If you’ve ever flown SkyWest through SUN, you’ve probably seen Raj. There’s even a chance he jumped on a flight with you last year to head off to ski. Last season, Raj made it his goal to ski EVERY destination on the Mountain Collective ski pass.
A native of Jackson, Wyoming, Raj knows his way around a ski mountain—growing up in the Tetons will make anyone a strong, determined skier. Battling some serious injuries never tempered his desire to ski mountains around the globe. Raj originally bought the Mountain Collective pass three seasons ago when it was first introduced because the idea of skiing mountains around the world seemed like a great break from work and a perfect reason to explore. However, Raj soon found himself in his usual routine, working a ton and not getting out as much has he would have liked—not uncommon given that winter is one of the busiest times of year at SUN.
This past season Raj took a different approach: he bought the Mountain Collective pass determined to ski all locations no matter what. To fit in all the destinations, he began his ski journey in early September to catch the Southern Hemisphere’s “spring” ski season. His journey began in Australia, followed by New Zealand and Chile. Raj said that skiing in Australia and New Zealand was amazing; he was skiing through eucalyptus forests! Chile was a great experience too, but Raj encountered a huge language barrier there despite his ability to speak Spanish.
As winter arrived in the U.S., Raj knew he could only spend so many days in Sun Valley before he’d have to take off again in order to hit all the Mountain Collective destinations. Of the Northern Hemisphere ski resorts, he LOVED Whistler, where the snow was great, the people were friendly, and the experience fully lived up to his expectations. Then there was Japan, a place you wouldn’t think had a great ski season, but let’s be honest: they don’t call it JaPOW for nothing! The conditions, culture and experience in Japan were things Raj won’t ever forget. The views in British Columbia were through the roof, and the tree skiing at Revelstoke was probably the best he’d ever seen. Remember, Raj is from Jackson and lives in Sun Valley, so that’s quite a testament!
Raj highly recommends buying the Mountain Collective pass. For the price and the locations included in the pass, you simply can’t go wrong. And if you’re feeling ambitious, skiing the entire pass is something you should add to your bucket list. When we asked Raj if he would buy the pass again, he said no, but that’s because he’s already skied it and it has served its purpose. However, he recommends that everyone else gives it a shot!
For more information on the Mountain Collective pass, click here.
