The snowboarding world lost a titan on April 9, 2026. Paul Alden, a man who spent decades doing the thankless work behind the scenes to make sure we could all actually ride, passed away at 89.

If you’ve ever strapped in at a resort, you’ve got Paul to thank. Back in the mid-’80s, when snowboarding was still something that most resorts wanted nothing to do with, Paul was on the front lines as Burton’s resort liaison. His job was basically being a professional diplomat—traveling to skeptical ski areas and convincing them that letting people stand sideways wasn’t going to be the end of civilization. He allowed us all to ride at resorts one chairlift at a time.

Alden wasn’t just about the resort acceptance, though; he was one of the the architects of the sport’s current infrastructure. In 1992, he helped broker a deal between the USSA and USASA, a massive move that stabilized the administrative side of things and eventually signed snowboarding’s ticket to the 1998 Nagano Olympics. Paul saw the bigger picture that the rest of us are still riding in today.

The Alden legacy is baked into the DNA of the industry. One of Paul’s sons went on to start Skullcandy and co-found Stance, while another took over for Paul as the GM at Soldier Mountain. Whether he was managing production lines or teaching turns at Grand Targhee, Alden was always deeply rooted in the culture.

He leaves behind his wife Sharon, five kids, 25 grandkids, and 37 great-grandchildren. As the community gathers in Orem, Utah, to pay their respects this weekend, the takeaway is simple: a part of our foundation is thanks to what Paul helped build.

We extend our deepest condolences to the Alden family and friends. The next time you’re dropping into a line at a resort, make a turn for the guy who made it happen.