STORY BY KELLY CAVANAUGH
PHOTOS COURTESY OF KARL FOSTVEDT
“Crazy Karl” Fostvedt may not be as crazy as everyone thinks. His new movie “BrapSki Volume One,” which hits The Argyros Thursday night, highlights his culminated expertise in snowmobile skiing and backcountry risk management.
Confident, calculated and courageous could all substitute for his steadfast crazy persona.
"I have this whole nickname and branding—'Crazy Karl’--and I feel like people think I'm just some super sketchy lunatic. But I have a super good track record,” said Fostvedt, who grew up in Sun Valley.
To the average person, hurling a switch 900 (backward plus 2.5 rotations) into a 30-foot cliff drop at a 45-degree slope to win the iconic King of Corbet's competition at Jackson Hole does sound nuts. But Karl isn't crazy.
He has spent 29 years building his competence and confidence sliding on snow. From his ski school roots in Sun Valley to big lines in Alaska, Karl Fostvedt has worked and dedicated his life to overcoming the challenges of losing motivation and chasing the ski-pro pipedream. Karl even shocked his Old Man and siblings--doctors, engineers and lawyers all--by making a living as a professional skier.
With patience and incredible resilience to keep after it, he sent it to the professional level. Surrounding himself over the past 25 years with local comrades Yancy and Wyatt Caldwell, Spencer Cordovano, Barrett Cincotta and Collin Collins, Karl has built confidence in his own riding skill set and the crew he keeps closely knitted.
"BrapSkiing doesn't matter if you're going down sideways or forwards. It's more about being a team sport, and you're only as strong as the company you keep," said Fostvedt.
BrapSkiing utilizes two strong snowmobile riders standing Canadian—the skier standing side by side the driver--to shuttle the passenger up the slope. The pilot then drives down to collect the skier and repeat the shuttle all over again.
This team sport requires great skill, communication, and a depth of backcountry education and rescue proficiency to be successful.
One of Fostvedt’s best-cultivated attributes is his ability to calculate risk in the backcountry. It is rare to find both a Brapski-competent pilot and skier. But Fostvedt has curated a qualified group including Matt Guyre, who Karl relays "as one of those people who is so good at snowmobiling-- he's strong, competent and can assist with rescue efforts if sh%^ hits the fan."
Cultivating good chemistry and building a dynamic backcountry group is fun when exploring remote sequestered mountainous regions, he added.
Fostvedt plans on continuing to send'r strong—that is, go big, committing to a line--in the next phase of his career path. He is mentoring upcoming local athletes, creating stoke through his Native Earth production company and just an easy-going, accessible, and humble native valley ambassador.
Thursday’s film features Fostvedt and his crew of local Sun Valley Send'rs skiing and snowmobiling some of the best backcountry terrains in the American West. Among them: WingTai Barrymore, McKenna Peterson, Karl Fostvedt, Collin Collins, Harlan Collins, Dirt Franco, Matt Guyer, Barrett Cincotta, Lexi Dupont, Thayne Rich, Blaine Gallivan and Chase Josey.
The film was shot on location in Idaho, Washington, Alaska, Montana, Wyoming and Utah.
IF YOU GO:
“Crazy Karl Presents Brap Ski Volume One” will have its world premiere Thursday, Oct. 7, at The Argyros in Ketchum. The first screening starts at 5:30 p.m.; the second, at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $15, if purchased in advance at https://theargyros.org. They’re $20 at the door.
All guests over 12 must show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of showtime. Masks are required unless eating or drinking.