TGR's Defining Moments: Pioneering the Spines of Haines

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Before Haines became a household name in the ski world, the Jones brothers were cutting their teeth in Valdez, working as heli-guides for the legendary Doug Coombs. Yearning for something more, they eventually made the trek north to Haines, where they had the place to themselves for three incredible years, breaking into zones without helis, beta, or established camps and redefining what was possible in the mountains.

Why it matters

This episode follows the trajectory set in previous Defining Moments episodes, showing how the grit and lessons learned in the early days paved the way for thirty years of TGR cinematography and the brand's rise to prominence in the ski world.

The details

With money tight and the work grueling, the Jones brothers took jobs on commercial boats to save every penny and fund their trip north. They eventually hitched from Anchorage to Haines Junction, carrying little more than their gear and relentless ambition to find something bigger. In Haines, the scene was non-existent, with no other film crews, competing athletes, or established infrastructure. The TGR crew had the place to themselves, breaking into zones without helis, beta, or camps, and skiing every run as a first descent.

• Before Haines became a household name in the ski world, the Jones brothers were cutting their teeth in Valdez in the early 2000s.
• The Jones brothers eventually made the trek north to Haines in the mid-2000s.
• They had the place to themselves for three incredible years, from the mid-2000s to the late 2000s.