Our Teamrider Ville Uotila sends you his second report from every snowboarder’s wet dream: Alaska!

The Alaska license plate reads, “the last frontier”, a perfect caption for what the Chugach range is to snowboarding. Riders from all over the world have gathered here for the same thing, riding pow. We are here for an adventure, a new experience, a new line, a new mountain, and there is no better place for a snowboarder than Alaska. Every day of riding prior is practice to be here.

Since an overwhelming stoke from our first few days of shredding the good times have continued to roll. Pillow lines, ice caves, fresh snow, monster jumps, parties, wildlife, and steep lines from the worlds most bad-ass machine. In the last week we have used every type of transport to get us uphill; hike, splitboard, snowshoe, snowmobile, cat, and helicopter. Each day going on a mission to discover something new, taking full advantage of long days, in most cases not getting off the hill til 9 in the evening.

Also during our last few days here in Alaska was the Flow World Freeride Championships of Snowboarding. A big mountain riding contest held on the Bro-bowl face of Thompson Pass. I was heading up against heavy hitters like Scotty Lago, Mark Carter, Mike Basich and Rob Kingwell. Competitors charged the bro-bowl face taking the higher of two runs in effort to advance to the top 8 heli serviced final. When the 2 day event was finished Brandon Reid, a Valdez local from Big Mountain Taxi took home the win and 10K as decided by a video review from fellow riders. Congraz maaan!! For me the contest was just a big challenge and one step closer to big mountain riding.

Tailgate has come to an end but our time here will not be forgotten. Our first trip to Alaska has expanded our vision on the big mountain mecca, and we are all ready for more. Planning our trip back has already begun. During the next week I’m heading to Kitzsteinhorn for Send Off Session by Onboard. That’s going to be the last trip of the season.

Enjoy the spring and party ooon!!!

-ville-

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