About the Print:

To create this print, we used the old printing process of cyanotype.  We asked Noah to gather a few of his favorite local plants and matter while out on the trails this summer.  If you were lucky, you might've spotted him stuffing his pockets with fallen leaves and wildflowers somewhere along the trails around Stowe, VT.

Cyanotyping is a photographic printing process that produces a distinctive cyan-blue print by using UV light to expose an object or negative onto a sensitized surface. It is “one of the earliest photographic processes”, dating back to the mid 1800’s. Historically, the process of cyanotyping was primarily used to reproduce engineering and architectural drawings. The characteristic blue color of cyanotypes is where the term ‘blueprints’ comes from.

Using this style of photography for this print felt fitting as an artistic nod to our natural surroundings, making use of both plants and sunlight to create these unique designs. Enter: Forest Flora.

On Climate, Community, and the Skida x POW Collaboration

Q&A with Noah:

Why is being an alliance member with POW important to you?

Being an alliance member is a way to amplify my efforts to protect the planet. It's a way to say "I care" and that I'm proud that I care and I want people to know that I care. Skiing can feel futile and lonely at times so having this outlet for other parts of myself is really important to my happiness!  

How have you seen climate change impact skiing both in your home state of Vermont and along your journey [to break the record of skiing the most human powered vertical feet skied in one year]?

My time in Europe was a huge wakeup call on climate. The effects of climate change in shrinking glaciers and reducing snowfall had a huge effect on my skiing. I was walking higher each day to find snow in the middle of February. The old lift infrastructure in the valleys that is no longer in use is a stark and sad daily reminder of the cost of climate change. In Vermont the weather seems to be even more topsy turvy with massive rain events and flooding even in the middle of winter, decimating the snowpack and costing the state millions. 

 What was your greatest learning from your journey?

The coolest part of the journey is that the learning continues. Even working on this project with POW and Skida has been an awesome lesson in how a product comes to market. Overall realising how important community is when you want to do hard stuff or when life makes stuff hard.  My greatest days were the ones with the most people and the hardest days were the loneliest.

What excites you about the Skida x POW collaboration? 

POW is a sum of its people. Every gathering or call is a collection of the most impressive people I have ever met in such a wide range of fields. Be it an illustrious professor, acclaimed filmmaker, or star athlete everyone is gathered to help advocate for our earth. 

Skida to me is about having fun while you are trying really hard. It's about having that one print that makes you smile as you put it on to go face the harsh realities of winter wherever you may be.