Earlier this month we received the sad news of Arne Backstrom passing away while skiing in Peru. My thoughts, love and prayers go out to Arne’s family and friends who were incredibly blessed to have him in their lives.
This past year I was very fortunate to become friends with Arne and get to spend a good amount of time hanging out and skiing together in Chamonix. In fact the last time I skied this year was with Arne in Chamonix.
After hearing about Arne it hit me really hard. I was just with him a few weeks earlier skiing some of the most amazing runs I have ever skied. We have just shared some amazing experiences together and personally I had captured some of my best and most memorable ski photos ever of Arne.
Those of us who participate in adventure/extreme sports know the risks really well with ultimately dying being one of the consequences. In the past 14 months I have had 6 friends die doing the sport they loved. All of which I have amazing photos of them doing these sports. It is sad to say when you hear the news of someone dying, you are not surprised or shocked by the news, but obviously deeply saddened.
For those of us who participate in dangerous activities, and live the life of adventure, we meet a lot of friends along the way. No different than anyone else who are meeting friends along their travels. But when you go into the mountains with your friends, climbing, or ski partners you have a much different connection as you are risking your life with them, you are doing something where ultimately failure is death, the flipside of that is the most amazing high you could ever have. It is a feeling of living that is indescribable.
The reality of his death kicked in really hard for me. Not only was Arne an amazing person, but Arne died doing what we were last doing together just a few weeks earlier. I took all these amazing photos of Arne and I had not even had a chance to really look at them or work on them in my computer. I was on a plane flying across the country and I started to work on photos I shot of Arne, color correcting, and doing what you need to do to digital photos. Looking at Arne, as he looked at me with a huge smile on his face, and so stoked for life. Tears ran down my face as I looked at photo after photo, still in disbelief. I was just skiing with Arne and now he is gone.
When we last said goodbye to each other, our conversation was about going skiing this summer in Argentina, climbing in the Sierras this fall, and of course spending lots of time in Chamonix next winter. I am really fortunate about the few experiences we shared together, but really sad about all the future experiences that we wont get to have.
Arne, you were an amazing person, and for those of us fortunate to know you, we are much better people because of you. Knowing that you lived life to its fullest and always had a smile along the way gives me some solidarity to your passing. Thanks for the memories, and thank you for the huge smile inside every time I think of you!
Arne, hanging out on top of the Aiguille.

Arne and American Dave
Arne and Seth at the mid station before heading up the Aiguille.
A common thing the girls would say, “Arne is so cute”, in fact I think we heard the comment more from our wives.

Always smiling!
Arne leading the way to the Cosmique in waist deep powder.
Arne, thanks for the friendship, smiles and awesome memories!