Remembering Shane

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS ABOUT SQUAW THAT BRINGS OUT THE MAN IN
MEN. MAYBE THE WEATHER AND THE FANTASTIC SLOPES DARE ONE TO GO TO THE EDGE. YOU WERE A MAN AMONG THE BEST GOD GAVE US.

I at one point in my life was a snowboarder and did it for about 6 years, then finally my senior switched back to skiing and loved it. I remembered watching seeing Shane in the original "ski movies" and then years later coming to the MSP premiers and seeing Shane still killing it in his parts in "Seven Sunny Day's" and "Claim," especially all of the squaw terrain in his part in "Claim" the way he rode the mountain makes you want to get better at every aspect of you skiing and to push it that much more each time. I am still skiing and loving it, still learning for more technical terrain but when your lesson consist of following your friends, life-long skiers, through the hardest terrain they can find that day makes you learn pretty quickly. But that is what I love about skiing is that there is still more that I can learn to do, still ways I can get better. And in my opinion that is what Shane defined pushing yourself, but also at the end of the day we're skiing so let's have some fun as well, spray some tourists, heckle some people in lift lines, and play the game G.N.A.R. created by Shane McConkey which can be found as the last chapter of "Squallywood" the book. Every time I hear a "radness yell" I'll be thinking of Shane, and how Squaw and Shane will be forever connected.

The first time I met the marvel of the Mountain was a day of snowler-blades for some event at squaw a few years back and while I am at least a decade older this tie-dyed WIG posse waived me on "...lets go " and for a few minutes that day I felt I connected with another Crazy of the Squaw brotherhood! While you' re up there say hi to Alex!

Dear Shane,

I never have met you but wanted to write you an email a while ago. Unfortanetly I can show respect to you only this way. I come from Croatia and ski a lot in the Alps
You changed skiing for me with your invention of Pontoon skis. In fact you changed my life because there is nothing better than skiing on your skis. Even when first powder is gone your skis float. You float in my mind and heart. God bless you.

Mario Bebek

Shane, I idolized you in almost every way possible, ever since seeing that first video of you rippin' down some indiscriminate mountain in alaska. I remember you in person and on screen as a guy who didn't really let anything change you for the worse, and always for the better. I remember coming up to you various times in Wildflour with my friends telling you how I "can't believe you're pro, I'm so much better than you!" And you laughing and telling me that that was another 50 GNAR points on the list. You pushed me to push myself in ways I never thought possible, and you taught me to grab life by the horns and hang on for the ride, while keeping a smile on my face at the same time. I'm sure I'm not the only one saying this Shane, but I will always carry your easy going smile and your alter-ego, Saucerboy, in my heart. I hope that wherever you are now, may it be on earth, or that big mountain in the sky, that you're having fun with the endless BASE jumps and Pow runs. You can be sure that I'll be shredding one for you the next chance I get. I send my dearest condolences to your wife and your daughter.

--Todd

DEAR SHANE,

I REMEMBER A POWDER DAY IN THE 07/08 SEASON WHERE YOU HAD MOUNTED UP A PAIR OF 2x4's, PUT SOME TIPS ON THEM, SANDED THE BASES (I THINK) AND STILL BEAT MOST OF US DOWN THE MOUNTAIN! MAY YOU BE SHREDDING THE HEAVENS... WE'LL MISS YOU!

KT

I only met him a few times, knew Sherry from the Deli. My girlfriend Debbie had spent time with them in Mexico but what I have heard and just the few meetings I had, I knew he was a great man.

We have all seen the movies and clips and knew he was a fantatastic athlete, but to see him on Youtube jumping around and doing handstands for Ayla in a parking lot, shows that he was a great father too.

You will be missed. RIP ON.

Thank you. Thank you...

RIP, Shane. It was with great shock and sadness that I, like many other Squaw regulars, heard of your passing. You were an inspiration to me, and I think I can safely say, the broader skiing community in Tahoe/Truckee area and beyond. My thoughts and prayers to your family and friends.

My boyfriend used to take care of Shane in the 80's and Glenn was around. I remember one foggy day in Truckee that Shane didn't want to go to the mountain. We came back and told him it was a temperature inversion, Truckee was fogged in and Squaw was awesome. I don't know if he missed another day. He wasn't happy that the skiing was great. RIP and best to your family. Squaw and your extended family will reach out. Enjoyed and was sometimes taken breathless by your stunts. They gave us life - here's to the everafter!