Last Friday morning, the skiing world was in mourning. Arne Backstrom died after a big mountain fall in Peru whilst on a ski-mountaineering trip with Sweetgrass Productions, attempting a descent of the near 20,000ft peak Artesanraju.

Photo: Ian Coble

Arne lived with his siblings Ingrid and Ralph, pro skier and pro snowboarder respectively, in Squaw valley after skiing all over Europe when he had finished college in Walla Walla. Crystal Mountain was his home before Squaw Valley took centre stage. His career snowballed when he won the McConkey Cup, the Backcountry.com Sickbird Award and the Canadian Freeskiing Championships last year.

Our deepest sympathies go out to Arne’s family and friends.