Weightless
THE DAMP AIR PULSED as the rotors of three helicopters cut through low-hanging fog in the Squamish Valley. Towed by a snowmobile, Rory Bushfield tore across a glassy river on his pro model Nordica Bushy Wayne skis, throwing rooster tails of water 10 feet behind him. A cameraman leaned from the window of one of the helicopters following the action, captivated by Bushfield’s raw talent.
After the sun dipped behind the rocky horizon, Bushfield ditched his skis and stepped out of his boots onto the snow. The tops of his feet were tattooed to look like he was wearing flip-flops, a disguise he has used to go shoeless in establishments. Barefoot, he took a final run atop the shallow, icy river, wringing the last drops of light from the day. Getting him to call it quits was like coaxing a child in from the playground.
Bushfield, 34, has been making a living as a skier since he inked his first deal with Oakley at 18. After winning the 2002 Junior World Mogul Championships, he moved into slopestyle skiing, competed in the X Games (he landed the first 1080 in a halfpipe competition), and ultimately shifted his focus to big mountain skiing, filming with Matchstick Productions, Level 1, TGR, Sherpas Cinema, and others. He hasn’t had a
