RIP Peak Skis?

Remember Peak Ski, Bode Miller’s brainchild? Well, three years after launching with great fanfare and a promise to revolutionize ski manufacturing, Peak Ski Co. the brainchild of iconoclastic ski champion Bode Miller and wonder resort executive Andy Wirth has just shut down its operations, leaving athletes, contractors, and investors in the lurch.

In Montana, the Bozeman factory (?) and headquarters are closed, employees have been laid off, the website is offline, and more than 2,000 skis remain unpaid-for at Elan’s factory in Slovenia. Despite raising $1.2 million from nearly 600 investors in a 2024 crowdfunding campaign, Peak appears to have defaulted on several financial obligations, including vendor fees and promotional partnerships. 

A born-survivor, Bode Miller told The Colorado Sun that operational costs and unmet investor commitments forced the shutdown, but claimed that it’s not over yet and that there’s still a long-term vision to revive his ski production dream. Still most of those who know a few things in the ski industry aren’t buying that Bode-style promise. 

Peak launched with some impressive claims: a patented “keyhole” ski design (Dynastar-style gimmick IMO), direct-to-consumer sales, and futuristic automated manufacturing. But deepening debt, last-ditch giveaways like “buy one, get one free” skis, and a trail of unpaid partners marked its vertiginous tailspin. 

Andy Wirth was supposed to be the marketing genius and Bode Miller the man who knew everything about skiing, but at the end of the day both had not experience whatsoever with a start-up venture from the ground up, and worse they didn’t know about my fundamental “Rule of Two” that’s a prerequisite for succeeding in the ski business, namely, divide by two your sales forecast and multiply by two your projected expenses. 

Today, Miller says he’s trying to sell the remaining skis to settle debts and keep the dream alive. Let’s wish him more than plenty of luck and an amazing recovery like he used to perform so well on his skis! 

Responding to emotions (part three)

When we can easily identify our emotions and what triggers them, the next and final step is how to make the best out of them and respond accordingly. Like for many other stimuli, it always pays off to pause before reacting, especially when strong emotions arise, like anger or frustration. 

What I try to do is pause for a few seconds before speaking or acting. I take a deep breath. This small pause gives me some space for a conscious and more judicious response. Like for most anything else in life, we have options and can consider a variety of responses. So, instead of always having a knee-jerk reaction, I think: "Is there a different way I can respond to this feeling?" 

If I feel angry, sometimes it works best for me to express it calmly. At other times, I prefer to step away, go for a walk, or in winter go skiing and cool down. When I feel sad, I may decide to talk to someone, listen to music, or just allow myself to feel it without judgment. Better yet, when available I seek support, even if that looks difficult, from a trusted friend or a family member, as long as the individual is willing to simply listen without judgment or offer me some insights. 

Of course, adopting these behaviors never comes easy, as it is a lifelong skill that we must learn. Don't expect to master it overnight, get your feet wet and celebrate small successes. There's no "right" way to feel either. All emotions are part of our human experience, we just need to train ourselves to approach them with curiosity, like a scientist observing a phenomenon, rather than with judgment. 

Finally, I try to always focus on the present. While past experiences might inform current emotions, the practice that works best for me is paying attention to what happens in the moment. If we apply it well, our response to emotions almost gives us a way to seeing into corners. We can use at any age and it can be beneficial to all of us. 

If you decide to take the plunge, it will likely bring you a deeper understanding of yourself and a richer connection with the world around you. The more life experience we’ve accumulated, the more we’ll benefit from it in understanding ourselves by unlocking our feelings and reading what they mean and experiencing how they will help us!

Exploring emotions (part two)

Once I have begun identifying my various emotions during the course of everyday life and have understood what they revolve around, the next step for me is to decipher, for the less desirable emotions, the "Why" are they coming around so often, and the "What To Do" about them. It’s now time to explore my emotions more deeply. 

To get started, I need to make a connection between my emotions and the physical sensations they create in me. In other words, when I feel a sensation, I must try to notice where it shows up in my body. For instance, anger might be a tight jaw, a rapid heartbeat, or sudden heat in my face. Sadness might be a heavy chest or watery eyes. Joy might be lightness or a smile. 

By making these connections, it will serve as an early warning system that will help me recognize emotions earlier in their manifestation. As I keep track of all this in my journal, I will start to see patterns and see what situations, people, thoughts, or memories consistently trigger certain emotions. When I know what these triggers are, it will give me more control on them, and also tell me what each emotion that I feel is trying to tell me, as every emotion carries a message, even some that are uncomfortable. 

For instance, anger often signals that a boundary has been crossed, or an injustice has occurred. Sadness signals some kind of loss, a disappointment, or a need for comfort. Fear points to a perceived threat, a need for safety or preparation for something uncomfortable. Frustration signals a blocked goal or a need for a new approach. 

On the other hand, joy signals something good, a desire to connect or celebrate. So the need for me to ask: “What is this feeling trying to tell me?" Even if it doesn’t come naturally for me, I need to use some self-compassion to treat all my emotions with kindness, especially the difficult ones. Imagine you're talking to a good friend who is feeling this way. 

What would you say? I do my best to avoid criticizing myself for feeling a certain way. Emotions aren't right or wrong; they just bubble up into existence. Tomorrow, I’ll try to explain how I should respond to my emotions, so please stay tuned…

Learning about emotions (part one)

In recent years, I’ve tip-toed into the world of emotions and the first thing I’ve learned is my deep ignorance about that universe that many deem to be very important to a fulfilled life. I’m not sure about the wisdom of opening Pandora's box at my age, but since I love adventure, let’s jump right into it. 

It’s a fact that many of us, regardless of age, struggle with emotional awareness, as we're often taught to suppress or ignore feelings rather than understand them. I’m told by some friends that it's a journey, not a destination, but it can be a deeply rewarding one. 

To get me started into that quest, I was told to follow a simple, easy, and practical method. It consists in getting to know my emotions in an approach called "Name It to Tame It". So to get the process started let me introduce the daily check-ins. I begin by noticing and labeling my emotions. I’m not supposed to work on them or analyze them deeply yet; I simply have to acknowledge their presence. 

To schedule a regular "Emotion Check-ins", I first pick a specific time each day. It could be when I wake up, right after lunch or before bed time. At that point, I ask myself "How Am I Feeling Right Now?", pause for just a minute or two, close my eyes briefly if comfortable, or just focus inward. I then scan my body. Where do I feel sensations? (tension in shoulders, tightness in stomach, lightness in chest, throbbing in head). 

It’s now time to name what I feel, without censoring myself. The labeling of emotions should be simple, like Happy, Sad, Angry, Scared, Calm, Stressed, Tired, Frustrated, Content, Annoyed, Excited, Bored, etc… Over time, I can expand the nuance of each emotion by using an “emotion wheel" like the one pictured that drills deeper into nuances to help expand the exact definition of what I feel.

At this point, it’s highly recommended to keep an "Emotion Journal" to write down, at check-in times, the exact time and the emotion(s) I’m feeling. It’s also an opportunity to expand why I’m feeling a certain way in a few words, for instance "Frustrated, because the TV remote isn't working again," or "Content, after a good walk". 

This is not a place for judgment or criticism on how I feel, but all emotions are valid. Tomorrow we’ll explore the “Why” and “What to do” about emotions...

The recent Iran, Israel and USA war

“Taco” Trump, the man without a plan, wanted to show his military might and yielded once more to Netanyahu in testing the US penetrating bombs hoping to “obliterate” Iran’s nuclear program once and for all. The jury’s still out as to whether that operation succeeded, but what we know pretty much for sure is the cost to us, US taxpayers. 

Yep, it seems that “Operation Midnight Hammer” involving B-2 stealth bombers and bunker-buster bombs, will cost us approximately $68.84 billion, covering aircraft, weapons, material, personnel, fuel, and maintenance. Let’s hope it broke a few things and killed a few weasels instead of just drilling some big holes. 

What it did for sure, was unite some 92 million angry Iranians under their crazy religious leaders with a strong desire for revenge, in spite of a Trump-engineered cease-fire that doesn’t seem to stick too well. 

I bet that the angry Iranians will be getting even more friendly with Russia and uncle Putin will see how he can help them kick the West and the US in the rear end, perhaps with tactical or dirty nukes allegedly Iran-made, but supplied by the Kremlin. 

Hopefully, the warrior Trump who operates so well by the seat of his pants will learn something useful at the end of the day. 

I suggest he bills Bibi Netanyahu $80 billion for the holes he’s drilled to defray his taxpayers, and keeps 10 in his own pocket, but as always, I’m getting ahead of myself...

John Winter, 1938-2025

My neighbor John Kools Winter, Jr. passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of June 13, 2025, at his home in Park City, Utah. He was 86. He was born in Holland, Michigan and graduated from the University of Illinois School of Architecture. Although trained as an architect, his career ultimately led him to the financial world, where he worked as a floor broker, commodities and trader. 

John loved both the mountains and golf, but skiing was his true passion. Vail was is early stomping ground, but when he moved to Park City, 17 years ago, nearby Alta ski resort held a special place in his heart as he used to commute from Park City each day (a one-hour commute), and he often shared vivid stories from his early ski days in Vail, Colorado, during the 1970s. Remarkably, he continued skiing until the age of 83. 

I first met him in 2011 and he told me about his passion for skiing and it wasn’t until February 2017—when he was 78—that I truly understood his remarkable spirit on the slopes. That day at Park City Mountain, we carved our way down Portuguese Gap at Jupiter Peak, one of the resort’s most challenging runs. John skied it with the grace and grit of a man half his age, and together we had fun skiing 10,844 vertical feet that day! 

John left us with his wife Cathy and daughter Alice by his side and after his passing the Alta flag flew over his house. Over the years, Evelyne and I cherished our frequent talks with John, often stopping by his home to hear his endless trove of hilarious ski tales—each one delivered with his signature wit and twinkle in his eye. 

While we’ll miss him deeply, his stories, his laughter, and his love for the mountains will stay with us forever. 

Managing nostalgia (Part Two)

On the surface, nostalgia seems all well and good, but I see it also as a double-edged sword that can soothe me as well as hurt me if I’m not careful. Today, we’ll explore how we can get the best of it, without getting depressed if we let it pull us down. 

While it can bring us comfort, joy, and a sense of connection, without control, it can lead to yearning, sadness, and even contribute to depressive feelings, especially if and when we have specific reasons to be discontent with the present. 

To get the best out of nostalgia without getting depressed, I try to have a measured, mindful engagement with my memories by focusing on their constructive attributes to make me appreciate the present and hope for the future. Specifically, I try to zero-in on its "sweet" side while gently being aware of its "bitterness" that clearly belongs to the past.

I also make a conscious effort to not let it “eat up” my time, instead, I always move quickly to another subject in the present. My goal is not to deny the past, but to appreciate it for what it was. I also use it to reflect on the many challenges I’ve overcome, the skills I learned, or the growth I’ve experienced during those nostalgic times. 

For the most part nostalgia has strengthened my sense of self and continuity. I’ve made it part of my core values as well as my achievements and the person I've become. Another way not to get over-influenced by nostalgia, as sweet as it may feel, is to actively engage in creating new, positive memories in the present. Like trying new hobbies, visiting new places and meeting new people. 

By actively managing how I engage with my memories, focusing on their inspiring and connecting power, and ensuring that I remain anchored in the present, I’m able to draw the best out of nostalgia and insert it into a rich and meaningful life.