Mountain Ambassadors
Age: 44
Profession: Ski Wear Developer
Activities: Biking, Skiing & Hiking
Mark Kogelmann
Age: 34
Profession: You hiring???
Hometown: State College, PA
Where you can be found: Mt. Baker, Washington
I am the son of an Austrian immigrant who earned the nickname “Chainsaw Willy” after he moved to State College, PA, where I grew up. Not only did my father chase away trespassers with his trusty chainsaw, he also introduced me to the Austrian sport of skiing at the age of 3 years old. I developed into an alpine ski racer by skiing the steep icy slopes of Tussey Mountain, eventually placing 2nd at the Mid-Atlantic regional championship as a J-1. I raced my freshman year in college, making the all conference team and competing at the USCSA Nationals. However, I dropped off the team after I saw Sick sense by MSP and moved to Crested Butte, where I began Big Mountain Skiing. The next few years were spent on the Pro-Leisure tour, following the snow.
Currently based in SLC, UT, living with my wife - and best friend - Judith, I spend my weekdays ripping Mt Baker, and my weekends chillin’ with my wife and dog. I am proud to be on the Cloudveil Mountain Ambassadors Team ripping big lines and dropping massive cliffs.
Alexandra von Wichman
Age: 45
Profession: Custom Boat Charter Owner/Operator
Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska
I have lived in Anchorage, Alaska where I was born into a family of avid outdoor lovers. I started as an alpine ski racer, nationally ranked, and ended my career with Division 1 NCAA skiing. I alpine ski coached for 16 years. With my brother, I have run a guided tour outfit since 1993 focusing on eco charters and soft adventure travel – hiking, kayaking, fishing and extended overnight boat tours. We’ve commercially fished in South-Central Alaska since 1981. My outdoor activities and interests widely vary, ranging from any type of ski, skate, snowshoe, and ice climbing. I started tele-marking within the last 10 years and find it rejuvenating. I have never known a “bad” day in nature, only bad gear – Cloudveil has offered me warmth, practicality, waterproofing, comfort and mobility for years.
Alex Hassman
Age: 37
Profession: Owner of a home remodeling company and ski patroller for Big Sky Resort
Hometown: Big Sky, MT
Where I can be found: When I am not running a Saws-All or playing with my kids, I can be found Mountain biking and kayaking in and around South West Montana. Winter, I divide my time between skiing at the resort, backcountry skiing, and skate skiing. In between seasons I trail run and ride my cyclocross bike.
If I was only allowed to do one sport year round and I had to choice between the sports I enjoy... I would have to say I would ride my bikes. This pains me to say this because skiing would be interchangeable with biking if not preferred. It comes down to never summer vs. never winter.
I seem to do a lot of competitions. I think it was an attempt, by my parents to direct my energy, but I was thrown into sports and competition at an early age. I did everything from soccer, swim team, T-ball, ski racing, lacrosse, tried golf, tried tennis. It seems natural now to scrap and be pushed hard. When I win I can't wait for the next event, when I get schooled, I wonder why try. All and all it keeps drawing me back.
I appeared in a couple of local videos and a Tough Guy Production telemark video. It’s funny, once I came in second at the U.S. Telemark National Championship and placed 2nd overall in the standings. Tiger Woods won a big PGA title that same weekend and my mom was like "so this is good, you must have won a car or something? What kind of winnings we talk'n"...winnings mom... it's telemark skiing, not golf.
Brian Prax
Age: 40
Profession: Physical Therapist, Mountain Guide, Guide book writer, Photographer
Hometown: Jackson Hole WY (since 1996)
I have been alpine climbing for over 20 years, including rock, ice, and mixed ascents all over the lower 48, Canada, Alaska, and the Himalaya. I have climbed the Cassin Ridge on Denali and have soloed the direct NE face of Cho Oyu. I have been an Exum guide for 10 years and have been an ambassador athlete for Cloudveil since 1997. I climb, road and mountain bike, race motorcycles, white water raft, and hike in the summer, hunt elk and deer in the fall, ice climb and back country ski and snowboard in the winter, and try to stay dry in the spring. Typically, I have represented Cloudveil at the Cody Ice Fest and the Oury Ice Festival, teaching climbing clinics and providing guided ascents at these events, and would be happy to continue to do so.
Eric Anderson
Hometown: I reside in Victor, Idaho with my hottie wife Sarah and kinda hot dog Bo.
Cait Parker
Age: 26
Profession: Outdoor Educator, Wilderness First Aid Instructor
Hometown: Seattle
Where I can be found: anywhere west of 108° longitude.
I grew up beside the inspiring mountains of the Pacific Northwest. I love doing anything outdoors and under my own power including climbing, mountaineering, skiing, trail running, and mountain biking. After growing up competing in the team sports arena, I am now looking forward to mixing endurance solo events into my schedule of adventures. When the snowflakes fall and winter gets under way I embark on backcountry ski trips, escape to the south to climb, and test myself at the Equinox Ski Challenge in March. It has been said: If you don't love what you are doing...do something else.
Jason West
Photo: Steve Lloyd
Age: 35
Profession: Physical Therapist
Hometown: Brighton, Utah
Where I can be found: Hopefully in the mountains whatever the season.
Growing up in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, I have a deep connection to the wilderness and experiencing life outdoors. Of all the great ways to spend time outside, my all time favorite is skiing in the backcountry either on telemark or alpine gear. I actively shoot with numerous photographers and film with the Powderwhores (Flakes, Television). I also specialize in physical therapy for skiers and other outdoor athletes both in injury prevention and return to high-level sport after injury.
Luke Kretschmar
Age: 31
Profession: Climber, Registered Nurse
Hometown: Rapid City, SD
Where I can be found: Black Hills of South Dakota
I started climbing and snowboarding at age 15 in the Black Hills of South Dakota. After high school I moved to Big Sky Montana then to Salt Lake City to pursue snowboarding. As time went on I began climbing more than snowboarding and decided to move back to the Black Hills to climb granite spires, Devils Tower and develop the untapped limestone in the hills. I have always been intrigued by the endurance and excitement of both sport and traditional climbing. I currently live in Rapid City South Dakota and I am enjoying everything the hills have to offer. Most of the year I am climbing and bolting routes out in the Black Hills with friends. When the weather turns I make my way to Utah to snowboard in the Wasatch Mountains. This year, I plan on travel nursing and continue to climb and snowboard in different parts of the country.
Peter Wadsworth
Age: 33
Profession: Photographer & Mechanical Engineer
Hometown: Burlington, VT
Where I can be found: in my cubicle, cramming work before the next storm cycle. or in the skin track, cramming another lap before heading back to my cubicle.
I’m a backcountry skier earning my turns on the weather worn mountains of New England. I also trail run, climb, race bikes, and even show up fairly regularly to a day job (and a side job). But really, these other things are just enablers for backcountry skiing adventures away from the lifts and crowds. Starting in 2010 I'll be desperately balancing my annual goal to rack up at least 100,000 ft of skinning per season, with rehabbing a 111 year old house I just moved into with my partner Jessie.
Susan Medville
Age: 38
Profession: Cultural Consultant
Hometown: Reston, VA
Where I can be found: Pemberton, BC
Susan is a skier who loves exploring the mountains and discovering new lines around her home in Pemberton, BC and afar. For many years she competed as ski racer and later on the International Freeskiers Association's World Tour. She skied until a month before her son Jack Ari was born and is looking forward to watching him grow up skiing deep powder.
Todd Anders Johnson
Age: 40
Profession: Music producer/performing artist in Salem, founder of the Risan Project
Hometown: Blue River, CO
Where I can be found: In Summit County boarding at the resorts and backcountry, mountain biking, hiking and river rafting. I am off to Alaska in April for my annual pilgrimage to the Chugach for deep pow and Salem events in Valdez, Anchorage, Talkeetna, Homer and Girdwood.
I have been snowboarding for 25 years since my early days in Vermont, ski racing in high school. I have been traveling to Alaska for 13 years and enjoying backcountry and heli-boarding, glacier trekking, river rafting and sea kayaking with an amazing crew of friends who guide and reside in that great land. Residing just south of Breckenridge at 10, 200 ft., I have been teaching at the resort and taking classes like ice climbing, wilderness first responder and GPS-oriented GIS courses.
