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When it comes to managing avalanche risk in the backcountry, that overused dictum “know before you go” could be rephrased as, “before you go, know where you don’t want to go.” This mindset was a mental attitude or disposition that would evolve from each guide’s hazard assessment, local knowledge, and personal level of risk acceptance. The mindset defined an unspoken, internal dialogue that illustrated each guide’s perception of conditions, terrain, and level of uncertainty and confidence.

Roughly 30 pinball machines fill a barn in north Longmont. A handful were made decades ago, with themes ranging from “The Lord of the Rings” to “Godzilla” to “Wheel of Fortune.” Many are considered collector’s items and are worth thousands of dollars.

“I’ve played all these games many times,” said 19-year-old Escher Lefkoff, the top-ranked player in the world by the International Flipper Pinball Association. “Every game is different.”

Mike Arnold grew up ski racing in Maine, discovered backcountry in Colorado and now works as a professional mountain guide in Italy’s Aosta Valley. Surrounded by 4,000-metre alpine peaks, his adopted home is the historical home of ski mountaineering. In this tight-knit local community, guides have always been highly respected. But they face high risks, too.   

Having gained so much from the mountains, Mike has recently been forced to come to terms with what they can take away. He is paid to do what he loves but is it worth the risk?