Above Pic: Me after a 28-incher storm at Killington VT, 2008. Shuffle is frozen but still working.
My shuffle on snow is as important to me as my board. Perhaps it’s the classical dancer in me, but I really love riding to music. The mood and tonality of what I chose to ride to and where fundamentally changes my experience on the mountain, and influences the way I see and tackle on the hill. My musical taste spans the gauntlet of genres, eras and styles. Depending on what kind of snow day it is, the playlists that get loaded up are as different as night and day.
Here are 4 lists from my Spotify library that will get you moving on or off snow.
The windy road to Mt Baker and the reward at the end. Mt Baker WA, 2008.
Burley Dumping Weather Days
When it’s dumping and the weather is gnarly, and it feels like it’s going to be a big burley solitary kind-of-day I tend to lean towards long electronic melodies sprinkled with thought invoking lyrics, laced with a bit of hip hop for kicks and pow slashes.
The range goes from Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album, to Fischerspooner’s and VT local legend and NYC Dj Anubus’s mixes.
The Chamonix backcountry is my version of heaven. Chamonix, France, 2007.
Blue-Bird Pow & Getting into the White Room Days
These are grinning ear-to-ear kinds of days, filled with face shots and high five’s with my crew. Days like these remind me of what it was like to be a giddy child-kind of happy. Blue skies, fluffy snow, and sunshine on your face- you need some seriously fun, inspiring, and speed inducing tunes.
One of my favorite local spots at Killington Mtn after a big dump mid week; the mountain was quiet, empty and filled with the light fluffy stuff. Killington, VT, 2011.
Burton’s own Miss Sarah Kuhns grinning after getting in the white room at Mt Baker. Mt Baker WA, 2008.
Dipping & Tripping Tree Days
To me- the trees are my personal temple. In bounds or trekking into the backcountry, I am the happiest in the woods, picking lines and going mock-12 through deep snow, hooting and laughing the whole time. Being in the woods is my version of moving meditation; you are forced to truly be in the present moment because if you wander, you will smack a tree. Nobody wants that. The melodies that accompany me tend to range from soul-moving voice of Ray LaMontagne, the truthful words of Hey Ho by The Lumineers, to the poppy solid gold soul of Jean Knight- and everything in between.
A sunny, warm and epically perfect 32nd birthday with my east coast gal pal shred crew- Keri Saul, Dana Loia, and Amanda Teitler. Killington VT, 2011.
Sunny Slushy & Funny
These are most days- it hasn’t snowed, the sun is out, and all there is to do is be goofy, jib everything in sight and run with a mobster-size crew. These are the days that make snowboarding, well, snowboarding. It’s the sense of camaraderie and playfulness that brings us back day-in and day-out. Fittingly, my tunes are heavily laced with old-school hip-hop, classic favorites, and new song obsessions.
