Glen Plake
Encyclopedia
Glen Plake is an American Freestyle skier. Born in Livermore, California
, he grew up in Lake Tahoe
, skiing Heavenly Valley. He is known for his appearances in ski films such as Greg Stump's The Blizzard of Aahhhs, and for his trademark Mohawk hairstyle
, often dyed blonde, purple or blue. Plake was a pioneer of extreme skiing
in America. He is currently the host for the RSN
program Reel Thrills.
According to his official biography:
Glen Plake married his wife Kimberly in 1991. The Plakes now base their winters in Chamonix
, France
.
champion.
In October 2006 Plake joined Slovenian ski company Elan where he contributes in a design and development role.
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 Glen, 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."
Plake is an active member of PSIA
. In May of 2011 he passed his Level III Skiing Examination at Mammoth Mountain in Mammoth Lakes, CA. This is the highest level of certification for instruction in the United States. His goal is to complete his certifications in different regions within PSIA. He completed his Level I in the Rocky Mountain Region and his Level II in the Pacific Northwest. He plans to complete the teaching module of the Level III standard in the Northeast next season.
Livermore, California
Livermore is a city in Alameda County. The population as of 2010 was 80,968. Livermore is located on the eastern edge of California's San Francisco Bay Area....
, he grew up in Lake Tahoe
Lake 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...
, skiing Heavenly Valley. He is known for his appearances in ski films such as Greg Stump's The Blizzard of Aahhhs, and for his trademark Mohawk hairstyle
Mohawk hairstyle
The mohawk is a hairstyle in which, in the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair...
, often dyed blonde, purple or blue. Plake was a pioneer of extreme skiing
Extreme skiing
Extreme skiing is skiing performed on long, steep slopes in dangerous terrain. The sport is performed off-piste.The French coined the term 'Le Ski Extreme' in the 1970s...
in America. He is currently the host for the RSN
Resort Sports Network
Outside Television is a Direct-broadcast satellite network operated by Mariah Media which publishes Outside Magazine that creates and distributes outdoor lifestyle and resort-based sports programs to a network of stations across the United States-History:The network was founded in partnership by...
program Reel Thrills.
According to his official biography:
"...it was his third-grade teacher who used a Möbius flip from the seminal '70s ski flick Outer Limits 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."
Glen Plake married his wife Kimberly in 1991. The Plakes now base their winters in Chamonix
Chamonix
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc or, more commonly, Chamonix is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the 1924 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Notable Achievements and Appearances
Plake is a three-time World Hot Dog SkiFreestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing is form of skiing which used to encompass two disciplines: aerials, and moguls. Except the two disciplines mentioned earlier Freestyle Skiing now consists of Skicross, Half Pipe and Slope Style...
champion.
In October 2006 Plake joined Slovenian ski company Elan where he contributes in a design and development role.
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
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...
, 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 Glen, 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."
Plake is an active member of PSIA
PSIA
PSIA or psia may refer to:* Physical Security Interoperability Alliance, industrial standardization initiative promoting interoperability of IP-enabled security devices* Pounds per square inch absolute...
. In May of 2011 he passed his Level III Skiing Examination at Mammoth Mountain in Mammoth Lakes, CA. This is the highest level of certification for instruction in the United States. His goal is to complete his certifications in different regions within PSIA. He completed his Level I in the Rocky Mountain Region and his Level II in the Pacific Northwest. He plans to complete the teaching module of the Level III standard in the Northeast next season.
Filmography
While not an exhaustive list, Glen Plake has been featured in a number of ski films, including:- The Edge of Never (2009)
- Steep (2007)Steep (2007 film)Steep is a 2007 documentary about extreme skiing written and directed by Mark Obenhaus . Steep explores the history of extreme and Big Mountain Skiing, starting with its roots in 1960s and 1970s North America and Europe, with Bill Briggs' now famous first descent of the Grand Teton, and progressing...
- Warren Miller's Higher Ground (2005)
- Warren Miller's Impact (2004)
- Warren Miller's Journey (2003)
- Warren Miller's Cold Fusion (2001)
- The Blizzard of Aahhhs (1988)
External links
- Glen Plake Soul Man an interview with skiingmag.com
- Glen Plake's Moguls Preview on The Ski Channel