Comments on: Bob Athey – the Wizard Cometh

By: The Wizard of the Wasatch | Backcountry Beacon

The Wizard of the Wasatch | Backcountry Beacon — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 16:50:04 +0000

[...] From Andrew McLean: http://straightchuter.com/2008/10/1437/ [...]

By: DJ

DJ — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:57:40 +0000

Nice write up Andrew, the wiz is definitely a one of a kind. I’ve been fortunate enough to tour with him numerous times over the past five years, and every day I get out with him I learn something new. But I must confess, the most fun is witnessing his antics each time we bump into someone in the bc! The stories I could tell… Thanks for letting me tag along Robert.

By: tony

tony — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 04:39:25 +0000

I ran into WOW one spring after driving out to Great Basin National Park. I have many memories of that trip, including learning when a corn slope is too soft to be on and how to narrowly avoid lightning, but my most lasting memory is getting lapped by WOW more than once after watching him smoke one herb or another at every stop.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:53:56 +0000

That’s just Bob’s way of saying hello. If he was really grouchy he probably would have skied away like a cornered cougar long before you caught up to him.

By: chris

chris — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:44:26 +0000

Every year we seem to take a trip from the Front Range of rado to visit the perfect powder, and often safe slopes of the Wasatch. Twice I ran into Bob. Once, being an amateur and knowing of WOW’s intimate connection with the snowpack, I simply skied where he skied. Last year we caught up to him beneath superior. He let us pass and when I commented on what a paradise he lives and skis out he got all grouchy. Maybe I took it too personally, or maybe his undies were in a bunch. I guess it gets pretty busy round there, I know I getting a bit edgy when there is too many people around to call it backcountry.

By: Shawn Carter

Shawn Carter — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 04:41:01 +0000

Bob is a character for sure. Never skied with him and probably never will (we are stylistically different plus I most likely can’t keep up with him anymore) but I love him never the less. Is that even possible, to love someone you have never met face to face. In the circles traveled by my friends we affectionately call him “Rock’in Bob” to this day. Another story, another time, long before the bc was hyped.

It is not selfish to keep the sacred, quiet in your heart. Nor is respectful sharing of the sacred selfish. But……to manipulate and monetize the sacred for ones personal gain, fame, or worse money is beyond criminal. When the light shines the tree will grow.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:32:25 +0000

Skiing with Bob is definitely a treat. Not only does he have a TON of history on the Wasatch, but he just knows so many cool little connector-lines that would never occur to me that it is always enlightening.

Plus, it is always fun to hear his stories from the trenches of the HeliFree Wasatch Wars. I think if more people spoke up to them as Bob does, things would be different.

164 days of skiing eh? Sounds like new Wizards in the making. :)

By: John

John — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 21:09:05 +0000

Bob is an inspiration to anyone that loves to ski. My boys met him at dinner a few years ago, I wanted them to hear the Wizard in all his glory. How many kids at 18 get to meet a real hero? They check his site every day, they use his backcountry tactics and managed to bag 164 days this ski season and come away with awesome (but never as amazing photos) as Wowa’s.

By: David

David — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 17:43:53 +0000

Bob rules.

He might be one of those guys “you shouldn’t follow” in the backcountry, but everyone should do it at least once.

Nice post and good cig shot.