Son of Olympic medalist turns up in latest ski epic

Over the past couple of years, local skier Andy Mahre has shown up in two of Warren Miller's odes to extreme skiing and snowboarding -- although only for a second or two.

But for this year's release, "the stars aligned," jokes the 24-year-old Mahre. He and buddy Pep Fujas are featured in a death-defying backcountry segment.

"I would have liked it to be a couple years ago, when Warren was still doing the commentary," says Mahre. "But I've got no complaints."

Really though, it's only fitting that Mahre, who lives in Gleed and who has much love for his home mountain of White Pass, get his first real face and snow time in a Miller flick titled "Children of Winter." It comes to the Capitol Theatre on Wednesday.

Mahre, son of Olympic silver-medalist Steve Mahre, first strapped on a pair of skis when he was 21/2. For a while he wondered what he would do for a living before, as a wise ol' eighth-grader, Mahre made the decision to ski professionally.

Quick clips of Mahre -- not shot for specifically for a Miller film -- appeared during a backcountry skiing montage in Miller's 2005 release "Higher Ground," and again the in the backcountry/park jib segment of 2006's "Off the Grid."

This time around, his on-screen recognition comes despite -- or perhaps because of -- Mahre's preference for skiing switch (meaning backwards). With no poles.

"A lot of people weren't supportive of it," says Mahre, who ditched the poles in 2004. "It's still beyond me.

"I like to ski without them (poles)," he adds. "It definitely helps me progress my skills."

Not that Mahre is claiming it's his signature style: "I definitely wasn't the first one to do this," he says.

Mahre and Fujas' segment for "Children of Winter" was shot over five days at Silverton Mountain, a backcountry ski resort in Colorado's avalanche-prone San Juan Mountains.

It's a primitive resort with one chair lift, tons of ungroomed, backcountry powder, a 3,000-foot vertical drop and a warning sign that states: "You could die here today!" (In fact, Fujas did get hurt during the filming.)

"It's big terrain with unpredictable snow," says Mahre. "You go here strictly to ski powder."

The 59th in the Miller franchise, "Children of Winter" is full of signature thrills and chills, beautiful cinematography, an eclectic soundtrack and narration by freestyle skier Jonny Moseley.

Mahre, who hasn't seen the finished film, will attend the Capitol Theatre showing -- along with plenty of antsy skiers and snowboarders hoping to take the edge off before the snow starts to fall.

* Can't wait for Wednesday? Check out Mahre, Fujas and the other snow-minded individuals that make up Nimbus Independent, a company that produces its own skiing and snowboarding Webisodes and movies. Visit www.rip.tv/nimbusindependent.

WHAT: Warren Miller's "Children of Winter."

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

WHERE: Capitol Theatre, 19 S. Third St.

HOW MUCH: Tickets cost $16.50 and include lift ticket vouchers to several ski resorts and a free hot wax at Sporthaus. Tickets are available through TicketsWest, 800-325-7328 and the Capitol Theatre box office, 853-2787.