Tristan Kennedy explains the science and art of snowboarding in remote locations
There’s a long-running debate within the snowboarding community about whether backcountry riding – that is snowboarding beyond resort boundaries, in fresh, powder snow – should be considered a sport or an art form. The case for the former is obvious. Backcountry snowboarding at the highest level involves incredible feats of athleticism, requiring cat-like reflexes and the kind of gymnastic coordination that Simone Biles herself would be proud of.
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The arguments for calling it an art form are slightly more esoteric, resting on snowboarding’s shared heritage with surfing, and the idea of the snow-covered mountain as a blank canvas on which each rider expresses themselves by drawing their own, individual line.
There’s no doubt the discipline – which by definition takes place in remote locations, and is followed by fans through photos or video – involves creativity as well as athletic flair. Professionals need to be able to envisage how a line will look on camera, as well as perform the moves needed to execute their vision. But while it contains elements of both art and sport, I’d argue that backcountry snowboarding could equally be thought of as a science.
For starters, there’s physics involved in making it down a mountain safely, often over a series of gravity- and death-defying cliff drops. But the main scientific skill is in finding the right kind of snow in the first place. Unlike most sporting arenas – a tennis court, or a football pitch, for example – you can’t book fresh snow at a local leisure centre. Unlike a clean, stretched canvas, you can’t order a mountain from Ryman Stationery.
Instead, finding a good spot to go backcountry snowboarding requires a certain amount of knowledge about geography, meteorology, hydrology and the phenology of local seasonal events. It’s not that pros have PhDs in any of these subjects. Without wanting to lean too heavily on stereotypes, the very best backcountry snowboarders tend to have more in common with their long- haired, shaka-throwing surf brethren than they do anyone who wears a lab coat for a living.
But there are simple scientific principles that all backcountry riders – from aspiring artists to the plank-riding Picassos at the very top of the sport – follow when on the hunt for powder.
For example, every snowboarder knows that the north face of any mountain (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) is likely to be the coldest, as it gets the least sun, meaning it will preserve its snow better. Second, higher altitudes mean colder temperatures.
As a rough rule of thumb, for every 1,000 metres you rise above sea level, the temperature drops by 6°C. So snowboarders know that by getting high (no, not like that!) they’re more likely to find colder, lighter snow.
Most backcountry enthusiasts will be able to tell you in surprising depth about the crystalline structure of different snow types, and how the moisture content of the snowpack affects the way it feels. And any snowboarder venturing off piste should know the golden rules about avoiding avalanche terrain: the fact that slides usually occur on gradients between 25° and 55°, for example (gentler slopes aren’t steep enough to slide, whereas snow will normally have sloughed off more vertical gradients naturally) or how to read potential run-out paths.
Of course, if backcountry snowboarding is a science, it’s not an exact one. There’s always an element of luck involved in being in the right place at exactly the right time to score really good snow. But it’s more a poker player’s luck than something random, like roulette. Experienced backcountry practitioners survey a mountain range like an ongoing game, relying on their scientific knowledge of snow and conditions to decide when to buy in and where to place their bets.
There’s science involved in snowboarding gear, too – most obviously in the modern, digital avalanche transceivers that are vital for locating buried victims quickly when someone plays their cards wrong. Other bits of safety kit – inflatable airbags that help riders rise to the surface of a slide, or backpacks that can extract oxygen from the surrounding snow – are developed in labs before being tested in real-world conditions.
But there’s science underpinning almost every bit of a backcountry snowboarder’s kit bag – from the breathable baselayers to the high-fill power down jackets and the polarised sunglasses and goggles you wear on your head. Even the boards themselves – which started out as literal planks of wood when the sport first became popular in the late 1970s – are now impressively technical, with composite wood cores, carbon fibre stringers and bioplastic fibreglass topsheets.
While many people chose their board based on the artwork (and there are some fantastic snowboard graphics out there), it’s the science beneath the surface that makes a difference to how it rides.
So is it an art, a science, or a sport? If they’re honest, most backcountry enthusiasts – a group in which I include myself – would have to concede that it contains elements of all three. But in the end, arguing about where the discipline sits is sort of missing the point. Because really, it’s all about having fun.
Wishlist – Three items that will make backcountry snowboarding better…
The Luxury – ZeroFit Heatrub Ultimate Baselayer – £59.95
A baselayer is the essential underpinning of any backcountry layering system, but not all baselayers are quite as luxurious as this one. Developed by a Japanese brand that’s dedicated solely to creating the best baselayers possible, the ZeroFit Heatrub is designed for a whole range of outdoor activities, from skiing to fishing to golfing through the winter months.
Tellingly, Irish rugby legend Brian O’Driscoll is one of its shareholders and ambassadors. If it’s good enough for him on a rainy night in Dublin, it’s good enough for most things. The fabric features special ‘heat threads’ that are activated by movement and brush against the skin to generate warmth, and ZeroFit claim it’s up to five times warmer than its competitors.
Geographical readers can enter G123 in the coupon box for a free hat when purchasing from zerofit.co.uk.
Get yours via zerofit.co.uk
The Essential – Fjällräven Expedition Pack Down Hoodie – £315
Unlike riding round a ski resort, where you’re never far from a warm mountain restaurant, you need to think carefully about warmth and layering if you’re venturing into the backcountry.
A decent down jacket is an essential piece of kit for your pack. Swedish brand Fjällräven is famous for making top-notch outdoor gear and this lightweight, packable down jacket, designed specifically for winter pursuits, is no exception.
You can wear it either over or under your shell jacket, as your primary insulation layer, and it folds away neatly into its own pocket so you can stash it in your bag when it’s not needed.
Wherever your adventure takes you, the 700-fill power down will keep you toasty warm.
Get yours via fjallraven.com
The Surprisingly Useful – Vallon Heron Glacier Glasses – £110
Another Swedish brand founded by two brothers, Vallon is a relative newcomer to the eye wear market, but has made a splash in the past five years by offering a modern twist on classic designs for sunglasses and snow goggles.
The vintage-inspired Heron Glacier Glasses are a case in point.
They look like the kind of thing Mallory and Irvine might have sported when climbing Everest, but they feature the latest high-grade polarised lenses and are built from tough acetate. I’ve used (and abused) a pair of these for the past two winters, throwing them in my backpack with heavy touring kit, and they’ve not broken yet
