Grit to Grind
Shaping Montana Communities One Skatepark at a Time
Will be published approx. on 20. November 2025
Book
Hardback
192 pages
978-1-7972-3332-1 (ISBN)
Description
The inspirational story of the inception, growth, and continued work of the Montana Skatepark Association and their ongoing efforts to build skateparks for communities across Montana. Packed with 100+ vibrant color photographs.
Long before skateboard culture entered mainstream consciousness, for a group of teens growing up in Montana, skateboarding represented the ultimate expression of freedom and creativity. With no dedicated skatepark nearby, skaters sought opportunities several hours or hundreds of miles away-until a core group of childhood friends decided to band together and change the status quo.
This is the remarkable true story of how long-time Missoula residents Chris Bacon, Andy Kemmis, Ross Peterson, and a small army of other volunteers overcame, with perseverance and determination, obstacles like lack of funding, bureaucratic red tape, geographic limitations, and more to create a non-profit organization that has assisted in the funding and creation of nearly fifty skateparks in the state to date.
The book features:
Interviews and testimonials from the people who built the MSA from the ground up
Profiles of real skaters who have been have been impacted by the skateparks
A foreword by Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament
Over 100 full-color insider photographs
Long before skateboard culture entered mainstream consciousness, for a group of teens growing up in Montana, skateboarding represented the ultimate expression of freedom and creativity. With no dedicated skatepark nearby, skaters sought opportunities several hours or hundreds of miles away-until a core group of childhood friends decided to band together and change the status quo.
This is the remarkable true story of how long-time Missoula residents Chris Bacon, Andy Kemmis, Ross Peterson, and a small army of other volunteers overcame, with perseverance and determination, obstacles like lack of funding, bureaucratic red tape, geographic limitations, and more to create a non-profit organization that has assisted in the funding and creation of nearly fifty skateparks in the state to date.
The book features:
Interviews and testimonials from the people who built the MSA from the ground up
Profiles of real skaters who have been have been impacted by the skateparks
A foreword by Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament
Over 100 full-color insider photographs
Reviews / Votes
"Grit to Grind is a vibrant, uplifting account of how local skateboarders in Missoula, Montana, joined forces to build a world-class skatepark that benefited their city in surprising ways. This achievement was followed by the construction of about 50 (and counting) similarly magnificent skateparks in small towns and on Indian reservations across Montana. The positive impact on these communities has been remarkable."-Jon Krakauer, New York Times bestselling author
"Ten years ago, my friend gave me a sticker from a skate shop in Missoula, Montana then called Edge of the World. To be honest, I couldn't imagine what kind of place it was. Living in Tokyo, it was unbelievable to me that skateboarders could coexist in this wonderful natural environment where elk roam. My first trip to Montana was in 2014 when I visited Jeff Ament and was able to skate the Treasure Bowl. It was then that I realized an impressive skateboarding scene had taken root in Montana and was going strong. The skateboarding community is made up of people who support each other. I am proud to be a part of that world and to be able to help in any way I can."
-Haroshi, artist
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
San Francisco
United States
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 257 mm
Width: 208 mm
Thickness: 18 mm
Weight
816 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-7972-3332-1 (9781797233321)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Andy Kemmis is a photographer and writer based in his hometown of Missoula, Montana, who has been skating for over forty years and has been involved with the Montana Skatepark Association since its inception. See more at andrewkemmis.com or on Instagram @andrewkemmisphoto.
Chris Bacon, a musician and skateboarder, has worked at Board of Missoula for over thirty years and formed the Montana Skatepark Association with lifelong friends. Chris has dedicated his life to sharing all of skateboarding's positive life lessons with Montana communities and beyond. See more at boardofmissoula.com or on Instagram @boardofmissoula.
Chris Bacon, a musician and skateboarder, has worked at Board of Missoula for over thirty years and formed the Montana Skatepark Association with lifelong friends. Chris has dedicated his life to sharing all of skateboarding's positive life lessons with Montana communities and beyond. See more at boardofmissoula.com or on Instagram @boardofmissoula.