Scarpa

Q & A

Who is your mentor?: Mark Morris
How did you get involved in the sport?: In my late 20’s I was living for the sporadic moments of bliss for when I was able to chase my passion to ski with a stingy 2 week vacation allowance. But on 9/11/2001, I was in the right place at the right time at the right location to watch the second plane hit the World Trade Center. As I sat there knowing that hundreds of people were dying and that I was supposed to be in the WTC later that day, I asked myself, “Now that you have escaped death by only a few hours, what do you want to do with your life.” The undeniable answer was, “Move to Colorado and become a skier.” I packed my bags, left a lucrative VP position at Merck, and moved to Colorado 4 months later.
Who were your influences early in life?: My influences were my mom, Mildred Russell, who taught me how to bootstrap to make something out of nothing. My father Bill Russell who taught me how to work hard to provide for myself and my family. My aunt Ada Wright who was the first college graduate in our family lineage. I was the second. My sister Leslie Russell who taught me how to live, laugh, and love. My middle school principle Larry Dickerson who cultivated my student athlete gifts. My best friend Jules Phillips who introduced me to Colorado and how to shake off my hardened East Coast exterior for a more peaceful and introspective way of being.
What draws you to the outdoors?: I grew up in the country side and farm lands of Delaware where the air smelled like a mixture of sweet corn and cow manure. The forest behind my childhood home was my safe space and sanctuary. So the outdoors is where I go for mental health and inner peace, even in no fall zone cliffed out terrain which poetically serves to narrow my focus to a singularity and tune out all the noice and chatter in the world. And that feeling is nirvana.
What’s your dream trip or expedition?: I have already been blessed to manifest many of my Dream Trip which were on my bucket list. The current Dream Trip(s) that I am looking to fulfill is to complete my mission to go backcountry skiing on every continent. Africa, New Zealand/Australia, and Antarctica are my final continents. I’d also like to ski the Himalayas in Gulmarg, India. Otherwise, my dream is to keep pushing further and higher into the Colorado backcountry to ski lines like Shit for Brains, Dragons Tail, and the Silver Couloir.
What makes a good skiing/climbing/running/hiking partner?: I manage Project Management Offices as a career. Therefore, I apply meticulous project management to my backcountry adventures and integrate those skills with the AIARE Framework. Plus, I have a high threshold for thriving through adversity in life. Therefore, I am a calm responder in the backcountry when things go wrong, especially since I have been involved in rescuing 3 fallen backcountry victims. What also makes me a good backcountry partner is my PMA (Positive Mountain Attitude). The mountain is alive and I try to connect with to bring positive intent which usually results in positive outcomes.
How am I going to pass on what I learn?: My Skiing Mission has been the following: 1. Show that people of color are participating in big mountain backcountry ski and killing the game at the highest levels. 2. Show other people of color that skiing at all levels is accessible to them. 3. Bring more people of color to the sport of skiing and snowboarding with an emphasis on bringing peace and mental health to those underrepresented communities. I have been living this mission for over 20 years. I specifically participate in the National Brotherhood of Skiers where I am pushing, leading, and guiding African Americans into the sport of backcountry and big mountain skiing. Additionally, I have and will help all races, religions, sexual orientations, etc, get into the backcountry. It’s just that I have the loudest voice and credibility within the African American community

“Tele” Mike Russell