Giro x Whisper Ridge
Outside the yurt, a bonfire burned. 15-foot flames melted a hole in the snowpack, giving a fiery glow that flickered against the five yurts at the now defunct Whisper Ridge, a heli- and cat-skiing operation in Eden, Utah. The full moon cast enough light just beyond the glowing pit to produce long, deep blue shadows of trees against the silvery, glowing snow. It was a clear night—the forecast for skiing the next day told of sunshine and spring conditions—and faint stars hung overhead while Cory, one of the guides, donning braided pigtails, a well-worn tucker hat and a gritty smile, strummed a song on the guitar about his hometown in Tennesse. Giro Sport Design brought us together: It was media folks, like myself, longtime retail buyers—some of the company’s most trusted clients, brand directors, product engineers, designers and Giro athletes, who converged in Utah for the launch of the brand’s newest backcountry-focused helmet and goggle. The plan was simple: to learn about the product from the people who designed it and test it “off the grid” within the expansive tenure at Whisper Ridge. Easy enough. And there was a chance we’d ride in the operation’s helicopter, too…
