Backcountry SkiingMovies & Books

Book Review: The Edge Of Never

(Last Updated On: April 17, 2010)

Last night, I finished reading “The Edge Of Never” by William A Kerig. Inspired by documentaries like Dogtown and Z Boys and Riding Giants, two movies which brought skateboarding and big-wave surfing to the masses, the author wanted big-mountain skiing to get the same treatment. His dream eventually became the movie Steep, while Kerig’s original idea morphed into something a bit different and became the subject of this book. A video based off of this book is now being shown in theaters as well.

So what did Kerig’s story morph into, you ask? It became the story of Trevor Petersen and the son he left behind, Kye Petersen, when Trevor perished in an avalanche in Chamonix, France. Trevor, along with his main skiing partner Eric Pehota, were tow of the biggest stars of the late 80’s and early 90’s ski scene, together authoring first descents like some people eat M & M’s. He was a hero to many, myself included.

As Trevor’s son Kye matured into a budding ski star in his own right, Kerig thought that taking Kye to the run where his father died, the glacier Rond, would make for an interesting story on its own. Meanwhile, Kerig describes his own rollercoaster ride dealing with a big-time movie production company. I’ll have to leave the rest of the plot there for now…

This was a good book, and ultimately even non-skiers may find it interesting on other levels. With appearances in the book by other famous skiers like Anselme Baud, Glen Plake, and Mike Hattrup, any serious skier needs this book in their library. The book foreshadows a terrible accident that isn’t Trevor’s, but you’ll need to check this one out on your own.

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Riding Giants
Frank Konsella
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Frank Konsella

Frank loves snow more than anything... except his wife.    He ensures his food is digested properly by chewing it 32 times before swallowing. He is a full-time real estate agent serving Crested Butte and Gunnison and would be honored to send you his monthly newsletter.

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