During the winter of 2023, I spent the season ski bumming and working with patrol some at the local resort. I got to ski 7 days a week for a few months and really honed my skiing skills while taking other alpine/avalanche coursework. Spending that much time on the slopes also exposed me to new opportunities. I realized that there’s a substantial amount of waste produced every year from unclaimed ski poles and I could upcycle them to make an impact and turn a profit. So I started Lost Souls Poles LLC. The Animas River in Durango is the lifeblood of the region throughout the year and was originally called ‘Rio de las Animas Perdidas’ - the River of Lost Souls, hence the name Lost Souls Poles. The art is focused around soul and dead culture related to Purgatory, Telluride (to Hell you ride), and the ever-present Grateful Dead influence on mountain culture. I take lost ski poles, give them a new soul, and put them back on the market to once again see the slopes.
