John Oates, telemark skier, the box set and the bomb

All right the opening is done and here is the headliner. If you didn’t already know, John Oates is a lifetime skier and has been an Aspen resident for nearly 30 years. Not only that he is a tride and true telemark skier. We sat down with John and got the low down on his relationship with giant white hills.

Ski Channel: So John, where and how did you get into skiing?

John Oates: I grew up in Philly and started night skiing in the 60’s. I remember we were on rope tows and had leather boots. Then in ’67, I went to Colorado on a college ski trip. I couldn’t believe how big the mountains were and I was just hooked.

Ski Channel: You are an institution in Aspen. Can you explain your relationship with the ski resort?

John Oates: I remember I had a friend who lived there and had a house that was always empty. He kept bugging me to use it. I finally did right around the first or second year that Snowmass was open. I was just blown away and really loved it there. Then I met a girl who loved to ski and we started going together. In the early 80’s, I bought a condo. Before you know it, we had a child and the roots were planted. Aspen is a great place to raise a child.

As far as the skiing, Aspen, Aspen Highlands, Snowmass…all this great skiing right here. What I like mostly about the area is the relationship between inbounds and out of bounds skiing. It is seamless.

Ski Channel: Do you spend a lot of time in the backcountry?

John Oates: Sometimes when I want some exercise, I’ll skin up and hit it. But again there is so much lift serviced terrain to areas that are like being in the backcountry, you don’t have to venture that far to get the most incredible skiing.