A skier's Journey Season2 Episode 3

ARGENTINA

A skier's Journey Season2 Episode 2

BAFFIN ISLAND

A skier's Journey Season2 Episode 1

The Friends of Shames

2011 Covers

AKA SKIDOR November 2011

POWDER December 2011

In The Beginning

I often think about the bigger picture in life...Trying to find a balance between being present in the moment, and allowing the mind to get lost in the fond memories of the past. There are times when the vision is clear, the mind is sharp, the body is strong & healthy and the eyes sparkle the truth (for what they have seen may reflect in the eyes of the people that we love and cherish the most). Then there are moments in life when we feel lost and lonely, trying to free the spirit from heartache, pain, expectations, then finally losing sinserity and compassion, for the gift of having faith in the journey that leads use all to the discovery of ones destiny. How the most unexpected, but heart felt moments always seem to present themselves, when the spirit is searching for answers...we are so blessed with a breath of courage for the moments in life that lie ahead.

Long before this picture was ever published, I had always dreamed of being on the cover of Powder magazine.  I was 18 years old living on Silver Star mtn with my folks, working carpentry trying to save enough money to go trekking in the Himilaya's, to get a true impression on the mountain culture in the remote villages of the Kumbo. At this point in my life,  I was genuinely free spirited, extremely fit and motivated to chase my passions for the high mountains, with a clear vision as to what I wanted out of life.  All I thought about was climbing and skiing for the camera, and I was sure that was the path destined to be explored.  So, I moved to Whistler in the fall of 2002 to see if i could crack into the ski industry, and put my competitive abilities on the free skiing tour to the test.  I can still remember those first few days sitting in the old A-frame cabin on Toni Sailor lane watching winter make it's way down into the valley and instantly realizing I had found my paradise, and before long I'd be suiting up for battle.

The date was Nov 15th 2002, 2:15pm on an over case day/light winds with scattered showers, a perfect day for a mountain bike ride followed up with a warm brew and a sauna with an old mate.  Not knowing anyone in town, I thought it was about time to start making some calls so I picked up the phone book and flipped threw the pages in search for "M'.  I new of Paul Morrison from his ski photography in Powder Magazine and I was also aware that he was still very active in the ski world basing himself out of Whistler.  I had always wanted to meet Paul, so I decided to call him and see if he might be interested in taking some pictures together sometime.

I remember being so nervous when i was standing on the top of the ridge in the morning light, awaiting his count down...my heart was pumping with adrenaline as I stepped in my platform one last time before I teed up my take off heading straight for Paul's lense.   Twenty five footer's were standard jumps at that time so I was confident that I had it all the way and could not hesitate.  It was a perfect oppertunity to make my mark, and there it is... my first ever published photo in the mags and just as I had invisioned it would be.    Thank you Paul!

"Never fear a vision that is yet to be lived alone, for then its magic, it's surely meant to fade away in the moments of hesitation, life's grandest, most pure sensations become only a whispering illusion."

Cover of Wall Street Journal, Travel Section.

Contemplation...

I often think about the bigger picture in life.....
Trying to find a balance between being present in the moment and allowing the mind to get lost in the fond memories of the past....
There are times when the vision is clear, the mind is sharp, the body is strong and healthy and the eyes sparkle and shine true, for what they have seen may reflect in the eyes of the people that we love and cherish the most.
And then there are moments in life when we feel lost and lonely, trying to free the spirit from heartache, pain, expectations, then finally losing sincerity and compassion for the gift of having faith in the journey that leads use all to the discovery of ones destiny....
And how the most unexpected but heart felt moments always seem to present themselves when the spirit is searching for answers.
As we are so blessed with a breath of courage for the moments in life that lie ahead....

Seasons Change

The Balance of Life

 I find myself more passionate than ever about shooting film! A love affair that will never end, nor could ever be replaced.....Walking out of an airport after a 3 month epic, with 20 roles of Velvia in your rucksack is a lost passtime for most photographers, but for myself its one of the most exciting feelings I get out of life.

Physically and mentally pouring thought and emotion into each image...searching for the light ~ in frame~ in exposure ~ in focus ~ and in the final touches of the journey, protecting that film with your life, as it can be lost in the moment of a wrong decision or unfortunite encounter with mixed cultures.

There you are home at last!  Priority obligations like calling your mother to tell her you've made it home safe, or catching up with an old mate to share a few stories over tea, and quickly the photos are put on the back burner. Eventually you become so involved in your work, that for days the mind is lost in admiration for what the body and spirit has just experienced and is now captured forever in time.

I often think about how photography has shaped my life, and of the leasons I have learned in the process.  Ever since I set out to travel 13 years ago, the dream of one day writing a book and sharing my work has always motivated me.  Having a clear vision of what the final presentation might look like, with the hopes that it will touch peoples lives the way each experience has affected me.   Will people really understand the emotion and sincerity that goes into my work?  In the big picture, I could just be another photographer that has this obsessive desire to be alone in nature. But personally its much deeper than that....I feel a true sense of meaning and appreciation for the gift of life when I walk away from a beautiful tropical sunset with my tripode slung over my shoulder...

I realized long ago that being a photgrapher is a very personal and intimite experience, a stimulation of all the bodies senses in that brief moment of life passing you by...

"Never fear a vision that is yet to be lived alone,  for then it's magic is surely meant to fade away...in the moments of hesitation, life's grandest and most pure sensations become only a whispering illusion"

La Grave, France 2010

La Grave~ Living Dreams Unknown~

Ahhhhh, the feeling of being high in the Alps with great friends, on a frigid winters day! Exploring the crisp solitude, while setting the spirit free...but in a moment of truth, finding yourself afraid to make even the smallest mistake.  I have skied in La Grave a total of 12 weeks in the past three winters, falling deeper in love with it's intensity, beauty, and wisdom...each time I find myself skiing along side it's shadows. My most recent session, during the filming "A Skiers Journey", with my great friend Jordan Manley, was an emotional experience to say the least.

How much my skiing has changed, I thought, and for the first time in my 10 year career, I was no longer setting the rhythm of the ascent, but rather struggling to stay on my feet.  I listened closely to God's voice in the wind, trying to figure out how I could keep going amidst such pain and frustration. Simply sharing the love of skiing amongst friends, and breathing the fresh mountain air, was becoming almost unbearable. It got to the point that I couldn't even walk to the Te'le'phe'rique, without my fractured leg screaming at me to go back BC and hang up the skis..."really go home before something bad happens."

Over the past 7 years, I have struggled with several major injuries, that have frequently presented themselves during the process of chasing my dreams. Unfortunately, the off seasons are just not long enough for the body to heal. For six months now, I have taken the time to be present, while the long process of healing and rebuilding takes place. It also has given me the chance to reflect on my many years of travel, and consciously relive the memories created with so many wonderful, interesting and loving people along the way.

I have always believed, that if I followed my heart, no matter where it took me, it would be a place that I could be myself without expectation for what might lay ahead. All those days, pushing the limits climbing, pounding the trails on my hard tail, paddling into big waves or wandering the endless streets of the third world searching that gem photo, but without a doubt, the most expressive and challenging journey to date has yet to present itself.
"How the most unexpected, yet most heart felt moments, always seem to present themselves when the spirit is searching for answers and longing for inspiration"

The long road to Gulmarg, Kashmir.

Kashmir - A Skier's Journey: Ep1

Big Crash - While filming in Alaska with Rocky Mtn Sherpas

Free Skier Chad Sayers takes a big fall - While filming in Alaska.

Just getting another tune-up at the shop.

Thanks!! to Peak Performance Physio for keeping me on the slopes.

La Grave, France 2010

I have recently returned from another amazing trip in La Grave, France. Jordan Manley has the perfect description- "The grandur of rock and ice will blow the mind, and the way a skier can move through such a huge volume of spectacular terrain in a day, is like nothing else I’ve experienced.  You have to be on your toes, and you have to know where you’re going, as there is no ski patrol, nothing is marked, and the terrain is extremely complex. You’re on your own to wander the mountains, giving you a much more real experience as a skier, and consequently you feel that much more alive".

Deep Winter Photo Contest 2009

Cascade Volcano Tour 2009

Here is a short movie from our summer volcano tour.


Cascade Volcano Ski Tour 2009 from Jordan Manley Photography on Vimeo.

2009 Pro Photographer Showdown.

Working and traveling with Jordan Manley over the last few years has been an amazing experience...just have a look at his amazing body of work and you will know why.

2009 Pro Photographer Showdown Slideshow from Jordan Manley Photography.

Buried Alive in Patagonia-Discovery Channel's "Raging Planet"

Portillo Photo Challenge Jordan Manley

2008 South American Photo Challenge Slideshow from Jordan Manley Photography on Vimeo.

Vernon MorningStar Fall 2009 article: Sayers descends on Pantagonia

Sayers descends on Patagonia

       

Outdoor adventurer Chad Sayers climbs a slope to do some extreme back country skiing.

By Kevin Mitchell - Vernon Morning Star

Pro skier, Paddler, Rock and ice climber, Snowboarder, Surfer...pick a sport and pick a country, and former Vernon resident Chad Sayers has been there and done that to the extreme.  In his ninth winter of skiing and living at Whistler, the 31-year-old VSS grad had gone around the world for the past 10 years working on his photography and enjoying outdoor challenges. He has been on the cover of ski magazines, he plans to publish a gallery book of his photos, and his chilling Patagonia trek five years ago will, sometime this fall, be featured on a TV documentary.  Life, as a fun-seeker on pretty much his own terms, is a blast for the 5-foot-7, 147-pounder who nearly perished in a ski crash in Utah five years ago, and has suffered numerous injuries tackling the mountains and streams.
Sayers, who each summer visits his parents at their home in Honduras to heal his body, is stoked about the documentary.  “I travelled back to Patagonia with Pioneer TV to document a ski expedition that I did with friends Mark Tinholt and Steve Ogle five years ago for the Discovery Channel’s new epic series called Raging Planet. You can look for this documentary sometime this fall. A dream for us to be able to share and inspire.”Located in the southernmost portion of South America in Argentina and Chile, Patagonia is known for its windswept lands, glaciers, low bush, bleakness and danger. It is scattered with dinosaur bones and living relics. Sayers and company endured several near-death calls on the journey.
“The Patagonia documentary that I was a part of this past April was a dream-come true for my two friends and I. It was a 30-day expedition that took place five years ago on the Southern Icecap in Argentina, which proved itself to be the moment when at 25, I became a man. We experienced a two-week storm once we made it on the icecap which repeatedly buried us and nearly ended our lives. Somehow, five years after the trip, the adventure was researched and chosen to be part of the Raging Planet series.”
In the past five years, Sayers has been to India, South America five times, Central America 15 times, all through the U.S., Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Greece and all over Europe seven times.
“I have experienced so many beautiful moments of stillness in solitude where I can truly feel the simplicity of life. The travelling lifestyle is not always easy especially when you are in countries that have such poverty and crime.  “There are moments when you find yourself sitting on a dirty old curb in some far off country asking God how one self will find their way back home. I have been so very fortunate to have seen most everything in the past five years moving through the mountains, and surfing oceans wandering far off countries. The lowlights in my travels have given me the chance to truly embrace life for what it is and open myself to grow as an individual.”
Sayers figures this unique lifestyle was definitely something that just manifested as he became more passionate about seeing the world and taking his own photos.  “When my folks moved to Honduras nine years ago, it gave me a great opportunity to be in the tropics and find a passion for surfing and being by the sea. As time went on, and my ski career blossomed, it also gave me a chance to travel year round and be in the mountains in the most stunning landscapes, so I like to think that it was meant to be.”  He hopes his book will inspire and motivate people to follow their hearts and make the most of the gift of life.  “It’s a big bright world out there and for someone that wants to see it, it’s there waiting. The book will be hardcore coffee table with my 100 best (photos).”
Sayers carries sponsorship from Arc’teryx, Adidas, Kastle, G3, Hestra, Leki, Suunto, Peak Performance Physio and Silver Star Mountain Resort.
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