Doin’ The Backcountry – A Snowboard Adventure

Snowboarding completes the circle along with surfing and skateboarding.  For me, like surfing, once you carve your first turn on a snowboard you’re hooked.  Most of us hit the mountain for a nice cruise down a groomer or wait for that special power day to float through your turns.  However when you want to push the limits a little, hit the backcountry.  That is exactly what I did.

I took a trip to Aspen Colorado and met up with the extreme mountaineers at Aspen Expeditions.   They took me and my buddy Bryant to the top of Ajax Mountain and with the help of some snow shoes, we went hiking in the backcountry (that’s out of bounds for you city folk).  We had 2 mountain guides, one as a lead and the other one as the trailer.  That way we knew which way to go and we had a guide looking out for us in case there was a slide.  We spent some time learning about avalanches, how to use our beacon transmitting/receiving devices and most important search & rescue techniques.    We practiced finding a buried backpack and learned a lot about the mountains and safety.  What was truly intriguing to me was that this day wasn’t just about snowboarding, it was about a lesson on the outdoors and the mountaineering lifestyle.  One we reached to the top of this amazing peak,  it was time to enjoy the ride.  After I took in the most amazing view I’d ever scene, I strapped into my bindings and made nice S turns town this ridge.

The feeling that went through me  was so enlightening, with my adrenaline pumping, that it stays with me even til today.  You will feel more alive than ever.

We spent the whole day exploring different sections of the mountain accessed only by hiking through the woods in the deepest powder.  The snow shoes we had were a true necessity.  We would find some nice spots to make our fresh tracks and went carving through the trees.

Throughout the day  the sun grew stronger as we hiked to different ares between runs, the climate in the mountains changes dramatically from one minute to the next.

I remember the feeling that I had at the end of the day.  I felt so alive and connected with nature after what I just experienced.   Any day on the mountain is great but this was something more.

I look forward to this upcoming winter with some more backcountry adventures to share.

Enjoy the ride.