After a quick visit to my room at Danny’s house in Truckee that I had not slept in for nearly four months, I headed north with hopes of some more redemption riding. I made the conscious decision to enjoy my days to their fullest. At the end of April I made it to the Gerry Lopez Big Wave Challenge at Bachelor. I couldn’t have dreamed a better gathering of humans to be a part of. The stoke of the environment is infectious. With tons of like-minded friends and riders, we surfed the resort for several days, enjoying the natural terrain that Bachelor has to offer. Alex Lopez showed us the lines to his hidden stashes all around his home. Alex Yoder, along with the rest of the visiting Gentemstick crew, left their mark with their smooth methodical tracks down the mountain.
On a sunny day one cannot help but stare at the snow covered volcanoes that form the Cascade Range. Rising high above the sea of rolling green hills, these sleeping giants are scattered across the state, asking to be ridden. If there was one person who I knew would be down to join me on a late season road trip, it was Nathaniel Murphy. Murph gets after it harder than most and rides more classic lines than anyone I know. The only plan was to meet up in Bend. From there, anything was possible. This was a snowboarding trip in it’s purest form; find mountains we’ve never been to before, climb up and make turns down.
The approach to the North Sister is long walk though a eerily peaceful burnt forest. The ground is composed of black sand, making each step soft and requiring a bit more effort. Several miles of walking with a heavy pack made my first mission back a challenging experience. Upon reaching the snow line, we threw on skins and sailed to the bottom of the east face. We climbed along side the stegosaurus rock spires of the northeast ridge. High winds nearly knocked us off our feet as we navigated the saddle. A raven circled above and followed us up the mountain, welcoming us to the new landscape. By the time we reached a feasible entrance for our initial line objective, shadows overtook the face, firming up the snow a little too much. The signs were pointing north and we corn surfed our way down the sunny patches on the NW face of the volcano.
As a kid I used to go to the summer camps on Mount Hood. I would often see climbers outside the lodge with their massive packs and ice axes strapped on the back. To me this looked like another world. While I was busy hiking the halfpipe, it never once occurred to stand on top of the mountain that I had been riding for nearly a decade. It felt gratifying to see the summit view of the mountain’s surrounding aspects, filled with character and crevasses. The top was bullet proof, yet pockets of soft snow could be found alongside the Pearly Gates. The lower portion towards Illumination Rock held perfect ash covered corn. For some reason I was craving hard boiled eggs the entire day.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the eruption of Mount St. Helens. A volcano that once stood at 9,677 ft blew her top on May 18th, 1980. She now sits nearly 1,300 vertical feet shorter with a mile wide crater sitting at the top. To the north, one can view Spirit Lake and Rainier in the distance. The inside of the crater is filled with steaming holes, ash coated snow and a few sick looking lines for the more risky folk. The snow line was higher than average this year, as it felt like an eternal walk up lava flows that spill from the top. The south-facing run back down to the weather station was one for the books. Although substantially shorter than most, the half foot of corn rode like a dream.
One of the longer slogs, the south face of Mount Adams held a blank, white canvas littered with climbers and shredders slowly making their way up. Usually it’s a bummer to see traffic in the backcountry. It is in the mountains where we seek the solitude and stillness of the peaks. Granted it was a friday and the peak of volcano season, these crowds didn’t seem to bother me. It’s a welcoming feeling to be part of a community of strangers bound together by a common desire. The stoke spread through every person on Adams that day.
Wrapping back down south through Bend, the Cascade Lakes Highway recently opened up, making the approach to the tallest of the trio, the South Sister, much more direct. Above treeline we were greeted to a wall of white clouds, blocking everything in sight. The mist rolled in and out until we made our way to the base and were blessed with sunny skies. Once to the top ridge, the summit holds a 1/4 mile wide crater filled in with rock hard snow. We picked our way down the coral reef summit until we reached the always relieving turning point in the snow. Following the contours provided by the mountain, the South Sister led us down a glorious right hand wind lip run. Lower down, a tight sticky run through the trees took us back to our hiking boots that we stashed in the morning darkness.
Topping off the volcano tour was the tallest peak by far of those previously encountered, the glorious Mt. Shasta. Due to the sub par winter in Tahoe, Taylor Carlton had been riding the portal all season. With favorable weather over the weekend, there was no way he would miss a summit opportunity. We were the last people to stand atop the peak, around 4:30pm. A much needed rest and appreciation for the summit allowed a refresh for the 7000ft run that laid below. The lower we rode, the better the snow felt, till we reached the point of perfection. From there it was a weightless roller coaster of carves, banks and waves. A highly recommended trip for anyone who is willing to work for probably the longest run of their life.
I have been meaning to finish off this piece for weeks now, expecting my season to end after each time I get out. Yet due to small but consistent late season snowfall in the high mountains of the Sierra and Rockies, I was riding into June and am more hyped than ever. Since I got sick, I’ve had nearly 30 days back riding. My season normally doesn’t last into the summer months. I find it funny that most people (formerly myself) hang up the boots to dry, just when things are getting to their peak. Long sunny days, stable snowpack, clear objectives and few distractions to deter you. For whatever reasons you may need to turn back on a peak, no worries. Come back the next sunny day.
Back in Truckee, I had the pleasure of riding a few lines in the high mountains of the Eastern Sierra. Luckily I was able to get out with a crew who knows the terrain better than anyone around. Seth Lightcap is a encyclopedia of peaks and tours throughout the range and has a contagious passion to ride as much as possible. Not your typical team manager, he wears a myriad of hats working for Jones Snowboards but still finds the time to ride more than you.
One weekend in the middle of May, Jeremy Jones invited me to go to Mammoth to do a little lift riding and board testing. It’s not everyday you get the call from the godfather to go on a road trip. Naturally, I was hyped. My new favorite snowboarder, Jimmy Goodman, graciously hosted us at his house and showed us the way into some fun sneaker runs. His riding is something special to watch. Incredible style and the moves to back it up, Jimmy is the real deal.
After getting in a few laps on the gondola in the morning, we headed out to go climb and ride a Sierra classic, the Bloody Couloir. A wild 4×4 drive up switchbacks for nearly an hour led us a short walk away from the base of the line. We yo-yo’ed our way up fairly quick and were greeted to the endless terrain that is the Eastern Sierra. Fired up to ride a High Sierra line, it was a memorable experience to watch Jones in his element. Opening it up right from the top, he ripped the entire line top to bottom, naturally. Each day in the mountains becomes more and more meaningful as time goes on.
Another day that has been imprinted in my memory bank is May 22nd. Steady spurts of precipitation had been accumulating above 10,000 ft for over a week, closing the high mountain passes. Once a clearing broke and the gateways to elevation were opened, Seth and I rallied south to link up with Jeff Curley and John Foy. Anticipating and silently praying for powder, each step forward was one closer to viewing the first lines of the day. Once we got to the wilderness boundary it was a complete white out. At the base of Levitt Peak our main objective was still a myth to a fresh set of eyes. As Foy’s speakers began playing “Here comes the sun,” a hole opened up for just an instant, showing us that the tight line of choice was indeed a go. Usually the man behind the lens, I felt the energy from Curley as he took the honors opening her up. Unbelievable… blower pow! This was one of those “too good to take photos” kind of days.
Currently I am back in the Roaring Fork Valley in Colorado, living and working with the Stasinos family. I came out to wash windows with Wyatt and Cory to make some money for a trip to South America later this summer. We were treated to a several sunset sessions off the pass that gave me enough of a fix to last a month or so. A heat wave the past few weeks have transitioned our evening activities to the rocks and water.
It can be hard to pinpoint in words what one’s own personal legend truly is. To me, it is a collection of emotions and feelings that can only be felt in the mountains. It is our innate dream that cannot be quantified in a bank account or possessions. The thought of getting back on snow was undoubtedly the number one mental and physical motivating factor to my recovery.
Doctors never found out what made me sick. Initial thoughts were that it was from traveling overseas during the last year or perhaps from a old snowboard tumble, but nothing was ever confirmed. The consensus that I came up with, is that it was simply one of those unexpected life changing events that can be viewed two ways. In the dark or in the light.
I am eternally grateful for my Mom & Dad, family & friends and to everyone for the ongoing support while I was down. I owe my life to the doctors at the Jackson Hole & University of Utah Hospitals. I’d like thank everyone at the brands that help me enjoy my time on the snow: Jones, Gnarly, Patagonia, adidas and Smartwool.
“Every experience, no matter how bad it seems, holds within it a blessing of some kind. The goal is to find it.”
-Buddha
