The "Goose"

"Goose".

I suppose my ability to find some "Air Time" had more bearing on that particular name.

Skiing during the late sixties through the mid seventies was a era of experimentation,equipment evolution and "Sex,Drugs & Rock & Roll".MT.Baker,WA.I first got acquainted with this wonderful Ski area in 1963/64.I was at that time age 14.If my math is correct,that is almost fifty years ago(49 ).This particular post is not about Thailand or my S.E. Asia adventures,but my short life as a professional skier.My journey into the wild and crazy beginning of "Hot Dog" Skiing started at this Ski Area in 1969.Skiing,like all sports has its beginning years and progresses from that point on.The time period of 1964 through 1984 spawned what now is a Olympic and professional sport called"Free Style" Skiing.I was there at the very beginning.I was never the first guy to show off on a pair of skis,but during my few short years competing and doing movies,I got my "15 minutes of fame".The "Moniker Goose",was given to me by my Canadian friends early in my skiing career.My last name is "Swan",but that had little to do with the nickname of  "Goose".

I can certainly attest to the fact that almost 100% of the early Free Style pioneers trained primarily in the bars.

I guess you could say we had no clue about being professional Athletes,but we all had one thing in common,that was"Get on the mountain,and avoid responsibility at all costs".My "Thing" was jumping off Cliffs,Over Big trees,into Big Trees and whatever it took to get my picture and name spread around in the rather small arena of early free style skiing.I believe some of my jumps were well over  100' foot high(Think  of jumping off the tenth floor of a building).My ability to survive these jumps was almost  something of a "Legend".I got my first chance at being in the movies in 1970.I was living and teaching skiing in Sun Valley ID.Dick Barrymore and Warren Miller were at that time the two major players in the Ski Movies.I had recently done some 'Still Photography work" with a local guy,who passed on my name to Barrymore.This is where the "True Story" of "Free Style Skiing Started".I hung out with three fellow instructors,John Cruse,Teddy McCoy,David Wheeler"Wheels".The four of us,were always on the prowl for a "Show Down" with the "K2" Ski Team,who I might add,were the "Baddest of the Bad on Ski's".Sun Valley,was the "Harvard of Skiing" in 1970,and  if you wanted to splash your name on the billboards of pro skiing,then you had to do it on "Baldy".The "Who's Who of Pro Skiing strutted their stuff daily on MT.Baldy.

I am going to backtrack just a bit here.The "Movie" part of this story is just about Barrymore and  the four guys looking to get a "Break" into the game.We got lucky with meeting Barrymore and doing a"Shot" for him.Dick approached me at the Pioneer Bar in Ketchum  early in January of 1970 and ask if i would like to ski for him.Well,that was the dream of my life coming true.I of course said "Yes"!Dick had mentioned the "Still Shots that Bill Rouse had taken of John Cruse and me doing 150 foot flips over the "Pump House" at the bottom of Cold Springs Chair Lift,and ask if we would do it for him also.I answered that question very fast"NO Way"!That 150 foot jump was a "Flat landing",and neither Cruse or me wanted any part of another spine crusher like that.I suggested "The Rock",which sits directly on the right side of the chair lift  on the Ketchum side of Baldy(first chair lift).Dick just stared at me like i was nuts.Well,maybe their was some truth in that assessment,but i knew it was a "Good  Jump"and nobody had ever done it(80 Ft).Their was no way I was going to leave out my skiing partners(Dave"Wheels" Teddy or John).I told Dick he got four for the price of one.

That "Rock" started what is now know as "Free Style Skiing",as it led to another Cliff Jump on Cold Springs(100+).The four of us did both jumps in two shootings in two days(I went first on both),which led us to a meeting with Dick(Dinner at Dave's  Condo to view the clips a couple days latter).It was during dinner that I brought up the idea of a "Shootout" against the "K2" team on Exhibition(Sun Valley's) most challenging slope.Dick thought about it for maybe thirty seconds and said"Great idea",lets do it!.Dick Barrymore was the real founder"God Father of Free Style Skiing competition".I played a small part(very small)in formation of this skiing discipline.During my four years of competition, I skied in four World Championships,never finishing out of the top twenty five.I also skied in a number of movies for Barrymore,Warren miller,Jim Rice and others.Skiing,like any sport has a very small tip at the top,nobody stays there long.

Today's pro skiers our far better than anything I would have dreamt of being.I did however play a small part in its history."Goose Swan"