About Jake

Jake has battled serious asthma and COPD from infancy, including lengthy stays in hospitals and frequent emergency room visits. Jake’s condition led doctors to predict that he would never have a “normal” life, and Jake agrees, his life as a professional freeskier is not normal. But, this is probably not what his doctors had in mind.

Getting to this level wasn’t easy.

A near death experience at birth and severely impaired lung function resulted in Jake having to be on oxygen for much of his childhood and he spent numerous birthdays in the hospital.

Asthma and COPD rise and in cases like Jake’s if not treated correctly can end up in death. With media attention on cancer, you don’t often hear about asthma or the success stories like Jake's. As with any life-threatening disease, it is important to communicate how symptoms can be controlled and how people can still live normal lives.

"Just because you have asthma, doesn’t mean you can’t ski, snowboard, or play sports. Your disease doesn’t need to hold you back from what you love doing"

- Jake.

Jake learned to deal with his asthma and has gone on to become a professional skier who now travels the world.

As a skier, you train and perform at high altitudes. As we know the higher you go the thinner the air becomes and the harder it is to breathe. Imagine performing at a professional level at high altitudes and with asthma (a condition that makes your airways constricted). Now imagine you have only 35% of your total lung function like Jake has today. It's an accomplishment he has found a way to succeed in skiing, something that his doctors said was not possible for someone with his condition.

In addition to fighting the odds to succeed at the highest level in the sport, Jake has also started three businesses in three countries: SnowLocals.com & AdventureLocals.com, and the popular Locals Sale -a North American and European ski and snowboard sale in 20 cities and ski towns. As a founder he created a community-driven marketplace connecting passionate outdoor enthusiasts with high-quality gear. What started as a grassroots idea quickly grew into a trusted platform and ultimately led to the acquisition of The Locals Sale by Out&Back Outdoor, a company backed by early investment from VF Corporation.

Jake’s story is compelling and his energy is contagious.