Piers Solomon

Watching him ski an untracked mountain face that’s covered in fresh powder is like watching an artist paint, or a beautiful dance. He floats on top of the snow, seemingly weightless, and plays with the terrain, making the most out of every turn. Working frequently with ski photographer Oskar Enander, the Engelberg-based duo has formed a fruitful partnership that has produced numerous ski magazine covers, in all corners of the world.

Born in the small town of Stans in central Switzerland, just down the valley from Engelberg, Solomon was practically destined to become a big mountain skier. Besides spending as much time as possible on his home mountain of Titlis, Solomon travels the white world in search of the deepest and best snow on the planet. This quest has taken him to remote locations like Japan or Haines in Alaska, the Mecca of steep skiing. For Solomon, everything revolves around his passion for making turns in deep snow.

While soft-spoken, and sometimes even unassuming, in person, Solomon is deeply committed to sharing his accumulated knowledge and spends a great deal of time coaching other skiers. He coaches both during the summer, in Argentina for SASS Global Travel, and during the winter, in the mountains around Engelberg for some of the many camps he’s involved in.

Most memorable skiing experience?

“Heliskiing in Haines, Alaska is hard to beat. Standing on top of a steep face that’s covered in spines can be a bit nerve-wrecking and scary. Once you drop in, though, you become one with the elements, and all those feelings turn into sheer bliss and euphoria. I live for those moments.”

What drives you to keep searching for the best snow in the world?

“It’s pretty simple: skiing is what gives me joy and a great deal of satisfaction in life. Hopefully, I’ll keep skiing until the day I die.”