Howard Katkov is doing something that’s never been done in the ski industry with his “Fight the Man, Own the Mountain Campaign.” He started as a surfer then became a student, lawyer, developer, manufacturer, corporate executive and for over a decade, he’s been the owner of RED Mountain. Now, he’s creating the opportunity for everyone to own a piece of what he and many others think is the best skiing in North America. Find out his story and all about owning RED.
Howard Katkov Show Notes:
2:15: Growing up and surfing
5:15: High School without his parents and skiing
6:35: College, Law School
10:00: Evo (listen for special offer) and Diecutstickers.com (Listen for 10% off your first order with DCS 15)
11:34: Starting a Law Firm right out of Law School and then starting a development firm and doing huge deals and then the 1990’s hit
14:09: The Makeup business, selling to Estee Lauder and going to work for them
17:40: Skiing and life at that point
19:24: How did he hear about RED Mountain, going there and buying property
20:51: RESQWATER and Sierra At Tahoe
22:00: Rossland and the community and the mountain
25:26: What made him buy RED Mountain? How did the locals react?
31:04: What projects has he completed at RED since he bought it?
33:20: The consolidation of the ski industry and how they make their money
Nate Bozung was once the young buck on Forum Snowboards who oozed style. He fully embraced the rockstar lifestyle and rode with it. Nate created brands, owned companies, traveled the world, blew money, and lived the drinking life to the fullest. Now, Nate is back in Utah, living a life of moderation (for Nate) and figuring out what to do next.
Nate Bozung Show Notes:
1:30: What is Nate up to now, going to a wedding and snowboarding
4:00: Growing up in CA and being Mormon
7:21: Team sports, skiing, and skateboarding
9:38: Evo (listen for special offer) and Diecutstickers.com (Listen for 10% off your first order with DCS 15)
11:31: Moving to Utah and meeting with Jordan Mendenhall
13:02: Getting into snowboarding getting noticed and getting on Forum
15:00: What were the Forum days like?
16:43: How teams and snowboarding has changed
19:00: Super model types that he’s into and Hollywood
22:28: How do things end with Forum?
24:34: RESQWATER is Proactive Recovery.
25:00: Nate doing it on his terms
27:53: Nate at contests and video parts: True Life
30:26: TechNine and DC and how much is he making as a pro snowboarder
33:17: Quitting DC and being stuck in Canada
35:27: When does he become Boznutz and Matty Ryan
38:15: Getting robbed in Russia
39:54: Tattoos and Drugs
44:18: The reality tv show that never made it to tv
46:50: Greece, Barcelona, NYC and Alcohol
49:35: What are people’s reaction to Nate
51:09: Mental hospitals and losing his house
55:00: His social media persona and how friends and family react?
57:38: Rehab and being judged
61 :23: What is next for Nate?
Scott Stevens is one of the most creative snowboarders out there and his skills on a trampoline are second to none. He’s not a household name but he should be. Instead, he’s a blue-collar snowboarder who is comfortable in front of the camera, not crowds. I caught up with Scott at High Cascade Snowboard Camp to talk about his life and career.
Scott Stevens Show Notes
2:27: Scott’s history at High Cascade Snowboard Camp and who influenced him
4:00: Who rides like him in snowboarding
6:25: Defenders of Awesome and innovating every year
8:07: Who is he inspired by today: Cole Navin
9:06: Sponsors for Scott today: Capita, Smith, 32, Coal, Union, Magical Gogo, Theory Skateshop
10:10: Evo (listen for special offer) and Diecutstickers.com (Listen for 10% off your first order with DCS 15)
11:44: Growing up in Massachusetts and family
12:36: Played baseball year-round through high school
14:00: His dad takes him for lessons at Mt Tom
15:00: The Capita team
16:00: Did he ever ski? And how did snowboarding take over
17:52: Skateboarding and eating habits and working out
18:50: OCD, hockey tempers and using cameras
21:11: RESQWATER is Proactive Recovery.
21:54: Who is Scott in High School? Does he know he wants to be a pro and how often is he riding?
25:54: Mini Shredding and it wasn’t looked at as that cool
26:27: When did sponsors happen for him and the growth of social media and being an early adopter to internet videos
29:42: Moving to Utah and now in Portland
32:33: Injuring his shoulder again and beating up your body
34:40: His trampoline skills and self-motivation. Here is an edit
37:25: Money, partying, and the industry
41:01: The nickname Sleepy
42:11: What’s to expect this season
Scot Schmidt is a legend in mountain towns across the globe. He blazed a trail that inspired generations of skiers and created a way for ski athletes to monetize their talents outside of competition. From learning to ski in Montana to moving to Squaw Valley with the goal of making the US Ski Team…. Skiing was “It” for him. When money became a barrier to making the team, found himself shooting with local photographers and, eventually, traveling the world in the pursuit of good snow.
1:25: What is Scot Schmidt up to in the offseason
3:00: Growing up in Montana and how he got into skiing and skateboarding
5:45: Joining the Bridger Bowl Ski Team, competitiveness, and HS
9:45: What his parents think of him choosing to ski over everything else
11:18: Evo (listen for special offer) and Diecutstickers.com (Listen for 10% off your first order with DCS 15)
12:51: Moving to Squaw Valley with nothing
14:40: Has he always been the quiet guy? Did that impact his ski career?
15:45: Racing in Squaw Valley and being the janitor for the race team
18:00: Quitting racing and transitioning into magazine and Warren Miller films
20:20: Products of the past and how it impacted style in skiing
23:56: RESQWATER
24:40: Getting a letter from Warren Miller that changes his life
26:26: Being broke when he wasn’t traveling
29:14: The North Face partnership, Stockli K2 (and how the relationship fell apart) Salomon
34:04: Meeting Greg Stump at events and not really feeling his movies and then agreeing to do Blizzard
35:44: Glen Plake being a liability and his relationship with Plake
39:13: Getting on Good Morning America and being recognized in and out of ski towns
41:16: Is he making good money skiing?
42:50: How did skiing impact his family life?
44:00: Life at the Yellowstone Club, the passion of Justin Timberlake and skiing every day
47:58: Skiers that he keeps up with today and his impact on skiing
John Spriggs is known for many things: Being a professional skier for over a decade, taking his basketball height and making it work in the terrain park and backcountry and, most recently, a high-profile arrest for assault and other charges. Fresh out rehab, John now has 6 months of sobriety under his belt and he’s trying to figure out who he really is and learning strategies of how to deal with that person. Between the alcohol and the anger issues, it’s not going to be an easy road. And….he hasn’t given up on his pro ski career, the question is, have sponsors and fans given up on him?
John Spriggs Show Notes
2:36: What I have known about Spriggs over the years: a little overview of his career
5:02: Born and raised Denver and then moving to Vail and how Vail has changed
7:23: Ski Club Vail and mogul contests and then the transition to Pipe and Slope
9:20: Evo (listen for special offer) and Diecutstickers.com (Listen for 10% off your first order with DCS 15)10:25: How long does it take to get good?
11:28: Going full time in the world of twin tips: X-Games and starting drinking at 14
15:30: Filming with Poor Boys Productions and a party story that John doesn’t remember and more drinking and blackout talk
20:14: RESQWATER
20:40: Transitioning to TGR
21:10: The Denver Big Air win: Booze, money, family and police
23:40: A ballpark on how many nights he’s blacked out and how many fights has he been in in his life?
25:15: Hunter Schleper per goes on the record about his differences with Spriggs
30:30: Injuries and other drugs
32:29: Being a professional in the ski industry and having more sponsors than anyone along with a lot of passion for skiing
37:48: Disagreeing on how stars are made in ski movies and his sour view on the ski industry
45:54: Losing friends in skiing and going into a dark place and living in his truck for 3 years
49:38: Drugs and coping and skiing at the highest level
53:40: What happened on March 13? Two days before the arrest
54:48: THE CHARGES and John’s recollection of what happened that night
1:02: What happens after Jail? Rehab, treatment, community service and 6 months clean