones from your goggle tan. Here are the best resorts to get some late-season/early-summer snow.

Brody Leven doesn’t dabble—he commits. The lifelong vegetarian and climate advocate gave up park skiing and chairlifts over a decade ago to climb and ski mountains under his own power. He hasn’t missed a day of outdoor exercise in four years and continues to redefine what it means to be a modern ski mountaineer.

Eventually, any ski will reach retirement. How long can you expect solid performance from an older ski? Here, we look at when it's time to get new skis.

Rob Dickinson is a Crested Butte local and former big mountain competitor known for his ninja-like moves through the mountain's toughest terrain. A self-employed painter with no sponsor, Rob has honed his skills over nearly 20 years. In this interview, he shares insights on technical skiing, clutch riding, and navigating steep lines with style.

Drum roll, please… The 2025 Wagner Custom Fan Favorite Graphics results are here! We asked you to vote for in our Fan Favorite Graphics contest, and, wow, did you ever! We tallied almost 1,000 votes this year, and we're thrilled to announce the winners. See if your favorite graphic made it to the No. 1 spot!

Ah, the good old days. Those dusty skis in your garage might bring back memories of skiing moguls and après nachos, but instead of letting them collect dust, why not repurpose them? Here are some creative (and ridiculous) ways to give your old skis a new life, keep them out of the landfill, offer a good DIY challenge, and show off your skier pride. 

Lou Dawson, a backcountry skiing pioneer, has shaped the sport from its early days to today’s global scene. From skiing all of Colorado's 14ers to documenting ski gear advancements, his memoir Avalanche Dreams reflects his evolution from daring skier to thoughtful alpinist. Tune in to hear about his adventures, spiritual journey, and insights on ski touring.

Mike Hattrup’s career spans from bump skiing champ to ski movie star to gear designer, leaving a mark on nearly every skier. From racing his siblings at Alpental to starring in Blizzards of Aahhh’s and building backcountry gear, Hattrup now directs skiing for Eleven Experience, guiding adventurers in Alaska, BC, Chile, Colorado, France, and Iceland. Hear his journey from pro skier to guide to gear innovator.

Aspen is enhancing its mountain experience through The Aspen Collection's partnership with Wagner, creating custom skis for Aspen and Snowmass terrain. Designed with local insights, these skis are ideal for everything from groomed runs to deep powder. Read more about this exciting collaboration and how it elevates your skiing experience in Aspen!

Amie Engerbretson, daughter of a pro skier and filmmaker, grew up ripping Palisades Tahoe. With a background in dance, she’s starred in numerous ski films, showcasing grace and flow. Now, she creates her own films, advocates for climate action, and empowers women to build confidence on and off the snow. Tune in to our podcast to hear how dance shapes her skiing and how to foster confidence on the slopes.

If there’s a sport that inspires more inventions than skiing, we have yet to see it. Why are skiers so prone to garage tinkering? It might be a mix of optimistic dreams—getting rich and skiing daily—or having too much free time (and weed) during long, cold winters. Curious about the weirdest ski inventions? Check out the summary for our favorites.

After dominating the slopes with the US Ski Team and completing many big mountain first descents, Kristen has become a fear and anxiety expert, helping clients manage the confusion and chaos of the emotion. In the latest 'Next Level Skiing' podcast, ski journalist Jason Blevins interviews Kristen to discuss her journey and insights on overcoming fear. Tune in now!

If you live on the East Coast, you can skip this article and move on to your next procrastination—you folks know what a sharp edge is. But the rest of us soft-snow snobs may need a little nudge to schlep our gear to the shop or even learn how to do it on your own. This is why tuning matters.

Pro skier Drew Petersen turned his struggles with mental health into a mission after a life-changing accident on Mt. Hood. His film Ups and Downs shares his story to help others, particularly in mountain towns with high suicide rates. In Next Level Skiing, host Jason Blevins interviewed Petersen just before the movie’s release in February 2024. Here's what he had to say.

Wagner Custom is honored to have a new series of topsheets designed by Lerew, which are stunning and psychedelic black-and-white images inspired by sound waves. To find out more about Lerew—and what musical genre he was listening to at the time of his creations—we caught up with him at his home in Denver, Colo. Here’s what he had to say.