The Darkest White: A Mountain Legend and the Avalanche That Took Him

Blehm’s (Fearless) latest tells the true story of a celebrated legend in the snowboarding community. A latchkey kid who grew up in the small town of Mount Vernon, WA, Craig Kelly (1966–2003) sought adventure from a young age. He first found it by riding BMX bikes and competing against neighborhood kids. Then, he heard about snowboarding, a winter sport that was so new at the time that it didn’t even have a name—some called it “snow surfing,” and others “snurfing.” Kelly was a natural, falling in love with the sport and the snowboarding community as he garnered sponsorships, adoring fans, and world championships. Always more interested in snowboarding than celebrity, he later left the professional circuit to explore the limits of the sport. Narrator Dan Bittner skillfully takes listeners through this sensitively drawn portrait of Kelly’s life and death. Though listeners will know that Kelly lost his life on Canada’s Durrand Glacier during an avalanche, Bittner’s narration ratchets up the suspense and tension, making the tragedy seem all the more devastating.