On one of our many wanderings through the great state of Utah, my wife and I found ourselves enjoying an incredible meal at Sweet Water Kitchen which is part of Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch, located on Hell’s Backbone Rd. just outside of Boulder, UT. Yes folks, Utah has a town named Boulder too and it’s one of the state’s best kept secrets. Nestled between Capital Reef National Park, The Aquarius Plateau and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, is the tiny village of Boulder. It also seems to be the destination of choice for a number of interesting people.
My wife and I were enjoying our meal and conversation when a young couple walked in and were seated next to us. They were very friendly as they asked us questions about where we were from, how we heard of Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch, how long we were staying, etc. At some point during the friendly Q & A, the conversation somehow steered to skiing. Angel’s boyfriend, Oakley White-Allen piped up and said, “Angel’s a pretty big time skier”. Suddenly Angel’s face turned a little red at the attention. She may have even kicked Oakley under the table.
All Photos Credited to: Anna Pocaro Photography
That’s one of the many things that stand out when you meet Angel. Underlying humility, confidence, natural beauty and wisdom beyond her years.
When Oakley said ‘big time skier’, my first thought was ok, cool, she’s a racer. She’s probably won a few times, maybe has a sponsor. I had no idea that I was sitting next to and having a conversation with Angel Collinson, World Champion Free Skier, now ski movie star regular and sponsored by Black Diamond, The North Face, Smith Optics and Backcountry.com. ‘Big time skier’ is an understatement.
Revelstoke 2012 Black Diamond Line from Subaru Freeskiing World Tour on Vimeo.
Angel Collinson
After meeting Angel, I couldn’t stop thinking about what type of upbringing she had and how that played into her success as a skier and in life. I had to know more.
I kept in touch and recently had the chance to catch up with Angel at her home in Little Cottonwood Canyon.
The house is the mark of a unified and resourceful family. A family that molded and shaped life according to their rules.
Angel and her brother Johnny grew up in employee housing at Snowbird Resort. Sounds glamorous right? According to Angel it was anything but. Imagine growing up in a 5 by 12 closet converted into a bedroom for two. Angel’s father worked for the snow safety department at Snowbird and her mother taught school in a one room school house for seven kids who spent the winters in the canyon. The Collinson’s are the very definition of taking the road less traveled.
This same spirit carried over into building their Little Cottonwood house a few years ago. The entire family pitched in and in doing so brought new meaning to the acronym DIY. They had help with some of the more complicated aspects of the construction process. However, they basically converted the entire home themselves and took it from an unused warehouse to a beautiful sanctuary any family would be proud to live in.
Being a parent, I’m always fascinated how other people raise their kids. Especially parents who have a child or two that excel in any particular area. The journalist in me had my head spinning with questions. As Angel gave me a tour of their home, I kept drilling her with a million questions. What are your parents like? What kinds of messages or lessons did they focus on? How did they help develop your impressionable, young mind? How did they work to instill confidence and independence in you and your brother? Angel looked at me a bit crossed eyed with all the questions I was firing off. Until I got to the one question that she completely focused in on. How much of your success do you attribute to your parents? She turned, looked me in the eye and immediately flashed that big, signature smile and without hesitation or script answered, “All of it!”
Getting to know the type of person Angel is, I should have fully expected that would be her answer.
She went on to explain, “They have helped so much in my life with all of my goals. They included us in their lifestyle of skiing and climbing from the very start. Life wasn’t all fun and games though…they held us accountable to our highest potential.”
Specifically, how did they do that? Angel said that during the winters they skied and during the summers the family would travel for months, living out of a converted 1979 blue Ford van. Angel pointed to the shrine of rocks piled on shelves in the hallway of their home. She told me those rocks are from every mountain they have climbed as a family. The Collinson’s, impressively, have climbed over 230 peaks through out the Western United States and most of those were conquered when the kids were very young.
I asked Angel if she could sum it all up into a short tag line. What was the single most important thing her parents taught her? What was her biggest take away?
She said, “they always made one thing very clear and it was this: ‘Sky is the limit. Never, ever limit yourself. Other people will try and do that for you. Don’t do it to yourself.’
There is definitely no sign of self imposed limits placed on this Angel.
Q & A
Keith: Why Free Skiing?
Angel: Free Skiing kept me sane. Growing up racing you are a little constricted and confined to one tiny part of the mountain. Free Skiing was my happy place.
Keith: What is your single best moment Free Skiing?
Angel: That’s a tough one…every time I go up to Alaska! There is one moment though that stands out. It was the time I saw Sage (Cattabriga-Alosa) skiing in Alaska when I really felt something inside say ‘this is what I want to do’.
Keith: What’s the feeling you get right before you drop into your line?
Angel: Butterflies, dry mouth, hearts beating fast. Every trip, every line is different. You just have to get into a state of mind that works for you. I like to be as happy and calm as possible. Other skiers like to be amped. I get into my happy place and look around and take it all in. I always ask the universe for help. The other part is believing in your self and knowing your limits. Having confidence in your abilities. I always tell myself, ‘I’ve got this!” and then I just go for it despite being gripped/white-knuckled.
Keith: What’s your typical day?
Angel: I don’t have a typical day! Sometimes it is a blessing and a curse. There’s not much of a routine when I’m home. I have more of a routine when I travel.
Keith: What is your workout regimen?
Angel: I work out at BURN. It’s gym that does a lot of plyometrics, high-impact pilates, and other types of workouts where you use just your body weight. They have a new snow conditioning class that I am helping them with this year before the season starts. You should come with me and check it out.
Keith: What do you like best about living in Utah?
Angel: The snow is unbelievable! Love the mix of snow and terrain. You just don’t get it anywhere else. Also all the different sports you can do here. Plus city life and mountain life all in one.
Keith: What’s next for Angel Collinson?
Angel: I hope to keep working on closing the gap between men’s skiing and women’s skiing. As a female, I believe that it is fully within our abilities but we have to keep pushing. It takes a lot of commitment to be strong mentally and physically.
Angel is featured in a new ski movie called Almost Ablaze produced by Teton Gravity Research. The movie premiers Tuesday, Sept. 16 at Red Butte Garden. Click here to get your tickets.
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