Early ski season recon missions are annual practice skier’s take to set goals, check out new zones, and get inspired for the upcoming the season. In seeking a return to normalcy, this ritual is more important to recognize that those powder dreams are not canceled in 2020.
This past month, amongst COVID-19 and the uncertainty of the ski season, Eddie Bauer Ski Athlete and Pilot in Training Lexi DuPont took a reconnaissance mission to fly over the North Cascade Mountains of Washington state. Lexi has recently moved to Bellingham, calling this area of the Pacific Northwest home for the winter, to continue flight school. With the ski season just around the corner, Lexi hopped in the pilot seat to explore her new backyard by airplane. Joined by fellow Eddie Bauer Ski Athlete, Drew Tabke, in the passenger seat, they explored this iconic northwest mountain range by air. They reflected on all the uncertainty of this past year and discussed how setting goals, being outside, venturing in the outdoors is what brings some “normalcy” and a positive mindset back into their lives. Eddie Bauer and Lexi created this a 4-minute project titled “RECON.”
“Everything else seems to have been cancelled in the last 6 months we’ve had, but nature isn’t cancelled, and exploring the mountains isn’t cancelled, and looking toward the future and setting goals isn’t cancelled” – Lexi DuPont on “RECON”
LEXI DUPONT
Eddie Bauer Ski Guide
Born to generations of skiers in Sun Valley Idaho, educated in at the University Of Colorado Boulder, and mentored by the big-line AK wisdom of Reggie Crist and Will Wissman, duPont launched her career on the Freeride World Tour, then landed a breakout appearance in Warren Miller’s Wintervention, which captured ski trips to Svalbard Norway and Southern Utah. She has now trained her fierce focus on the search for steep lines, deep pillows, sick segments, and using her voice to advocate for natural resources.
DREW TABKE
Eddie Bauer Ski Guide
A two-time world champ in the freeride discipline, Drew Tabke launched from Utah shop guy to freeride contender in his first national contest at Snowbird in 2004. In the decade-plus since, “The Flyin’ Hawaiian” has circled the globe on tour to the burliest big mountain venues, from Chile, Argentina, British Columbia, and Alaska to Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and France.
