Five minutes with Chris Anthony

The only name who has been in more Warren Miller films than Chris Anthony is Warren himself.

Big mountain skier Chris Anthony has just backed up filming his twenty fifth Warren Miller segment this year in Alaska with a heli ski trip in Iceland guiding clients. The man is, in a word? Unstoppable. He simply loves snow.

The legend skier with a huge heart (his Chris Anthony Youth Initiative Project inspires children through enrichment opportunities) has had a tough year. That heart was battered when he lost the man responsible for both his love of snow and his desire to give back to kids, his dad and Beaver Creek and Colorado legend Vino Anthony, in June last year.

Finding solace in the mountains that bonded him and his father, Anthony calls Colorado home and spends his northern winters hosting groups with his Chris Anthony Adventures company heli skiing in Alaska, ski touring in Italy, Austria and Slovenia and now the Arctic Circle.

Snows Best caught up with Anthony this week after he returned from guiding his first Iceland heli ski trip.

What was your favourite Warren Miller film while growing up?

“COLD FUSION” I feel like this film was when Warren Miller Entertainment made a big jump with the editing, the filming and mostly the music. That film still to this day has a good feel to it.

What did you want to ‘be’ when you were a little tacker?

I thought I would be an Olympian of some sort. I was hoping it would be in both summer and winter events. I thought for sure I could maybe make it skiing. But at the time I was really fast so I might make it in track.

Its amazing how we dream when we are younger. It helps to set us on that path. I guess I dream as much but now I’m a little jaded by disappointment compared to back than. So dreams come with calculations now.

I always thought I could be in the films. Funny story. At one of my races when I was young the announcer said I had a slow time but I sure did ski pretty. Maybe I should be in films instead. I was not sure how to accept that because being slow sucked.

Where is the most obscure place you have gone to film with Warren Miller?

TO the border of Mongolia and China. It took us 3 days by horses to get there in negative -30C temps. It was like the old west in the dead of winter.

What are your favourite segments that you have been in?

China, It was so difficult but had the greatest story.

Kazakstan, because I filmed there once in 96 and than in 2013. Amazing to see the change in the country.

Iran. It was so out there. And I met a girl that took me to the underground scene. That was something that just does not happen

Alaska, just a few weeks ago. I got to ski with two amazing women and shoot with our two best photographers. The dynamics of the group was awesome.

Who has been the most fun to ski with while filming?

For me it was Mike Farney. The first person I skied with. I idolized him and he showed me how to do things. It was like learning a new sport. Jess McMillan just a couple of weeks ago inspired me as well as Ingrid Backstrom.

Why do you think Warren Miller is such an ‘institution’?

They can touch and entertain everyone. They create segments that are popular amongst people that don’t ski. I have been in audiences where their is a 6 year old having just as much fun watching it as a 92 year sitting there.

They are always trying to find a new location or a new story in a wonderful environment. They spend more than anyone on film stock and editing time. Music seems to be current at well. And the almighty tour in some places is iconic

You’ve just been to Iceland guiding a group of clients. Why Iceland?

It was a new destination for me. I wanted to see how it would be to start bringing groups I host. It turned out to be everything I heard and more. I’m looking forward to taking more people Heli Skiing there. In fact if you are interested in going contact me through my website.

You can also check out my website which needs to be updated! I host trips in Alaska, Chile, Italy, Beaver Creek / Vail and now Iceland.

You can check out Chris Anthony in Warren Miller’s Ticket to Ride as he takes on Kazakhstan with JT Holmes and Espen Fadness at a cinema near you in Australia and New Zealand from May to July. Check out www.warrenmiller.com.au for more details.

In the meantime check him out behind the scenes while filming for Ticket to Ride.