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21.02.2010

Jeremy Jones: In memory of Shane McConkey

At last year's Nissan Tram Face, the legend Shane McConkey was a judge for the competition. He naturally became part of the Freeride World Tour family hanging out with the riders on and off the slopes. This year, as we head back to Squaw Valley USA, we cannot help but remember his story. Just last month, Jeremy Jones wrote on his blog about his recent decent down the slope named after McConkey:
Freeride World Tour 2009 Four locations around the world have been selected for the second edition of the Freeride World Tour. The planet's top freeride skiers and snowboarders will travel to Russia, USA, France and Switzerland to prove their skills on some of the world's most challenging faces. The Freeride World Tour has a prize purse of $250,000, the highest sum ever to be paid in ski or snowboard freeride contests.EVENT: NISSAN TRAM FACE - SQUAW VALLEY USA 2009, RIDER: SHANE MCCONKEY - USA, STYLE: LIFESTYLE
Credit:FREERIDE WORLD TOUR / D.

"Today I was brought to tears. I am not sure if they were tears of joy or sadness but I was catching my breath at the bottom of a line when an avalanche of emotion came out of nowhere and knocked me off my feet.

The line that did this to me is called Mc Conkeys It was formerly called the Eagles Nest until the recent passing of Shane McConkey inspired Squaw to change the name. The line it self has alluded me for over 15 years because it requires the perfect combination of conditions.

Hiking up to the line there seemed to be added weight to the air. Seeing the Eagle gave me calming effect. Dropping in the first turn was much harder then I expected but things improved quickly, I got through the crux, got off the bottom air clean and landed in a bed of bottomless feathers.

I have passed by this line hundreds of times the last 15 years but it is so rarely in form that I never really give it much thought even though it is one of the more critical and probably steepest lines on the mountain.

This morning I arrived to the KT lift line at 6:30. With 24 inched new and storm totals around 5 ft it was sure to be the best day of the year and worthy of a long wait.

Friends and family gathered on the peak this fall to unveil the Eagle and make the name change official with a scattering of Shanes ashes. Since that time not a day has gone by that I have not been in the valley and payed my respects to the Eagle. It has become a place of healing for many of us."


 

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