The 5 to 9: Catching up with Andy Messner

It's Friday afternoon and we can't wait to get after some weekend adventures here in Jackson Hole! Many of our snow athletes are enjoying some downtime this summer, so we used this opportunity to catch up with snowmobiler and DMOS ambassador Andy Messner. 

Q: How did you get into snowmobiling?

A: Well luckily for me my dad Peter got bitten by the snowmobile bug way back in the 70’s, so naturally him and his buddies had me on a sled early. I had my first sled at age two and when I got the hang of it, you couldn’t get me off it. I had friends in my neighborhood that also rode sleds so we’d go out everyday after school and push each other to jump further or whatever the challenge was that day. That rivalry is what pushed me and got me to where I am today.

Q: What would you say has been the pinnacle of your career so far?

A: I would have to say that for me the pinnacle of my career so far was when I realized that I have young people and young sledders that look up to me and consider me a role model. I found that much more fulfilling than having my photo in a magazine. Knowing that my riding can inspire young people to get out and ride sleds the same way that I did growing up is great motivation to keep sharing my love for snowmobiling.

Q: So what’s next on your radar? Are there any big objectives you want to check off?

A: Well the next step in my career would be to land a spot in one of next year’s big films. That would be huge for me. I’m not quite there yet, but if I continue on my current path it will happen for sure so for now I just want to keep pushing myself to new levels. That is always my main goal for the season so as long as I continue to grow as a rider then I’m happy

Q: What do you look for in an adventure partner? Anything you just won’t tolerate?

A: Finding a die-hard adventure partner like myself can be a challenge! It’s hard to find a reliable buddy that you can trust and will be there digging in the backcountry for 70 plus days of the year. The most important thing to look for is someone you can trust to save your life if the occasion arises. If I’m stuck in an avalanche or break my back off a jump I need to know the people around me can make the split-second decisions to save my life. I can definitely not tolerate dying so that’s a biggie!

Q: Where’s home for you? Anything we should check out when we’re there?

A: Home for me has always been and will always be the mountains of British Columbia. I currently reside in Coquitlam BC, where I can look out my living room window and see snow on the mountain tops year-round. If you’re near me, you might as well take a little jaunt up the Sea-to-Sky corridor and hit up Legs Diamond in Whistler. Its fine-dining for ski and sled bums like myself who love to rip and shred all day but appreciate the finer things in the culinary world. Talk to the Groovmeister and say Andy sent you - he’ll take good care of you!

Q: What do you do for fun in the offseason?

A: Oh man, where do I start! We have so many great activites to choose from in the BC that its hard to choose what to do each weekend. Riding my dirtbike is a big part of my life in the summer months. It’s a great workout and it’s very similar to riding a sled so it keeps me sharp and ready to rip when the snow flies. But if I’m not on a bike I’m usually standing in a boat with a fishing rod in my hand.

Q: Favorite post-ride food and drinks?

A: My favorite post ride meal is a definitely a guilty pleasure and one that tons of Squamish/Whistler locals would agree on, the deep-fried enchilada from Mags 99. After a hard day on the hill a Mags burrito sticks to the bones and keeps me going for the ride home!

Follow Andy @andymessnersnow