Sam Kuch
Freeskier
Biography
If you’re hunting ghosts, you call the Ghostbusters. If you’re hunting for adventure, you call Sam Kuch – and get ready for the show.
A native of the magical community of Nelson, BC, Sam’s first ski home was none other than Whitewater Ski Area. It was at that special little location that Sam developed a strong passion for his favorite sport ever – and began to hone the stylish and technical backcountry skiing that has made him world-famous.
In such communities, there are almost always talents, and sometimes there are even Sam Kuch-level talents.
That is to say the level of talents with accolades such as “Powder Magazine’s Skier of the Year” and “Video Part of the Year” recipients. In fact, in a recent Matchstick title, Sam had both a feature part AND participated in a separate part of the film.
But it wasn’t always a seemingly effortless, cruise-control style for 23-year-old Sam. Like so many predecessors, Sam paid his dues to reach the top. There were the seemingly mandatory trips to compete against his peers back in his late teens (not really Sam’s cup of tea). Then there was also the work of operating as an unpaid guide – for Forecast Ski Magazine’s series “Beyond the Powder Highway.”
Those efforts delivered a strong return on investment though, when Sam was named “Discovery of the Year” at the 2018 iF3 Festival, marking an early milestone of a young, but extraordinary career.
Today, whether he is casually leaning into a stylish cork 7 from a cliff, collaborating on his own short film with friends, or being the principal creative mind behind his 2021 Arc’teryx feature, Third Person, it is clear that Sam is on another level from the pack.
Adventure to him means exploring mountain ranges in a helicopter, climbing and descending thousands of feet on motorcycles and mountain bikes, or paragliding across a few different towns.
Sam has never wanted to be one-dimensional though. He has too much energy, ambition, and restlessness for that. When asked, he quickly rattles off “adventure, travelling, and skiing” as his three passions.
Cool, we all like a little adventure sometimes, eh? Sure, but Sam is a bit different. Adventure to him means exploring mountain ranges in a helicopter, climbing and descending thousands of feet on motorcycles and mountain bikes, or paragliding across a few different towns.
This is Sam Kuch – and Ghostbuster pack or not – he’s the most stylish adventure man we know.
Gallery
Career Highlights
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2024
Viral Instagram Video
573K Views
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2023
IF3 Festival
"Space Craft"
Best Short Film Nominee
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2023
Video Part
Arc'Teryx Presents
"Space Craft" Short Film
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2023
Video Part
K2
"New Growth" Short Film
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2023
Video Part
BOA Fit System Short Film
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2022
Newschoolers
Skier of the Year Nominee
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2022
Video Part
Stomping Grounds Athlete Short
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2020
Video Part
The Kootenay Kid
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2020
Interview
The Year of the Kuch
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2019
Video Part
Beyond The Powder Highway Ep. 2
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2019
Video Part
Return to Send'er
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2019
IF3 Festival
Discovery of the Year
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2019
Powder Awards
Best Male Performance
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2019
High Five Festival
Best Male
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2019
IF3 Awards
Best Male Segment