What was your first day on a board like?

I was like 12 or 13 on some beat old snowboard. I think it probably had ratchetless bindings on it. haha. My brother's only advise about how to stop was "I'll slow down when I start hitting the trees." Great advise. Now all I do is point it anyways, so I guess it worked.

Perfect AK shred day?

2-3 feet of stable pow, sleds are running perfect and all my friends are there to shuttle clean lines all day. Spines and natural hits. The stoke is high!

All time favorite video part?

Johan Olofsson in TB5 because he dropped what is possible in the backcountry way back then and mixed freestyle tricks into no fall zones! That's a 20-year-old part that still holds up.

Biggest pet peeve in snowboarding?

Snowboarding went soft. It sucks that we give way more money and focus to the side that took "freestyle" too far (which is a little too much like aerial skiing, really.) It ruined the industry and stole support from the soul of it all. I didn't start snowboarding for it to be like everything else or for it to be called a sport.

What’s great about snowboarding right now? 

That people are going huge and the big mountain stuff is coming full circle! There is a real hope for the vision of creativity these days. And there is a kind of purity in how hard the boundary is being pushed in the backcountry. Being well familiarized with what the mountains are saying and finding the right way to push or pull is awesome. Big mountain is hammering and it's good to see that. Keep it safe!

Who do you think is the best rider in snowboarding, past or present?

Johan, Ryland, or John (PLine for creativity). They all slay really big stuff. Each in their own way and own time. Johan is still arguably the gnarliest backcountry freestyler, Ryland rides huge lines that are insano and John drops large natural hits and throws some filthy tricks. All have parts for the ages.

What are your goals for this season?

Win all of the freeride contests that I ENTER AND TRY TO FILM/STACK SHOTS. i WANT A LEGIT AK BORN SHRED VIDEO TO GO DOWN! PLUS, I'M RIDING FOR CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN NOW, SO I WANT TO NAIL SOME BANGERS. BUT HONESTLY, MAN, I'M JUST TRYING TO HAVE FUN WITH IT ALL AND TAKE IN EVERY MOMENT. TO PUSH MY RIDING THE WAYS I WANT TO, I WANT TO RIDE BIGGER, STEEPER SPINES EVERY YEAR AND PUT DOWN SOME FREESTYLE ON REALLY BIG STUFF. iF I CAN BE CREATIVE THE WAY I WANT TO BE, THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. LIVING MY VISION.