Braedyn Kozman
Braedyn Kozman is another migrante from Ontario, growing up riding bikes he made the move west to Whistler in 2014. After a number of years riding and skiing in the Whistler valley he began working as ski and bike patrol. He spends most days off exploring the trails and Sea to Sky backcountry looking for fresh lines and ridge top traverses. Braedyn joined the RMU team in 2020 not long after the opening of RMU Whistler we look forward to what he gets up to this season.
"The Apostle 106 is my go to ski for almost all conditions. Skiing groomers, smashing bumps, or skiing fresh pow it does it all. The versatility of the ski is perfect for the resort when conditions are changing hourly."
"The professor is my big gun. When it's dumped overnight and you're ready to ski big line and deep pow, it's THE SKI. Stable at speed with the agility when you need to navigate trees, the Professor is the ski you want when you're getting after it. "
Chris Letourneau
Growing up skiing the north shore mountains of Vancouver, Chris moved to Whistler after high school and lived In a dilapidated school bus without heat or running water and skied black park every day. This led him down a path of working as a digger on the Blackcomb glacier in the summer alongside legendary Whistler shredders, putting down roots in the local ski community. Those early glacier days opened the door to filming for Whistler ski movie cult classics PNW and Out of the Shadows many moons ago along side a talented cast of local rippers and opened his eyes to the world of snowmobile accessed backcountry skiing when was first doubled out to Brandywine to hit backcountry booters and his mind was blown. From that moment he was all in and Chris aligned himself with friend and mentor Dave Treadway's sledneck shred crew with a shared vision of pushing deep into the coast mountains to open up new zones and ride big lines and migrate north to AK to sled ski and explore bigger mountains in the spring. Pursuing Freeride World Tour events lead him to ski different ranges around the world trying to qualify and make it in the early days of FWT, connecting him with a greater freeride family of fellow dirt bags. These days Chris resides in Revelstoke BC where he can be found deep in the cunch far away from anyone, pow surfing, rooping his sled and looking for spines and pillows to ride purely for the love of it.
"Ive rode the YLE 118 every day for the past 5 winters. They're surfy and super fun to slash, butter, throw on edge and rail turns. They're also really stable charging high speed in any conditions you throw at them and are confidence inspiring stomping big airs. Stiff when you need them to be yet playful. They're an absolute weapon whether in deep snow or straigtlining icy moguls"
Connie Henderson
Between ski patrolling, guiding, and personal expeditions, Connie might just spend more time attached to skis than not. Growing up zooming around on snow while her parents worked at the local hill in Ohakune, New Zealand, she fell in love with skiing early on. Her early racing days turned to freestyle comps and coaching as she made the jump north to Canada. After a few seasons coaching for the Fernie Freestyle Club, Connie started ski patrolling. Her passion grew for bigger, more wild mountains and kickstarted her interest in guiding. These days, Connie can be found chasing powder for work and play around British Columbia in her trusty old blue truck ‘Tilly’, throwing explosives for kiwi ski fields, or ripping big lines in a party shirt on a glacier somewhere. Tough to say not knowing.
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Danielle Bordeleau
Growing up on Vancouver Island, Danielle sparked her deep love for the outdoors at a very young age whilst trying to copy everything her older brother did. In 2018, she made the move to Whistler for the sole purpose of wanting to ride her bike. Whether out trail riding or ripping bike park laps with friends, she thrives on the adrenaline and community that the sport provides.
"The core pack 15l has been my go to for slackcountry days off the resort as well as longer missions biking, hiking as well as just for daily use. Super light weight and comfortable; a pack that does it all. "
"The pint bag easily attaches to my frame and fits all the necessities! Great to use as I don’t have to carry anything else on me. Doesn’t rattle around and is quite durable for those moments when you run out of skill."
Goar Bermudez Garcia
Goar was born in Madrid, Spain, his family put him on skis at age 3, and grew up between the mountains of Northern Spain where his family is from, and from who he got the passion for nature, outdoors recreation and skiing. At age 17 he became a ski club instructor, joined every single ski trip through university and decided that needed to find a balance between Architecture and Skiing, office and outdoors, so he started a small ski club travel program with his University crew, that took him to the Alps and his first trip to Colorado which changed everything. On his last school year moved abroad to the Italian Alps based out of Torino, Italy at age 24. At age 25 he became a ski coach by the Spanish RFEDI and spent two seasons on the best lift access terrain of the Pyrenees, at Baqueira Beret ski resort, where learned the ropes of big mountain skiing. The second season ended with a broken tib spring accident in the Alps, which forced him to stay still and found time for bigger plans. At age 27 Goar took the dream a bit further coming back to North America and moving to the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, where based out of Whistler he starts his guiding dream, and after 3 seasons of coaching while taking his first guiding courses, makes the move from coaching to guiding, exploring and guiding all around BC for the past 7 seasons and hits another childhood dream guiding out of Hokkaido, Japan last season. Goar found in RMU a special connection since 2020 and is incredibly proud to be part of this family where building community is the only path forward regardless of your origins and growth is warranted learning and supporting each other through our mountain lifestyle, while trying to inspire and support each other to pursue and share our passion and outdoor dreams. You can find Goar hunting the best snow conditions with friends while training to become a ski guide, after each ski day you can find him sharing ski adventures and some tasty craft beers on the RMU patio, best apres in town!
"I pick the Apostle Metal for touring days car to car, where I want to move fast on the uphill and shred through anything on the way down, also for all around days on the hill. This is the closest Ive seen to a perfect do it all tool."
"I pick the Professor for those bottomless and playfull days, I find them in perfect harmony with the CAST bindings to allow lift access tours and for sled days or mechanized guiding shifts."
"I take this bag to all my mechanized guiding days, fits all the tools and extra gear for long day trips. The new model is now so light that has become my daily pack for big tours as well, incredible how many pockets this bag includes to keep everything in place!"
Helena Hoppenrath
Helena grew up on Bowen Island, a small Island in Howe Sound just off the coast of Vancouver. Spending her childhood between the Island, and Whistler BC. Helena grew up skiing from a young age with her parents Andy and Mary. Passing on a mountain lifestyle and knowledge of the coast mountain backcountry that many dream of. Into her teen years, she trained with the whistler freeride club, and competed on the IFSA freeski circuit. Training with the freeride club set a solid foundation for her following ski aspirations. Now residing in Pemberton BC, and exploring the surrounding area by snowmobile, she shares experiences and passion for the mountains alongside her family and tight knit community in the sea to sky corridor. This past season Helena has felt a significant shift in her perspective on skiing and how she wants to represent herself in this industry. Having creative outlets has been a huge contributor to that. Balancing her time working for Blackcomb Ski Patrol, and producing a Super 8 film project alongside RMU athlete Elsa Smith. She’s been learning all the in’s and out’s of filming in the backcountry, and enjoying the whole process. We’re looking forward to seeing what Helena’s cooking up!
"The YLE 118 ski was a game changer for me. No matter what conditions I’m skiing in, they go. Crud, hard-pack, pow, corn snow, you name it! The width, paired with the asymmetrical build, gives them a smooth surfy feel. I started surfing a few years back, and I feel like it’s influenced my style, and has made me look at the mountain with a new perspective. Those ski’s give me that feeling, and some days it really does feel like I’m riding a wave. I’m happy I went with the big boys, and I’ll never go back!"
"The North shore 114 is my daily driver. The stiffness of this ski enables you to charge while hot lapping resort, and has just enough flex, with a wider shovel to comfortably ride down a playful pillow line. This winter was my rookie season on the sled, and I was able to access a whole different world of terrain. I brought the 114’s with me everyday, and I felt that they gave me great confidence down every line I skied. Alex hit the hammer on the nail with every aspect of the North shore 114. And It made the whole experience that much more special when you're riding on a ski that your good buddy designed! I’m excited to bring this ski with me on future missions, and see what we get up to."
Jake Sandstrom
Haje grew up learning to ski in the Kootenays and the Rockies, venturing into park and pipe skiing when his family made the move from Cranbrook BC to Calgary AB. His primary focus growing up was always on skiing, so much so he into competing in Slopestyle, Big Air and Halfpipe. Jake spent many years training and competing throughout North America and abroad before ultimately deciding to move on from the competitions and settle down, for the time being. He now resides in the Sea To Sky corridor as an RMU Whistler ambassador, with Whistler's large opportunities, he's been able to broaden his focus into other aspects of skiing, such as coaching with the local freestyle ski club, exploring the backcountry and filming.
"The Rippah is a high quality park ski, a twist on a traditional shape with lots of camber, stiff enough for the biggest jumps and agile on the rails, yet pressable and playful for the downdays."
"My go-to mountain ski. The North shore will perform anywhere on the mountain, they're comfortable charging at high speeds through pow or chunder, stomping cliffs, playing in pillows, and they're the perfect size for backcountry jumping. Not too bad to pull up the skin track either!"
Joey Kraft
Joey Kraft's journey with RMU began in 2019 when our RMU Whistler Concept Location opened. Kirill Kokorin, a current RMU Whistler Ambassador, met CEO & Founder Mike Waesche at the local Lost Lake Park, introducing a whole local community to RMU's intended goal. Joey quickly developed an interest in RMU's objective, being a local skier who had relocated to Whistler from Ontario to pursue the skiing lifestyle. Even before RMU officially opened, Joey could be found constructing tables and laying bricks in the RMU location, before assuming a role in the kitchen. With his open personality, there were more than a couple of Club-Joeys held in the kitchen while the front of the house was packed shoulder to shoulder. With a keen desire to learn more and invest in the ski industry, Joey took on the role of Retail & Events Manager at RMU Whistler, expanding our ambassador program with local core skiers, many of whom still ride with us today. Community-focused, Joey's influence played an integral part in RMU's growth in Whistler, involving GNAR days, local film competitions, and assistance with marketing projects company-wide. Joey discovered opportunities within the Whistler community to further pursue his passion for filmmaking, and his skills, awareness, and passion exponentially grew. Joey departed from RMU in 2022 to pursue his own filmmaking opportunities, releasing his first film, "Braj" with RMU and other local skiers. He has only continued to thrive in the skiing and film industry with his latest release, "Water The Plants" and we couldn't be more excited to watch his adventure”
"I ride the NS 114’s and they’ve been the go to in pretty much any conditions. They’re super fun to carve on groomers, they charge through choppy conditions and float on those deep whistler pow days. Shout out to Alex Armstrong and the rest of the product development team over for killing it on the design on this one!"
Josh Dueck
A skier for life, born and raised in the mountains of BC, his roots are deeply embedded in freestyle skiing. Dueck evolved to be a pioneer sit skier, reshaping perceptions of adaptive sports after a life-altering injury in 2004. Pre-injury, Josh skied and competed alongside legends like Mark Abma and Rory Bushfield in mogul skiing. In his life post-injury, Dueck won every major event, including the XGames, World Championships, and the Paralympic Games. Josh made history as the first person to backflip a sit ski, earning recognition on the Ellen Degeneres Show and inspiring over 500 million people worldwide. The award-winning documentary "Freedom Chair" showcased his journey, winning accolades at several international film festivals, including the Banff Mountain Film Festival and the Powder Video Awards, to name a few.
"Valhalla 107: This ski is my go-to when I want to feel like a boss. It offers quick turn initiations and pivots, proving incredibly nimble on packed snow. Its aggressive nature on hardpack and versatility in varied terrain make it a top choice for any skiing enthusiast."
"North Shore 110: For my everyday adventures, this ski is my playful yet powerful companion. Ideal for fresh pow, chop, jibbing, and handling anything the resort throws at me, the North Shore 110 is a reliable and versatile choice."
Kirill Kokorin
Born in Kiev, Ukraine, he spent most of his younger years near Toronto, Ontario. It's an unlikely upbringing for someone who now makes a living from being in the snow. His parents happened to be lifelong skiers who traveled extensively in Eastern Europe to pursue an unconventional ski hobby at the time (probably on wooden skis). A combination of support from his parents and his self-drive and passion for the industry led him to live in the Sea to Sky corridor. These days Kirill is pursuing a career in Avalanche Forecasting and Mitigation. You can frequently find him digging in the snow and analyzing weather models to make snowpack predictions. Be careful when asking him about the weather, you may just be sucked into a big discussion. When the avalanche danger is high, he's no stranger to the resort huckfest with the RMU crew. Follow along with Kirill’s winter, I am sure there will be no shortage of hucks, aesthetic ski lines and backcountry education.
""This season I will be on the Professor 121 and North Shore 114. I have complete trust in these skis when dropping into a line or taking air. They are very predictable and fun to ride in all terrain. I can't imagine ever switching to another brand - I even got my Dad a pair of the 114s!""
Kyle Coxworth
Kyle Coxworth is like a lot of Whistler locals, originally from Ontario. Growing up skiing in Ontario's park and urban culture, Kyle made the move to Whistler at 20 years old to pursue the skiing lifestyle. The move included numerous friends from Ontario and their crew "Spring & Friends" have hammered the Black Park of Whistler Blackcomb season after season. Kyle was introduced to RMU by watching Ethan Swadburg but like numerous other current RMU athletes, became involved in the community through the creation of our Whistler location. Now 4 years on RMU skis, Kyle has produced his own limited edition top-sheet for "The Rippah" from photography during his ski urban segments, partook in Level 1's
"To me the rippah has been the most consistent ski for me. Been using it non stop for the last 4 seasons with no complaints on how they ride. Built so solid and I trust them to get me to and out of anything. I would easily choose this ski over anything."
"The professor definitely made my thoughts towards fat pow skis change a lot. I struggled to get comfy on most of the other options i tried since ive been on RMU. This ski surprised me alot and I immediately felt comfy and connected to it and how it behaves. got full control on the ski right away and will stick to this one for a while. "
Laine Koroll
Laine grew up in Vernon BC, discovering a passion for skiing at Silverstar mountain resort as a local ripper. She joined the Silverstar freestyle club during school and began coaching the new young female rippers at the same time, mastering both the park and the instructor's jacket. Laine moved to Whistler two years ago to further her coaching experience, along with her own skiing ability with new opportunities in Whistler's backcountry and the snowfall the Pacific North West has to offer. Between getting her first touring setup and getting dropped off the back of a snowmobile for the first time in 2022, Laine is making a name for herself in the community as an up and coming athlete, positively representing the evergrowing list of top local female athletes. Laine obviously has a vision for her skiing, as she join RMU just over 12months ago and has moved from a role in the kitchen, to bartending, and now an ambassador through her dedication and skiing. We're excited to her Laine on the Whistler ambassador team and see what she gets up to this winer.
"The north shore 114s have been my go to when I’m not in the park. They charge through any condition as well as don’t weigh me down when I’m trying to pop around and spin. The width is perfect for any in resort as well as keep me floating on a pow day. "
"As far as park skiing, the rippah has blown my mind with its responsiveness without giving up any of its stability when stomping on rails or flying off jumps. I trust this ski more than any others when trying something new and I have them to thank for a good part of my park progression last year. "
Luca Natale
Hailing from Quebec, Luca Natale is another slopestyle skier turned all-mountain shredder. Luca made the move to Whistler several years ago and has since spent the majority of his time chasing deep snow and tearing up the mountain with speed and style. On and off the mountain, Luca brings a fun, positive attitude, making him an ideal addition to any chairlift ride, ski trip, or après-ski session. For the upcoming season, Luca plans to continue filming and, in general, just have fun on his skis.
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Mac Marcoux
Hailing from a small rural community in northern Ontario, Mac grew up in a very motorsport oriented family. He spent most of his early childhood chasing his siblings around on dirt bikes, snowmobiles, and go karts. At the age of 8 Mac was diagnosed with “Stargardt's Disease” which led to the deterioration of most of his vision leaving him with 6% in his Peripherie. Marcoux shifted to ski racing working his way onto the Canadian Para Alpine Ski Team in 2012. Mac has since become one of the Canadian ski team’s most decorated athletes with over 50 World Cup podiums, 6 World Championship titles, and 6 Paralympic podiums. Aside from his athletic career Mac has spent the majority of his free time in the backcountry pushing avenues of sport that don’t fall under the Paralympic umbrella. Moving forward, Mac is dedicated to working towards creating accessible opportunities for people with disabilities to get out and enjoy BC’s backcountry.
"The first time I stepped on the skis, I was absolutely blown away! Coming from a racing background, I had some preconceived notions about skis with a wider waist. The first time I jumped on these skis, everything I thought I knew about fat skis went out the window! Not only were these skis, super fun, playful, and manoeuvrable on deep days I could not believe the amount of confidence they bring when things get a little firm! The stability tip to tail allows for a solid platform underfoot bringing undeniable confidence, no matter the conditions!"
Mark Draper
Mark Draper is originally from Toronto, Ontario. A park athlete that has many waves on social media and the competition circuit in his during his time competing. As a freestyle coach he spends his summers on the famous Blackcomb Glacier as a part of Momentum Camps. His skill set and friendly demeanor has him successfully placed as the face of Ski Addictions social media, teaching everybody from groms to old-boys how to master tricks, Mark was initially introduced to RMU by watching Ethan Swadburg and actually visited RMU's original Breckenridge location while competing. He joined RMU in 2020 through the RMU Whistler community and rides the Rippah 98 daily before finishing it off with a caesar and a jalapeño pulled pork sandy. Mark has been integrating further into our athlete program and we're excited to see what waves we can create.
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Ryan Grimm
Ryan Grimm is a 17 year old skier, born in Hong Kong, then raised in Squamish B.C. He’s been skiing at Whistler since the age of 2. His skiing is a true product and testament of Whistler itself. Going through practically every ski school program starting at level 1, he now resides in the prestigious Whistler Freeride Club. Currently competing on the Jr level, Ryan plans on competing in the FWQ’s as soon as he turns 18 and has big aspirations. RMU initially caught Ryan’s eye when skiing with Freestyle Whistler under the tutelage of former ambassador Sergei Sirotov. Ryan claims: “the graphics were sick, they skied awesome, the food was amazing, and the vibes were high, what more could you want?”. Nowadays, Ryan can be found hitting Peak Chair laps bell to bell with the freeride crew, getting some fresh tracks in the local backcountry, playing around with new axes on trampoline, or chowing down on RMU’s big kahuna burger.
"The first time I tried the YLE 118, it was during club training. I borrowed a pair belonging to one of my coaches (Drew Adams). After the first lap I fell in love, everything I could possibly want out of a ski. They had the hard charging stiff feeling that in bounds freeride demands. Really felt like I can hold an edge on anything. However, what I believe makes the YLE’s truly unique is that they maintain a super playful and surfy freestyle feeling. Exactly the ski I’ve been looking for. It shreds hard but incredibly jibby/poppy at the same time. It’ll both pop a 3 on both the biggest cliff, and smallest mogul. "
Sergi Massot
Sergi migrated from Barcelona 6 years ago. He was into BMX during his teenager years and he never thought that he would one day ride big bikes. When he moved to Whistler he got a second hand bike that gave him more trips to the hospital than successful memories. You can find Sergi riding anywhere in the Sea to Sky with a big smile and good vibes or at RMU Whistler for a mandatory hydration stop after a ride.
"My favorite product is Enduro Fanny 3L, and I can't ride without it. It fits a ton of needs for a day of biking and you cannot feel it riding, it holds extremely good on you."
Shikaichi Ueki
Shika is a a Japanese skier based in Golden B.C, Canada. While a little bit further away fom our base of Whistler, Shika was put in touch with RMU through athlete Wiley Miller, who has travelled up to Golden the past few seasons during his film projects. Wiley's latest project from this season showcases Shika's expertise in the mountain of Golden, BC, and we are excited to see more of Shika in local & international projects!
"The best skis I have ever used, no doubt. Good float and turning on powder for sure, but also so much fun curving on groomers and strong on choppy snow too. Those skis have always impressed me, from big mountain to resort laps!"
Sofia Forsman
Belonging in the backcountry with the rare appearance at the ski hill, an alpine wrangler with a heart for exploring. Sofia is our multitool, equal parts athlete, ski guide and instructor. Guiding heliskiing, ski touring, mountaineering courses and teaching avalanche courses. You'll see her on both sides of the lens, recently in Skier Rich. With some luck you'll spot her at the Blackcomb bar, ordering one of the many fancy cocktails she probably can't pronounce the name of.
"I take the Apostle for alpine touring when stability and flex for big turns and airtime is essential, this will be my pick. Slightly longer and with a bit more live feel"
"The North Shore 114 is for the biggest lines and the deepest days, whenever I have a bit of help getting up the mountain this ski is the it for me"
"My spirit animal is the Valhalla 107, light for long days while not compromising any float or stability handling all conditions you may encounter and not plan for"
Spencer Wight
Born and raised in the local forests of Whistler, Spencer has always been driven to go higher and further. With his parents being long-time Whistler ski bums, it was no surprise that Spencer was on a pair of skis shortly after learning to stand. From being on the leash in front of his dad, to ripping peak laps with the Whistler Freeride club, Spencer grew up hunting for powder, and nothing has changed. In the summers, he spent his days finding the gnarliest features in the valley and taking turns one-upping his friends on their 120mm XC bikes. After taking to mountain bike racing and competing internationally in enduro, Spencer attended university on Vancouver Island and received an undergraduate degree in Kinesiology. Spencer returned to Whistler and found a rekindled passion for the mountains. Now, you can find him ski patrolling on Blackcomb Mountain, chasing new lines in the backcountry, racing mountain bikes and climbing peaks. We're stoked to welcome Spencer on board for this new winter season to see where his creative and adventurous style can take him.
"Before stepping on these skis I thought they would be reserved for only the deepest of days but I quickly realized that they will let you lay it down on any condition. They are incredibly snappy and playful for their size and don't feel dead when popping off side hits or carving into corduroy. In pow they come alive keeping you in the sweet spot letting you put yourself wherever you want. If you like face shots, you'll like these baddies."
"Easily my favourite all around, do-everything ski. The Apostles will cut through crud at speed without bucking and have a short enough turn radius that you can cut shapes into anything and ski it like a boss."
Tristan Underhill
Born and raised in Whistler BC, Tristan is a prodigy of Whistler's generational skiers. Between his free time and his previous years of patrolling on Whistler Blackcomb, Tristan has spent more time on a pair of skis than most people do walking. Tristan was first introduced to RMU in 2012 by RMU community member Landon Pinette. A grassroots team that was the first to push and receive the infamous Professor 200cm ski. Tristan has been riding RMU ever since and is now pushing boundaries on exceptional big mountain terrain, but always behind the scenes. Whistler produces some of the world's best skiers that we never see. A regular Tristan day may be something we'd all love to watch on a movie screen, so for the 2022 season, we superglued a Go-Pro to his head and had our minds blown. We're always excited to see what Tristan does next.
"The YLE 118 is my ultimate backcountry ski of choice. seamlessly tackling tree skiing, pillows, powder, big alpine lines, and airs with unmatched prowess. I grab this ski for everyday I go out on the sled."
"The Apostle ski is my trusted choice for conquering variable conditions, seamlessly transitioning from powdery landscapes to impeccably groomed trails. Used for backcountry ski touring and inbounds resorts skiing."
Ty Urlich
Ty Urlich is a 26-year-old skier and filmmaker from Boston, Massachusetts. After years of skiing competitively in moguls and slopestyle he made the move to British Columbia in search of better mountains. Transitioning his focus to filmmaking, Ty collaborated with a group of Whistler locals and RMU ambassadors to create a short ski film titled "Better Now." This marked the beginning of his current role as both a skier and filmmaker, where he aims to capture remarkable moments in the mountains that reveal the emotions and unwavering dedication that drive individuals in our beloved sport.
"I’ve been riding the Rippah and the YLE 118’s and their both incredible skis. The YLE 118’s have the perfect stiffness for deep snow which makes me fully confident when stepping to big terrain. The Rippah's have been a blast in the park, they're stiff enough for blasting through slush and going to the bottom of landing’s but flexible enough to get up on your noses and get playful on rails."
Will Fossum
Hailing from Ottawa, Ontario, Will is a 21-year-old slopestyle skier who relocated to Whistler shortly after high school. Although no longer competing, Will has transitioned into a role as a freestyle ski coach, nurturing the next generation of skiers in everything style has to offer. In his free time, Will aims to film ski edits as much as possible. Recently, he was part of Krafted Production's "Water The Plants," which won Amateur Ski Film of the Year at the 2023 IF3 Ski Festival, along with RMU skiers Jacob Belanger, Luca Natale and Kyle Coxworth.
"Ive been riding the Rippah for the past two seasons and it's by far my go to ski. It gives me a ton of control going into big jumps and it is quick to move/spin around on rails. "
