PSIA-AASI

About Charlie

Charlie has been instructing and training in telemark, alpine, and snowboarding for 27 years at the Ski and Snowboard Schools of Aspen/Snowmas and is a PSIA-Rocky Mountain Division examiner. A member of the PSIA Alpine Team from 2000 to 2004, and now a member of the PSIA Nordic Team, Charlie is the first person ever to serve on two different PSIA national teams. In the summer, Charlie runs the Aspen Kayak Academy and has been certifying and coaching students and instructors in the art of river running, freestyle, and racing techniques since 1990. His latest passion is the new sport of stand up paddling (SUP), which combines elements of nordic skiing, surfing, and kayaking.

Vital Stats

Hometown: Aspen Village, CO

Resort: Snowmass, CO

Sponsors: Swany, Leki, Rossignol, Rudy Project

Favorite run: Air into Little Baby Ruth to Weird Woods to the XYZ chutes of Hanging Valley Wall at Snowmass. G'8 at Highlands Bowl.

Favorite travel destination: Hawai’i, north shore of O’ahu and Kaua’i

Ski morning breakfast: Multigrain hemp and flax seed cereal--hot or cold--with maple syrup, almonds, cranberries, cream, and a squirt of flax seed oil. Or, eggs, center-cut bacon, corn tortillas, and oranges. French or Italian roast coffee.

Ski day lunch: Whatever is tasty and healthy. On a powder day it's a cookie, water, and cup of soup.

Apres style: Playing with my daughter or nordic skiing

Playlist: Return to Forever, Hapa, The Black Keys, Zeppelin, Brandenburg concertos, Hot Tuna, Ben Harper

Skis on:  Snow, and occasionally metal and plastic.

Coolest place I've ever been: North Island of New Zealand. I skied wind buffed pow at Whakapapa, ran the underground river in Waitomo with glow worms, and surfed double overhead lefts at Raglan in one leisurely day.

Top three off-snow activities:
1) Kayaking
2) Surfing
3) Stand-up paddling

Unusual talent:  I play the didgeridoo.

The best thing about being on the PSIA Alpine Team: Hangin’ with homies around the country.