Category Finalist 2010: Playground

Will Wissman

Reggie Crist was one of the first skiers to pioneer heli-skiing in Haines over a decade ago. Here, he unlocks the door to a tricky first descent of The Tongue, located on the east-facing flank of Mount Kraus. It was the beginning of April and we were locked into perfect conditions.

I distinctly remember my first look at Mount Kraus. It sits high above the surrounding peaks at a lofty 7200-feet. The eastern flank of Kraus is riddled in ice and contains a perfect ramp right down the gut, as seen in the photo. To enter the line Reggie had to manage a difficult maze of cracks and cliffs. Once he opened the door, it was clean all the way through.

At first glance I knew an opposing view would offer the best angle on the ice field. I was able to find the perfect perch looking right in on the slope. as I set up my equipment tension began to build. Was reggie going to find his way in? Were the cracks filled in enough for a skier to bridge? Would he ski it fast and fluid? These were the essential ingredients to making the shot stand out. Before Reggie reached the bottom of his run I knew the image would be strong. He had flashed the line leaving a perfect track. Stoke was high as everything had come together.

PHOTO INFO

Photographer: Will Wissman
Athlete: Reggie Crist
Location: Haines, AK, USA

TECHNICAL INFO

Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark II N
Lens: EF70-200mm f/2.8L USM
ISO: 100
F-Stop: f 5.6
Shutter Speed: 1/1250