TPM Episode 477: Kevin Quinn, Points North Heli Founder, Pro Skier, Pro Hockey Player
The Powell Movement Action Sports Podcast
Release Date: 03/23/2026
The Powell Movement Action Sports Podcast
Rory Bushfield is one of my favorite skiers/personalities, and I loved parts 1 and two of his podcast so much that I had to record a third time with Bushy Wayne before I close out the Powell Movement. Rory and I have already talked about a lot of important skiing history. Since we last recorded, Rory went viral with a Monster funded aviation stunt, and then he had a life altering accident that changed everything. While accepting life in a new body could crush some, Bushy still has that “blow it if you got it” mentality and he’s already pushing the limits of what’s possible...
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Zeb Powell is the present and future of style in snowboarding and this week, it’s a Powell-on-Powell episode aka Two Powell’s One Pod. Like everyone, I’ve been blown away by what Zeb does on a 200cm+ board, off a knuckle, the vibe he brings to snowboarding,, and his creativity. I’ve wanted to get him on the show for a long time, and I’m stoked he’s my last snowboard guest. On the podcast, we talk about Brand Jordan, NC, his family, his path, Stratton, X, and so much more. I’m closing out snowboarding with a legend in the making and Zeb doesn’t disappoint. Zeb Powell Show...
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Markus Eder is the final European skier on the podcast and he’s arguably the most important. Markus's career took off after he won an internet wild card to Nine Knights in 2010, then it exploded even more at Red Bull Linecatcher, and if that wasn’t enough, he lit the web on fire with his 2021 “The Ultimate Run” release. Honestly, Markus may be the most versatile skier I’ve ever had on the podcast. A bold statement but the guy was a slopestyle athlete on the Italian Olympic team in Sochi in 2014, he’s a film skier that consistently puts out segments, he was a Freeride World...
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Eric Pollard has had a bigger impact than almost anyone in skiing over the last 25 years. From being one of the pioneering switch and rail riders of the late 90’s, to his mind-blowing ski designs, to his 20 years of video parts, to his award-winning media company Nimbus Independent, to the ski company he started (and was recently bought out of) Season, Eric Pollard has always been a visionary. And like many visionaries, a lot of his ideas were made fun of and misunderstood before they became cool mainstream. I’ve been trying to get Eric on the show for 10 years and this is truly a...
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Lisa Hudson was a professional beach volleyball player and champion for women’s volleyball before she started blazing a trail for women in action sports. Starting with the gravy days of Airwalk in the early 90’s, Lisa has always been a proven people connector who's fought for her fellow women because she could. From starting the first women’s outerwear brand (Prom) and co-founding Boarding for Breast Cancer, to ensuring Hall of Fame athletes like Shannon Dunn and Tina Basich had a path in snowboarding, to making sure women and brands were included in her video game projects, Lisa’s...
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Glen Plake is the most legendary, the most known skier of our time—maybe of all time—and I’ve interviewed him more than anyone. But this podcast series couldn’t end without a final Plake episode, and this one was timed perfectly, the day after Freeride was named an Olympic sport. You can bet Glen has a strong opinion about that, and we also talk about FIS, SIA, skiing, life, Kimberley, and so much more. It’s another fun episode with a living legend and I get some new stories out of Glen. Elan Trip of a Lifetime Show Notes: 3:00: Goon Squad, FIS, cultural tobacco and...
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Elan Skis is a longtime sponsor, and they have been telling me for years that I would be visiting their factory in Slovenia to see their incredible ski process, factory, and culture. While I was flattered that they would even suggest bringing me out, I never expected it to happen. But it didn’t just happen, it happened in All-Time fashion. Not only did I get to travel to Europe and become great friends with a bunch of ski industry badasses, but we also got to see the Elan factory and meet the players. And the icing on the proverbial cake was that we sailed from Slovenia to Croatian an Elan...
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Inappropriate Questions is how I end every show. The idea is that I find a friend of my guest and record 3 questions with them. The questions can be anything that gets the guest to tell a funny, crazy, embarrassing or really, any good story. The goal is to get some gold without pissing off my guest when I surprise them with the questions. This week, I have a long list of legends on this highlight show. Think Angel and Johnny Collinson, Stan Rey, Uncle E, Matt Reardon, Jaren Grob, Jeff Pensiero, Kevin Quinn, and many more. This is a fan favorite segment of the show, and the final...
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Errol Kerr’s professional ski career is actually two ski careers. A race part, where he was so close to making the World Cup and the US Alpine Ski Team and the other was his ski cross career, which was kick-started when he became a fully funded member of the US Ski Cross Team in his first race. Errol has competed all over the world, raced for Jamaica in the 2010 Olympics, and was a regular at the X-Games. But, while his life seemed perfect, it hasn't always been, and we talk about the highs of winning, the lows of mental health issues, and everything in between. Connery Lundin...
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Ryan Schmies is one of the most talented illustrators in action sports and his game changing ski art singlehandedly helped change the look and feel of skiing in the early 2000’s. While he’s best known for dark graphics like the Hellbent and Public Enemy franchises that he created during his 15 years at K2 Skis, in recent years Schmies' artistical talents have been showcased by brands like J Skis, Smith Optics, REI, Ikon Pass, and more. On the podcast we talk about coming up in Wisconsin, art, High North Ski Camp, athletes, and life in the ski industry. Members of the Cascade...
info_outlineKevin Quinn, the founder of Points North Heli and a true Alaska pioneer, has done more rad stuff than almost anyone I’ve had on the podcast. He went from pro hockey player, to ski instructor, to pro skier, to entrepreneur, to famous pilot, to coach, and that’s just some of what Kevin has done. He also did time in Tahoe with folks like Kreitler, McConkey and so many more; when life was all about shredding, jumping off things and shenanigans. But Kevin didn’t ski bum forever though, he started a heli ski business- with no idea how to manage the books, then he figured it out without going bankrupt, and eventually, lived the American Heli Ski dream life. Not too bad for a kid that dropped out of high school and made a name for himself in team sports by using his fists.
Kevin Quinn Show Notes:
4:00: Flying, death, the early days of Palisades, the bungee and B.A.S.E. crew, and PSIA with Greg Harms
21:00: Best Day Brewing: All of the flavor of your favorite IPA or Kolsch, without the alcohol, the calories or sugar.
Insta360 Cameras: The only action sports cam that matters. Get a free gift with purchase over at the site.
23:00: Hockey, figuring out life in Palisades, sponsorship, heli skiing, believing he could start his own operation with no money or understanding of business and the Gold pass
43:00: Elan Skis: Over 75 years of innovation that makes you better.
Outdoor Research: Click here for 25% off Outdoor Research products (not valid on sale items or pro products)
45:00: The PTSD of owing so much money, accidents, what is going on in Tahoe now, the best AK athletes, long lines with Micah Black,
67:00: Inappropriate Questions