Wiley “danger” Maple

Japan dazed. Pretty beautiful in Aspen right now... but hard to the beat endless pow and ramen in 🇯🇵🤤. ↡ @mo_pihl 📸 @aztechmountain @aspensnowmass @oakleyskiing @atomicski @swixsportus

Back to "work." The man behind the madness. 6 years 13 surgeries and countless bumps and bruises @ Glen Mcleod PT Sports Performance + Therapeutic Services [SPTS] [email protected] Thanks for always helping me return to form. The best in the business. #liveyours #wildbynature #europe #americandownhiller #giveitaway #freakstyle @oakleyskiing @strafeouterwear @atomicski @komperdell_page @aspenbrewingcompany @reusch_brand #thecomebackking

30 years ago my parents suffered or hopefully celebrated a great change in their lives when they brought me into this world. Now at 30 I’m also in the greatest transition of my life (thankfully it’s not a kid;). But the end of an era all the same. I’ve had to say goodbye to too much recently... ▲ How do you wrap up a dream. @timothypkelley probably did it best with a simple “I’m retiring.” Apparently, I don’t have the resolve to end it so simply. ❄︎ It was a hell of a ride, a pain in the ass- full of failures and splashes of glory. Betrayals, destroyers of dreams and a generation of American skiers, mistakes, broken bones and broken hearts. Memories spread across the corners of globe. In the end, I’ll remember the people that made it glorious. The mischief we made. The places I’ve been. The life long friendships forged in the small moment between the madness. spectacular sunrises and sunsets...The opportunity ski racing allowed me is staggering. It’s a strange feeling knowing my body and mind will never again experience the commitment of pure fear, thrill and joy attacking a World Cup Downhill... I’ll certainly miss the rush. The white circus. Most of all our small crew of misfits sailing around chasing speed... ▲ It’s sad that it’s over. But, I’m sure I’ll find something equally stupid in time with just as rowdy a crew- perhaps I already have. @the_freakstagram ❄︎ It was an honor and a privilege to share the battlefield with so many and race the world at skiings highest level. Thanks to all that made it possible and all that made it fun! ❄︎ What’s next? recovering from a spinal fusion- in my parents Basment “Ma! The meatloaf!” perhaps crash a funeral here and there—but mostly try to survive my 18th surgery. I’ll be finishing my degree in philosophy over the next year, contemplating the meaning of life and what could possibly follow such and era. And throwing some paint on canvas. ⚔︎ ✌🏼ski racing and thank you🖖🏽 ↟ “And then a strange comforting thought trickled through me—I had nothing, so I could do anything now (Rachel Ward).”

The Kids are Alright…actually they’re pretty damn good! Just go back from week one of the 9th annual @americandownhiller camp at @mammothmountain and can’t say enough about it. The conditions were all-time, the coaching staff world class, the mentors World Cup grade and the kids were absolutely ripping! @marcolikesit and @anna_goody - you created a gem and I’m proud to be a part of any and all of it. Love you guys, stoked for next year already! #americandownhiller #thekidsarealright #mammothmountain @steven_nyman @mo_lebel @wcmaple @lalalaurenne @keely_cashman @eliteamdigdeep Any many more…. @kastle_usa @beringiaworld

Not sure I’ve ever done 3 in a row before— I guess I’m on a roll… a few mistakes, but nice to be in the money again. $70,000 investment this season. P25 Garmisch $1,588.22 prize money - 20% tax. $1,270.57. ✅ ⚔︎ Now that’s a sound investment strategy… ▲ Getting to ski around the world with some of your best friends… “priceless” or there abouts 😉😘. ☠︎ Real Genius: “A bit of advice, Always ☝️— no, never, forget to check your references.” (Dr. Meredith). “Ha ok, I better be going.” (Mitch) ⚓︎ Big thanks to all the nameless folks behind the madness. And all you other people 🙏🏼: @gorak73 my technical advisor keeping me fast @sheffield_allsport_watches @aspensnowmass @aztechmountain @atomicski @nicerecovery @sync_performance @reuschwinter @worldcupdreamst2 @oakleyskiing

Brb racing Kitz 😮‍💨 #stokedonsync 📸: GEPA

It seems like I’ve been fighting my body my entire career— with little rhyme or reason as to when it feels good. At some point a teammate said, “you’ve asked your body to do a lot”— perhaps, but no more than you with 90% more pain and failure. ❄︎ But! The entire Kitzbuhel week it felt great for the first time in recent memory and it showed. 3 days of fast confident skiing in a row is something to build off. A personal best in Kitz P19– and in the hunt for a top 10. 8 years spanned my last points on the hahnenkamm. As I was ripping down the final pitch to the finish, I was fairly uncertain if it would be enough— but, I was dead certain how much fun I was having— something close to human flight. ▲ Unfortunately it came too late— with the US choosing to name their Olympic team a week earlier than anyone else. It was a long shot— a carrot on a stick, that in part inspired the comeback. Excited to see the world come together in the spirit of competition and the pursuit of excellence… especially when a mad man, from our own land, has done so much to tear us apart. ☠︎ There’s still some season left—excited to see what I can pull together. ⚔︎ As one of the only independent athletes on the World Cup speed tour my list of sponsors big and small likely includes you! Thanks for showing up as more than a fan—but a primary donor that’s allowed me this chance! Thanks for letting me dance! @aspensnowmass @team_avsc @atomicski @sheffield_allsport_watches @reuschwinter @oakleyskiing @sync_performance @nicerecovery

I grew up with this photograph of my “uncle” Mike Farny above my bed—to my mind few things had such a galvanizing force as this— pushing me more to the pursuit of speed. A space man on skis I always thought… ❅ It took years to finally reimagine this image with paint. And another year to decide it was done— or something close. ⚔︎ With the classic stretch starting tomorrow in Wengen— it’s time to fly. I call this painting FLIGHT. #lauberhornrennen #art #flight

A quick and strange 10 days home for the holidays. Christmas morning rain 🫠😭 ice in Aspen. It’s almost like winter is changing and we should do something about it before we lose it. ▲ Nevertheless good to be home for some skiing, friends and family. Even managed to win the Ajax Cup on a team with my father. A first for both of us Doug and the Snowriders one of two teams to have participated in every Ajax Cup. @team_avsc had its most successful event yet—raising almost 2 million dollars help 3,000 young skiers get out into the mountains that should be our birth right. With a lot of your help it now is. ➴ East bound to ski down. Classic stretch rolls ahead Wengen, Kitz, Crans coming up next. #audiajaxcup @aspensnowmass @atomicski @aztechmountain @oakleyskiing @sheffield_allsport_watches @mattpower 📸

The first European stretch is in the books. So far a slow start to the season with only a few fast splits to tell me I’m skiing fast— and a lot of mistakes to take it away. ❄︎ Val Gardena usually one of the funnest stops on the tour became one of the most dangerous races of the year with several blow knees, two broken back, some stress fractures and few concussions. Personally I narrowly stayed on my feet— happy to walk away to ski another day. I’m headed home a bit banged up, but excited to continue the pursuit. @mediamoni behind the 📸 @nicerecovery keeping the limbs in the game

Please join me Friday November 21st, 5-8 At the Aspen Brewing Company for a World Cup (and hopeful Olympic) fundraiser. ❄︎ A ticket gets you fed, “watered” with beer and other beverages. A chance to win some new skis! Plus live music and a ton of great silent auction items to local restaurants, outwear, skis and all that fun stuff. ▲ As perhaps the only “successful” unfunded World Cup athlete— it falls on me—with a little help from you, to pull a season together. Together we are amateurs— facing the national team machine… with a little love anything can happen. ⚔︎ If you can’t give please spread the word. Regardless hope to see you in the mountains!

I swear I’m better at skiing than talking. I hope so anyway. If you want to find out please come to my fundraiser next Friday the 21st at @aspenbrewing . Your participation will shut me up and send me skiing. The event will host Live music, silent auction, food, beer and a raffle… We are just two weeks out of the WC Speed opener in Copper, CO. Help me get there even though it’s only a short drive this time. @andycurtis55 nailing the bloopers