Yesterday the professional free skier C.R. Johnson died in an accident on the slopes of Squaw Valley, California. My heart goes out to his family and friends. I first crossed paths with C.R. while shooting the 2005 Icer Air event in San Francisco. In 2005 Icer Air caught the attention of millions of people who were witness (in person or on TV) to the odd juxtaposition of extreme skiing and snowboarding against the backdrop of steep San Francisco hills, mansions and iconic landmarks such as Alcatraz. The scene was surreal, but the energy was intense. At this event C.R. Johnson won the skiing competition. His enthusiasm for the sport was palpable and his energy lit up those around him. I never knew C.R. other than this one time we crossed paths, but seeing how his influence in this sport grew and his incredibly positive energy impacted others it’s obvious now the sport has lost a great ambassador. More on C.R. Johnson can be read over at Chase Jarvis’ blog

C.R. Johnson being interviewed after winning the 2005 Icer Air skiing competition in San Francisco, California

[tags]C.R. Johnson, extreme sports, sports, skiing, Icer Air[/tags]