Prying my eyes open in complete 5 a.m. darkness, stumbling across ski bags and gear tossed in duffle bags the night before, out into an empty hallway, and down the stairs to frigid winter Gunnison air.  It’s the same routine every big mountain competitor repeats for each trip, but when I round the corner the energy changes.  Half the Western State Freeride Team is already at the van, jamming skis and bags into every nook and cranny trying preserve precious legroom.  Cold and tired, collectively we’re in it together and the mood improves every time a new face comes around the corner.

A few hours into a twenty-something hour drive to Canada we roll into a sketchy gas station in the middle of nowhere.  The team swarms the convenience store for snacks.  Although traveling together in a small, cramped space can be grueling, it builds friendships and connections like I’ve never experienced.

Up on the mountain the camaraderie is even stronger.  The team pre-inspects the venue together,, sharing thoughts and ideas on various line choices and encouraging each other with positive vibes.  Every athlete is nervous and scared standing in the start of a comp run, but having coaches and teammates by your side is calming and reassuring.  Whether you stomp your run or crash, there’s always someone at the bottom giving out high-fives and hugs.

The freeride community is small, the stoke runs deep and everyone is friendly and supportive.  Having a team surrounding you makes it that much better.  Shared meals, victories, defeats and injuries, we’re in it together, cheering each other on with plenty of laughs, high-fives and hugs.

Overall I had a super successful and more importantly fun season!  Thanks to everyone who was a part of it!

I haven’t written nearly as much as I wanted to these last 6 months. Getting caught up in the everyday hustle and bustle of life, of starting up a business (this site), and of being a massive procrastinator are my excuses, albeit crappy ones at that. When I decided to take a 6 month sabbatical back in November, I was pretty lost on what I wanted to do with my future, both personally and professionally.

I can’t exactly say that I’ve found what I’m looking for during this time off, but I can say with certainty that it was the correct thing to do.  I often wonder if I have the balls, guts, and sheer determination to continue to follow my dreams and passions. But then I look back on all the amazing experiences I got to share this winter, how many incredible stories I’ve read on this site, and how many people I’ve got to meet and learn from.  And I realize that yes, my life is my own. The decisions I make and paths I follow are the ones I make, and no one else’s.  It’s mine to live with and do good with. If that good is to continue pushing others to follow their dreams and passions by inspiring them to do the things they love, then that makes it all worthwhile.

Apart of the goals I made when leaving my job were to ski as much as possible, to travel, and to open my mind.  I did in fact ski my brains out, meet amazing people along the way, and travel to the Pacific Northwest where I continued to push my boundaries on the mountain. Looking back to my travels, I’m reminded that no matter how scary something seems, or how daunting an obstacle appears, it’s rarely as scary as you make it out to be. With that said, here are some pictures from Whistler and Bachelor taken back in March.

Here’s to always moving forward, never looking back, and a summer full of single track.

Grassroots riders Jeremy Jensen and Scotty Arnold take a trip up north to powsurf with a handful of Canadian rippers. 4 days of sunshine and dry powder conditions in the Coastal mountains of British Columbia had stoke levels high as ever. Many in our crew were riding Grassroots Powsurfers for the first time and seeing the smiles on their faces at the bottom of every run made the trip that much better.

Riders: DCP, Kevin Sansalone, Alex Warburton, Justin Lamoureux, Rob Stevens, Scott Gaffney, Scotty Arnold, and Jeremy Jensen.

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