For many high school students across the country doing a sport is common. From basketball to wrestling it is easy to see what sports students participate inside of school especially during the winter season. While many don’t get to see or hear about the fun snowboarders have in the mountains.
Students have tons of pressure during the winter time, it’s often a point of burnout. Having a break from school during this time is almost a need so students can get time to themselves to do the things they love with their friends and family.
“I would say going with friends changes the experience because other than just shredding by yourself, it’s better to have people with you so you don’t get hurt and you can have somebody with you,” Dallin Clement (‘27) said. “It’s just fun because hanging out with friends and snowboarding are two things I love.”
Just like most sports, Snowboarding isn’t something you can pick up right away on your first go, it takes practice. Often coming with challenges and setbacks that can feel discouraging and sometimes humiliating.
“I think the hardest part is probably like turning down steep, steep like slopes because you have to control your turning and you have to make sure that you go fast, otherwise your turns won’t be controlled enough,” Emma Starup (‘28) said. “Don’t get discouraged about it… just keep an open mindset because it’ll get better, it’s something you can pick up easily.”
While everyone has their own preferences, there are also ideal times to go Snowboarding down the mountains.
“Night skiing can be a little dangerous because the light placement there [at Stevens Pass] isn’t the best, but other than that, it’s pretty good.” Noah Berry (‘26) said. “I’d have to get there at like 7am, be one of the first people on the lift, and it has to have at least a foot of snow in the night before, so that it’s just fresh powder, so that it’s the softest, best condition.”
It may be intimidating going snowboarding for the first time, especially if you don’t exactly know the correct gear to bring like your board and boots. Having better understanding of your board to your helmet is crucial to have a safe and comfortable ride down the slopes.
“I’d say you don’t need all the best gear and definitely just start with a beginner board, something cheap and just try it out and see what you think,” Clement said.
“I think the best way is to just start off with rental gear, even though it’s going to be terrible quality stuff, but it’s better to understand how much you like something before you go all in with it.” Berry said.
From Stevens Pass to Mt. Whistler in Canada, there are many places to explore with your family and friends, with different trails tailored to new and experienced riders. It may seem like a hassle but it’s important to always have an open mind when picking up a new hobby.
“I just saw other people doing it online, and I’m a very big skateboarding fan… the first day I started learning, I just fell in love with it, and it was just like so much fun, it’s just something that I’m very passionate about… I definitely highly recommend doing it, and if you haven’t done it yet, I suggest you try it before you knock it, because it is something that you might really love,” Clement said.