Custom Ski Makers Carve INW Niche

Cris Burnham of Substance Skis talks about his business at his home in Coeur d’Alene on Nov. 20. (SR photo: Kathy Plonka)

TJ Sneva wanted skis that would accommodate the kinds of tricks he and his friends liked to pull on the slopes, and major manufacturers weren’t making them – so he started building them himself. David Marx wanted skis that would work in the “side-country” terrain around Schweitzer Mountain – skis that could handle low-angle backcountry touring and uphills, but still float through powder turns on the downhills and inside the resort. Now his 7B Skis has a full line of models, with demos available on the slopes at Schweitzer. Caleb Baukol of Big Wood Ski wanted to build elegant, fully customized skis out of hardwoods that could stay stable on the slopes of Sun Valley. “This mountain is so steep and so fast and so demanding,” he said. “We have real skiers here that just rip.” All are small ski manufacturers that are part of the craft ski movement/ Betsy Russell , SR. More here.

Question: Did you ski during the Thanksgiving holiday?