Glen Plake

Glen Plake (born September 9, 1964) is a US National Ski Hall of Fame skier. He grew up in Lake Tahoe, skiing Heavenly Valley.^[1] He is known for his appearances in ski films such as Greg Stump's The Blizzard of Aahhhs,^[2] and for his trademark often dyed Mohawk hairstyle, Plake is named the pioneer of extreme skiing in America by ESPN. Glen has been the award-winning host of RSN program Reel Thrills.

According to his official biography:

"... it was his third-grade teacher who used a Möbius flip from the seminal film Ski the Outer Limits (1969) as a way of demonstrating math that turned his life. For Glen, there fell into place a connection between skiing and the wider world, an understanding that there were deeper forces beneath this sliding on snow. In that brief flash of insight, Plake knew that skiing held something greater for him."^[3]

Glen Plake married his wife Kimberly in 1991. He is also related to Hunter & Dakota Plake with "Plake", the brother pop duo from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. ^[4]

Notable achievements and appearances

• Inducted into US National Ski Hall of Fame.
• Continuing education for UGIAM Mountain Guide Certification.

• 2015/2016 Teaching Nepalese Aspirant Mountain Guides ski techniques in Nepal.

• In October 2006, Plake joined Slovenian ski company Elan^[5] where he contributes in a design and development role.

• Plake is a three-time World Hot Dog Ski champion.

• 2002–2012 Heavenly named Plake its “Ski.E.O.”^[6]

• In 2003, Plake was awarded a Ski Club of Great Britain Centenary Medal in recognition of his outstanding contribution and influence upon snowsports.^[7]

• In 2006, Glen joined a French Steep Skiing expedition to India, successfully climbing and skiing three new routes in Indian Himalaya. The Rice on Ice film can be found on YouTube.

• In late 2007, Plake also appeared in a tourism commercial for the state of California, emphasizing winter sports. At one point he is seen "flipping" up his mohawk, and later in the commercial he is seen airborne on skis.

• In 2008 Plake, accompanied by climbing partner Remy Lecluse, had a successful expedition in the Villaconota range in southern Peru.

• In September 2009, Plake was named spokesperson of Learn a Snowsport Month (LASSM), a "public awareness initiative designed to encourage participation in skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing and snowshoeing".^[8][9]

• In 2010, Plake was inducted into the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.^[10][11]

• On September 23, 2012, Plake survived an avalanche that killed 11 fellow climbers in Nepal. He planned to ski down Manaslu without the aid of oxygen.

• Plake is an active member of PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America). In May 2011 he passed his Level III Skiing Examination at Mammoth Mountain in Mammoth Lakes, California. This is the highest level of certification for instruction in the United States. He completed this goal in different regions within PSIA. He completed his Level I in the Rocky Mountain Region and his Level II in the Pacific Northwest and the teaching module of the Level III standard in the Northeast.

• Plake will be attending and appearing at the Boston Ski & Snowboard Expo which is dated between Nov 10–13, 2016.

Filmography

While not an exhaustive list, Plake has been featured in a number of ski films, including:

• Cheap Ski Movie (2010)
• The Edge of Never (2009)^[12]
• Steep (2007)^[13]
• Warren Miller's Higher Ground (2005)^[14]
• Warren Miller's Impact (2004)
• Warren Miller's Journey (2003)
• Mercon Industry's Guatemalan Persuader (2003)
• Warren Miller's Cold Fusion (2001)
• Fistful of Moguls (1998) with Jonny Moseley
• License to Thrill (1989)
• The Blizzard of Aahhhs (1988)
• Maltese Flamingo (1986)

References

Citations

Bibliography

External links

• Glen Plake's Moguls Preview on The Ski Channel