Reminisce your "Most Epic" runs ever here.

[Eugene]

Hey all. A continuation of our Snow Stories concept here. This thread is dedicated to memories of great snowboarding runs; your most memorable runs. Post here runs that encapsulate your snowboarding experience.

If you need criteria to decide what to post here, here's a short, non-exhaustive list:

1) If someone said "snowboarding" to you, what run(s) would you instantly think of?
2) What run(s) did you have the most fun on?
3) What run(s), when you think of them, even now, put an immutable smile on your face?

Of course, I'll go first. Post away.

[Eugene]

My first offering:

One of my very favorite things about snowboarding is the "Adventure Run" - searching high and low for a powder patch, no matter how rugged the terrain may get (and in fact, the more rugged, the better, honestly).

So the very first Adventure Run I remember taking was at Sugarloaf, Maine; 2004, if I remember correctly. Snow conditions were good, but not great, and we were looking for more than the packed powder runs on trail. It was at this time that we started riding with greater skill and aggressively sought out better and better snow.

Roald noticed some locals disappearing into the trees and suggested we try to follow them in, betting (quite correctly, as it turns out) that we'd be rewarded with precious powder for our trouble. So unloading off of the chairlift, we followed along the treeline until we saw an impossibly small clearing in the trees where the locals' tracks wandered off. Trepidatiously, we dove into the trees.

It's important to note here that while we'd zipped around the odd tree on the side of the trail here and there, up until this point we'd never gone into a glade. In fact, I don't even think we knew what the term "glade" was at that point.

What transpired next is what most people experience when people enter the trees (REALLY enter the trees) for the first time - one or two turns around a few trees, then tree hugging.

Turn, turn, hug tree.

Turn, turn, hug tree.

Over and over again. Except every once in awhile it was interrupted by a "get smacked on your cheek by a branch."

All this because 1) the treeline they entered was THICK. I mean, thick as in even now, I don't think anyone except Roald and I could ride through it without stopping at least once or twice, and 2) we never rode in trees before, so the shock of how thick the trees (and brush and branches that smack you in the face etc) were and how quickly you had to think was almost too much.

Almost. After all, it's powder we're talking about here.

Sucked? Only in that it exposed a severe shortcoming in our abilities. But as tough as it was, it was awesome; and after all, we were chasing powder!

After what seemed like a lifetime of sketchy progress through the forest, we emerged on a "closed" trail, sweaty and breathing heavy, but with a full stretch of powder (and it actually was real powder, almost knee-deep!) on a trail that was completely empty.

So after catching our breath, we dove in.

And hooted and hollered nearly the entire way down. And even though the locals had pointed the way to the powder trail, Roald and I made "first tracks" on at least 40% of the trail.

To boot, I think it was our last run of the trip. I couldn't stop thinking of that run for several months. And every time I embark (either by myself or with others) on a new Adventure, it's that first one that set the tone for all Adventures to follow.

That was our first Adventure Run. And even if it wasn't our first one, it's the first one I remembered:)

[Roald SNOWald]

whaaat?..

Of course i remember this specific adventure Eugene just painted in our snow hungry heads. What we lacked in ability, we covered with enthusiasm. Nothing, not even the impossible tree line would stop us from finding that pow trail. I remember the ride pattern being turn, turn, tree hug.. PUSH OFF TREE, turn, turn, sling, push, turn, tree hug. lol. whatever it was, we did what we had to including overcoming exhaustion and the risk of the board sinking pow in thick trees. No matter how hard or tiring that tree line was, it definitely was the intro adventure that we needed to go confidently into any other tree line that would come in the future. ...and oh they came. Our chair rides after that day became scouting time for the next impossible line. Lines like that is what kept us away from park in our early seasons. It's all good though.. even though i wish i started park earlier, I cant forget the glory of earning our first pow lines.


My favorite most ridiculous runs were in Utah. Oh so many to even list here but i'll start with the first trip.

I was sick with the flu on that trip and i still had a blast. To start, my main goal was to get some good pictures on park city rails.. so without even really checking them out i was hitting perfect backside boardslides on rails that i would say can still challenge me today. Good thing my trusty friend and co-rider, eugene, was there to capture some shots that continue to hold a nice calming place in my heart.. lol.

On the same trip we added to our tree line/adventure experience like CHAMPS. I swear Eugene and i cut through the main face of snowbird like a hot knife through butter the way we ruled the runs.. holding our line on actual runs for no more than a couple yards, up and down, just to cut back into the opposite tree lines --basically cross country.. we displayed perfectly controlled chaos because we would bump into ice patches, to dumb thick pow spots.. then hit ledges, to barely lose eachother.. we'd book through branch smacking punishment, come back on a regular trail, and then cut laterally into the tree lines to do it again. the beauty of that run was that we somehow stayed together without consciously keeping an eye out for one another. Once we got t back to the tram, we celebrated, met up with everyone.. and just thought about what to do next.

Last year was just fuckin sick pow for days.. sick pow like i'm so fuckin happy im MAD pow. I'm going to have to comment on those runs another day. All in all, i can't single out the first thing that comes into my mind when i think snowboarding.. everything i love about snowboarding comes to mind when i think snowboarding.. im feening so much right now that i'm about to blast the AC when it's already cold --just to hope i dream realistic feeling SNOWBOARD DREAMS!!! btw, i booked my flights for utah today. so super excitement is an understatement.

[Sairalyn "bear"]

sugarloaf, ME | january 25th - 27th 2002

The most amazing snowboard trip i've been on so far. Every year we hope to recreate the magic of our first year at sugarloaf. I remember the last day, riding from the peak alongside Nico. I couldn't get that smile off my face. We had so much fun. And the view from the top was so unreal. The sun was just beginning to set, casting a peachy glow over everything. Sugarloaf had just gotten a fresh dump of snow but the air and clouds were still filled with more. My immediate response to that breathtaking view was "Look we're at the top of Tolkien's Misty Mountains." This was all before the LOR trilogy was released in the theaters. The memory of good friends, soft snow, and beautiful views still warms my heart and gets me excited for more.

[Sairalyn "bear"]

Park City, UT | January 13-14 & 16, 2007

We began with some night riding... for free. We exchage our same day boarding passed for free lift tickets and were on the slope by mid-day. Although the mountain was much larger then the ones back east, the views reminded me of New Hapshire. The width of most of the runs were impressive and the minimal number of people occupying those runs was pretty cool. It was very much like having the whole mountain to yourself. My husband and brother seemed to enjoy themselves in the various glades and bowls, my sister and I preferred the King Con area for some casual cruising. However, when Eugene asked me if I had a favorite run or trail, I couldn't say that I did... although that first stretch off the the King Con and Eagle lifts are a lot of fun.

Oh yeah I almost forgot... I almost lost all bladder control when we got on the Eagle lift and realized there were no restraint bars on the chair lift. Not just that but about halfway up, you find yourself dangling over another massive canyon/valley/drop. So while the locals are casully sitting on the lift, my sister and I are holding on for dear life to the sides and backs of the chair.