To most people, Pierre Marc Jette’s lifestyle is a dream.
Get up early in the morning, have a hearty breakfast, wax your skis, get on the mountain and ski for eight hours straight.
But for 55-year-old Jette, it’s been his daily routine and reality for the last four months. All in an effort to break a world record and raise money for a cause that’s close to his heart.
Averaging 50,000 vertical feet of skiing each day, Jette is on his way to breaking a world record for most vertical feet skied in one year.
The current record stands at 4,175,108 vertical feet, set by a couple of British skiers in 1994.
Even though he has 365 days to break the record, Jette is expected to reach his goal on March 14, less than four months since he started on Nov.22.
But his quest does not stop there. Jette not only plans to surpass that mark in nine days, but double his mileage by next November.
And that takes discipline.
Skiing from dawn to dusk every day, he only takes about one day off every four days to let his body rest.
Once he gets home, Jette has to upload data from his tracker as proof for the Guinness World Records.
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Just five months ago, he did not even own a computer or a cell phone. Now, he uses a GPS watch to keep track of the vertical mileage, an app on his phone as a back-up and a GoPro camera that he turns on every time he gets on and off the chairlift.
Whistler Blackcomb provides Jette with its own data from electronic ski pass scanners. But, just in case, Jette keeps a log book, where he records every run and chairlift he rides on.
For anyone following along, he also documents his progress on his Facebook page.
With increasing media attention, Jette says he is trying to stay focused on his goal, despite the daily grind and toll on his body.
“I keep thinking about my family back east. They are a great mental support,” says Jette. “Also, a lot of mountain staff here know me, they cheer me up and keep me going. I am lucky that way. I have no problem motivating myself. It’s the best experience of my life.”
One year ago, Jette lost his aunt to Alzheimer’s and currently has one other family member suffering from the disease. So with every mile he skies, he is raising money for Alzheimer’s research.
“This journey is my way to show support for my family,” he says.
Jette was originally planning to raise 10 cents for every foot that is required to break the record, which would amount to $420,000.
However, unlike with his skiing endeavor, Jette has a long way to go to reach his fundraising goal. He has raised approximately $6,500 for the Alzheimer’s Society of BC so far. A silent auction will be held on March 16 in Whistler in an effort to raise more money.
You can donate to Jette’s cause here.
A documentary about his adventure is also in the works.
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