On Monday, March 24th, a natural avalanche took place within Stellar Heli Skiing’s tenure near Kaslo, British Columbia, and tragically took the lives of three incredibly impactful, giving and selfless members of the snowsports community who were near and dear to our hearts.
Among the victims were 44-year-old Jeff Keenan of Whistler, B.C., a highly influential figure in the snowboard industry. Initially a professional snowboarder and member of the groundbreaking Seymour Kids (SKIDS) crew, Jeff would go on to co-found the popular snowboarding brand Dinosaurs Will Die, and become one of the sport’s most acclaimed, sought-after and talented filmmakers, which is one of the many reasons why were so honoured to have him as a judge of the iF3 Movie Awards. Jeff—who was a champion for elevating women’s snowboarding—is survived by his equally incredible and trailblazing wife, professional snowboarder Leanne Pelosi, who has co-hosted the iF3 Movie Awards three times, and their nearly three-year-old son, Khyber. We’re sending all of our love and strength to the two of them in the wake of their unimaginable loss, and if you’re interested in showing them support during this devastating time, a GoFoundMe has been set up here: https://gofund.me/8be091e0
Also leaving us far too soon is 45-year-old Alex Pashley of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. It’s not an understatement to say that Alex was a towering figure in the snowsports world, and that numerous athletes and other members of the ski and snowboard industry are where they are today as a result of his tireless efforts to lift others up. An accomplished photographer, and former employee of Slash Snowboards, Smartwool, Dragon, team manager for Salomon Snowboards and Rossignol, and until his untimely passing, the Global Snowsports Marketing & Team Manager for The North Face, Alex was a bona fide stalwart of the industry and community, and will be sorely missed. He leaves behind his amazing wife Erin, and their two beloved Bernese Mountain Dogs, Dale and Rainer. Our hearts go out to Erin, the rest of Alex’s family, and everyone at The North Face for their heart-wrenching loss. If you’d like help support Erin, a Meal Train page in her name has been launched here: https://mealtrain.com/lvzmyw
Last but most certainly not least, 53-year-old Jason Remple of Kaslo, B.C. also sadly perished in the mountains he explored, shared with others, and loved so dearly. As the owner and lead guide of Stellar Heli Skiing, Jason was an important mentor and shining light to many other backcountry guides in the heli-skiing and cat-skiing industry over the course of his storied career. Prior to co-founding Stellar in 2014, Jason spent two decades working at Selkirk Snowcat Skiing as their lead guide and operations manager, where many members of the backcountry community had the privilege of working and learning under his tutelage. He is survived by his loving wife Kerry and their three children—who we’re sending our love to along with his extended Stellar Heli Skiing family—and a GoFundMe to support them is available here: https://gofund.me/1f559123
A fourth member of the group, Clay Mitchell of Nelson, B.C., was also buried in the avalanche, but in nothing short of a miracle, thankfully survived. Clay, alongside his business partner Simon Shave, is the co-owner of CK9 Studios, one of the most unique and creative production companies in skiing. Over the years, the duo have won a total of six iF3 Movie Awards, and are considered true masters of their craft. Clay is currently in stable condition in the hospital with a number of serious injuries, and has a long road to recovery ahead. If you’d like to aid in it, a GoFundMe to assist him and his beautiful family is online here: https://gofund.me/6eebfe37
On behalf of everyone at iF3, we’d like to offer our sincerest and most heartfelt condolences to the families left behind as a result of this horrible tragedy, and as a testament to how many lives these three touched while they were with us, to the countless members of the snowsports community who have been deeply affected by these losses. Ski & Ride In Peace Jeff, Alex and Jason ❤️
About iF3
The International Freesports Film Festival was founded in 2007 to recognize and celebrate the excellence in freeskiing & freeriding. It is the biggest festival tour of its kind, travelling the globe to present the world’s best mountain bike, ski & snowboard movies of the year. The festival’s reputation and recognition stem from being the only independent ski film award ceremony with an international and diverse jury panel in which not only athletic performances are rewarded. In fact, a major part of the gala is dedicated to the artistry and production work involved in bringing, mountain bike films, ski films, and snowboard films to life.
Press & Media Relations:
Luc Skypowder, 819-578-3448, [email protected]
Communication & administration:
Camille Martin, 514-578-3448, [email protected]
Event Sponsorships/partnerships:
Mark Warner, 604-902-9778, [email protected]
Information about iF3 and upcoming events:
https://www.facebook.com/if3festival/
https://www.instagram.com/if3festival/?hl=en (@if3festival)
