A Day With Jonny Moseley: How An Olympic Gold Enjoys The Mountain Like An Everyday Shredder

City and Slopes Spends The Day With Iconic Skier Jonny Moseley

I met Jonny Moseley at the base of Palisades Tahoe, a familiar stomping ground for him. Moseley, who took gold in the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics in moguls, has a noticeable casual demeanor — the antithesis of the public persona he’s always had as the voice of the Warren Miller movies which are synonymous with the exhilaration of mogul skiing and daring drops and aerials feats.

Now at age 49, his life looks a bit different. Beneath the glitz and glamor of his competitive days lies a simple passion: the joy of skiing. These days, Moseley has traded in the pressure of the podium for the pure pleasure of carving turns and exploring the mountains. I can totally relate. The crisp mountain air, the camaraderie of fellow skiers and the peacefulness of being in the snow covered mountains brings me back year after year.

“I like to start my day pretty early,” he explained. Short of trying to get first tracks on a “frothy pow day” Moseley really takes his time getting prepped for his day on the mountain, a routine that includes a healthy breakfast and, believe it or not, a workout. 

 “A good workout helps me get my blood flowing and sets me up for a great day on the slopes.” Moseley explained that he uses a simple kettlebell setup to dive into some deadlifts, lunges and lizards. “I find that I have a much better day if I go into it with a little sweat. If I can get a light jog in, that’s a bonus.”

Working out prior to skiing is probably foreign to most of us average skiers and snowboarders, but as a former competitive collegiate athlete myself, I understand where Moseley is coming from. Warming up prior to training is fairly routine and there is no reason to think one shouldn’t do so when you’ll spend an entire day skiing or riding. That said, I too, like many of us, have fallen into the trap of doing some brief stretches and just hitting the slopes. 

Beyond the early morning training session, Moseley’s routine is surprisingly straightforward. An early riser, he usually takes his time before fueling up with a healthy breakfast of soft-boiled eggs and toast, followed by, “all the coffee”  and I do mean all the coffee. I’m fairly certain he drank the majority of the pot, judging by the energy he brought to the mountain that day. 

I asked about his favorite ski destinations. Moseley didn’t hesitate. “Palisades is my home mountain,” he replied. That’s no surprise. Moseley lives nearby and his two boys, Jack, 17 and Tommy, 14 are on the ski teams there, clearly following in their famous father’s footsteps. After he drops them off at their respective teams, the sky's the limit. 

paid advertisement

“As long as I can stay mellow and ski groomers, I will. But inevitably I run into someone and it becomes a gnar seeking mission,” he said.

Riding the lift up the mountain, Moseley pointed out his favorite runs.  “If it’s a pow day at Palisades, it’s on.” Connecting with the “usual suspects” and it’s straight to KT to start probing what is open in West Face where you’ll find the infamous Chute 75 then to a long mogul run appropriately named – you guessed it – Moseley’s. Chute 75 is one of the more legendary runs in North America. Whether it’s a powder day or just some solid spring skiing, it’s 1500 feet of vertical with a sustained 30 degree pitch that peaks at 42 degrees is a fun and challenging option 

The KT22 lift is one of the more fabled lifts in the ski world as it accesses some of Palisades Tahoe’s gnarliest terrain and heckling opportunities abound. If it’s a powder day people start lining up at least two hours early and when the rope drops, it’s a race for “The Fingers” an outcropping of rocks shaped that looks exactly like it sounds and offers plenty of chances to get a little sendy much to the delight of those riding KT which runs just to the left. 

“Those are typically first run material if there’s good snow. Then you work your way to Headwall. and if it's not frothy pow, head toward Bullet on C2 ridge. From there you can get a good look at what’s skiing well.” Headwall is iconic. Coming into view from the access road, it is a short hike off of the Headwall Express or Siberia lifts that once at the top provides scenic views and a chance to choose from a wide variety of challenging terrain. 

Moseley’s skiing style has evolved since his competitive days. It’s not always easy for a competitive athlete to transition from competition to fun. “I’m always searching for that one day that everything is kicking and rocking and those days don’t come every day. For me it’s the pursuit of finding those days.” Sage wisdom for the cagey veteran but it begs the question, how does he find those days? “My daily battle is how can I do this and enjoy it without the pressure of it being stressful. Before it was like I had to do the most stressful stuff every day. That’s what makes you good. Now it’s how do I have a good time without that?” 

So these days, Moseley’s focus is on dialing in his technique. He picks up tips here and there from magazines and videos and then goes out and applies them.  “I’m still focused on improving my technique,” he explained. “But now it’s more about enjoying the process and pushing myself in a way that’s fun and challenging.”

Some people like to bypass lunch and keep going but you quickly learn that is not an option when it comes to skiing with Moseley. When you are skiing as much and as hard as Jonny, lunch is a chance to catch your breath and provide your body with much needed sustenance to get through the remainder of the day.  “Lunch sure, I like lunch. A lot of people like to skip lunch. I don’t.” When he's with a group of friends, they often head to the Arc, a mid-mountain lodge with a relaxed atmosphere that includes multiple food stations and outdoor seating with amazing views, to refuel. “If it’s cracking I’ll have a beer or a Bloody. Why not?” he says with the casual laid back hype in his voice he is known for. 

After lunch, Moseley and his crew, made up of some of the other dads from the ski teams, typically make their way up to Granite Chief. Located on the backside of the mountain is always a highlight when skiing at Palisades. With open bowls, steep tree runs and even some fun groomers this area is always popular for locals and visitors alike. 

From Granite Chief, Moseley might ski Emigrant or the Attic, tough steeps that funnel into the trees, before heading up to Granite Peak for a challenging hike. 

"I try to do at least one hike per day," he explained. "It's a great way to burn off some calories and that beer from lunch."

As the afternoon wears on and it becomes time to start heading back toward the front, Moseley and his friends often make their way back down to Belmont Park where the kids are usually sending it. "If the snow is soft enough, I'll show those groms who's boss," he joked. From there, it's a short hike to Broken Arrow, one of Moseley's favorite runs. “Broken arrow is just amazing, " he said with the familiar tone of stoke he uses when narrating a Warren Miller film. 

If we’re lucky and we’re with one buddy he’s got a ski in, ski out house near the bottom with the kegorator on the deck and we do a little pre-après. We’ll hang there for a beer or two swapping stories until it’s time to head back down to the base area. 

As his day on the slope comes to an end, Moseley is ready to wind down. He might hit The Chammy or the Slot Bar for après ski depending on the scene. Tha Chammy, short for Le Chamois, is one of the most famous après ski bars in the country. Located in the base village just behind Parallel Sport Shop, it’s open courtyard and loft bar often draw large crowds at day’s end. The Slot Bar is right around the corner and might just be the size of your bedroom. Thus the name. Crowded because of its size, you can often find famous skiers like Moseley throwing back a few with others whose legendary status hasn’t advanced outside the resort boundaries. 

“I like the Plaza Bar too. There are big couches in there and you can relax.” The Plaza Bar is another famous Palisades Tahoe après ski haunt. Situated above the KT base bar it is a fantastic spot to kick back on the deck in the aforementioned couches and swap stories over a few pizzas and beers. 

A Day Well Spent

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the snow covered slopes, we finished our day of skiing. Descending the mountain one last time, we took note of how the light glistened off the snow below our skis.  Moseley couldn’t hide his satisfaction. A wide grin stretched from ear to ear as he joyously said,  “This is what it’s all about! Just getting out there and enjoying the ride.”

Jonny Moseley, the Olympic gold medalist whose name once echoed through the winter sports world, may have traded in his competitive days for a more relaxed lifestyle. But his passion for skiing, a flame ignited in his youth, continues to burn bright. “I’m starting to perceive skiing like everyone else. It has taken a bit to get satisfaction in other ways and enjoy that, but I’m there now and it feels good.” 

Whether he's conquering some of the gnarliest slopes at Palisades Tahoe or simply savoring the serene beauty of a leisurely day on the mountain, Moseley remains dedicated to the sport of skiing. His enthusiasm is infectious, his love for skiing as evident as the fresh powder he glides upon.

Rich Stoner is the founder of the après-ski lifestyle clothing and media brand, All About Après. He is also the co-host of the Beyond the Après podcast. No stranger to the ski and après-ski scene, Rich has been a long-time contributor to many publications on topics like skiing, gear, beer and food. However, his passion is on the slopes and enjoying good times with good people. You can find him perfecting his craft carving turns and drinking beers in the Green Mountains of Vermont.  @allaboutapres