This weekend I released the finished Maine episode of Skiing States. This video is different from the other “High Point Short” videos released in that it is a full-sized episode (6 minutes) with narration and interviews with local skiers who consider the region home. It is actually the first Skiing States episode to be released, there will be about 15 other short films in a similar format. Minnesota, North Dakota and Vermont are scheduled for release in fall of 2018. Skiing States is more a ground-level travel documentary than a “ski movie”. We don’t have epic heli-powered pow shots, instead its more about real conditions and the feeling of discovery you can achieve during your own ski trips, and we hope you are inspired to splitboard and backcountry ski more often! In the Maine episode I tackled the East’s hardest peak on Liberty Origin 96 skis provided by Liberty.
Local-style music for “Skiing States: Maine”
As Skiing States is about discovering our vast country I like to highlight local bands, or local style of music along the way. During the exciting research period for this film I not only was looking at backcountry beta and satellite images, but Maine music. Maine has had some dark heavy rock in recent history, but this music didn’t seem to fit with the footage. Bluegrass is a traditional music of Maine, emanating from its Irish and Welsh immigrant history, and that led me to an excellent bluegrass band I knew of: Wood Belly. Several Wood Belly tracks had enough instrumental sections to fit well into the film. The band had been working for 3 years on the Solid Grounds Album and Skiing States: Maine was a way to introduce the Northeast to some of their latest work.
10/2018: Update on the first Skiing States film:
This first full episode of Skiing States successfully reached most backcountry skiers and splitboarders living in the Northeast. While my target audience is small – only a couple thousand skiers, it helped bring awareness to a wilderness area that needs more protection. Baxter State Park is far too small and western lands adjacent to the park need protection from logging and potential real estate development. If you’d like to get involved in both backcountry access issues and conservation see the Granite Backcountry Alliance which operates in the area.
Here is the first full length Skiing States Episode:
Other Northeastern High Point Beta:
