Arc’teryx Scholarship Recipient Eric Haskell

Posted on April 29, 2015 by AMGA

2015 AMGA Ski Guide Course, San Juan Mountains, Colorado from Eric Haskell on Vimeo.

Recipient of the 2015 Arc’teryx Scholarship Eric Haskell shares his experience on his AMGA Ski Guide Course in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado.

Gary Ryan on the AMGA Ski Guide Course, San Juan Mountains, Colorado, spring 2015. Photo: Eric Haskell

How many people are truly inspired by their work and have the opportunity to inspire others through their work? How many people can say they have the greatest job in the world? I feel fortunate to be able to answer yes to these questions. I spend my winters guiding others in the mountains. There is nothing that compares to the feeling of floating down a mountainside with fresh powder breaking way under your skis and beautiful views in all directions. Not only do I get paid to do this on a regular basis, I also get to share this joy with others. Guiding is an immensely rewarding job.

With great reward comes great challenge. I spend mornings awake before dawn, studying weather models and avalanche forecasts to find the safest and most enjoyable conditions for my clients each day. Some days, the snow is firm and the wind is howling, and I am stuck making it worth my client’s time and money to spend the day with me. I am responsible for my client’s well-being. To accomplish this, I have spent countless hours studying and practicing decision-making, avalanche-terrain management, wilderness emergency medicine, ski movement, and teaching. Guiding also often requires individuals to miss many of the benefits of a more regular job: consistent work, competitive wages, and health care subsidized by their employers.

My work as a guide has benefited immensely from becoming involved with the American Mountain Guides Association. The AMGA has provided me with training to raise my guiding to the next level and opened opportunities for me in the guiding world. The network of guides I have met through the AMGA is incredible and will be an asset to me throughout my career.

Course Leader Mike Poborsky checks out some recent avalanche action, AMGA Ski Guide Course. Photo: Eric Haskell

Canadian gear and clothing manufacturer Arc’teryx has also helped me massively. I recently used a scholarship from Arc’teryx to complete the AMGA Ski Guide Course. I would not have been able to take the course this year without the generous help of Arc’teryx. Their support of the guiding industry and the quality of products they produce are commendable. I still use a pair of their ski pants, which I purchased eight years ago, every day. Although they now have several patches in them from crampons and regular wear and tear, the pants are just as waterproof and rugged as the day I acquired them.

My AMGA Ski Guide Course was amazing. I spent 12 days in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado learning from the best. My peers in the course came from a diverse and rich background. They were incredible, and I learned as much from them as my instructors. All-star course instructors Mike Soucy and Mike Poborsky provided a wealth of information and inspiration. They say that when you get great people together, great things will happen. They did. We worked on the basics of down-guiding, coaching skiing technique, emergency-shelter construction as well as more advanced techniques, such as lowering skiers through technical terrain and providing skiers with a belay. I benefited the most from fine-tuning the small details of ski guiding, such as putting in an effective kick-turn for clients, tour planning to set myself up for success, and running effective guides’ a.m./p.m. meetings.

Fresh turns from saddle between peaks 13,011 and 13,063. Photo: Eric Haskell

I am lucky to be able to pursue my passion and owe gratitude to the AMGA and Arc’teryx for helping me make it happen. It is written in my favorite book, The Alchemist, “When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” Sharing moments in the mountains with others is my love. My aspirations for summits and perfect turns on the descents have made me my best self and created a wake of joy that permeates my clients and those in their lives. I am fortunate to be a guide.