Tom Walker personifies the sled bum down to a T. This guy works his butt off during the summer as a carpenter so that he can take most of the winter months off to roop up the snow and terrain that is Whistler and the Coast Mountains of B.C.
Going into his fifth year of shredding, he is one of those underground names that most have never heard of but can toss around a sled like it’s nobody's business. Born and raised on Vancouver Island, Walker grew up in Nanaimo but followed his snowboarding and mountain biking lifestyle to Whistler. Looking for something different, he—along with a few of his buddies—bought sleds to get off the lifts and explore new terrain and, like many, he was hooked.
A well-rounded rider, Walker hangs with pretty much every crew in the valley—from the fellas who are busting into new zones and shredding the deep, dark forest to the guys and gals who hang out in the alpine looking for the next big drop. Like most riders in the area, he loves to be pointing downhill, and his favourite lines are the ones through the trees, covered in pow, with the odd pillow to launch off of tossed in here and there.
A smooth rider in the trees, Walker transitions flawlessly from one side of the sled to the other and when carving turns, he makes it look effortless. Walker looks most natural in the air though. He brought his love of launching stuff over from snowboarding and mountain biking and now he likes to send it. Whether it’s a drop, booter or hip, Walker is up for it—lapping the hit over and over again with a smile on his face.
As always, winter in Whistler rarely disappoints and this season has been a good one. With a new Ski-Doo REV XM on the back of his truck, and some support from Motorfist Apparel and C&A Pro Skis, Walker has been on a daily mission to not just shred and improve his riding but to also explore new areas and most of all keep that sled shred smile plastered across his face.
