John Collinson is a big mountain freeskier whose accomplishments in the sport have earned him multiple podiums on the Freeskiing World Tour and awards for his frequent appearances in Red Bull and Teton Gravity Research films. Equally skilled in the tricks and style of free skiing and in the speed and scale of big mountain skiing, Johnny is known for his versatility and range. In this conversation, he and Payson talk about how a recent knee injury has helped him discover an affinity for a whole new kind of athletic achievement, how diet influences his training, and why he chooses diversity in rehab workouts over specifics. While Johnny is primarily known for his abilities going down mountains, his accomplishments going up them gained him widespread public attention in his early years. He tells Payson about his mountaineering career, which dates back over decades when he climbed including what it was like to climb Mount Rainier at age four, how he became the youngest person ever to climb the Seven Summits at the age of 17, and why he’s glad he never got sponsored for it. They also talk about his childhood traveling around the mountains in the west with his parents and older sister Angel in a ’79 Ford Econoline van, and how an unfortunate incident with a piece of cheese led to some youthful innovations in the disposal of unwanted food on family hikes.
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