A SKIER'S WAY | The North Face

Mike Arnold grew up ski racing in Maine, discovered backcountry in Colorado and now works as a professional mountain guide in Italy’s Aosta Valley. Surrounded by 4,000-metre alpine peaks, his adopted home is the historical home of ski mountaineering. In this tight-knit local community, guides have always been highly respected. But they face high risks, too.    Having gained so much from the mountains, Mike has recently been forced to come to terms with what they can take away. He is paid to do what he loves but is it worth the risk?