Westward Season 4 / Episode 2
Backcountry Philosopher
Brennan Lagasse moved to Tahoe for two reasons: the skiing and the Grateful Dead, and his passion for both went unrivaled. But over a decade in, Lagasse started to feel like he was missing something in his life.
So he got a master’s degree in environment and community and is currently pursuing a doctorate in sustainable education. He’s a professor in outdoor education at Sierra Nevada College, where he’s shaping the minds of tomorrow to be ethical and sustainable leaders of our natural world.
That’s not all Lagasse does. He’s a ski guide with Ice Axe Expeditions, where he leads trips to the Arctic, and with Points North Heli-Adventures, where he guides yurt-based touring expeditions in remote corners of Alaska, and he’s a freelance writer, sponsored skier, and social activist.
Oh, and Lagasse still spends more days in the backcountry than anyone.
Westward Series: Season 6
What is it about Vermont? There are places with bigger mountains that get more snow and less subzero temps. But there is no place with a more committed core of skiers. Raining? No problem. Bulletproof? They invented bulletproof. Negative 20 and 30mph wind? Better be ready at 6am so you can get first chair at Stowe.