THE NICE GUY
JEREMY BENSON doesn't like talking about himself; he really wanted to tell us about his pro-skier girlfriend, 29-year-old Lynn Kennen. But we finally got him to cop to being one of Tahoe's best backcountry skiers, cleaning the steepest lines from Donner Summit to Tioga Pass. The 28-year-old moved to Lake Tahoe's West Shore from Vermont six years ago and hasn't left. "I still live here because I'm hopelessly addicted to skiing," he says. His best tip for powder stashes? "For the truly adventurous, the open boundaries at Alpine Meadows are a dream," Benson says. "Bring your avy gear and head south into Ward Valley. You can be skiing completely untouched lines days, sometimes weeks, after a storm."

ON JEREMY (left): Herman hat ($36) by SHRED ALERT; Deluxe sunglasses ($60) by UVEX SPORTS; Aristocrat Softshell ($180), Ital Corner Pant ($140), and Rogue Plaid Fleece ($80) by COLUMBIA SPORTSWEAR; Henrik Windstedt Pro Model gloves ($110) by HESTRA GLOVES. Photographed at the Sugar Bowl Ski Resort, Lake Tahoe, California.

ON JEREMY (right): Metoo hat ($22) by SHRED ALERT; Almanac jacket ($375) by SCAPEGOAT; Marina Cove shirt ($79) by QUIKSILVEREDITION; Ty tee ($44) by HORNY TOAD; jeans ($78) by LEVI'S ECO.