Fountain of Youth 2014, part 1

I’ve had a busy summer working on the new and improved splitboard.com but I had make time to create a post for one of my favorite trips of the season, the annual pond-skimming adventure to the Fountain of Youth.

Eric Messier and Gray Thompson from Warp Wave joined me this year along with their friends Ryan Scardigli, filmer extraordinaire and Steven Kimura, co-owner of Owner Operator. Our friend Tim Peare from Snowboard Mag would also meet us out there for a night.

As usual for this particular trip we took the last boat-taxi of the day so we’d get to camp at sunset and would have fresh legs for the following day.

The Echo Lake boat taxi, worth every penny

Looking towards Mt Ralston from the upper boat dock evokes so many great memories from trips that start and end here

Warp Wave spying the zone on the hike in

Gray Thompson and Lake Aloha, golden-hour refection

After a very windy night we awoke to a brisk but still and beautiful morning. Adorned in black we soaked up the first rays of sunshine and got ready for our day. A couple hours later we were skimming the Fountain of Youth!

Morning light on the Crystal Range

Sun soakers

Gray Thompson

Eric Messier always puts his own spin on things – slash to skim.

Slash to skim…

Eric Messier

Chris Gallardo bottom turn

It’s all about the fun.