Photos: Christian Pondella, except POV.
The sudden passing of Mammoth rider Bernard “Bernie” Rosow has left the mountain community in shock. Bernie embodied the free-spirited skier, as uninhibited on his skis as he was in life.
Bernie passed away in a place he loved: Bloody Mountain, not far from his home. He was with close friends, including photographer Christian Pondella, on an ascent they had shared many times before. A few hours into the climb, Bernie began to feel unwell. He sat down, and moments later, he was gone. Christian, and later emergency responders, tried to revive him, but to no avail. Bernie’s big, beautiful heart had stopped beating.
Mammoth Mountain, CA
Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA
Mammoth Mountain, CA
Bernie became a skiing icon in more ways than one. First, for his unmistakable style, forged in the rugged and demanding conditions of Vermont, supported by a family who loved the outdoors and by his local ski club. His skiing carried a rare combination of dynamism and ease, reflecting a deep joy in simply being on snow. No matter the terrain or conditions, his fluidity made the mountain seem effortless. His lines were clean and graceful, like choreographed movements etched into the slopes.
The ultimate ski bum, Bernie chose a life devoted entirely to skiing. After high school, he headed west to Utah, working at a lodge to afford a lift pass at Alta. After two seasons there, he continued on to Mammoth, California, where he found the ideal balance between work and freedom as a snowcat driver. He worked late, woke early, and spent his days skiing. Whether exploring high alpine terrain or flowing through the terrain park, Bernie moved with creativity and playfulness, shaped by his background in freestyle skiing and ski jumping. He loved launching off features and finding expression in the air.
Mammoth Mountain, CA
Mammoth Lakes, CA
It was in Mammoth that he met photographer Christian Pondella, beginning a friendship and creative partnership that would help define an era of ski imagery. Together, they explored their local Sierra Nevada and more distant mountain ranges, capturing unforgettable images published in ski and outdoor magazines around the world. Among them was the now-iconic “Hole in the Wall” image, capturing Bernie emerging from darkness into a shaft of light.
Having experimented with filming and editing from a young age, Bernie eagerly embraced new technologies, from POV cameras to drones. Creative and meticulous, he produced daily edits documenting his adventures in the mountains. Early recognition came through Powder magazine, but it was his authentic portrayal of mountain life online that truly resonated with skiers globally and led to partnerships, notably with blackcrows skis. His collaboration with the Chamonix-based ski company resulted in numerous adventures and the online feature Blackdoc, dedicated to his remarkable life as a freeskier.
Bernie shared a loving relationship with Amber Feld, and together they had the light of their life, Alex, now eight years old. Alex became the bright center of this new chapter for Bernie.
Bernie’s life was free, full, and far too short — but it was lived exactly as he wanted it.
To ride freely.
June Mountain, California opening Day January 1, 2021
June Mountain
Mammoth Mountain, CA
Photos : Christian Pondella sauf POV
