A Thousand Words

High up in the sublime Japanese Alps, Sean O'Brien and Kevin Schaefer—the founders of Ellis Skis, an American-made ski company—set out to test their gear. Skiing in Japan is like gliding through a dreamscape sculpted by nature's most delicate hand. The air, crisp and pure, carries a faint scent of cedar and snow, while the surroundings are hushed, as if the mountains themselves are holding their breath. Light, deep powder falls like stardust, blanketing the slopes in a pristine quilt that sparkles under the pale winter sun. Every turn feels weightless, the snow parting effortlessly beneath their skis as if the earth itself is inviting.

Ellis Skis in the snow: The guys take a break from the wind to plot their next run.Joe Freemond

Taking a moment beside the shrine to take in the majesty of the mountainsJoe Freemond

Joe Freemond

The sun breaks over the peaks of the majestic mountain range.Joe Freemond

Japanese guide Toshi Pander cuts through the powder.Joe Freemond

Locals call it Meraki, a term whispered with reverence, for it turns the slopes into something otherworldly—less a surface to conquer and more a canvas for fluid, effort less motion. With each turn, plumes of powder rise like smoke. Joe Freemond

The silence is profound, broken only by the faint swoosh of skis carving gentle arcs into untouched slopes. Occasionally, a burst of laughter echoes from the tree line, a reminder that joy thrives in these frozen heights.Joe Freemond

Covered in snow and exhausted, Jake, Kevin, and Sean are still ready for another run.Joe Freemond

Vestiges of the '98 Olympics remain here, a shrine to one of the best Winter Games ever heldJoe Freemond