I Love Splitboarding

This is an edit I did for the teacher talent show we give at our school every year. It’s just recycled footage from the last 3 years edited a different way that is a little more ADD friendly. It’s how I get my street cred so I can inspire all those little punks who don’t want to listen to anybody let alone their teachers. I thought since I put the effort in I would post it up and hopefully add to the pre-season stoke as we get ready for the upcoming season.

I thought I would also add a couple thoughts about splitboarding why I was at it. I’ve been splitboarding since about 2000 and why a lot of my overall riding skills have have probably gone down since giving up resort riding there’s a lot to be said about putting down a sick line on a splitboard. I feel like every year I learn more and more kinda like that saying “the more you learn the less you know”. I think what I’m most proud of now is not so much related to the gnar but more an understanding of the snow and mountains I’m riding. Whether it’s finding good snow or safely putting myself on a slope by analyzing the weather, using the terrain and aspects as they relate to wind loading/sun effect and weak layers. Or whether it’s mitigating risk by using ski cuts, cornice drops or recent slides to safely get down into a zone. I’ve also learned splitboarding is just as much about knowing your zones, all those little details you might not think of. Over the years I’ve made a point to go out after avy cycles to study terrain where slopes have slid and where they haven’t so I can place my track appropriately when I am in those zones. I’ve found some zones are good for only a small period of time. I’ve found Pops/bumps that are good one week may fill in the next and cliffs that have just enough tranny to ride away from one week may be flat the next. Certain chutes that fill in early are more aesthetic and better to be hit at the beginning of the season while exits from bigger lines only open themselves up towards the middle or the end of the year. And since everything looks different up at the top I’ve had to hit some zones 10-15 times before I felt ready to bomb it and huck it top to bottom like it should be. I’ve found this way I have quality zones/lines for every part of the year and I can move from one to the next depending on the conditions and snowpack at the time. I’ve also learned to take advantage of every day of a season using high pressure days for longer tours and exploring new zones or for snowboard mtneering pursuits and upping my fitness level so when the pow does come I’m prepped and ready for long days of breaking trail and bombing big vertical lines top to bottom. On a big pow day I may choose to lap a zone so I can save my energy and re-use my track while other days I may choose a canyon to canyon tour and throw my thumb up more “Bob Athey” style. I’ve also had the opportunity over the years to enjoy both good stable seasons and more importantly the bad ones so I can be patient, keep myself busy and stay content. I’ve lived through persistent weak layers, seen how winds effect snow, triggered avalanches intentionally and unintentionally and learned from the mistakes of myself and others to grow and become better at my art.

Anyways, blah blah blah that was not meant to be a soap box speech. I was just thinking with all the hype on splitboarding and it’s focus on the gnar it’s easy to forget that there’s a science to our art. With all the new literature we call “stoke” that only seems to focus on big name riders and big budget productions it fails to capture what makes splitboarding so great, which is that any one of us can get out there and put down the sickest line of our lives. Which in return sustains our love of snowboarding and life and make us better friends, brothers, husbands and just all around people. Take care and cheers to the upcoming season.
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