Name: Brandon “Moondog” Moon                                                                

Hometown: Sandpoint, Idaho

Birthdate: 3/17/1965   Birthplace:  Carmel, CA

Height:  5’ 8” Weight:  155

Education:  Sandpoint High School, 1983, Colorado Aero Tech, 1985, and University Of Idaho, 85-87

Skiing History:

I gave up on college to pursue my life as a ski bum. I went to work at Schweitzer Mountain Resort as a Pro patrol from 1987-1997. During this time I got caught up in the latest rage of Extreme Skiing. I worked with many photographers including Scott Markowitz, Bob Woodall, Wade McCoy, Brian Robb, and Dick O’Neill. As well as film makers including Warren Miller productions and Peak productions. Although I never did make the Warren Miller films, I did grace the pages of Ski, Skiing, Powder, and Snow Country Magazines. I also performed with Outrageous Air Ski shows performing aerial acrobatics both on snow and in indoor ramp shoes all over the western US and Canada. While I admit I did most of this on Alpine gear, I took up Telemark skiing as a way to put some excitement back into everyday skiing. My first tele setup was a worn out pair of Asolo boots and 210 Rossi Descentes. Making Tele turns was more like “linked recoveries”, but damn it was fun. I started racing tele in the Selkirk Classic for the t-shirt and give-aways. Pretty soon I got busted for sand bagging and the organizers made me go up in the classes. After awhile I found no where else to go but into the Elite group with those guys from Whitefish that seemed SOOO serious about racing. I was lucky to get more than 1-2 days on pins before the race and usually was able to beat a couple of the Whitefish boys. A few years back, some friends suggested I get a bit more serious about tele. I thought about it and updated my gear and went to as many races as I could find. That year I went to my first US Nationals at Crystal Mountain, Wa. What I did not know was that it was also World Cup Finals. Talk about getting schooled! The conditions were rough, but I fulfilled my goal to finish every race I started. With that behind me, I set my sites on becoming a member of the US Team and competing in World Cup competition. I hung up my alpine gear and went all tele, all the time. My technique improved, my legs did hurt as bad, I started dropping my points and made the team. With determination and patients, you can teach old Moondogs new tricks.

Competition Results:

  • 04-05 ranked 9th overall in US
  • Best World Cup finish
  • 29th Kransjka Gora, Slovenia
  • Selkirk Classic, Sandpoint, Idaho
  • 1st GS, 9th Sprint Classic
  • 03-04 ranked 10th overall in US
  • Selkirk Classic, Sandpoint, Idaho
  • 4th GS, 3rd Sprint Classic
  • 02-03 35th overall in US
  • Selkirk Classic, Sandpoint, Idaho
  • 7th GS, 7th, Sprint Classic

Goals, Attitude and Motivation:

One of my objectives in joining the team was to help promote Telemark Racing. I would love to see our sport in the Olympics coming to Vancouver, BC in 2010. I have been using my experiences as a competitor to learn as much as I can about the organization and promotion of Telemark events. I am also working at introducing younger competitors to the joys of Telemark so our sport can flourish in the future.

Why do you Telemark Race?

Telemark rules! It is truly a triathlon of skiing. We race GS, skate Nordic, and jump for distance all in one run. The competition is fierce, but the competitors are our friends. Even at the world cup level.   

Interesting Facts about yourself:

I have many interests, but I very much enjoy restoring old cars and boats. I own a 59 Chevy pickup and 61 Leecraft mahogany boat which I have completely redone myself. When not skiing, I spend most of my time in my shop tearing something apart and sometimes putting it back together

Hometown Newspaper:  Sandpoint Daily Bee, Sandpoint, Id