AREA 241

Mikey’s Place: Doing the Vision at Area 241 

Jed Sky, Natalie Allport, Sebby Konijnenberg and Sam McMahon under the night sky outside the Area 241 cabin.
Jed Sky, Natalie Allport, Sebby Konijnenberg and Sam McMahon under the night sky outside the Area 241 cabin.
Words and Captions: Sam McMahon. Photos: Sam Ingles

A couple hours ago, we didn’t have a plan. But since our morning coffee, Mike Basich has fashioned a tree into a 30-foot pole jam over a road and Jed Sky has stacked a trick on it. If we’d been in the backcountry, this wouldn’t have been possible. If we’d been on a resort, the same procedure would have taken months of emails, negotiating and waivers.

Not here at Mikey’s place. He felled the tree. He dragged it into place. Hell, he even built the road. And now that the session is over, he’s persuading Jed to ride it again, except this time, Mike will be operating the chainsaw at the same time.

“I wasn’t sure at first,” says Jed as he hikes back up, “but when Mikey has an idea for a shot, it’s probably a good one.” It’s a strange, unique moment that could only be conjured up at the place where creativity meets total freedom: Mike Basich’s Area 241.

Back to Issue 23.3