He, His, Him

Berthoud, CO

Breckenridge, CO

Bartender

AIARE Rec 2

I grew up in Berthoud, Colorado, which is halfway between Fort Collins and Boulder. I began skateboarding when I was 10, and some of my friends told me about snowboarding. When I was 12, I was lucky enough to try snowboarding for the first time on a Boy Scout trip. From the first time I slid on snow, I knew I would do whatever I could to snowboard as much as possible. Every weekend, my friends and I took the bus to Eldora, and we would go every other day on winter and spring breaks. Finally, I moved to Breckenridge, in 2006, so I could snowboard every day.

Last season, a group of my friends and I set out to a popular backcountry zone. During the previous week, the Ten Mile Range had seen multiple feet of snow. We did not get an early start and were ascending to our line early in the afternoon. Surprisingly, we arrived at the top of our line, and there were no tracks down the popular backcountry run. We took turns getting fresh laps down this popular line, without seeing another soul. I will strive to share more days like these with my friends.

One of my backcountry partners and decided to ride a couloir in the Ten Mile Range after a week of heavy snow and winds. We had ridden other lines the previous days, and did not note any serious instabilities. As we were climbing the line, we noticed some instability but did not see propagation. Unfortunately, my partner set off a decent size avalanche as he dropped and was carried a short distance. He was lucky that he could self-arrest and not take a ride the rocks below. In conclusion, this experience taught me to listen to the signs the mountains give you and never be afraid to turn back if the conditions are not right. 

I ride a Weston because the boards are durable and the shapes are fun. Also, the company is about building community and sharing the stoke with everyone in the snowboarding community. The inclusivity is incredible, and I am always excited to meet likeminded people through the brand. Finally, the owners and operators are always willing to help team riders and the community to attain their highest goals. Overall, I feel lucky to ride these boards, and to be a part of a great snowboard community.

I ride the Range in both the solid and split versions. I chose this board because it floats well in powder regular and switch and holds an edge on steep and icy slopes. I like to set up my boards centered, so I can ride them regular or switch depending on the situation. Some lines are better ridden with one foot forward compared to the other, depending on the fall line. I also like to ride the Logger around the resort because it is playful, holds and edge well, and allows me to turn the entire resort into a park.

Regular 23" (18, -12)

Weston, Purl Wax