Endless winter

VAIL — In 17 years and just as many movies for Warren Miller Films, Vail local and extreme-skiing legend Chris Anthony accrued a lifetime’s worth of incredible stories from chasing powder in such far-flung spots as Ecuador, Iran and Kazakhstan.

But the man knows his audience, and when he spoke to fifth- and sixth-graders at Vail Mountain School last Friday, he knew the story they’d relish the most: the time he ate a sheep’s cranium.

“In Kazakhstan, they believe that you eat the part of the sheep’s head that you need to improve upon in yourself,” he said to a chorus of “eeeeewwwws.” “I guess I don’t listen too well because they made me eat the ears.”

In between telling thrilling tales of skiing down volcanoes or teaching Kazakhs to build a snow jump, he encouraged the kids to set goals and take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way.

“If you work really hard and set everything up just right, you really can live your dream,” he said. “And remember, always take advantage of the journey — getting there is the fun part.”

Anthony is nominally on a promotional tour for Warren Miller’s latest film, “Off the Grid,” but as a veteran of Warren Miller’s elite team, he’s matured into both a master of ceremonies and an ambassador in the last eight years. In addition to wrangling new athletes and hosting film premieres, the Battle Mountain graduate travels to schools around the country, inspiring and motivating his audiences with clips from his film appearances and words of wisdom from a man who’s made a living “getting away with not growing up.”

“The best is when we do it for inner-city schools, and we show these kids these amazing things in the mountains,” Anthony said. “Then, right after the show, we put them on a bus and take them up there, so they can experience it themselves.”

From snow to screen

Anthony is quick to point out to both his audiences and new Warren Miller recruits that filming is never as easy as it looks — especially on top of a mountain.

“I definitely remember my first time on one of these film shoots, and it’s a lot different than you ever imagine,” Anthony said. “You just think that you go out ski and the camera happens to catch the whole thing. A lot of skiers don’t realize how much work it takes to get a few seconds of footage up on the screen.”

Anthony’s veteran status and knowledge in the field enables him to help ease young skiers through what can be an intimidating debut.

“You have to help calm them down into that and pace themselves out,” Anthony said. “Having someone more experienced around can point them in the right direction and bring out the best in them.”

But Anthony often learns from and feeds off the younger generation as well, and the natural competition on the slopes translates into exciting footage.

“The young guys make me step it up because they come in there with all that free energy and, well, balls,” Anthony said. “Hopefully, the younger guys can respect the elders — I know I did. The veterans were the ones I idolized, and I hope that’s how they think.”

Even though he remains a seasoned member with thousands of turns on film under his belt, recent close calls have reminded him of the danger at the core of extreme skiing, and they’ve instilled a respect for the powerful forces at work in the natural world. This year, while filming a scene in Montana for “Off the Grid” that didn’t even make the final cut, Anthony got buried in a small avalanche.

“As small a shot as it is in the film, the climb up to get a few turns to get the perfect shot turned into an extremely dangerous situation,” he said. “That puts everything into perspective and reminds us of how insignificant we are compared to Mother Nature when she decides to hiccup. When we do those things we’re vulnerable; we can’t let our guard down.”

Fallen heroes, future legends

When Anthony talks about the latest iteration in the Warren Miller franchise, he lights up with excitement about several sequences in the film, but he seems especially touched with a tribute to Doug Coombs, the renowned skier who died in La Grave, France, last April.

“The tribute to Doug Coombs means a lot — he was one of my idols growing up,” Anthony said. “I got to compete against him years back, and I got to be around him in Alaska when things were firing up there. This is important, because it documents a significant person in our collective skiing history.”

But set amid the tribute to a lost icon is a film that celebrates emerging stars who will likely become legends for the next generation of skiers. “Off the Grid” includes footage of local favorite Toby Dawson, Jamie Pierre’s record 245-foot cliff huck in Wyoming and paraplegic Kevin Bramble sit-skiing down the Chugach in Alaska.

“It’s impressive,” Anthony said of Bramble’s achievement. “They took him to the top of the Chugach, and he’s only three feet off the ground — he looks like a ground mole plowing through the powder.”

When pressed, Anthony has a difficult time pinpointing his career-making moment or the defining performance that cements his achievement as a skier.

“I’ve gotten to go to some exotic locations, and each trip is so unique it’s hard to separate any one,” he said. “It’ll be in your mind forever. The whole thing’s been a giant distraction to me growing up.”

Vail, Colorado

Arts & Entertainment Writer Ted Alvarez can be reached at 748-2939 or talvarez@vaildaily.com.