Gabriel “Gabe” Chez is an professional 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 a giant 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 once I was pursuing my outside schooling diploma. I took some ski courses as a part of my diploma and fell in love with it in a short time. Since then I’ve simply form of leaned into it actually exhausting and turn out to be extra superior with yearly doing tougher runs, doing more difficult terrain, and I discovered that it’s one thing that I’m actually obsessed with.“I’m from Arizona, there’s one resort in the entire state and their powder days are just a few inches as an alternative of some ft, so snowboarding was by no means actually in my blood. However I spotted, like, ‘Wow, I really like this.’ I can by no means snowshoe one other path once more — I’ve to be on skis.”
What makes you an professional in backcountry snowboarding?
“I’d say I’m an professional in snowboarding as a result of I get a number of days, no less than 50 plus out within the backcountry every season. I’m actually obsessed with 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 really like.”
What’s a latest achievement you’re happy with?
“One achievement that I’m happy with undertaking not too long ago is — once I first began my ski expertise, I used to be driving by an space known as the East Wall outdoors of Arapahoe Basin situated in Colorado. And it at all times seemed 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 just a few years and I used to be in a position to accomplish that. I used to be in a position to ship the runs on the East Wall safely and cleanly, and I used to be happy with myself for reaching 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 will have for somebody who needs to get into snowboarding?
“Have a ardour for it. There’s a number of chilly days, early begins, uncomfortable environments, however for those who 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 out to be intuitive. You learn to learn the snow, and it means that you can actually deepen your expertise while you’re on the market.
One other tip is to care for your self bodily. Snowboarding is a fairly high-risk sport with a number of accidents and ensuring that you just’re match and wholesome can even enable you to ski for longer and tougher.”
