The stoke. The stoke is no joke. Sean Pettit loves it. He never has to fake it. He loves the ride that he’s on. He has no interest in slowing down the freight train. Each year he finds a higher gear than the year previous. And now, people are starting to ask: Is it true that this 19 year-old guy is at the top of the game? Already?

Then come the excuses. Well of course he is. At that age, he’s too resilient to get worked by a mistaken 60 foot drop to flat. At that age, he’s too inexperienced to understand consequences. He had advantages. His big brother Callum pushed him. His mom Deb gave him wings. Tanner gave him the shot. Now Steve Winter’s got his back. And so forth.

But these are the words of the ignorant. Those in the know, know. Sean isn’t getting pitched the best freeski trips on the planet today merely because of luck. The phone isn’t ringing because a bunch of marketing guys want to make the sport of skiing more youthful. Sean is getting the seat in that heli because he earns it day in and day out. He skis for the joy of the sport, while simultaneously creating a new ceiling for himself and his peers with each passing day in the backcountry.

Many would agree that Sean’s current resume looks like what some would build up to over the course of their career.  Except, Sean hasn’t even broken 20.  Between Sean’s innate talent and sheer hard work, he has managed to become one of the top freeskiers in the industry.  His innovative and vibrant style can put a smile on anyone’s face because it doesn’t take much to recognize the magnitude of Sean and what he will mean for the future of this sport.

So what’s on a guy like Sean’s mind? How does the youngest-ever Red Bull Athlete (signed at age 13, hardly old enough to need extra energy) stay humble? How does he continuously put out one insane segment after another, consistently outdoing himself and amazing all those watching?

For Sean, its not difficult. He just jumps up into his jacked 2001 Chevy Suburban and goes for a cruiser ride around town. Maybe he plays a little bit of John Lee Hooker to keep it illy chilly. Maybe he actually reaches the speed limit on some of the backstreets. But not necessarily. For Sean Pettit, the joy is in the journey.

And the journey doesn’t look like its going to end for a very, very long time.