Interview by Jeff Schmuck

So what have you been up to lately Mr. West? How was your fall?

It was an awesome. I just rode my motorcycle around until it was bitter cold and I couldn't get on it anymore. Then I went up and got a place in Breck, and since then I've just been hanging around here jumping on trampolines at Woodward, and as soon as Breck opened I've been skiing there.

You got over to Europe for a couple of the pre-season big airs as well right?

Yeah, I did Freestyle.ch and Freestyle.Berlin, which were really fun, and London as well, and London was ridiculously awesome.

How'd those events go for you?

I had a great time. I always like going to those things, but I never expect to do too much, because it seems like the tricks keep getting bigger and the jumps keep staying the same size. (laughs)

Freestyle.ch. photo: Oliver Maccabez

And now that the mountains are open in Colorado, what's on your agenda for the next little bit?

Well for the next month or so until Dew Tour I'm just going to be skiing at Breckenrdige and Keystone. I haven't been to Keystone yet but I think I'm going to head over there this week. I'll also be filming with Mike Thomas, who is going to travel with me this year as my filmer, and we're going to make videos and edits together all winter long together.

I was about to ask about that, because there's been a lot of happy chitter-chatter online about you guys due to the hilarious Epic Pass video you released last week. How'd that all come about?

Well basically Vail asked Mike Thomas to make an ad, and since we're good friends and like making videos together because he was my JOSS filmer and editor he asked me to help him out. So we went all in. (laughs)

And how's the response been in your eyes?

It's been great, and it was actually a good test run for what I'm going to be doing all season with Mike, which is making tons of funny videos. There's going to be a lot of skiing videos that we're going to put out too, but I also want to make a lot of comedy videos to have a lot of fun and entertain people in the process.

And on that note, you just dropped Colby James West.com...

Yep, you can go to ColbyJamesWest.com, or ColbyWest.TV, and it leads to the same site. It's basically YouTube style where there's a featured video up top, but then you can also watch other videos that Mike Thomas and I are going to be making. I'm going to try to put out at least one video a week, if not more, and hopefully they'll be really entertaining and people will enjoy them. There's also a spot on the page where you'll be able to see all the different characters I do, which we're working on right now. We're planning on having a picture of each character along with a short video and a description for each of them, so it should be pretty funny. We're also planning on having some contests on the site, and one of the ideas we came up with is that whoever wins can select a character and I'll record their voicemail for them in the character of their choosing.

And the website is all up and running right now right?

Yeah, it's just getting going though. I just put up the bloopers from the Marty Lempkin informercial for Epic Pass, so you can go on there and check that out right now. It's pretty funny.

Mike Thomas & Colby James West. photo: Dan Brown

When will the next little gem be dropping?

I've got another one coming out right around the time this interview drops, and then Mike's on vacation till December 1st, but when he gets back we'll get right into the process of making more stuff. So you can expect some additional videos sometime next week.

Outside of the site, what are you plans ski-wise this winter?

I'm going to be filming with Matchstick all season again, and we've got a plan in the works for some pretty funny stuff with them too. And then I'm going to be doing some of the contests, like Dew Tour and X Games, but I'm hoping to keep things a bit more mellow this year so I can have a lot of fun with making videos for the site.

X Games. photo: Nate Abbott

What are you most looking forward to trip or competition-wise?

For comps, definitely X Games, because I really like X Games. And trip-wise I might be going to Lebanon with CoreUPT, which I know you're planning on coming on, so that could be pretty cool, but I'm a little nervous about it.

It'll be fun. They haven't had a war there in like two years so hopefully it'll be all good (laughs). What would you say is your biggest goal for the winter?

I'd really like to win some of the Dew Tours, mainly in slopestyle. I guess a lot of people consider me a pipe skier, but I sort of feel like I'm falling off the pipe wagon a bit, so I'm really excited to try to do well in some slopestyle contests. I've learned a bunch of new doubles, and that's got me really excited.

X Games. photo: John Vandervalk

Also, a lot of people have been asking over the last little while when and if you and Symms are going to get together and do more songs. Is that going to happen?

Yeah for sure. We're thinking about doing a Christmas album, and we're still working on some songs to go with My Friend is a Pro. We kind of put that on hold over the summer, but it should get going again when Symms comes back down this way again, because he's up in Idaho right now. So stay tuned for that kids.

Colby & Symms. photo: Dan Brown

Excellent to hear. Anything you want to say to all those kids out there who look up to you and are so constantly entertained by you?

Um, don't go to school, it's not worth it. (laughs)

(laughs) You really want me to put that in there?

(laughs) I dunno, what do you think?

(laughs) Probably not.

Is it really that bad?

Well since you're such a jokester, I guess not.

Then yeah, leave it in. (laughs)

Thanks Colby. Good luck this season.

Thanks!

Colby James West.com