My first experiences splitboarding

It began at Carson Pass, blue skies on a warm spring day. I borrowed a friends splitboard and my partner and I made our way up this little mountain so I could get the hang of things. My FIRST experience was amazing. We had a great time and I learned the basics, but as we all know…sometimes things get harder before they get easier.

My second time splitboarding was a little different. The mountain was bigger. I had to do kick turns on switchbacks. This shit was hard for a first timer. I fell… a lot. I cried…a lot. I hated it, I was aggravated, I no longer enjoyed something I thought I would be totally into.

My partner had gifted me with a women’s 154 Jones Dream Catcher splitboard set up for my birthday. Now realizing, okay guess i’ll have to keep going at it. I went more and more times, smaller mountains, bigger mountains. I was slowly getting the hang of things. Learning not to get frustrated on the kick turns, I was now taking deep breaths. My partner would look at me when I got frustrated and simply state “don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry”. I didn’t cry. I would breath and realize, it’s going to be okay. Once finding the inner peace I needed in myself, I stopped crying when frustrated and turned it into a strength to stay calm and asses situations.

My first experiences splitboarding were rough. It was a love/hate relationship. I wanted to love it, but man those first few times I damn near hated it. After trial and error the love for the sport is now flourishing. It is all I want to do in my free time during the winter. Being out in the wilderness is healing, it clears the mind. The smell of the wild in the air. I appreciate the learning experience, it helps me learn new things about the sport and myself. A never ending love story has evolved and I couldn’t be happier.