don’t get me wrong, I cannot stand some snowboarders who try the sport their first time because they think it’s cool. but the tried-and-true residents of the mountain, be they boarders or skiers, share the heart (and soul) of the sport.

I started in 85 and I came from a skiing and skating background. My favorite tourist question was “So, is that fun?” I always gave them a smart-ass reply like, “No, it sucks but I’m grounded and my mom is making me do it.” My friends and I wanted to wear the baggiest clothing we could find because it was the opposite of the tight hot chillys all the skiers were wearing. We didn’t care if we were accepted. We knew we’d be snowboarding forever even if the “fad” never took off.

In the beginning, the soul of snowboarding for me was discovery. Just what could I do on this thing? How hard could I carve? How fast could I go? How steep a run could I handle? How high or far could I jump? The bounderies of what was possible on a board were nowhere in sight at this time. The day I first beat my dad to the bottom of the hill on a powder day, I felt like anything was possible.

As I got better the soul settled into style. Everyone was into the most difficult technical tricks ever, I just wanted to make everything I did look good. I wanted to flow down the hill. I wanted to spin slower than everyone else. I wanted to float my airs so well that it looked like I was slowing down time. When I was riding I wanted people to stop and watch because I wanted them to realize that snowboarding was as beautiful as I thought it was. I was always pushing the limits of what I could do but my style was my focus. When my buddies were trying 720′s I was going bigger then they were spinning slow, lazy 180′s and 360′s. My style in the air was late and slow. I’d never grab my board until I was at the apex of my air and while I never tweaked the hardest I made sure to accomplish my trick solidily.

I’m now at the point in my snowboarding where I let the mountain dictate to me what I do. Fall-line riding. Style is still my focus but the mountain is more than just a canvas, it’s a teacher. When I get to the top of my line I look to where the mountain tells me to turn and where to go straight. If the mountain decides I need to get into the air, I do it. If I need to stay on the ground and make lots of small turns, I do it. I love riding fast, challenging lines. I love steep, techie chutes. I love wide open bowls and deep, dry powder. I love spring corn and how hard you can rail perfect cordoroy. I love snowboarding.