Home > Winter

Watch: This Man Paints America’s Iconic Ski Maps

Support us! GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

Meet the man who hand paints the green trees, white chutes, and rocky cliffs of iconic ski resort maps, James Niehues. He is the artist behind over 194 ski trail maps.

High above the terrain in an airplane, Niehues takes pictures of the resort. From there, he projects the image and begins painting large scale trail maps.

The next time you’re enjoying a day on the slopes, remember, the trail map was likely painted by hand from this man.

Subscribe Now

Get adventure news and gear reviews in your inbox!

Join Our GearJunkie Newsletter

Get adventure news and gear reviews in your inbox!