Gabriel “Gabe” Chez is an skilled in snowboarding, particularly backcountry snowboarding. He spends 50+ days incomes his turns each winter, has his Skilled Avalanche Coaching (AIARE Professional 1) certification and is an outside information for Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides. However snowboarding didn’t at all times play an enormous position in Gabe’s life.
ExpertVoice sat down with Gabe, an ExpertVoice Ambassador, to study his journey from rising up in Arizona to mentoring others within the snowy Rocky Mountains.
What first drew you to snowboarding?
“I grew to become a skier a number of years in the past after I was pursuing my outside schooling diploma. I took some ski lessons as a part of my diploma and fell in love with it in a short time. Since then I’ve simply sort of leaned into it actually exhausting and turn into extra superior with yearly doing more durable runs, doing tougher terrain, and I discovered that it’s one thing that I’m actually keen about.“I’m from Arizona, there’s one resort in the entire state and their powder days are a number of inches as a substitute of some ft, so snowboarding was by no means actually in my blood. However I noticed, like, ‘Wow, I like this.’ I can by no means snowshoe one other path once more — I’ve to be on skis.”
What makes you an skilled in backcountry snowboarding?
“I might say I’m an skilled in snowboarding as a result of I get a whole lot of days, a minimum of 50 plus out within the backcountry every season. I’m actually keen about avalanche schooling and snow science. That’s one thing I actually like stepping into — so, getting out within the snow and digging pits is one thing I like.”
What’s a current achievement you’re happy with?
“One achievement that I’m happy with undertaking not too long ago is — after I first began my ski expertise, I used to be driving by an space referred to as the East Wall outdoors of Arapahoe Basin positioned in Colorado. And it at all times appeared so out of my league, so spectacular and intimidating. And I assumed to myself that I actually need to have the ability to ski that sometime. Quick-forward a number of years and I used to be capable of accomplish that. I used to be capable of ship the runs on the East Wall safely and cleanly, and I used to be happy with myself for attaining that for positive.”
What merchandise helped you with snowboarding the East Wall?
“Some gear that I relied on was my DynaFit setup, particularly my DynaFit TLT 6 Boot. There’s a saying the place you date your skis and marry your boots, and I’m married to these boots. I additionally use the MAMMUT Barryvox beacon and the Himali Altocumulus puffy.”
What ideas do you’ve for somebody who desires to get into snowboarding?
“Have a ardour for it. There’s a whole lot of chilly days, early begins, uncomfortable environments, however if you happen to actually love what you’re doing, it means that you can actually excel at that and you’ll discover that you just study fairly shortly. The strikes turn into intuitive. You discover ways to learn the snow, and it means that you can actually deepen your expertise once you’re on the market.
One other tip is to care for your self bodily. Snowboarding is a fairly high-risk sport with a whole lot of accidents and ensuring that you just’re match and wholesome can even enable you ski for longer and more durable.”
