All Photos by Tucker Patton and Triple Point Expeditions. All Photos ©.
It was a privilege to host the Teton Gravity Research crew and it is inspiring to watch the combination of TGR's amazing cinematography and the athletes stepping up to our steepest and craziest terrain. We couldn't be more proud to work with such an amazing team. Here's a little bit about what it takes and how it went down.....
The Progression
After 20 years of dedication, hard work and perseverance, Triple Point Expeditions reached a new milestone when we started our heli-ski base in Palmer, Alaska. This milestone was even more significant when we had the opportunity to work with Teton Gravity Research this past spring. Watching our work materialize on the big screen for the world premier in Jackson, followed by Seattle, New York and San Francisco, it really hits home what an amazing journey this has been. It is a privilege to watch Nick McNutt, Angel Collinson, Griffin Post and Elyse Saugstad shredding our backyard in awe inspiring segments of Winterland that we helped put together. There are a lot of moving parts that make a segment succeed. Athletes, weather, experience and timing all play a part and all have to work together. It’s mind boggling to think we made these elements work in unison to help create this movie.
With moments like these, I find reflection is a good practice to learn from our experiences so we can continue to drive towards the future.
Early Days
Since my days in Squaw Valley watching movies like Further (2000), The Realm (1999), Uprising (1998), Harvest (1997), The Continuum (1996), Teton Gravity Research has always been at the top of the production world. They make the hardest hitting movies, have the best athletes, are cinematically inspiring and deliver a soundtrack that remains etched in your memory for the season. It was these early movies starring athletes like Doug Coombs, Kent Krietler and Jeremy Jones that originally opened my eyes to Alaska as they have for so many others. Every film would end with a segment of big Alaskan ramps, steep spines, huge cliffs and more terrain than one could possibly ski in a lifetime. It was hard to believe that anything like that was out there.
Evolution
The hook was set when I made it to Alaska as a fueler and dishwasher. Low and behold Alaska was actually better than I imagined from the glimpse I had watching these movies. The possibilities are endless and I knew this was just the beginning of my career. As the decades rolled on and my guiding experience grew, I eventually found myself working with film crews in Antarctica, Alaska and New Zealand. In addition to running major competitions around the world, I finally felt ready to pull the trigger on my own operation a few years ago. I took my experience from global helicopter ski guiding and put it into what I believed was missing in Alaska. A small boutique operation, with access to amazing terrain, in multiple mountain ranges, built with a world class guide team and its own lodge with a private heli literally in the front yard.
The Future
Coming into our third season of operations, with only a few seats still available, we are essentially sold out again and I am eternally grateful for what we are creating. As we continue to grow, we are refining our product mix and constantly evolving to deliver the best possible heli-ski experience the market can offer. We continue to finesse the right balance of clients' needs while accessing the best skiing on the planet. Our focus continues to be on our small size, our unique locations and our unmatched experience. This sets us apart and allows us to exceed our clients’ expectations in every way. We hope you find the time to see TGR’s new movie Winterland and be sure to check out the Palmer / Northern Chugach segment. Stay tuned for more to come from this amazing experience. We will be attending the upcoming shows in New York City (10/15 & 10/16) and San Francisco (10/29) and we look forward to seeing you there.
None of this would be remotely possible without the dedicated TPX staff and our great sponsors: K2, Oakley, and Mountain Hardware.
As the sound tracks of Metallica and Pennywise pound in our minds, it’s off to the races for the 2019/2020 season. We hope you can be a part of it.
Thanks for reading. - Tucker Patton
Here's The Full Segment:
Launch Gallery
