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By Sam Collentine, Meteorologist Posted 3 years ago December 11, 2020

WATCH: The Mountain Why - Bike to Ski Mt. Hood, Mt. Rainier, & El Dorado Peak

"The Mountain Why" stars OpenSnow Athletes Cody Townsend and Michelle Parker, two lifelong friends, riding their bikes, burdened by a 100+ lbs of skiing and camping gear, in search of climbing and skiing Mt. Hood, Mt. Rainier, and El Dorado Peak—3 of the 50 lines that Townsend is attempting to ski in his project called "The Fifty".

This bike to ski trip started out as an idea to navigate a world plagued by a pandemic but ended up being a profound look into the aspects of rebelling against the efficiencies and ease of modern life in search of the deeper meaning of “why” we are willing to do things the hard way.


'The FIFTY' is a project to climb and ski all 50 lines chronicled in the book, "The Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America". Over the next three years, Cody Townsend will be chronicling the adventures, challenges, and travels as he takes on a collection of the most aesthetic, spectacular, and hardest lines in North America.

Line #1: Messner Couloir

Line #2: Mt. Superior

Line #3: Terminal Cancer

Line #4: Hypodermic Needle

Line #5: Mt. Currie

Line #6: Aemmer Couloir

Line #7: Joffre Peak

Line #8: The Sphinx

Line #9: Spearhead Traverse

Line #10: Giant Steps Couloir

Line #11: Grand Teton

Line #12: Landry Line

Line #13: Middle Teton

Line #14-15: North Maroon & Holy Cross Couloir

Line #16: Mt. Tukuhnikivatz

Line #17: Wilson Peak

Line #18-19: Meteorite Mountain & Pontoon Peak

Line #20: Watson Traverse

Line #21: Mt. Shasta

Line #22: Mt. Timpanogos

Line #23: Mt. Washington

Line #24: Mt. Shuksan

Line #25: McGown Peak

Line #26: The Sickle

Line #27: Mt. Moran

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About The Author

Sam Collentine

Meteorologist

Sam Collentine is the Chief Operating Officer of OpenSnow and lives in Basalt, Colorado. Before joining OpenSnow, he studied Atmospheric Science at the University of Colorado, spent time at Channel 7 News in Denver, and at the National Weather Service in Boulder.

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