In April 2023, Parkin Costain got the call he had been long awaiting—Alaska. Teton Gravity Re- search. Spines. And it came laced with an op-

portunity to obtain a master’s degree in extreme skiing from two athletes that had helped define burly Alaskan descents: Sage Cattabriga-Alosa and Ian McIntosh. The phone started to feel a little heavier. Of course he wanted it, but the reality had started to sink in: This was more than a film trip—this was a passing of the torch.

It had the makings of a dream come true for the 23-year-old Montanan, who was raised watching the two big mountain su- perstars. Still, Alaska is never a sure bet. Skiing big mountain lines in the Last Frontier has always been about playing the long game and this year would be no exception. An extended dry period, intense warming, massive avalanches and a stout surface crust gave way to two weeks of clouds and heavy snow- fall, none of which created confidence-inspiring conditions…