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Moss Halladay and Seth Hill interview each other about opening day. Here’s what the two hooligans had to say.

Questions: Moss Halladay
Answers: Seth Hill

How did opening day at Baker compare to opening day at Keystone?
Obviously, It’s pretty hard to compare the two. Keystone was awesome because it has one of the first full-length parks in the country, and the Keystone community gets a lot of Denver traffic, which makes for a fun atmosphere.

Baker, on the other hand, opened on a Thursday, which cut down on the Seattle traffic. And with a few days of sunshine before opening, I think people were a bit more skeptical. With that said, the shortest of hikes produced some truly amazing turns and made for an awesome opening day, full of slashes, face shots and methods!

What brings you back to Baker for opening day two years in a row?
Honestly, opening day last year was one of the best powder days of my life, and even though I didn’t expect that, I had an itch to get some powder under my feet and see all the Washington homies.

How does riding powder compare to riding park for you?
I obviously enjoy riding both, but I feel just riding park everyday kinda makes you take snowboarding for granted. It’s just really easy to have an awesome day, get shots and be productive in the park. When it comes to powder though you really have to work to produce. You have to hike, and scout and get off the beaten path, which is a pretty rad feeling. Also the rush of just surfing an untouched hillside is a pretty indescribable feeling.

Was it all that you expected?
Like I said, last year set the standards high, but as anyone will tell you; sunny days at baker are rare. Sunny days with some good snow on the other hand are about unheard of. We some how found both and made for a great day, it’s a nice feeling being able to shred a line, than hang out in the sun as you friends ride.

You spend a lot of time in Washington; what’s so attractive to you about it?
Well the crew of friends I’ve made out here is a pretty awesome reason in itself. The atmosphere and vibe are quite different from Colorado; I like being able to fly two and a half hours and being in a different world of sorts. Not to say I don’t have an awesome family in Colorado, which I do, and choose to call it home for a reason. But getting out of that comfort blanket of home and doing it with people you trust is pretty rad. I figure you can find good snow anywhere but if you don’t have good friends to ride it with what’s the point? Washington tends to produce great snow so why not try to make the most out of it.

Questions: Seth Hill
Answers: Moss Halladay

What was your motivation for coming to Mt. Baker for opening day?
I have always wanted to ride Mt. Baker. As a snowboarder it’s one of the places I felt I have always needed to experience. Our snow in Tahoe is not the greatest so I decided I should check it out.

Who were you boarding with for opening day?
Our crew was super fun. It was cool riding Baker with people that know the mountain. Our crew consisted of Joe Bosler, Nick Ennen, Ian wood, Tim Zimmerman, and you [Seth Hill].

How were the conditions and was it up to your expectations?
I didn’t know what to expect as far as conditions go, so when we had cold powder and blue skies I was pumped. It was really cool to see all the terrain that is around Baker.

Why do you think Mt. Baker has the reputation it has?
Mt. Baker has a reputation because it’s a gnarly mountain. It’s obvious when you see how much terrain is available.

Where was your favorite spot to ride when you were up there?
We were able to ride hemis which was super fun. There was tons of natural airs and great snow.