Snowboarding - Blog

The best of the past and the present - the Throwback Throwdown

Silvia Mittermuller — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:46:00 GMT

When I finished school , I was on the German National Team for halfpipe snowboarding. It definitely opened doors, but also made me establish a love-hate relationship with halfpipe snowboarding.

A halfpipe always means a wall on the right and one on the left side, that give you about 5-8 hits in one run. Sure you can do different tricks but the halfpipe itself doesn´t change much usually. In the long run I fell for the magic of ever-changing-slopestyle courses , different features and runs whereever you go, and a creativity potential multiple times of that one I was used to from riding pipe.

Through the years I rode pipe less and less, would still enjoy a good soft pipe here and there, and sponteanously compete, but my focus fully went into slopestyle.

This season, I didn´t do a single halfpipe competition – until last weekend in Breckenridge. The inaugural Throwback Throwdown went down, a halfpipe competition that challenged you to do some contest runs in the 2012 superpipe aswell as in a rebuilt 1986 first-world-champs-ever-6foot-handshoveled-mini-pipe.

It wasn´t only the most unique halfpipe competition of all times, it also bridged the gap between halfpipe and slopestyle for me.

The Breck superpipe , consistantly ranked within the top halfpipes in the USA, was exactly as expected – absolutely perfect. It was a lot of fun to ride it and since the Throwback Throwndown isn´t an average pipe event, the vibes were probably the best halfpipe contest vibes I have ever experienced.

In the afternoon everybody got to try their best in the 1986 oldschool pipe. I´m actually not sure what is harder to ride, the 22foot pipe or the 6foot pipe.

I loved the challenge of the hand shovelled mini pipe – its inconsistent kinky shape made every hit completely different to the other, so you couldn´t plan far ahead in your run, since you barely ever knew what kind of piece of wall you would hit next. Aditionally the pipe had some taller hits and 2jib-able features added to it, even more increasing the creativity potential for everyone´s run.

That little shitty handshoveled pipe is the first pipe that somehow ever gave me a slopestyle-y feeling, with its ever changing hits and the fact that in oldschool pipe judging it´s totally ok to include boardslides and backlips on the coping into your runs.

It was amazing to see how some people could somehow boost higher out of the kinky walls than the walls were tall, to see others do proper grabbed spins in walls most people would never get to the top of, to see all kind of handplants and miniramp-skateboarding-look-alike liptricks.

It was a get-together of different snowboarding generations from 13year-olds to over-50-year-olds, of different riding styles from real halfpipe riders over slopestyle riders and jibbers to backcountry snowboarders and retired-old-school-pros.

The Throwback Throwdown was the ultimate combination of the past and the future, the most amazing fun for the participants aswell as the beer-drinking,sun-tanning audience, and I already can´t wait for the second edition next year! You better be there, too...

- Silvia Mittermuller

5 reasons why I love spring in Breckenridge

Silvia Mittermuller — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 15:02:00 GMT

1) 5 til 5

Breck is keeping 5 chair aswell as the Freeway and Park Lane terrain parks open until 5pm on the fridays in spring! In the afternoon on those days there´s fun contests with sweet prizes that are open to anyone aswell as free BBQs and generally just a real good time.

2) Handplants

Slushy spring days are the best time to learn and do handplants. It doesnt hurt when you crash and when they work they are real fun. During the winter, I never see as many handplants around the mountain as right now. The Thrownback Throwdown will also be a great occasion to do some!

3) Town

With the warm beautiful weather Breckenridge stays busy all through the evening into the night these days. It almost feels mediterranean to me with people walking around town all night long, others making music in the streets and girls wearing skirts and sandals until late at night.

4) Slush

Soft spring conditions are the best to learn anything – wheather it´s better turns on the slopes, mini jibs in the small parks or big jumps on Freeway. Falling doesnt hurt as much and injuries are less likely. Spring time is go-for-it-time!

5) Caribbean Tan

„Silvia, how can you already have a tan? I thought you live in Breck?“ – I´ve heard that quite a few times in the last months. I love going to the Rec Center for a work out and swim, and often go into the outdoor hot tub in the end. Even just going 10 minutes every other day will give you a beach-vacation-look-alike tan in no time.

Enjoy the beautiful Breckenridge spring everyone!

-Silvia Mittermüller

Switzerland, Germany, France - snowboarding in Europe!

Silvia Mittermuller — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:38:00 GMT

As a professional snowboarder from Germany you might think I know the German mountains like the back of my hand.

Well,when I started snowboarding, I used to. But through the years I´ve spent less and less time snowboarding in Europe, since the snowboarding specific infrastructure is just so much better in Breckenridge than anywhere in Europe.

Last week was my first day snowboarding in Germany in over 4 years. It was crazy to realize that.

Things actually haven´t changed much since I started snowboarding in Germany 15 years ago. There´s still a majority of skiers on non-twin-tip skiers on the slopes and it´s not rare that people go have drinks in apres ski bars at 11am. The scenery is still amazing aswell as the amounts of accessable terrain from the lifts, but parks and pipes still look like ten years ago – if you find any at all.

The quick German snowboard adventure has once again shown me how priviliged I can feel to ride conditions as in Keystone and Breckenridge on a daily basis. Most times when I´m not in Breck, I´m taveling for big events – which means park crews work extra hard to build something amazing for these events. Those set ups are fun to ride aswell, but don´t necessairy show what a resort has to offer on a normal day throughout the season.

Before the German snowboarding I got to spend a week in Laax and Leysin in Switzerland, for the European Open and the Nescafe Champs. Extremely warm conditions gave a great taste of spring and beautiful contest set ups could make you think European parks are everywhere as great as the American ones.

Right now I am in Tignes in France – one of the ski towns that wouldn´t exist without the resort. Big chunky hotels in the middle of the mountains, not much of a real village, but beautiful peaks all around.

The European X Games that just took place here are the little brother of the US X Games. They are not as big since there are no snowboard/ski cross and no snowmobil competitions , and due to the later,warmer time in the season they feel more laid-back and less hectic than the American ones.

Right now I´m sitting in a chalet overlooking the beautiful valley with the huge chunky hotel buildings, enjoying my last day in the French mountains before leaving to Geneva tomorrow and flying back to Colorado on monday.

I didn´t go on the slopes today. Instead I´m saving my energies for the best place in the world. Only 3 days left....

- Silvia Mittermuller

Terrain park for the first time? Here´s a online lesson.

Silvia Mittermuller — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 03:55:00 GMT

After traveling the entire world for snowboarding for many years, I can safely say that the Breckenridge and Keystone terrain parks are the best in the world. Especially now, with rising temperatures and softer snow, the spring is the best time to try something new in the park – wheather that means to hit the first box of your life or land the first 1080 of your life.

Keep reading in case you are in the „first-box-of-your-life“ category – here comes a quick introduction into park snowboarding that will provide you with enough information to enter and conquer the next beginner park you come across.

Jibs

Jibs are any types of features that are built of other materials than just snow – such as rails, boxes, bonks or wallrides. The best beginner jibs are well-sliding boxes, ideally as wide as your snowboard or even wider. A good beginner box is low above the ground and has a „ride-on“ takeoff , meaning you can ride onto the box and don´t need to jump over a gap to get onto it. If you find a nice beginner-friendly box, for example in Bonanza or Trygves Park , here is what you need to do to slide it sucessfully:

1) control your speed approaching the box with a few little turns, but stop turning on the last 10 feet before the box. Go straight then.

2) Ride onto the box flat-based with your weight balanced on both your feet, make sure to bend your knees as much as you can the entire time

3) Keep your knees bent and your shoulders parallel with your board. If your shoulders stay straight (front shoulder to the nose of your board, back shoulder to the tail of your board) , your board will stay straight aswell.

4) Dont put any weight onto your edges while going onto, over and off the box. Just ride off the box, even if it´s a little drop. It all happens by itself, be confident.

Jumps

The ideal beginner jump is very small, but still has a takeoff and landing zone. The landing should be smooth without holes. A real beginner shouldnt pick a jump that you jump further than 10-15feet of. The jumps on Tryges are perfect for example.

1) Watch other people hitting the jump. Where do they start? How many turns do they do? Copy the people that hit the jump well.

2) Do the same amount of turns. On the last 15feet before the jump, dont do any more turns. Go straight with bent knees and your weight on both feel equally.

3) Keep your weight on both feel while leaving the takeoff of the jump. Front shoulder stays over the nose and back shoulder over the tail of the board. That way you won´t drift sideways.

4) In the air bring your knees a bit up towards to your chest. That way you can also grab your board if you like.

5) Look at the spot where you land. Land on both feet, absorb the impact by bending your knees and keep going straight until you feel controlled again.

Sliding some little boxes and jumping some little jumps is a realistic goal fort his spring, even if you have never done anything like it before. Dare to try it on your next beautiful spring day!

- Silvia Mittermüller

Best snowboarding run in Keystone's Outback

Dan Nolan — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:04:00 GMT

In my humble opinion, the best snowboarding runs are in Keystone's Outback. The first time I rode some of these trails, I was overcome with the feeling that all my years riding was just practice for runs I was doing there.

Here is a quick review of some of these amazing runs that you can take on your snowboard in Keystone's Outback on your next visit:

Timberwolf (Black Diamond)

This is an awesome snowboard run with trees that aren't spaced too close for those who are still nervous. The paths between the trees can get pretty defined, so be comfortable with different snow and terrain before attempting this run.

You'll be right up against the boundary line of the ski resort, which means few people will be around. Bring a friend to ride with, and don't expect to see many other skiers out there.

One downfall of being this far out on your snowboard is that the bottom of the trail requires a leg burning ride back on some nearly flat trails. After one run you'll quickly learn how to manage this part of the trail, so don't let that deter you, and keep your speed up.

Bushwhacker (Black Diamond)

This was the first run I took in this area of Keystone's Outback, which is why I now love the area. The whole ride you'll have a great view of the North Mountain, so be sure to stop and look.

Bushwhacker quickly turns into more trees, but still leaves enough room for moguls to develop. This gives you more room to turn if you need but still have the feeling of being in the trees and powder that you love.

Again, the bottom flattens out, but you'll learn how to deal with that quickly.

Badger (Black Diamond)

Badger is a bit more open up top, but the trees compress to give you a feeling of separation from those around you and gives you some of the best snowboarding you'll find.

Don't worry about getting lost; all paths lead down. Ride with a friend to explore all the pocket of jumps and mini-trails around the trees. This run in the Outback will take a bit more time than the others, because you'll need to plan your path through the snow.

The Griz (Black Diamond)

One of the best tree runs at Keystone Resort. Not too steep, but plenty of trees to work with. On the weekends there might be a few more skiers here than on the other runs listed above, but still many paths to find your own way down without feeling that you're in a line. One reason The Griz gets more ski traffic is that the flat catwalk at the bottom is minimized -- a plus for any snowboarder!

I hope you enjoy these trails on your snowboard as much as I do. After you get done burning out your legs on these great snowboarding runs, head back to Dillon for a great meal....you've earned it!

-- Dan Nolan

What is indoor snowboarding like?

Silvia Mittermuller — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 20:50:00 GMT

It's a fact -- people living in countries without mountains and/or snow are not as likely to get into wintersports. But due to ski domes and dry slopes it's possible to get into skiing and snowboarding even in places like Dubai these days. But what is indoor snowboarding really like?

The Netherlands are a pretty flat zone. Interestingly my snowboard sponsor Ride picked exactly this country to showcase all the 2012/2013 product at their International Sales Meeting -- at Snowworld Landgraf, an indoor snow dome.

I´ve been to other indoor slopes before and every single place has it´s own vibe and specialties. The Skihalle Neuss in Germany is a famous bachelor-party spot, in Japan the escalators (that are used instead of lifts) give the ski domes a touch of shopping-mall-feeling whereas Landgraf was the first place where I've ever seen a 6-person-chairlift inside.

Even though you wouldn't expect conditions to change much without the impact of weather, the slopes are definitely the best in the morning and get gradually icier until the end of the day. One of the days I really rode until the last lift. Last lift means midnight. Since the light and temperature is the same all day long it's easy to lose the feeling for what time it is when you ride indoors.

Besides the six person chairlift I was also really impressed by the park they had set up at Landgraf. It's possible to hit three jumps and a decent amount of jibs including a nice staircase rail feature in just one run. Sure the landings get pretty icy as the day advances, but to be able to snowboard a park of that standard in a country that otherwise wouldn't even have a single snowboard-able mountain is really amazing to me.

I'm stoked Ride decided to do the sales meeting at such a place, because without that reason I´d have never traveled there myself -- if you have a choice between Breckenridge and Holland fridge it's a easy one.

It was great to get to see and try all the new 2012/2013 gear that -- sorry for the tease -- even most industry people won't see until the tradeshows in three months and stores won't carry until fall 2012.

I'm traveling home right now with two next-year Ride Compact boards in my luggage -- so if you cross my path on the Breckenridge slopes in the next weeks and look to my feet you'll get a secret little glimpse of 2012.

Overall it was a great adventure in a different world that really got me excited for the upcoming winter. Nov.16 I'll land in Denver... See you soon, Colorado!

- Silvia Mittermüller

Unity snowboards 2011/2012 sneak peak

Leslie Glenn — Tue, 10 May 2011 17:08:00 GMT

Unity Snowboards is a true mountain company. The boards have been hand crafted in Summit County since 1995 and extensively tested by the Unity team riders, employees and founder/owner Pete Wurster all over the Rockies as well as worldwide. There is some amazing new rides coming out for the 2011-2012 season. Here is a sneak peak of what to expect from the new Unity line, be check out the links out for awesome videos and more info on the boards as well.

THE WHALE
The Whale is incredibly innovative and like nothing you have seen before. It harnesses the flow and freedom of surfing into a powder-riding masterpiece. The shape is unique because the wide point of the nose has been moved back to match the start point of the nose rocker. This allows the board to initiate quicker turns and also makes the board feel shorter than it is. Although it was developed for it's powder prowess, The Whale also lays down amazing carves on hard pack as well. Available sizes (cm): 160, 167

REVERSE
The Reverse boards have a twin tip shape and twin flex pattern. The name comes from the reverse camber design with a small amount of camber between the feet. This design allows the board to have the added float in powder that reverse camber is known for with out sacrificing the ability to carve and hold and edge on hard snow. The Reverse is fun and playful on runs or in the park and also floats effortlessly on deep powder days. Available sizes (cm): 146, 152, 155, 154 mid-wide, 158 mid-wide, 159, 160 wide, 164, 165 wide

PRIDE
The Pride is the ultimate do it all directional freestyle board. It has directional shape and stiff directional flex and is best for a powerful rider who wants something that is great for all aspects of riding. The deep side cut and traditional camber design will give you quick response and edge hold on any terrain. In addition, the pride uses the proven Carbon Wrapped Core creating a very snappy, powerful and lively feel to the board. Available sizes (cm): 152, 155, 159, 164, 160 wide, 165 wide

DOMINION
The Dominion is a staple in the Unity Snowboards line and is tried and tested as the "classic big mountain freeride board." This year, directional rocker technology has been added to the board combining the precision of the original edge control with a nose that is forgiving and floaty. The board is also beefed up with two carbon fiber stringers stiffening the board from under the front foot through the rocker allowing the riding to stomp big landings with out washing out. Available sizes (cm): 155, 159, 164, 168, 160 wide, 165 wide, 170 wide, 180

ORIGIN
The Origin is a true twin park board with traditional camber. If you need to hold an edge at high speeds hitting big jumps or sending it in the halfpipe this board is for you. New this year, the Origin features unidirectional fiber pads that reinforce and stabilize the board under your feet and strengthens the board allowing it to withstand extreme impacts and landings in the park and pipe. Team riders Zack Black, Dylan Bidez and JJ Thomas all choose to ride the Origin whether riding at Breck or traveling and competing around the globe. Available sizes (cm): 152, 155, 154 wide, 158 wide, 159, 160 wide

VIRGO
As one of Unity's team riders, I have been lucky enough to help innovate and design the Virgo, as Unity's only women's specific board. It is my board of choice and is amazing in all aspects of riding from the playful park runs to steep and deep powder days. It features Light Weight Tri-Axial Fiberglass reducing the overall board weight and a softer flex pattern for women riders without sacrificing the technicality and high performance all Unity boards are known for. The twin tip shape, flex and centered radial sidecut allow the board to perform incredibly well riding regular or switch. The subtle reverse camber give the rider a playful, buttery feel when cruising or hitting the park and added float on epic powder days. Available sizes (cm): 145, 148, 152, 155

SPLITBOARDS
Splitboards are an amazing way to access the backcountry and Unity is making two options for 2011/2012. You can choose between the Dominion series or the Reverse series with each shape and design mirroring the specs of the solid versions of the boards. To reinforce and strengthen the ski while in touring, the Unity design team has added S-Glass stringers through the middle of the split. The splits have sintered p-tex sidewalls and Rockwell 48 steel edges in the center of the board as well. They are available with the standard Voile insert pattern and will have tip clips and hooks installed. Reverse available sizes (cm): 155, 159, 164 Dominion available sizes (cm): 159,164, 168, 170wide, 180

If you haven't tried a Unity snowboard yet, you are missing out. Support your local community and local board manufacturer by checking out these amazing products. Keep your eye out for local team riders JJ Thomas, Zack Black, Dylan Bidez and myself sporting our favorites boards and testing out the new designs on a daily basis. For more information, specs, and the latest videos and news visit unitysnowboards.com

-Leslie Glenn

Spring snowboarding necessities

Jake Black — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 05:54:00 GMT

Spring has arrived here in Breckenridge! If you haven't already heard but the Spring Fever is going off! Every Thursday in April, Chair 5 will be open till 5 o'clock with DJ's spinning in the park and free BBQ's! I know I will be there!

Spring snowboarding means lots of sun, slushy snow, and good times to be had. And to really get those good times rolling you have to get your hands on the right gear.

Pipe mitts- These thin mittens are awesome! When its 50+ outside your hands will melt in your winter gloves but these keep them cool.

Face mask- This is a life saver from the sun. It is lightweight and thin so you can still breath without suffocating yourself.

Purl Wax (color)- This warm weather wax is essential for gliding around in the wet snow. Either take your gear in to a tune shop or buy a block of wax to be cruising without sticking all spring.

Sun block- Never can have enough sun block especially at this elevation. Otherwise you will get fried! Right under the nose is an prime area suspect for sun burn so block up!

These are just a few things to help your spring riding. And make sure you swing by the park every Thursday for the free food, tunes, and did I mention the contests with tons of prizes to give away. Have fun out there!

- Jake Black

Top après deals in Breckenridge

Jake Black — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 00:05:00 GMT

Breckenridge is packed with awesome restaurants! You can find practically any type of food around town. And after a great day on the mountain there are some amazing happy hours and specials. These are a few of my favorites!

Soupz On
There isn't a cold enough day on the mountain that a bowl of hot soup can't fix. And Soupz On has a variety of different soups to choice from everyday. If you are looking for a salad or a quick sandwich they have those as well! You can't go wrong with soups like Mom's Chicken Noodle but I always like to sample a few new soups that I have never tasted before. There is no wrong choice you can make. And for about eight bucks you get a piece of freshly baked bread and a warm cookie!

Blue River Bistro
One of the best happy hour's you will find in Breckenridge. The happy hour is so good they host it twice a day seven days a week! So if you swing by between 3-6 or 9-closing you are in for some great drink specials and awesome appetizers. The bistro has an amazing menu but if you are eating on a budget two for one appetizer will be in your range. The Bruschetta and the Calamari are a few of my favorites. And to wash down your delicious apps they offer two for one martinis! With a large variety to choose from you can find the flavor your looking for. Or if you are looking for a good ol' brew for two dollars you can get any draft or domestic bottles.

Mi Casa
If you are really tight with your budget but looking to fill your belly up Mi Casa is perfect for you! Mi Casa happy hour offers dollar tacos and three-dollar baskets of wings. And to wash it all down they offer five-dollar pitchers of PBR. Plus you have access to unlimited chips and salsa! This is by far my favorite happy hour in town!

So next time your looking for some food in town check one of these restaurants out. I'm sure you will enjoy them.

- Jake Black

The ups and downs of pro snowboarding

Silvia Mittermuller — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:52:00 GMT

Here I am again, this time writing from Munich unfortunately. I didn't plan to be here today but after catching up with my month of February you will know why.

The month started out with the Canadian Open in Calgary at COP, Canada Olympic Park. It´s a tiny resort close to the city, there's only a couple lifts and runs, pretty much the exact opposite to target="_blank">Breckenridge.

Due to extremely moody weather our competition wasn't an easy one – the wind was blowing strong which made it difficult to keep enough speed to clear the three jumps. The fact that the snow was mostly man made snow didn't help either. Usually I love jumps a lot but under those circumstances I definitely preferred the jib section on the course.

After the bad luck in the European contests I was glad to qualify for the finals in Calgary and especially to end up 2nd after I spent most of the finals practice in the chiropractor´s office – I crashed very bad in practice (think half backflip) and could barely look left because my neck was so sore. Actually I didn't even know if I could do a final run, but with the right music, the support of your friends and some good memories of the place where you are, the impossible seeming things became possible.

My neck was still a disaster when I came back to Breckenridge but I was happy how things had gone and happy to be back home. The weather was moody for the short time I had in Breck but we made the best out of it. I filmed a bit for Peepshow and played a lot on the piano in One Ski Hill Place.

Things went fast from there, I flew from Denver to Munich for one night and then to Oslo, planning to compete in the Arctic Challenge. Well long story short – it didn't happen because I managed to dislocate my elbow before the contest even started.

So after not even 40 hours in Oslo I was back in Munich, saw some doctors and had surgery not even another 40 hours later. The happy high speed life of professional snowboarding has come to an emergency break.

I´ll be out for all March and hope to return to lovely Breckenridge for some spring slush in April. Until then life will be very different. But more about that in my next post.

Enjoy being healthy everybody, and those that aren't – let´s share the pain and it will be half as bad. For some more personal views of getting hurt check my blog.

- Silvia Mittermuller ... by the way I wrote all this with one hand! :-)

The OneLife project: pro snowboarders on a global mission

Chanelle Sladics — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 18:41:00 GMT

Last season, we put our heads together and tried to come up with a creative approach to designing our own trip abroad.

The concept of this trip was for each of us to pitch a dream experience and whomever's pitch was the most enticing, we would book it. No detailed itinerary, just follow the snow and the good times, in hopes to creating magic.

Norway, Italy, Canada, Patagonia, and Eastern Europe all brought something special to the table, but it was Marie-France Roy's Spain with a snow, surf, skate adventure that inspired us most.

Due to high winds and rain, we rerouted our trip to Andorra midway, but unfortunately the rain followed us. Most of us were unaware that Andorra was its own country, so this was extra exciting -- a good world history lesson as well.

We made the best of our conditions building creative urban features, meeting locals and sightseeing some of the most amazing cities in the world: Granada and Barcelona. World class graffiti street art, museums, architecture and theatre were all on our list -- truly making it one of the best cultural experiences for us to date. We all fell in love with the passionate cultures of Andorra and Spain.

Thank you local professional snowboarder Merlin, "our Andorra guide," and friend for life. You truly made our trip amazing.

Here is a video of the OneLife ladies taking on a Spanish adventure, hope you enjoy Spain and Andorra through our eyes.

One LOVE, One LIFE. For more information, check out ThisisOneLife.com.

-Chanelle Sladics

It's a powder day in Colorado

Morgan Bast — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 16:57:00 GMT

Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail kept Colorado skiers and riders from getting their powder fix on Saturday, Dec. 11. Breckenridge ski resort got 14 inches of new snow and Vail got 9 inches of new snow.

That brings the week's snow totals to 31 inches at Breck, 24 inches at Vail, 10 inches at Keystone resort, 10 inches at Beaver Creek.

The highway many take from Denver to the Colorado resorts, I-70, was closed for much of Friday night due to adverse conditions making those that got through either that much luckier or that much more dedicated. Vail Pass, Loveland Pass, and from Silverthorne to the Eisenhower tunnel were all closed at times making the drive up to the mountains exceed more than the typical two hours.

@gspald89 on Twitter said "Up at 5:00 am on a Saturday. There must be 9 inches of fresh pow at Vail to make this possible."

"That's amazing. Looks like I'm going skiing!" a fan on Breckenridge's facebook wall said.

Everywhere in Colorado, powder hounds are rejoicing. Check out more photos of the snow day here.

-- Morgan Bast

Jake Burton on snowboard innovations

Morgan Bast — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 22:23:00 GMT

For Jake Burton, the emphasis of snowboarding has always been about fun. It's hard to disagree with him as he not only founded Burton but basically created snowboarding itself. Innovations in the sport don't surprise him either. New technologies like base shapes and materials reflecting the old and the new are what he and his company are all about. We sat down with the legend in the Burton store at Vail to learn what he has cooking this year and what he thinks of that other sport - skiing.

Watch the video of the interview here.

Buzz: So what do you have going on this year?

Jake Burton: We're incredibly busy. There is a lot of new stuff. You know with snowboard base shapes like V-Rocker and the Flying V and the combinations of camber and rocker, it's sort of like the sport has gone three-dimensional. The [snowboard] is now more like a surfboard than like a ski. Instead of being perfectly flat there are a lot of different things going on. It's really exciting.

Buzz: How do you think the sport will change this season?

JB: There is a lot of progression in this sport. With riders like Shaun in the Olympics to freeriders that we have here tonight, [the sport] is just going in so many different directions. I think the emphasis is on fun and that's where the equipment is at. The boots are comfortable and soft and the boards are getting a little looser and it's in a good place.

Buzz: What do you tell people that are looking for a new board?

JB: There are a lot of different boards in the line. People have to find a board by studying up and people are so knowledgeable in the stores these days and they are working so well with the company they can really get some good advice. I think it's totally dependent on the rider and what kind of riding you do and your size and everything but there is something for everyone in our line for sure.

Buzz: Which board do you ride?

JB: For me it's the Process, which is a board that I'm riding. The Process has V-Rocker which means it's sort of reverse camber but it's not too heavy. It makes the board a little looser so you can turn really quickly. I love riding trees and where I live in Stowe, Vermont the trees are really tight. So it's great to come to Vail where there is a little bit more room. The board turns on a dime but at the same time holds an edge. I'm not a big pipe rider but you could still take it in the pipe or park. It's just incredibly versatile and very forgiving which I think is great in a board. I'm not looking for a board to be too precise, I mean as long as it'll hold an edge in hard pack that's about all I need. This board does that but in everything else it's like surfing.

Buzz: What does snowboarding take from skiing?

JB: We get a lot from skiing, right? Like steel edges and side cut and all that. Now I think it's starting to go back the other way to where they are getting stuff from us like with skis being wider and even more side cut. I think that this whole thing with base shapes is hitting skiing already but starting to in snowboarding and I think it's a good thing. Snowboarding is more like surfing in that a surfboard is shaped by hand and there is a lot of creativity and open-mindedness to approaching to the shape of a surfboard. I think snowboarding is the same way. It's just going to keep changing. Next year's boards are so different.

Buzz: What are you most excited for at Burton this year?

JB: I'm a big fan of the Heritage line which is what I'm wearing right now. It's probably more street-friendly, but you can still snowboard in it, I mean it has a waist-gate and everything. It just reflects the history of the sport. I just remember riders like Craig Kelly and Jeff Brushie and it brings back those days. At the same time the stuff is very progressive in the context of technology and materials and comfort and fit. So it sort of blends the old and the new which is sort of what Burton is about. People are buying into heritage and tradition a lot these days and it's cool for us to come out with something that so well blends that. I love it.

--Interview by Morgan Bast