For Phil Quintana, skiing the full mountain matters. Topping out at Alpine Meadows to tackle open-bowl turns is not an intermediate goal to be dismissed. Quintana has the added challenge of needing to do it on one ski. After losing his leg as a result of injuries sustained during his 2005 deployment in Afghanistan, the Marine combat veteran had to re-learn to ski with outriggers. Over the last few years, however, he’s found the right inspiration. “The mountain,” Quintana says before taking us along for the ride on this Alpine Meadows leg-burner. “It shoves a new lease on life in me—and it just makes me feel alive.”