Each seemed to have his own unique ski style. Maks Page digging in his skis at hypersonic speed, using every inch of the edge to capture the perfect turn. Owen, his younger brother, popping over the bumps seamlessly, almost as if he were hovering over each obstacle. Their dad, T.R., and I just trying to keep up with the boys' unrelenting youth and skill.
I met up with these three on a bone-chilling bluebird day at Schweitzer to rip laps, eat pizza and better understand how a dad and two of his sons have skied together for six-plus years, as a family, at least once a month, year-round. Maks, who is 18, and T.R. have logged 88 consecutive months; 16-year-old Owen is at 83.
Six years ago, Maks inadvertently pitched the ski-every-month idea while skiing and hiking in Glacier National Park for his birthday. After popping through the sun cups of the snowfield, Maks told his dad, "How about for my 12th year, we ski 12 consecutive months?"
As we rode the lifts at Schweitzer, I peppered the boys with questions about their favorite trips, memorable experiences on their monthly quest and what they have learned along the way. I felt a kinship with this crew and was curious to hear their trials and triumphs. Critical to this mission to ski each month is their father, T.R., a firefighter, and their mom, Amy, who works at Schweitzer.
TOGETHER TIME... TO THE MAX
The Pages spent time living in Montana and Washington and now call Sandpoint home. They seem to have hit their stride in the quiet town, which hugs the lakes and mountains of North Idaho. Owen and Maks are homeschooled, which affords them time to ski when the schooling is done. Both have paying jobs when not studying or skiing, which seems unfortunately rare nowadays.
When pressed with questions on the lift, both boys acted quiet and calculated in their responses, as if analyzing each month's adventure. Little did they know I was super intimidated and wondered if I could keep up. Either due to the nature of being teenagers and not listening, or listening and not caring, when asked where I wanted to ski, I said, "Dealers' choice, just not the park." After a lightning-fast lap down South Bowl's K-Mac, most likely the fastest I have ever gone down the run, the wind helping me dump speed, they both stopped at the entrance of the terrain park. Perfect, I thought. Exactly what I said I did not want to do. Owen, Maks and T.R. waving at people as we navigated the booters and rails. My bases firmly glued to the snow, while the boys popped off everything in sight.
To T.R., the desire to be with his boys and see them grow, not only as skiers but as young men, was at the core of the idea of raising ski bums. They originally felt pressure from the traditional school system in Spokane, but soon found support within the Five Mile Prairie School, a homeschool co-op. After a lengthy explanation of why the boys had missed so much school, reappearing with goggle tans and stories of long walks in the mountains, a supportive administrator recommended the co-op for a more flexible schedule.
Which also fit with T.R.'s unique firefighter schedule. Long shifts followed by long stints off, sometimes up to five days, called "Kelly" days. Seeing his sons' dedication to skiing year-round, T.R. made a promise to himself that his Kelly days would be spent outside with his family, skiing, climbing and exploring the outdoors. He has kept his word to the boys for six years and counting.
IT TAKES DEDICATION
People who jump into the ski year-round game and make it past 12 months know that it becomes an addiction. But this addiction is not easy. The path of least resistance is still a path of significance. It comes with dedication. For a teenager, I can't imagine. You must really love the sport. You also have to love being with your family and be cool with missing some of the standard teenage experiences.
Both Owen and Maks seemed wise beyond their years. Jobs, school, lacrosse, skiing year-round. When pressed, I learn that T.R. is not one who takes being a father for granted. He makes the boys really work for the lifestyle. They have to produce not only scholastically, but outside of school as well. The boys plan the trips, creating the itineraries and dreaming up the next voyage to the mountains.
Through the years, their planning has evolved from local spots to the volcanoes of the Pacific Northwest. Some years ago, I came across the Pages walking up Mount Hood as I was clocking in a month of turns. I did not know it then, but years later I would become a father. Although my daughters are not of skiing age, I listened intently to T.R., his boys and Amy as we ate pizza at Powder Hound Pizza, where Maks works, banking away little nuggets of parenting wisdom.
The ski-year-round homeschool lifestyle is not for everyone. But many applicable skills can be gleaned from it. I learned that if I can convince my kids to want to ski, and to want to ski with me into their teen years and still think I am kinda cool (as it appeared Maks and Owen did of their dad), then I will have done something right.
We cleared our plates, packed up our to-go pizza and went our separate ways. Maks and Owen off to Mission Ridge to rep K2 skis for a few days, T.R. and Amy back to the humble job of parenting teenagers. As for me, I was left to think about T.R. quoting his favorite movie, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty:"Live life by the ABCs ... adventure, bravery and creativity." ♦
Nick Pontarolo is a Spokane attorney and an adherent to the ski-every-month lifestyle — as documented in his Feb. 10, 2022 story, "A Century on Skis," which marked his passing 100 consecutive months of skiing. Earlier this month at Mount Hood, he hit 10 years.
