Checkers or Wreckers | Molly Armanino | E51

Pull up any social media feed on big line skiing and there’s a good chance you’ll see Molly Armanino stomping a serious cliff drop. There’s also a good chance you’ll see her tomahawking. In her rookie year on the 2023 Freeride World Tour, Molly’s checkers or wreckers approach – skiing lines no other woman dare ski – landed her a 2nd place finish. Perfecting her art of the send at Kirkwood amidst its treacherous volcanic “death rocks”, Molly’s fearless approach has inspired all skiers, regardless of gender. Equally inspiring is Molly’s perseverance in the face of unimaginable loss, opening up about the accident that took her brother Sam’s life just as she was finding closure after losing her best friend in a car accident. Molly talks about the therapeutic healing the outdoors brings her and also shares the story of losing her big toe to frostbite while skiing in Montana. Lots of laughs mixed with heavy emotion in this episode. See an advance screening of her first feature film, “Slopes of Change”, at 8PM on December 19 at Alibi Ale Works in Truckee!

2:30 – Recording this week at Gear Lab in South Lake Tahoe amidst dry weather and no snow.

5:30 – Riding brown pow on Harmony Ridge and Hoot Trail in Nevada City. Shared use trails versus segregated use trails.

8:00 – Dope or Derp? Collectibles like baseball cards, Garbage Pail Kids and wine.

20:45 – Print magazines to subscribe to – Nicholas on Insta – Mountain Gazette.

21:50 – Dope or Derp? Giving up on skiing in the winter when weather isn’t delivering.

25:10 – Introducing Molly Armanino – South Lake Tahoe core lord skier and her film Slopes of Change.

31:15 – Molly Armanino talks about her new hat, turkey feathers found on the family property and feeding wild animals.

35:15 – Molly’s upbringing in Sutter Creek and Placerville and hated skiing as a kid.

38:00 – Skiing at Kirkwood, its “death rocks” and the core underground vibe it’s kept despite being a Vail-owned resort. Home of Squid and Friends, Sam Armanino’s creation.

47:30 – Being good at tomahawking and training to tomahawk down the mountain.

48:40 – Getting into backcountry skiing after always being a resort skier.

50:30 – Missing the shot on the big line when being filmed.

54:05 – What’s more pressure – skiing for a film shoot or Freeride World Tour?

56:30 – Molly’s backcountry mentor McKenna Peterson and developing a close relationship.

1:03:45 – Pushing yourself and pushing the sport even if you risk serious injury and getting hurt.

1:11:30 – Getting into the Freeride World Tour.

1:14:00 – Molly losing her big toe to frostbite during an excursion in Cooke City, Montana and then getting 2ndin her rookie year on the Freeride World Tour.

1:22:50 – She seems to have Raynaud’s Syndrome now after getting frostbite, using boot warmers and glove warmers and dressing the core warmer to prevent Raynaud’s.

1:30:00 – Exploring and skiing the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

1:36:10 – PowBot and Molly going on a big backcountry mission in Desolation Wilderness during the early days of COVID after the loss of PowBot’s dad and how big missions help with coping.

1:42:30 – Being distracted by being hyper focused on a mission as a tool for coping with loss.

1:45:30 – Molly opening up about the loss of her brother Sam and a tragic car accident she was involved in with one of her best friends who didn’t survive.

1:53:10 – What does Mind the Track mean to you?

1:55:00 – December 19 in Truckee at Alibi Aleworks – Go see Slopes of Change!