The Far West Ski Association annually presents Media Awards to outstanding snowsports journalists, authors, film producers and modern media specialists at its Annual Convention. The FWSA Media Awards Committee is honored to announce the 2026 award recipients. FWSA will present its Media Awards at the Saturday Awards Luncheon to be held in conjunction with its 93rd Annual Convention. SkiCon 2026 will be conducted June 11-14, 2026 at the San Diego Marriott Mission Valley, hosted by the San Diego Council of Ski Clubs.
Bill Berry Award – Featured Article: This year’s award will be presented to Devon O’Neil, a freelance journalist based in Breckenridge, Colorado, and the author of The Way Out: A True Story of Survival in the Heart of the Rockies, published in November 2025. This is a story of survival, death, and human emotions. It is a must read for all back country enthusiasts. With the growing interest and participation in backcountry skiing and mountaineering, the book addresses some key questions. Why, when we know that the wilderness can kill, can’t we stay away? When the unthinkable happens, how does a community forgive the survivors? And, how do the survivors forgive themselves? For additional information, visit https://www.devononeil.com/book.
Bill Berry Award – Hard News: The 2026 award will be presented to Miles Clark, founder and CEO of the snowsports media company, SnowBrains. Founded in 2013, it is a leading platform for snowsports news, inspiration and information. The company was built on the principle of being skiers and riders first, offering content for all snowsports enthusiasts. An incredible resource for all things snowsports, it also serves as a research site for snowsports journalists. Miles is a professional freeskier, experienced mountain guide, media entrepreneur, podcast host and professional speaker. He manages all aspects of the SnowBrains Media Company, while writing articles, and hosting the SnowBrains Podcast. (https://snowbrains.com)
Warren Miller Modern Media Award: The modern media award will be presented to Michael Russell, expedition leader, athlete and producer of Big Mountain Soul: Ski Africa, Directors Brendan Russo and Cameron Sale. While this story centers around Black Americans returning to Africa, its resonance is universal. At its core, Ski Africa is about diaspora, inheritance, and the quiet power of standing on land that knows your name – even if you are just learning to listen. The film invites audiences into an experience they likely have never seen before: a ski mountaineering expedition infused with cultural reverence, emotional intimacy, and unfiltered joy. It challenges what an adventure film can be, who gets to belong within it, and how deeply a story can be felt. To watch a trailer of this inspirational movie, go to: https://next.frame.io/share/153cdb40-101b-4712-8764-606330c1e971/view/84567788-4312-4102-a6bf-9b5352a7f44e
Pending the schedule of the award winners, they will be available to meet and greet FWSA Convention attendees at the Friday evening’s 40th Annual Auction & Snowsports Trade Show, which is free and open to the public. For more information about SkiCon 2026, visit https://fwsa.org > Conventions.