Happy New Year!

How do you measure a good year? By all accounts, 2011 was good to me. Since this blog is about snowboarding, let's review that.

Last winter was all-time. Snowfall was plentiful, the trips I took mostly panned out and I got a few firsts that blew my mind. Watching the gnarly sessions at Superpark 15 at Mt. Bachelor won't easily be topped. The highlight of the season was still my first heli trip as part of Tailgate Alaska, but I also had some of my best days at Mt. Hood Meadows, just finding new zones with my friends. When June rolled around, I was ready to hang up the gnar boots and lace up the hiking boots.

The one thing that bummed me out last year was a trip I took to Mt. Bachelor over Martin Luther King Jr. Day where it rained on the mountain the whole time and none of us so much as touched our boards. I even had a friend up from Colorado. And I forgot the shred flicks at home. We drank so much beer... During a normal year it would have been far more depressing, but last year turned the corner, just like this year is sure to do. Like Joe Walsh said, "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do." 

In the young 2011/2012 season, I've already had firsts. My first ever snowboard race was a couple weeks ago at the Dirksen Dirby. My result was as bad as it gets, but it was still a super-fun experience that I look forward to doing again in the coming years. Also, a couple months ago I wrote my first ever published snowboard article for Transworld Snowboarding magazine (Halldor Helgason's Pro Spotlight, Dec. 2011). Following that were two in their January issue (Ethan Deiss and Austen Sweetin interviews) and one in frequency: The Snowboarder's Journal issue 9.3 (Mike Parzialle profile). Theses I hope will be just the first of many gigs with the big mags and finding ways to get money for things that I like to do anyway.

The three best magazine issues yet!

The riding this year hasn't been amazing, but the season is long and just taking off. Starting in the new year, a friend gets a weekday off, so last year's Method Mondays will be this year's Tindy Tuesdays. Even as I mash this keyboard it is dumping snow both at Mt. Hood and my New Years destination, Mt. Baker, so things are turning around quickly. Maybe that Nina chick is going to show up after all.

Here's hoping that 2012 greets you with nothing but powder and smiles. Happy New Year from Boredyak!

What's That? An Event At Meadows!?

New Year's Eve Party in the Park Progression Session

Still don't have plans for New Year's Eve? You could do worse than stopping by Mt. Hood Meadows. First of all, remember the feet of snow in the last couple days? Well, they're running the lifts until midnight, so you can make sure Two Bowl is extra mogul-ed out. If you get tired at any point and you're of-age, they have live music in the Vertical bar with The Essentials. Apparently who they are "the top rated dance party band on the west coast" (their words, not mine).

But wait, there's more! Just because you're young doesn't mean you have to totally miss out on an otherwise over-21 holiday. Meadows is hosting a rail jam in the Shipyard park. The name of the game seems to be 'free stuff.' For the crowd, for the groms, for people who like to wander and watch fireworks and maybe even for whoever wins the "slow-down throw-down." Seriosly, hoo wrights thiz stoughf?

If you've got mad rail skills and no New Year agenda, assemble your crew and get to Meadows. Leave without prizes and you only have yourself to blame.

Holidays, New Year and Then Some

We're officially into it, the teens. I expect it to be awkward. Change. Growth. Distractions. Just like any decade, I guess. Hell, I'm already 1 for 1 on writing checks, how bad could it be!?

This was actually my first holiday season without contact with my family. I've been stuck in airports and on trains for Christmas, but I always managed to find a way home. This year, I just decided to forgo the whole long-distance winter travel to a small town in the middle of nowhere scenario. Instead I went to Sunriver, OR where my friend and his family rented a vacation house for the week. I got to Skype with my family, which of course turned into my six year-old niece goofing off for the camera and precluding any real conversation. The family vibe was high at the rental home and it was packed with 14 of us, so it felt like 'home for the holidays' for sure. The bonus was two days of snowboarding at Mt. Bachelor, just an hour's drive away. Peep the pixels.

12/23 - The first day Northwest Express was running

12/24 - the first day Summit Express was running
Gotta get those lifts running by Christmas and we were there to use 'em!

After four days of Christmas cheer it was back home to Portland for a tic and then up to Bellingham, WA with my girlfriend for our traditional New Year's festivities: shredding Baker for New Year's Eve and ringing in the decade at a warm, boozy house party. This year that meant I got to hang out with some friends I met up in Baldface last year. Snowboard friends become good friends quickly and it's been great hanging out with Martin, Jeff, Jesse and all the rest over this past year. There's nobody I'd rather ring the new year in with than my girl and some of my best new friends.

With that, here we are. 2010. Keep reading the blog and dropping your comments. I can promise you nothing but the best of my abilities, which hopefully improve throughout time. Got anything you want to hear about, let me know. I've got a handful of board demos to tell you about in the coming days and another board demo to attend this weekend. This one's only Burton boards though. What should I try? I'd like to check out some different cambers, a Malolo if it's powdery, something jibby and loose to round things out.

Also coming up quick is my Level 1 Avalanche certification. My kit is complete except the beacon and a good pack. Which reminds me, I'll be introducing you to a custom backpack maker, too. He just happens to be my cousin.

After that, the Legendary Banked Slalom at Baker. More good times with the crew up there. Followed by an epic, three-stop shred trip: Salt Lake, Aspen and Jackson. Any of you live in those areas or have advice thereto, let me hear it. Especially Jackson, I'm going in with nothing but some lift ticket vouchers. Not quite seat of the pants, but not quite fully clothed either, if you smell what I'm stepping in. Baldface comes next, speaking of epic. That's about as far ahead as I plan. Some 'maybes' in there: North Face Masters at Crystal Mountain, Level 2 Avalanche certification, Ride Shakedown at Snowqualmie. Lots going down and I'll be sure to tell you all about it. Just like I told you about Cambodia. Yeah, you thought I forgot. I'm working on some big things there. Here's a taste.

Anybody ever see Tomb Raider? I haven't but apparently this tree figures in a scene.
Ta Prohm, Angkor Province, Cambodia

Here's to the best year yet. May all your powder be deep and safe. May your landings be as solid as your joints. And may you always have the prefect words when recounting your tales of deep powder and solid landings!