Matt Elliott
Tell me about your history. Where you grew up? How you started skiing and what led you to move to Whistler?
I grew up in north eastern Ontario (New Liskeard) where it is pretty flat and cold. But luckily there was a pretty good 100m vertical hill 15mins away called the “Tri Town Ski Village”. My dad taught me how to ski when I was 8 or 9 and bought me everything for X-mas. It was awesome all the kids that didn’t play hockey caught the ski bus and rode the poma lift all weekend. We would drop the hardest, flattest cliffs over and over all day long.
There was about 12 or 13 of us that all moved out west to ski/snowboard and pretty much never looked back. I learned how to ski for real in Fernie where I hooked up with some locals that were into hitting a patch and shredding hard. I spent 3 seasons there and had a hard time leaving.
Whistler has it all though. Lots of work, girls, sic biking, lakes in the summer, 2 huge mountains in the winter to ski , and a really good snow pack. I’ve been here since 2001 and can’t see myself living anywhere else. All my friends still live here, and we still get to ride together the odd day.
How old are you?
30
What influences your skiing?
I’d have to say weather the most. If it’s a sunny powder day I jump off of lot’s of stuff and shred lines. If it’s cloudy/snowing I stick to the trees and hidden areas.
Do you get paid to ski?
Ha
What’s your “other” or “real” job?
Carpenter, building sweet houses around Whistler.
Other passions in life?
Music-I have been playing the guitar for 15 yrs and love recording my own tracks. Mountain biking and being around the lake in the summer keeps me stoked.
Any nicknames?
Not really anything that has stuck, but I get asked if I’m a Treadway every few weeks.
Tell me about something that defines who you are besides skiing?
I like to finish things that I start. A cool job, or a long ride. It’s gratifying to accomplish things that you set out to do. Work hard, then hit the furnace.
Sponsors?
Rossignol, Smith Optics, Swany Gloves, Helly Hansen
Any closing remarks, thoughts, philosophies?
Who’s Phil and Sophie? I’m hungry.
Thanks Dendrite.
You can check out more of Matt Elliott at mattelliottski.com