ALISON GANNETT
       Place of Birth: Boston, MA
       Home Base: Colorado
       Age: "this industry is too age-ist"
       Nick Name: Big Al

Why is Blue your favorite color?
Baby blue to be exact. Reason? Unknown? Except I try every color of nail polish and always return to blue. Second favorite, baby pink, ‘cause I like to feel feminine.

What would you tell the kids who are just starting to ski and really get into it?
Always dream big, cause what you think is what you will become.

What's it like to be a girl in a mostly boy's playing field?
It is great being pushed by the top men, especially once you realize that girls can do anything a guy can do. The tough part is that we have a tough time getting equal pay and good exposure.

Helmet story.
I was skiing this line called "the edge" in crested butte. I aired in the knarly route and upon landing, ejected from one of my skis. I went headfirst down this 50-degree face through the trees, sliding so fast I couldn't even see. It was one of my nine lives down the tubes, and I realized that I needed to wear a helmet if I wanted to stay alive. Another time was when I watched Aaron McGovern fall thousands of feet through many cliff bands in a comp in Alaska. His helmet and face guard saved his face and probably his life. He was pretty messed up even with his helmet … and his helmet was mutilated, but he was intact.

Skiing is my passion. I don’t ski for other people, I ski because I love how it feels and how I feel when I am skiing. Skiing keeps my overactive mind calm; when I am reacting to what is in front of me, I am totally focused, relaxed, and in the moment. Am I ever petrified? Some days I wonder what the hell I am doing, if I am going to live to see another day. When I flash some cool line, all those fears melt away into ecstasy. Skiing is like life, the risks and challenges make you scared, but also provide the biggest rewards. I love the quote "there is no such thing as failure, only those who quit trying". Skiing makes me believe in myself.