Why are we here? Because it feels so frickin’ good to wake up in the morning and breathe fresh air. Because every single day is a great journey filled with possibilities. Because there is so much to see and experience out in the world.

My name is Kimmo Oivo and I am a skier. I was born with skis and I will ski until I close my eyes the last time. People know me as “Skipe”, which is my nickname. As a kid I was called “Kipe”, and one day I wrote my name on the wall of a barn. For some reason my brother added the letter “S” in front of it, so since then I’ve been called “Skipe”.

Photographer Petri Kovalainen

Back in the early 70s I saw pictures of skiing on television. I dreamed about the mountains even though as a “flat-lander” I had never seen them in real life. I don’t come from money, so after some continuous begging I got my first ski equipment in 1976. Before that I had had a kind of plastic skis. Soon I did my very first turns at the Ruka ski resort in northern Finland, where temperature can dive down to -40 Celsius degrees.

I was stoked.

My parents didn’t understand me and my new interest at all. They thought I must be wretched. I was interested in nothing else but skiing. All I wanted to do was ski. Every day.

So I quit school.

Instead of going to school I went skiing, but I had some bad luck: I broke my knee. But in the hospital, I decided to dedicate my life to skiing the next season, and so I did. At 19 years old I became a full-time skier. Naturally I had no money to burn, so I had to figure something else to keep me alive. I joined a ski school and started teaching skiing. Some people spend years in universities to finally become a teacher. I did it overnight.

Photographer Petri Kovalainen

The next 20 years I lived my life skiing and teaching skiing at resorts. Somewhere in the middle of that time period I got enough of ski schools, so I packed my stuff and moved to the Pyhä ski resort in Finland to find something new in my life, but soon I found myself ski-instructing in Pyhä. I could call myself a teacher, a pretty experienced “ski  teacher”.

Focusing on freeskiing

Back in the 90s, the freeride scene was a very small community of dedicated skiers, and the Pyhä ski resort was the “freeride mecca” in Finland. Together with all those hardcore skiers, we went to the backcountry, learned to climb rock walls and to use ice axes, and had a ton of fun.

Oh boy, those were the golden years pioneering. We skied moguls, learned sticking double flips, and truly enjoyed every single moment. One thing I never tried: ballet skiing. If you ever see me hassling on the dance floor, you can be sure that I am under the influence, with at least 3.5 thousandths of a percent of alcohol in my blood.

So back in the late 80s and early 90s I got into this freeskiing thing, but the radical change actually happened during the season of 89-90 when I landed in Chamonix for the first time. It was January, but unfortunately snow conditions were poor. We spent a lot of time in bars, but seeing all those sharp mountain peaks, steep couloirs, huge glaciers and the massive Mont Blanc was an extraordinary experience. It started a flame inside of me. I was sold on mountain life.

Photographer Mikko Lampinen

During the next few years we went “Interrailing” (cheap train ticket deal for students in Europe) across France, and naturally we stopped to climb at Chamonix. Once we decided to reach the summit of Mont Blanc with my mate. We both were pretty much rookies at climbing, but we had a burning desire to see what’s behind Mont Blanc and how the world looks from up there. We didn’t have any kind of climbing boots, just regular “winter boots” people use in cities. We argued about who would have to carry the rope, and as result we decided to leave it.

Climbing the Glacier du Bosson without a rope doesn’t sound that good anymore, but I consider it my “university” to mountain life. “If there is no risk, there is no reward”, Bill Briggs has said, and we definitely had some risk and reward. And yes, the world looked pretty awesome from the top of Mont Blanc.

It is the burning flame that keeps me going

I wake up in the morning, open my eyes and look around. It’s me here and this is my place. I’m at home. I get up and make myself some coffee. I look out of the window and see my hometown Oulu. It is good to be here, but I must get going. I need to get on my skis. It is my desire, the burning flame inside me.

I get older, it is inevitable. Despite that fact I keep on skiing, because I feel like skiing. I’ve got that burning desire. It makes me happy.

Photographer Petri Kovalainen

I have no need to show up. I finish with my coffee and pack up my gear. I’m going to hit the road. There I feel free. My world is out there.

I have spent all my money on skiing, and I have never had a car loan or such. Sometimes I have had difficulties buying even food, but I never wanted to sign a loan. I moved away from home at the age of 18, and I have never received any money from that house, and I have never asked. I survive on my own, whatever happens.

I have had some role models in the past. Back in the early days Ingemar Stenmark was the man, although he was the only one in those times. Later on Glen Plake became my role model. It is interesting because today I ski with Glen. My role model has become my friend and that doesn’t always happen.

I have never worshipped anyone, but I must say Seth Morrison is the king. Just watch Seth boy skiing and you know what I mean. He is the master.

Stenmark, Plake and Morrison are all famous skiers, but there is one man I truly respect. Jani Johanssen has been my role model since I met him. I love his attitude and lifestyle. We have spent a lot of time together, killed the mountains and seen the world. It is always a lot of fun with Jani.

I have no desire to compete – I just want to enjoy my life

People have asked me if I am interested in race skiing. No, I was never interested in competing. I am too lazy. I did ski moguls very much, but I did it for fun. Skiing moguls was close to my heart, but I never had any intention to compete with my mates. By skiing the moguls I made many new friends, and that’s what I like.

Photographer Mikko Lampinen

I love life. Although I have also seen the hard part of life, I love every moment I am given. My list of accidents is so long that I can’t even remember them all. I have wrecked my body so much, but I keep on doing my thing. I have a positive mindset.

Back in the day doctors almost amputated my leg because of a bad infection. It was so close. I spent three weeks in a hospital taking very tough antibiotics and hoping I wouldn’t lose my leg. At the same time my father was dying of cancer in the next room.

I have learned not to stress the little things in life.

Ten years ago a doctor was analyzing my X-ray pictures. He asked his colleague, “Does this person walk?” I said, “Yeah, I also ski the backcountry.” Needles to say, the dude was amazed.

I have gone through 15 operations. I have become friends with nurses and doctors. Sometimes I hear young dudes complain that their knee hurt. They consider quitting their career. “What? Shut up and get back to the slopes”, I quietly think in my mind.

Some people make money off skiing, but I don’t. I just make enough money to keep myself alive, but I prioritize enjoyable life, good friendships and a roof above my head more than money. I never had a need to collect money.

A kind of turning point in my skiing was when Salomon (thanks to Petri Raatinen) started supporting me. I started receiving free equipment, which was a helluva important thing to me. By getting all that equipment I started to reach a totally new level in my skiing. Right now I am supported by K2 and Peak Performance. I also work with Full Tilt, Dakine, Primex Pharma, Pro-Tec and Spy. I like K2 very much because they respect skiers like me and they provide the best skis for us. I feel that finally I have the perfect tools to do my job.

Photographer Mikko Lampinen

I would like to point out that I don’t have sponsors, but rather partners. Nobody gives stuff for free, so it is always a matter of co-operation. A skier must do a lot of work in order to reach that situation, and once you reach it, you need to keep it by working together with your partners.

Life is wonderful, so live it

Can you say you have lived your life 100%? I can’t. I have done many things and seen the world, but I feel there is still so much to do. I want to keep on conquering the mountains.

One of the most extraordinary ski trips in my life was back in 2007. We spent two weeks in Svalbard which is located absolutely in the middle of nowhere. It was pretty exotic to ski carrying a rifle on your back because you never know when you will come face-to-face with a polar bear. Imagine yourself climbing to the summit and looking around 360 degrees. All you see is white. No people, no structures, nothing but snow. And may be a couple of polar bears… It is absolutely an experience you remember your whole life.

I know life can be hard, but I don’t give a shit. I survive, whatever happens. If I don’t, then I don’t. At least I did it all by myself, and I did what I wanted.

“Are we done with this interview? I got to continue working on my bathroom renovation. See you guys on the slopes!” says Skipe Oivo, one of the most experienced skiers in Finland.

Editor’s note: This story was written by Marko Pyhajarvi and it is based on our discussion with Skipe Oivo. Skipe is one of the coolest skiers on planet Earth.  He is a soul mate and a good friend. Keep on rocking buddy!

Click the link for more photographs by Petri Kovalainen. For more photographs by Mikko Lampinen send us a message and we’ll provide you his contact information.