Randy Shacket

ode to d miller

Evoking the stoke in his backyard, Darrell Miller is the humblest of hometown snow celebrities.

Darrell Miller drops into the abyss.

Lights, camera… Action Jackson. Through many years of Trial and Air, these Precious, Magic Moments have managed to bring tourists and Locs together. Jackson Hole, otherwise known as The Land of 1000 Dreams is one of the Most Wanted ski resorts in the world. Capturing skiers and snowboarders ripping high speed lines, sending huge airs, and riding deep powder while screaming, Whoopee, down these Sleeping Giants is no easy feat. Whether the snow gods bestow the mountains with 300 inches or 600 inches of beautiful Frosty Flakes in a season, Darrell Miller’s Thrillers will have anyone Falling Forward off the edge of his seat. Miller’s a.k.a. Storm Show Studios’ 15th movie, in collaboration with Full Room Productions, Cliff Hanger, premiered this fall. Darrell has been making ski/snowboard movies for more than 15 years. His progression as a filmer/producer has paralleled his progression as a snowboarder. A Jackson Hole native, Darrell grew up watching some of the best skiers in the world tackle big lines in the Tetons that few had ever considered. “To see what people were doing before me, helped me build my mentality and progress my riding. To see them succeed and get through hairy situations cleanly, opened my eyes to what is really possible,” explained Darrell, who has first descents in the Tetons with lines such as Cora’s Couloir, a broken couloir that requires billy goating, route finding and a mandatory air exit. In the Gros Ventre Range, Darrell branded the King Couloir, a remote, steep narrow vain that few have laid eyes on, and he has broken virgin trail on the Sleeping Indian, too. Yeah, Darrell’s no stranger to a hairy situation. A pioneer and a representative for all adventure snowboarders, Darrell stealthily moves

PHOTOS: TRISTAN GRESZKO, RYAN HALVERSON/FULL ROOM PRODUCTIONS

through the backcountry with an eye for obscure, dangerous lines. Of course, a great day of riding with your friends is awesome; it’s a perfect time to soak it all in and live in the moment. But Darrell finds the real reward to be in how the entire experience is immortalized. He wants you to feel like you are there with him.

“To see what people were doing before me opened my eyes to what is really possible.”

Sure, snowboarders are slow; we get stuck a lot, and yeah, skiers backslap and lose their skis. Often there is some disagreement on which method of mountain navigation is most enjoyable. But Darrell puts all the debate to rest by pointing the camera at anyone who is having fun. He films talented snowboarders such as Ryan Van Lanen ripping clean, unknown lines and the infamous Jason Elms backflipping smooth and large. He has shots of Jason King and Scott Bauer with their fluid, seamless styles, and Travis McAlpine dropping intense first descents. Then he’s got shots of talented two plankers such as Full Room’s Ryan Halverson with his corked 720s, and Dave Van Ham with his face melting high speeds and maniacal cliff hucking. He’s even got shots of Derek Deperio’s many first descents and gut wrenching crashes. But perhaps the most notable thing about D’s work is that he not only has an amazing group of riders to film, but the footage is mostly all local and without the aid of mechanical assistance. There are no high budget heli trips to Alaska; there are no exotic trips to Nepal; it all happens in our backyard.

A man and his mountain. Photo: Ryan Halverson / Full Room Productions

Another dreary day at le office de Teton. Photo: Ryan Halverson / Full Room Productions Cliff Hanger continues D’s legacy of capturing local brilliance, and he sews in some footage of locals in a few foreign lands, too. Expect to see high speed lines with mandatory air, POV footage of riders clinging to the side of steep faces, painful crashes, and of course, deep pow.

So the next time you’re in the Snake River Brew Pub boasting about the gnarly line you skied and how you can get to so many awesome places, just remember that sitting in the corner sipping a beer is the humble Darrell Miller, who might have just helped you get there. rs

Randy Shacket is a modern day mountain man who always comes armed with an iPod full of Wu Tang, a backpack full of Cliff bars, and a pocket full of fresh safety supplies.

@mountainrandy

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