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.

Glen Plake
Born
Livermore, California
NationalityAmerican
OccupationSnow Skier
Known forSkiing, and ski film appearances, notably Greg Stump's The Blizzard of Aahhhs, Warren Miller films and 2007 documentary film, Steep
Spouse(s)Kimberly Plake

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.
  • 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]
  • On September 23, 2012, Plake survived an avalanche that killed 11 fellow climbers in Nepal.[12] 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.

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)[13]
  • Steep (2007)[14]
  • Warren Miller's Higher Ground (2005)[15]
  • 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
  • Warren Miller Productions Snowhat? (1993) directed by Bruce Benedict
  • License to Thrill (1989) directed by Greg Stump
  • The Blizzard of Aahhhs (1988) directed by Greg Stump
  • Maltese Flamingo (1986) directed by Greg Stump

References
Citations
  1. California Cruising ROBERT UPE November 13, 2008, Sydney Morning Herald
  2. The Blizzard of Aahhh's on the Internet Movie Database
  3. Casimiro.
  4. A Hair-raising Hero -- With his gonzo exploits, extreme skier Glen Plake wows legions of fans (January 24, 1994) Sports Illustrated Vault (A CNN Network Site)
  5. Glen Plake Joins Elan – Ski Review
  6. "Congrats to New Ski Hall of Famer Glen Plake". March 30, 2011.
  7. "Ski Club Awards". Ski Club of Great Britain. November 13, 2003. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  8. Dunham, Tim (September 15, 2009). "Plake named spokesperson for Learn a Snow Sport". The Conway Daily Sun. North Conway, New Hampshire. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  9. "Glen Plake Named Spokesperson for National Learn a Snow Sport Month". The Ski Channel. September 10, 2009. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  10. Hansen, Matt (April 7, 2011). "Plake, McConkey, Rahlves Inducted to Hall of Fame". Powder Magazine. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  11. "Glen Plake". U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  12. "After Avalanche, Record Climb Is Bittersweet". The New York Times. October 13, 2012. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  13. The Edge of Never Cast and Crew The Edge of Never Website
  14. Steep Archived March 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine on The Documentary Group's (production company) website
  15. Warren Miller's Higher Ground (2005) NY Times
Bibliography
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