Marcus Caston

hop turn master

Marcus Caston initially cut his teeth in the ski race scene on the Snowbird Ski Team, specializing in the Super G and Downhill realm. His success in the speed events allowed him to travel around the globe competing on some of the most prestigious race hills. His racing background was a perfect segue to the all mountain domination needed to do well on the Rahlves Banzai Tour, where competitors race down unkept race courses on the mountain and Marcus excelled during 2011. In 2012, Marcus was given the chance to head to Alaska to test himself on big mountains lines with his friend (and legendary ski racer) Ted Ligety, filming with Warren Miller for Flow State. This proved to be both a humbling and enlightening experience, challenging his strong skiing with the variable conditions found on the largest mountains Alaska has to offer. Since then Marcus has been hooked, hunting for deeper powder and steeper lines throughout the world, from Svalbard, Norway, Iceland and Italy to North America.

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Q&A

1.) How did the #hopturntuesday begin?

I coach ski racing in the summer up on Mt Hood, and a huge part of summer skiing is focusing on fundamentals. Hop turns are actually a back to basics drill where you can focus and work on technique, but thing about hop turns is it’s a work out and the kids hate them. They always fight it and complain, “Why do we have to do hop turns again?” Instead of answering them honestly I would just say, “Because its Tuesday.” It would piss them off because 6 out of 7 times it wasn’t Tuesday, but I would make them do hop turns anyway.

2.) What have been some of your toughest challenges this past season? How did you overcome them?

My biggest challenge is always when it dumps it means its time to go to work. I need to find a better balance between shooting and skiing.

3.) When was your 'breakout season' and how did it happen?

I don’t think I have had my breakout season yet, I feel like I have been a pretty steady track with no real surprises. I have met some amazing people that have helped me along the way, and without them I wouldn’t be where I am today, so for that I am forever grateful.

4.) Favorite Discrete product?

I love my knitted neck gator and my mitts. Keeps ya warm on those powder days

5.) Favorite thing to do outside of skiing?

Favorite thing to do is rock climbing. Love learning to control my mind and interacting with world in such a cool way.

6.)When and where did you learn to ski? Who did you learn from?

I have always been an Alta/Snowbird guy. My dad put me on skis when I was 2 years old, and for years would take me up and ski with me until it was time to poach the old Cliff or Alta lodge hot tubs.

7.) Which athletes did you admire most growing up, and who do you look up to now?

The guys I really looked up to were other Snowbird Ski Team athletes and coaches. Carter, Wooly, Vinny, Ryan Pearl, Ben Reeder, Jonesy, Libby Bittner, Brad, Tyson, Steve Bounous, and the list goes on. The best group of powder skiers this world has ever seen. Today I try to ski like Doug Coombs, Kyle Coxon, and Chris Tatsuno.