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"Steep" showing fund raiser for Turner Mountain

| February 21, 2008 11:00 PM

The Western News

The Dome Theatre in Libby will be showing the documentary "Steep" this weekend as a fund raiser for Turner Mountain Ski Area.

"Steep" documents bold adventure, exquisite athleticism and the pursuit of a perfect moment on skis. It is the story of big-mountain skiing, a sport that barely existed 35 years ago.

The movie will be shown at 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 22-23 and at 7 p.m. on Feb. 24-25.

Big-mountain skiing started in the 1970s in the mountains above Chamonix, France, where skiers began to attempt ski descents so extreme that they appeared almost suicidal. Men like Anselme Baud and Patrick Vallencant were inspired by the challenge of skiing where no one thought to ski before.

Now, two generations later, some of the world's greatest skiers pursue a sport where the prize is not winning, but simply experiencing the exhilaration of skiing and exploring big, wild, remote mountains.

The man who is often described as the greatest big-mountain skier of all, the late Doug Coombs, who is the nephew of Barb and the late Harry Tripp of Libby, is the character at the center of the film. He died in a skiing accident in La Grave, France, in April 2006, just days after being filmed for "Steep." His rich life and tragic death reveal the essential question at the heart of big mountain skiing: How does a skier weigh the risks versus the rewards of a sport where the possibility of dying is ever-present?

"Steep" features many of the sport's greatest athletes including Bill Briggs, Stefano De Benedetti, Eric Pehota, Glen Plake, Shane McConkey, Seth Morrison, Chris Davenport, Ingrid Blackstrom and Andrew McLean.

"Steep" was shot in high definition and on film in Alaska, Wyoming, Canada, France and Iceland.