Background
Born in Livermore, California, he grew up in Lake Tahoe, skiing Heavenly Valley.
Born in Livermore, California, he grew up in Lake Tahoe, skiing Heavenly Valley.
He is known for his appearances in ski films such as Greg Stump"s The Blizzard of Aahhhs, and for his trademark Mohawk hairstyle, often dyed blonde, purple or blue. Plake was a pioneer of extreme skiing in America. He hosted the RSN program Reel Thrills.
According to his official biography: Foreign Glen, there fell into place a connection between skiing and the wider world, an understanding that there were deeper forces beneath this sliding on snow.
In that brief flash of insight, Plake knew that skiing held something greater for him." The Plakes now base their winters in Chamonix, France.
Plake is an active member of PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) In May 2011 he passed his Level III Skiing Examination at Mammoth Mountain in Mammoth Lakes, California.