I like what you said there about going snowboarding with the sole intention of having fun. Was there a point when you let go of the expectations of having to prove yourself and feelings of obligation to push snowboarding?
Absolutely man! As soon as I got dropped from Burton! [Laughs] I was just like, “Hey I’m free! I’m not in the boy band anymore!” I really thought my snowboarding career was over and I was totally cool with it. I was just riding for the love of it, and that’s not to say that I ever drifted away from that but when you are sponsored on a certain level you feel a lot of responsibility. So I jumped on with The Illuminati with Lance Pitman, Willie McMillon and Mark Carter and we just got our local scene really going.
Right now there is a rekindled appreciation for the legends of snowboarding. On the other hand, there’s always been an argument that we don’t support those pioneers the way other sports do. What’s your take on that?
I think with a lot of the legendary guys there are some factors that play into their underexposure. The fact is, not everyone lives in a place where they can snowboard every day. Or life circumstances come up. Certain sacrifices have to be made in order to ride on a daily basis and at a certain point you have to make a living too. A lot of times snowboarding doesn’t allow that. So I respect all the guys who paved the way for all the different aspects of snowboarding but I also respect their decisions to do what they had to do in life even though it may have pulled them away.
For myself, I just continued to live the snowboard bum dream as many people do in these mountain towns. You just do whatever odd jobs you have to in order to get that fix of snowboarding every day—whatever it takes to get that first chair or get on the trailhead early. I think a lot of people can relate to this lifestyle and that’s all I’ve been doing really. For myself the goal has always been just to ride as much as I can—real simple.
That makes sense because the few guys that the industry has really embraced and supported are dudes that ride A LOT. You Terje, Jamie Lynn… I mean look at Chris Roach. Because he wasn’t snowboarding for the last ten, fifteen years, he was definitely in the shadows. Now that he’s riding again, younger generations are getting schooled on his influence.
I think that’s so awesome. He’s always been a hero to me. To see him back on a board makes me so happy for him and so happy for snowboarding. To see guys come back, it’s like, “It’s always here man!” Take as much time away as you want but when you come back to it I guarantee it will make you feel like a kid again.
As for the younger generation of riders, do you consciously try to mentor or teach kids from your past experience?
Definitely, but it’s kind of a give-and-take thing. Their energy and enthusiasm is motivating for me and at the same time maybe I can show them a thing or two based on my experiences. The more time you spend in the mountains the more friends you lose and if there is any way to prevent those hardships for future generations, of course you want to do that.
Do you think the backcountry danger will subsequently go down in future generations?
Well there is so much technology these days—and I’m not talking about the airbags or the beacons, that’s just your seat belt. You don’t want to even have to use your seat belt, you want to be a good driver. Granted, all the communication and weather forecasting and snow technology tools are incredibly useful, but again, education is just the best thing.
You recently got on with Arbor. I’ve always respected that brand for the simple fact that they focus on making incredible snowboards more than keeping with the latest trends.
Exactly, working with Arbor right now is amazing. I feel so fortunate to even be involved with a company like this at this point in my career. They truly let the product speak for itself and have for years. I’m simply amazed by the way their boards ride. I have to add that without Volcom my longevity in the snowboard industry probably wouldn’t have happened. Long ago they decided that guys like me and Terje and Jamie we’re still valid and did have something to offer snowboarding and supported us. I owe so much to that brand and what they represent. Thanks everyone!
See also: Reborn through creativity: An Alex Yoder interview
