CR Johnson
Encyclopedia
Charles Russell Johnson III (August 10, 1983 – February 24, 2010) was a professional skier and a pioneer in the freeskiing
movement. He became a top competitor and a favorite in ski films and was known for his progression, fearlessness, and passion for skiing. Johnson died in 2010 in a ski accident.
California
. He grew up skiing Squaw Valley Resort, a world-class ski area that is known for its extreme terrain. At Squaw Valley, Johnson spent his time lapping the terrain park and charging difficult chutes and bowls. Johnson quickly developed a large range of tricks and excellent big mountain skills. In addition to skiing, Johnson enjoyed surfing, fly-fishing, traveling, and spending time with close friends and family.
scene when he successfully landed a 1440. The skiing community quickly recognized Johnson as a talented young star who could help progress free skiing. Johnson was a fearless skier willing to try any tricks and ski any backcountry lines. His passion for skiing and dedication to improve propelled him to become one of the best free skiers in the world. In 2001, Johnson placed first at the Core Games quarter pipe in Japan
and podiumed at the Big Air Winter X Games
in Mount Snow
, Vermont
. The following year at the 2002 Winter X Games, Johnson won silver in slopestyle. In addition to his medals, ESPN Action Sports nominated Johnson for Male Skier of the Year.< In 2003, Johnson won bronze at Winter X Games Superpipe
. If it was not for him crashing on the lip of the pipe, Johnson might have gotten Gold over Candide Thovex
. Regardless of the results, Johnson exemplified the future of half-pipe skiing by launching 20 feet above the pipe’s walls and landing technical tricks with many spins and intricate grabs. During this period, Johnson also spent time filming and producing ski segments with action sport producers like Matchstick Productions, Poor Boyz Productions
, and Teton Gravity Research
. From 1999 until 2004, Johnson had a significant role in many ski films. Some of his most notable segments were in films called “Front Line,” “Focused,” and “WSK 106.”
in Utah
on a powder day, when he and Kye Peterson, along with the snowboarders Zach Siebert & Tommi Ylianttila, launched off natural features under the Millicent chair, one after another. Johnson being the first one to descend stopped after landing an air to collect his gear, when Kye Peterson struck him right below his helmet. The impact knocked Johnson unconscious for about three minutes. When help arrived he was immediately sedated and flown to the University of Utah Hospital. There he was put into intensive care but his recovery was questionable. For 10 days, Johnson remained in a medically induced coma
. However on December 18, 2005, Johnson opened his eyes halfway. Eight days later Johnson began whispering, eating, and moving both sides of his body. He was then moved out of the critical care unit to a neural rehabilitation unit where he began speech, physical, and occupational therapy. After being hospitalized for 34 days, Johnson was finally able to return home.
training half-pipe. Unfortunately, Johnson had a hard time progressing and decided he was not strong enough to compete. He then spent time traveling to different competitions, heli-skiing in British Columbia
, and filming with Matchstick Productions. At the end of the year, Johnson had overcome many mental hurdles and reestablished a new direction for his ski career. He decided to concentrate on filming and progressing his backcountry skiing. In 2008 and 2009, Johnson continued to travel and film with several ski production companies. He continued to improve and in 2010 Johnson placed third at the Red Bull Line Catcher event in France.
in the Light Towers area. He had chosen an extreme rocky line to go down the mountain and caught on an exposed rock which caused him to fall . Medical assistance arrived several minutes after the incident but pronounced him dead on the scene.
His death had significant impact throughout the freeskiing, mountain sport, and especially in the Squaw Valley community which has lost several high profile athletes near the end of the decade. A funeral service was held March 5, 2010.
Freeskiing
Freeskiing or Newschool skiing involves tricks, jumps, and terrain park features, such as rails, boxes, jibs, or other obstacles. This form of skiing resulted from a combination of the growth in popularity of snowboarding as well as the progression of Freestyle skiing...
movement. He became a top competitor and a favorite in ski films and was known for his progression, fearlessness, and passion for skiing. Johnson died in 2010 in a ski accident.
Childhood
C.R. Johnson was born and raised in Truckee, Lake TahoeLake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a large freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the United States. At a surface elevation of , it is located along the border between California and Nevada, west of Carson City. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Its depth is , making it the USA's second-deepest...
California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He grew up skiing Squaw Valley Resort, a world-class ski area that is known for its extreme terrain. At Squaw Valley, Johnson spent his time lapping the terrain park and charging difficult chutes and bowls. Johnson quickly developed a large range of tricks and excellent big mountain skills. In addition to skiing, Johnson enjoyed surfing, fly-fishing, traveling, and spending time with close friends and family.
Career
In 1999, Johnson emerged on the freeskiingFreeskiing
Freeskiing or Newschool skiing involves tricks, jumps, and terrain park features, such as rails, boxes, jibs, or other obstacles. This form of skiing resulted from a combination of the growth in popularity of snowboarding as well as the progression of Freestyle skiing...
scene when he successfully landed a 1440. The skiing community quickly recognized Johnson as a talented young star who could help progress free skiing. Johnson was a fearless skier willing to try any tricks and ski any backcountry lines. His passion for skiing and dedication to improve propelled him to become one of the best free skiers in the world. In 2001, Johnson placed first at the Core Games quarter pipe in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and podiumed at the Big Air Winter X Games
X Games
The X Games is a commercial annual sports event, controlled and arranged by US sports broadcaster ESPN, which focuses on action sports. The inaugural X Games was held in the summer of 1995 in Rhode Island....
in Mount Snow
Mount Snow
Mount Snow is a mountain and ski area in southern Vermont located in the Green Mountains. It is Vermont's closest big mountain to many Northeast metropolitan areas. It was cohost of the first Extreme Games in 1995 and host of the Winter X-Games in 2000 and 2001...
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. The following year at the 2002 Winter X Games, Johnson won silver in slopestyle. In addition to his medals, ESPN Action Sports nominated Johnson for Male Skier of the Year.< In 2003, Johnson won bronze at Winter X Games Superpipe
Superpipe
A superpipe is a large halfpipe structure used in extreme sports such as snowboarding, freestyle skiing, skateboarding, freestyle BMX and inline skating....
. If it was not for him crashing on the lip of the pipe, Johnson might have gotten Gold over Candide Thovex
Candide Thovex
Candide Thovex , is a French professional skier.- Biography :Thovex was born in Annecy, Haute-Savoie, and grew up in the village of La Clusaz. Thovex learned to ski in the Aravis region of the French Alps. La Clusaz is where his childhood friends and girlfriend live and where he perfected his big...
. Regardless of the results, Johnson exemplified the future of half-pipe skiing by launching 20 feet above the pipe’s walls and landing technical tricks with many spins and intricate grabs. During this period, Johnson also spent time filming and producing ski segments with action sport producers like Matchstick Productions, Poor Boyz Productions
Poor Boyz Productions
Poor Boyz Productions is a skiing film production company. Since the 1990s, they have released a number of freeskiing as well as wind surfing films. Poor Boyz Productions sponsors and films freeskiers including Tanner Hall, Sammy Carlson, JP Auclair, Dane Tudor and the late C. R...
, and Teton Gravity Research
Teton Gravity Research
Teton Gravity Research is an extreme sport production company based in Teton Village, Wyoming. They have been producing skiing, snowboarding and surfing films since 1996 and are best known for films like Tangerine Dream and Anomaly. The films focus on world-class athletes skiing, snowboarding,...
. From 1999 until 2004, Johnson had a significant role in many ski films. Some of his most notable segments were in films called “Front Line,” “Focused,” and “WSK 106.”
Injury
On December 8, 2005 Johnson was filming his latest movie, Show and Prove when he suffered a life threatening injury. He was skiing at Brighton Ski ResortBrighton Ski Resort
Brighton Ski Resort is a ski area located in Big Cottonwood Canyon, from downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. Brighton Ski Resort was the first ski resort in Utah, and one of the first in the United States. Brighton was started in 1936 when members of the Alpine Ski Club built a rope tow from wire and...
in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
on a powder day, when he and Kye Peterson, along with the snowboarders Zach Siebert & Tommi Ylianttila, launched off natural features under the Millicent chair, one after another. Johnson being the first one to descend stopped after landing an air to collect his gear, when Kye Peterson struck him right below his helmet. The impact knocked Johnson unconscious for about three minutes. When help arrived he was immediately sedated and flown to the University of Utah Hospital. There he was put into intensive care but his recovery was questionable. For 10 days, Johnson remained in a medically induced coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
. However on December 18, 2005, Johnson opened his eyes halfway. Eight days later Johnson began whispering, eating, and moving both sides of his body. He was then moved out of the critical care unit to a neural rehabilitation unit where he began speech, physical, and occupational therapy. After being hospitalized for 34 days, Johnson was finally able to return home.
Comeback
Johnson was determined to start skiing again. He was not going to let his life threatening injury, prevent him from doing what he loved. In 2007, Johnson began the ski season with the attitude and mindset that he would return to his original form. That November and December he spent six weeks in ColoradoColorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
training half-pipe. Unfortunately, Johnson had a hard time progressing and decided he was not strong enough to compete. He then spent time traveling to different competitions, heli-skiing in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, and filming with Matchstick Productions. At the end of the year, Johnson had overcome many mental hurdles and reestablished a new direction for his ski career. He decided to concentrate on filming and progressing his backcountry skiing. In 2008 and 2009, Johnson continued to travel and film with several ski production companies. He continued to improve and in 2010 Johnson placed third at the Red Bull Line Catcher event in France.
Death
On February 24, 2010, at age 26, Johnson died skiing at Squaw Valley Ski ResortSquaw Valley Ski Resort
Squaw Valley Ski Resort in Olympic Valley, California, is one of the largest ski areas in the United States, and was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics. It is the second-largest ski area at Lake Tahoe , with 33 chairlifts, and has the only funitel lift in the U.S...
in the Light Towers area. He had chosen an extreme rocky line to go down the mountain and caught on an exposed rock which caused him to fall . Medical assistance arrived several minutes after the incident but pronounced him dead on the scene.
His death had significant impact throughout the freeskiing, mountain sport, and especially in the Squaw Valley community which has lost several high profile athletes near the end of the decade. A funeral service was held March 5, 2010.