Kelly was in in the process of becoming the first fully certified snowboarder guide in the Canada Avalanche Association, and at the time of his passing had achieved the highest level of certification of any snowboarder. Thank you for signing up. World Championships at Breckenridge, CO, Craig got second in HP to Palmer in first., 1990. It was a strange, sad anomalyin the story of snowboarding. Having Craig leaving us, he will still be my greatest mentor., Dave Downing also had this to say about Craig. He was my inspiration before I met him. Nor do I know anybody else who had the style and grace coming down the mountain. Again, Kelly was at the vanguard. Snowboardings older ridersstarted to shun the parks and resorts and embark upon adventures, helitrips and powder hunts. Details: www.bajafly.com/. Only a few snowboarders were making a living at the time, and six-figure salaries were unheard of. Donations in memory of kelly can be sent to the canadian avalanche association. By signing up you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. He blew out dozens of mattresses and broke boards monthly. When youre ready, I told him, Id be honored to help out in any way youd like. He said hed dream about it. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Theyre weighing you down. He was no slacker, telling onemagazine I constantly think about working a certainmuscle group or perfecting a particular techniqueif my riding doesnt feel technically perfect. It paidoff: in 1986, he won the slalom event at the WorldChampionships in Breckenridge, Colorado, and asthe 1980s came to an end and his star was rising, heswitched teams from Sims to Burton in the sportsfirst acrimonious court case, and claimed Burtonsfirst pro model. MILD HIGH | ROME SNOWBOARDS @ Woodward Copper! Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. A graduate of Chemical Engineering at the University of Washington, the professional snowboarder was a force to be reckoned with, as he has been dubbed by the great Terje Hkonsen as the best snowboarder of all time. But Craig was a dedicated student with auniversity place lined up, and snowboarding thoughgrowing was hardly a career choice. Not just because of his snowboarding, but also for his lifestyle and love for the mountains. While I read, he balanced casually on his shoulder blades, chin to his chest, legs straight like a totem pole, toes pointing at the ceiling. Ranquet remembers how Craig nurtured his riding: Craig would call me up and say, Mikey, wanna go to Baker this weekend? And Id say, I dont know, man, I gotta ask my mom. My mom told me years later that Craig had always called her first and asked permission before he got my hopes up. In 1988, the magazine devoted an entire issue to The Performers, riders who were considered leaders of the sport. It's time to rejoice, for Ullr has answered Mammoth Mountain's prayers. Subscribe to He also won the first snowboard contest held at Hyak, in the 198586 season. Photo: Vianney Tisseau//Burton. It's not really "magazine friendly" in a traditional sense. Says Gail Howat about her husbands early reaction to snowboarders and snowboarding, Duncan and Mount Baker did not embrace snowboarding in the beginning. Annett remembers a soft-spoken, spiritual man who loved snowboarding almost as much as he loved his infant daughter. In one of the most famous tales of his adventures, in 2000 he took a 14-month trip with his girlfriend, from Alaska to Chile, surfing and snowboarding his way through the Americas. Durrand Glacier near Revelstoke, British Columbia in 2003. Baker Banked Slalom snowboarding competition in 1988, 1991, and 1993. Kelly was one of those rare breed . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The first leg of the Triple Crown was last month at Breckenridge, Colo. The film made it onto TV the firstsnowboard film on the Discovery Channel. Oakley ad photo shot at June Mtn, CA., 1990. Craig Kelly should undoubtedly be considered as one of the forefathers of modern snowboarding. I will miss Craig very much, but I will always remember the sound of him riding down a powder-filled mountain. He preached it and so do I. Craig Kelly going a million miles an hour from CA$109.00 Look, I understand why this photo never ran. Really, there are limitations to what we do know right now about the snow because our observation skills are limited, he said. It did not appear to have been triggered by the actions of any of the skiers or snowboarders; rather, the wall of snow released naturally and without notice as the victims were traversing a slope. Craig Kelly passed away January 20, 2003. Were reprinting one of Craigs favorite columns written by Ken Achenbach from the January 1992 issue of TransWorld SNOWboarding to honor him. It was caught aboard the Red Rooster III off Puerto Vallarta and estimated at sea, using a tape-measure formula, to weigh 308 pounds. The memorial is a 10-ft welded steel sword (often mistaken for a cross), with coloured glass set within and a prayer wheel made from local yew wood beneath. Craig was a Sims Snowboardsrider, founded by Tom Sims, from 1983 until 1987. Revelstoke, B.C., Canada, VOE 2S0; or via the Web at www.avalanche.ca. We tracked out Gunners Bowl until we moved onto the Arm, and we hiked to some of the most incredible alpine terrain that one can find by foot. Hood with Mark McMorris and The Burton Crew, Nitro Hard Drive | Dominik Wagner - The Bad Seeds, Phenoms in Finland: Jesse Augustinus & Max de Vries, R.I.P. Over the past decade, however, Kelly devoted himself to backcountry riding and guiding, along with continuing his design and development work for Burton. THE SNOWBOARDER Movies. My first snowboard ever was a burton air craig kelly pro model with purple stripes. You feel better each time a key flies out the window and goes bouncing down the pavement at 100 mph. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. Woodward PC, Big Bear, and Woodward Copper with The Dust Box! where he spent a lot of time freeriding and filming. SNOWBOARDERs Newsletter to receive stories like this straight to your inbox. Hedging his bets, Craigjuggled schoolwork with a diary full of contests and astrict training regime. We arrived at this super rad yurt in the Eastern Cascades to stay for 10 days. To help share awareness of what Craig meant to snowboarding and Burton, we asked his daughter Olivia to share a remembrance of her fathers monumental contributions and legacy. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Copyright a360media 2023. Press play for a hell ride through Helsinki. They were just following me, my brother Dave, Don Schwartz, and Doug Lundgren, but they were the ones who got busted, and they never ratted us out. Craig and Keith, subsequently got banned from June Mountain for life, but that didnt last. SNOWBOARDER. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Aside from in-studio and on-site reports, the show will provide daily athlete profiles. Although Craig was quiet and analytical, he was an amazing athlete and quickly became known as the house snowboarder. During Hell Half Hour (the houses nightly stress-release study break), Craig would crank up The Scorpions or Judas Priest and jump on his bed with his snowboard. Olivia has worked at Tribute Boardshop in Nelson BC as well as at Baldface Lodge. In 2003 Warren Miller dedicated a segment in his film titled "Journey" to Craig. Then he said, Maybe you could help me out? I was flattered, because not only was Craig a longtime snowboarding hero of mine, he was also one of the few snowboarders I felt really had something to say. By Craigs senior year in high school, he was already an ambassador to the sport-spreading the word to his friends-but he still didnt see any career potential. Born on the 1st April 1966, Craigs lifetook a left turn when his family moved to Mt Vernonin Washington State in 1979. When I finally met him he turned out to be the best possible rolemodel. If my riding doesnt feel technically perfect, exactly the way it should, I concentrate completely on the problem. I know so many people who go into the backcountry totally ignorant, but Craig knew what was going on, Downing said. This backcountry was Kellys heaven, his reason for becoming a guide rather than a competitor. With beautiful sunshine and over 14 inches of fresh, cold smoke after weeks of warm slop, the few of us who showed up knew he was there in spirit. Im pretty sure its what he would have wanted all of us to do, especially since he couldnt physically enjoy it with the rest of us. Hes still there. The Gatekeeper: Craig Kelly (April 1, 1966-January 20, 2003)By Eric Blehm, February 12, 2000: Powder, sunshine, and six-dollar lift tickets, said Craig Kelly as we slogged upstairs to our hotel room at the end of a perfect day of riding in Iran. He was notorious for his practical jokes and sense of humor. Timing, he said, is everything. As we walked down a marbled staircase to the dining room, he continued musing, The problem with memoirs and biographies is that you have to die before anybody wants to read about you. He paused for effect, lifted his chin, then said, Screw that. And we both laughed. He was my inspiration before I met him. Wise, poignant words from a man who lived, and eventually died, staying true to a passion for the mountains that was only matched by his talent as a snowboarder. Near Sporthotel Gudari in Caucasus Mtn, near Tblissi, "Soviet" Georgia, ISM magazine trip, 1990. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Embed. Kelly was one of the most gifted, intelligent and careful riders outthere, which made his death even more difficult to comprehend. One of Craigs conditions to taking on the guest editorship was to have the opportunity to pay tribute to a few of the people who had meant a lot to his snowboarding. Craigs career recently evolved into backcountry guiding where he was based primarily in British Columbia. All rights reserved. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Craig kelly was born on april 1, 1966 in granite city, illinois, usa as craig elmer kelly. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. He set a standard that many emulate today. By the end of that winter, Craig was sponsored by another local bike shop, The Bike Factory, which also carried snowboards made by Burton and the other top brand at the time, Sims. Olivia has been around snowboarding her whole life and has been close with the Carpenter's (Jake, Donna, and their sons) for as long as she can remember. Through his legacy scholarship fund, his memory now helps other snowboarders pursue a career in backcountry guiding a career he blazed the trail in, not only for myself but hundreds, if not thousands of other snowboarders who now make a living by shredding pow and helping clients discover the power and beauty of freeriding in the wild. While the outcome of the court caseremained unsettled, Burton had to market the boardas the Mystery Air. Now that you have a job, girls know youre not a total loss and you end up with a girlfriend. Having co-founded Island Lake Lodge and the legendary Baldface Lodge, he found his purpose in bringing people into the environment that he loved so deeply. Craig Kelly is survived by his daughter, Olivia, and partner, Savina. Craig was the epitome of core: to be World Freestyle Champion four times and rule the sport the way he did was a huge accomplishment, but to retire from competing and go on to become a backcountry guide says far more about him. I dont know anybody else that loved mountain riding as much as he did. In his interview, Craig showed the first signs of his upcoming switch from overall racer/freestyle guy to dedicated freestyle champion. Having tasted victory, Craig fell into a focused regimen of school and snowboard training, an almost Zen-like technique that his mother Janet likened to the BMX days when hed take his entire bike apart and put it back together the night before a race. A true legend, Jason "J2" Rasmus turned his persona into a professional "Snowboarding was born, lived, and died in the mid 1990s." Tom Sims, renowned for recognizing snowboarding talent, rode with Craig that winter. Prior to 1994 there were no heli operations inAlaska; a decade later and the backcountry access industry in the areahad become huge. But more than anything, he was a wanderer, which eventually led him to eschew the competitive world for freeriding in the backcountry, where he had countless first descents to his name from Alaska to Canada and in the U.S. all the while helping Burton develop its first splitboard. Baker, in Washington state. Craig died on 20 January 2003 near Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada in an avalanche which trapped 8 people and killed 6 others. He had no enemies. These circles included baseball, football, and soccer-early foreshadowing to the well-rounded life Craig would lead.When Craig first moved to Mount Vernon, Washington in 1979, a local kid named Dan Donnelly rode his bicycle past Craigs house to check out the new kid., Dan and Craig lifelong friendship was subsequently forged over BMX races (they were both sponsored by Fultons Schwinn, a shop in Mount Vernon) and jumps, and then, one day during the winter of 1981, their friend Jeff Fulton, whose father owned the Schwinn shop, invited them to try snowboarding. According to fraternity brother Mark Thomas, It wasnt just Mount Bakers insane terrain that kept him going back, it was his affection for a girl named Kelly Jo Legaz who worked on the mountain. Craig and Kelly Jo would become one of snowboardings first publicized romances. Craig Elmer Kelly was born on April Fool's Day-April 1, 1966. From day one they were pushing the sport.Duncan Howat, the owner of local resort Mt Baker,was in two minds whether to allow snowboarding. Destination of the week: Some of the best saltwater fishing within easy striking distance of Southland travelers is taking place off Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Ill just get this little night job so I can buy gas, you hear yourself saying. In the latest issue of the quarterly magazine frequency -- the Snowboarders Journal, Kelly talked about recently completing a top-level avalanche safety and awareness course, required of professional guides and forecasters. His daughter, Olivia, was born a few months after, a beautiful souvenir from the road, as he once said. The four-time World Champion was literally the best of the best, and brought serious freestyle credibility to Burton. SNOWBOARDER logo. Just as Kelly redefined what it meant to be pro, he redefined how snowboard products were developed. Years later, Craig served as a guest editor for the short-lived freeriding magazine, Snowboard Life. He had only fifteen units remaining to graduate, but traveling to contests around the world was tough to juggle with a full-time education. Healing Energies Accessing Life Photo Album from www.healingenergies.com, After reaching a goal weight during her year of health, rebel is celebrating 2020 in new. In the last few years of his life, Craig embarked on a 14-month journey starting up in Alaska and going down to Chile with his partner (girlfriend) Savina and two friends for adventure, surfing and living. We will never sell your data and you'll only get messages from us and our partners whose products and services we think you'll enjoy. Downing and his wife, freestyle pro Shannon Dunn, are expecting their first child this spring, but he does not intend to cut back on his backcountry excursions. Craig eventually became known as the sports first truly professional athlete, but dont mistake that for being a saint, says longtime friend Ken Achenbach. Subscribe to our free newsletter and stay up-to-date with the latest from Baker Hardcore posse a famous group he ran with on the mountain launch the ridge at Chair 5, and later when Chair 8 came in, the insane spectacle that occurs when Shuksan Arm has the stability to properly send. You simply didnt walk away from competing and expect to continue being paid to snowboard back then. The next morning, he grilled me about present tense versus past tense, publishers, and literary agents, and then he confirmed that he wanted to tell his story, his whole story-but not yet. It wont let you snowboard more because you ride every day and a car cant add days to the week. Downing, 34, who spends most of his winters filming and testing equipment in the backcountry slopes near his home in Lake Tahoe, said he has seen several avalanches, including one in which an entire upper-slope bowl released and shook the earth as it rumbled down the mountain -- but he has never been buried by one. The cross overlooks Baldface Lodge near Nelson, British Columbia. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. A place where he found inner peace. Kelly is known as the 'Godfather of Freeriding'; Terje Hkonsen called Kelly the best snowboarder of all time. Over the weekend, Craig Kelly was guidinga group of skiers and riders in the Revelstoke area ofBritish Columbia, explained an email from Burton.The group was caught in an avalanche. Craig is small in the frame and not facing the camera, but if you know ONE FUCKING THING about riding a snowboard you can see how absolutely bad ass this is. Yes, Craig was a man apart. He proved that you could still hold true to your values and succeed maybe not be a multimillionaire (as he clearly could have been), but the one out there scoring the best lines in the world. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. On weekends, Craig would go home to Mount Vernon, raid the refrigerator on Friday night, then hang out at Mount Baker until Sunday, when hed drive back to Mount Vernon, raid the refrigerator again, and return to the university. Dave Downing, 34, one of Kellys close friends and also a backcountry specialist, said that while he keeps telling people that Kelly died doing what he loved and where he loved to be, his passing is extremely hard to accept because Kelly was an expert in avalanche awareness and always studying the science of snow. At the time, an unheard of strategy for a pro snowboarder. Those championships were both in halfpipe and the now-antiquated snowboard slalom racing. Craig Kelly: April 1, 1966 January 20, 2003 A timeline of Craig Kelly's snowboarding accomplishments and life courtesy of Burton Snowboards. SNOWBOARDER has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Craig Kelly is not only my friend, but a hero and a mentor of mine in snowboarding. Among those scheduled to compete -- in Mammoths new Super Duper Pipe, 600 feet long with 22-foot walls -- are Olympic medalists Ross Powers, Danny Kass, JJ Thomas and Kelly Clark. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Then your job starts making you miss sleep, so you cant snowboard as hard or as long as you used to. His memory held strong last Friday as we rode straight onto the lift after the Canyon opened, giving us access to 14 inches of light, dry midweek powder. His parents supported his decision wholeheartedly, and he went on to earn world titles in every aspect of the sport (racing, moguls, and freestyle). Craig appeared in Warren Miller movies for several consecutive years. A true legend, Jason "J2" Rasmus turned his persona into a professional "Snowboarding was born, lived, and died in the mid 1990s." I almost feel bad telling others how idyllic Mt. A haven he never took for granted. News of Kelly's death sent shockwaves throughout the snowboarding community. Craig Kelly was born in 1966, the perfect age to grow up alongside the sport of snowboarding that would blow onto the scene in the 1980s. Your information has been successfully processed! TransWorld SNOWboarding debuted in 1987. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. This latest tragedy -- its not the first and wont be the last -- is painful proof of that. Goes Out newsletter, with the week's best events, to help you explore and experience our city. Read on after Olivas letter to hear about Craigs foundational influence on shaping Burtons rider-driven product ethos and creating the pathway to modern-day professional snowboarding. Nor do I know anybody who had the style and grace coming down the mountain. . He was the first child born to Pat Kelly and Janet Hansen; they considered him their "practice kid." Soon enough, Craig. The legal aspects of this contract would be debated in court later in his career, but at the time, he sought counsel from one of his older/wiser Delta Upsilon brothers, who told him, Sure you can sign it. Jeff figured Craig and Dan would be a good gauge of the toys potential. Listen to this episode from FNRad Snowboarding Podcast on Spotify. For over 15 years, Craig Kelly has left an indelible mark on the sport of snowboarding. 20, 2003 in Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada. Back at school during the week, Craig would set bamboo gates and train two or three nights under the lights at Ski Acres, outside of Seattle. When I finally met him he turned out to be the best possible role model. Craig had starring, uncredited, roles in Siberia and P-Tex, Lies & Duct Tape, which were both Greg Stump films. Craig Kelly passed away January 20, 2003. The first weeks list: skateboarder Andy Macdonald, motocross rider Carey Hart, snowboarder Torah Bright, surfer Kelly Slater and BMX rider Stephen Murray. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Download the original design pdf here: Keys To Reality. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Craig Kelly was the first true professional snowboarder. He returned from his journey with his new baby Olivia, as a "souvenir" he said, from his trip. His dad Pat explained that he could dealwith the loss because Craig had lived as much in 36 years as most ofus do in 80, which was a very fitting obituary. His input and collaboration on refining and creating new product, including Burtons [ak] line of top-tier backcountry gear, solidified Burtons rider-driven ethos.Towards the end of his life, Kelly had found a place of peace and contentment deep in the mountains. Craig would be really bummed if I stoped riding powder because of what happened to him. He was a four-time world champion and three-time U.S. Open champion, a fierce competitor whose talent was matched only by his passion for a sport he helped pioneer. Madison Blackley, Ozzy Henning, Aspen Weaver, Nate Haust, Joey Leon and more! Jason J2 Rasmus, 1972-2019Gone Tooz Soon. Kelly took snowboarding professionalism to a new level in the early1990s. Baker Banked Slalom snowboarding competition in 1988, 1991, and 1993. He was part owner and on the board of directors of Island Lake Catskiing near Fernie B.C. Last Friday was the 20th anniversary of his death. The slide was enormous, measuring about 150 feet wide and 300 feet long. He is the rider who put professionalism into team riding, and then laterdemonstrated his passion by dedicating his life to the sport. As the 1990s progressed, Kelly was regarded as the most bankablename in the sport. Part of the Vans Triple Crown of Snowboarding, it will feature some of the worlds top slopestyle and superpipe specialists. Source: snowboardmag.com Press play for a hell ride through Helsinki. But lately, what Kelly was really good at, and most passionate about, was, as he said, taking in the mountains, the pristine and powdery mountains. Squaw Valley (Nov 1, 1989) near KT22 cat track, Huge powder dump and open on Halloween weekend. Remaining skiers and guides from Selkirk Mountain Experience -- Kelly was a guest, not working as a guide -- toiled feverishly to dig them out and did so within about 30 minutes, but it was too late for seven of them, including the 36-year-old Kelly. Subscribe to I took it for granted that the four-time world champion/three-time national champion whose method airs Id tried to emulate in the late 80s would grow old as an icon of snowboardings soul. It spans over 25 years, watching as the snowboarding legend Kelly became one of the biggest names in the industry. He was able to live the dream in one of the most pure senses of the phrase. Not long after, legendary board makerTom Sims made a detour to Baker to see Craig ride.When I left, said Sims in a recent interview, I gaveCraig my personal board, a 1500 FE, and shook hishand. He was on the Sims snowboard team. Not just because of his snowboarding, but also for his lifestyleand love for the mountains. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Craig Kelly, 36, who retired from one of the most successful competitive careers in snowboarding history to follow his heart into the backcountry, was killed in an avalanche Monday near Revelstoke in the Canadian Rockies. Tragically,Craig Kelly and six others did not survive.. Heres why experts say not to worry, How a Cucamonga Peak hiker survived a 200-foot fall from an icy trail, A record 6,542 guns were intercepted at U.S. airports in 2022.
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