What got you into skiing?

In my family, we just went skiing all the time. My parents started to take me when I was two years old. I remember when I was 4 and I was skiing with my dad on a powder day. We stopped and it was so quiet and cool. The snow felt so good. I was hooked at that point.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT SKIING?

I like all aspects of it. I love being with my friends. I love being outdoors, standing on mountains, sliding down snow, taking air. It’s just freedom for me.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE ACTION SPORTS MOVIES?

Well, I grew up on my dad's movies, so all the Teton Gravity Research movies are my favorite. But I watch a lot of movies, and have lots of favorites. They give me inspiration to go out and try new stuff.

HOW DO YOU GET PSYCHED UP BEFORE MAKING A BIG/SCARY RUN OR JUMP?

I do a ton of visualization. Sometimes I will study something for weeks. I try to imagine myself doing it. Before I drop in I do more visualization work. I try not to do things that I am not comfortable with or that are out of my ability. It is about having fun. Staying in that space keeps it fun.

What is your biggest fear of skiing and what age did you start skiing at?

My biggest fear is injuring myself or getting caught in an avalanche, but I train and practice so much that I'm well prepared for the things I try. Yes, I get nervous, but not scared.

how long have you been skiing and whats your best trick do you do jumps and other stuff like that too

(Question submitted by Mary Dalby California)

I've been skiing since I was 2 years old and my best trick is a double rodeo 1080 (which is basically two flips and a 360).

HOW DO YOU GET PSYCHED UP BEFORE MAKING A BIG RUN OR JUMP?

I do a ton of visualization. Sometimes I will study something for weeks. I try to imagine myself doing it. Before I drop in, I do more visualization work. I try not to do things that I am not comfortable with or that are out of my ability. It is all about having fun, so it’s important to stay in that space that keeps it fun.

I am a skier as well, I am getting pretty good and I just want to know how I can get up the courage to just send some tricks? How do you send tricks and just do it?

Part of courage is believing in yourself. But it's easier to believe in yourself when you know you've ready. If you're scared, you might not be ready. Fear is there to keep you safe. So take the time practicing, preparing and learning before you send it. It's okay to be a bit nervous the first time, but if you're scared, that's a sign you should prepare yourself a little more.

What are some starter tricks that I can do that I can just keep progressing with? What do you do that help you just send it? Like I am also wanting to do a backflip, I can do it on a tramp and on the ground, so what can I do to just send it?

Yes, now that you've got the confidence from the tramp board, you're ready to send it. Check out my How To on backflips coming up for a few more tips.

When did you first ever go into deep powder and feel the amazing stuff powder is?

(Question submitted by Gavin from Massachusetts)

I've pretty much been skiing my whole life (since age 2), but I probably got into the powder around age 4. More important than age is having the right skis for it. you want something that small and wide, for staying on top of the powder. I use Atomic Ben Chetler's, which are great for powder.

I am getting pretty good at skiing and I just want to move onto some more advanced tricks, what tricks should I be learning first?

(Question submitted by Jaron from Utah)

Once you're getting into doing jumps and tricks, the first thing to do is work your way through all the various grabs. When you've got that dialed, progress to a 180, then a 360, then a 540. If you've got 540 dialed, you're ready to start backflips, then move to things like a cork 720 and more advanced stuff. But really, start with the grabs, then work your way up through the spins. The next will always seem pretty natural when you're ready for it.

Hey Kai, I’m trying to learn a backflip on skis. Got any tips?

(Question submitted by Isaac from Utah)

First of all, make sure you have a good jump with a soft powder landing. Bend your legs when you launch and use the energy from that bend to power your rotation (the more you tuck, the faster you spin). Also, push your hips forward as you spin. Look backwards and try to spot your landing, and then just stomp it. I do a lot of training and preparing for something like this, so I feel pretty confident before I try something new. If you're feeling scared, you might not be ready yet. Trampolines and tramp-boards are a great way to get used to the rotation and build your confidence.