The Infamous BANANA CHUTE of Crested Butte!

[@themichaelbilello]

It's great to see with each video, the tiny aspects of my skiing that improve more and more every time I go! Can't wait to show more!

[@DD-sr9xm]

CB traverses and drop ins can be hairy but once you are in, pure bliss. Good job Mike!

[@themichaelbilello]

for sure definitely a little nerve wracking! it’s all worth it once you get into the run!

[@saintrroy]

Another excellent video by Michael B. CB’s famous Headwall chutes and then the ultimate Banana chute prove to me beyond a reasonable doubt, traverses are the scariest part of skiing, either above some unreal feature like sheer cliffs with no snow, or cliffs with rocks and shrubs and trees poking it , both looking impossible to ski if one slipped off or fell of the relevant traverse, same goes for traversing below some cliff where the risk of an avy from above is high. Great video as skier is candid, and of course fearless and is definitely excellent at negotiating terrain but you tell me, you don’t seem to be an expert skier but self-taught superb negotiator of terrain. Thanks for the video . PS: Haven’t skied them but the Banana Chute looked like a steep gully in A-basin, anyone can corroborate or refute that visual conjecture ?

[@themichaelbilello]

At this time I would say was my second season really getting the grip of true "expert terrain". If I were making this video today I would definitely have a much smoother lap in the chute, in fact I have a video skiing "Funnel" from last season where I noticed major improvement in my traversing and skiing. My dad is responsible for teaching me how to ski and I gotta give lot's of credit to lessons I've taken at this mountain! Also, you're definitely right about traversing being the scariest part of skiing for the most part! Especially at this mountain...

[@land-olarson4610]

Last week I road the lift up (Paradise Lift) with the guy you're talking to at about the 5:00 mark. Great guy, I think he said he was originally from the French Canadian side. His name is Norman...?

[@themichaelbilello]

you bet! just ran into him again last week actually

[@michaelobrien8224]

I lived there in the 90’s. Great people out there.

[@themichaelbilello]

for sure! everyone is insanely skilled there ⛷

[@themichaelbilello]

0:00 intro 0:55 skiing 6:05 skiing headwall glades 9:07 getting to banana chute 11:42 skiing banana chute 18:21 recap

[@jcurtiscustoms]

Right on man! Grew up there in the 80's / 90's. Headwall is always a good warmup then shoot over to North Face. Hawks Nest and Spellbound were among my favorites of the CB extremes. Banana is good, but the hike to get there and sometimes the hike out was just never worth it to me lol. Fredo's is a great place to learn to do cliffs since it offers from I think about 10 feet up to around 50ish? Keep it going!

[@themichaelbilello]

this place is rad I come here a lot now so I definitely am looking in to covering new areas! cliff skiing is something I want to get in to so I will check out Fredos! thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed!! ⛷ 🤙

[@jcurtiscustoms]

For sure man, thanks for posting. There are a few "secret" spots on the mountain for side runs. Paradise cliffs off the side of Big Chute is another good one for learning to cliff drop around trees. Small drops. Psycho rocks near twister is also just a fun tucked away hit. Miss that place. Live in the flat state of MN now with none of that lol.

[@marcuskauffman798]

We need to take a ski trip

[@themichaelbilello]

For sure 🤙

[@summer7034]

damn the editing is top notch man. maybe. btw ask me if you wanna put any of my songs in any clips of yours

[@themichaelbilello]

Thank you so much! I will be sure to let you know!

[@justaregularinternetuser9972]

how are you not famous yet

[@themichaelbilello]

Maybe one day! I'm glad you enjoyed the video!

[@haseebarshad9028]

Cool Video man

[@themichaelbilello]

Thanks dude!!

[@giannacentonze668]

your intro is so cute

[@themichaelbilello]

Lol it definitely wasn’t in the moment

[@jconroy102]

What time of year was this

[@themichaelbilello]

February

[@falllinemaniac]

I'm happy you have vanquished your fear. I can tell people aren't mountaineers whenever I hear the word conquer. One conquers themself, the mountain just is, there is no beating the hill. You're starting off well. It is disturbing to watch a skier like you navigate serous terrain. The level of body tension required to keep the pressure on those edges is painful to watch. I see you lift the downhill leg somewhat to initiate a turn but your primary method to bring them around is to pivot the ski off of firmly planted edges onto the other firmly planted edge. This is a powerful method, it's also imprecise and dumps energy. I like to let the edges go and sideslip in a falling leaf then lifting the downhill foot to initiate the next turn. When the skis are doing all of the work and all I'm doing is lifting each leg to alternate the direction I can relax, enjoy the view and choose my line. If you must hold the edges because muscle memory is too rigid I suggest diving over the front of the ski. This basic crossover looks & sounds extreme but the skis will always come around when done properly. Start on easier slopes to build new muscle memory, fear will prevent drills from sticking.

[@themichaelbilello]

This is one of my favorite comments I've ever read. I will definitely try to use what you said into my skiing ability, thank you so much! At the time I did feel confident enough in my ability to ski this trail as the trail (Banana) itself wasn't too hard, but the process of getting and making my way over there definitely was nerve wracking. I have some later ski videos at Stevens Pass where I improved much more if you're interested!

[@saintrroy]

That’s an expert instructor/skier/guide talking, right on, hard to do, but it’s the right move, I know, I am trying to get it right!

[@annas7773]

Wow.

[@themichaelbilello]

thank you!

[@sabinapuri620]

That’s scary but looks funnn

[@themichaelbilello]

Getting over to the spot was actually the worst part, felt really confident in the chute though!

[@MrAlexbobalex]

lol Norman an OG

[@themichaelbilello]

damn right

[@sabinapuri620]

I like when u talk haha

[@themichaelbilello]

Thank you! I always think it benefits the video just to talk and get a little more in depth! It makes for more of a personal experience rather than just an average ski video.

[@user-oi8sq6ci8j]

Damn some of those trails looked really sketchy. 0_0

[@themichaelbilello]

It was a wild day for sure! Crested Butte is known for being one of the gnarliest ski areas in the world..

[@therealmuffinseller9686]

As a crested butte skier I can try to describe the feeling. Crested butte is a stand alone mountain that’s rounded so it always feels like if you fall your off the side of the mountain versus a flat wide mountain like Breckinridge feels like you’ll just fall on another run

[@brianhay4024]

Too long. Lost interest.

[@themichaelbilello]

I recommend my more recent videos then.