LEFT TO RIGHT Elena reveling in the deepness in Yuzawa, Japan, during the first trip for her two-year film project with Teton Gravity Research. Photo: Colin Wiseman “We discovered these roadside pillows in the Japanese Alps while driving between Hakuba and Yuzawa. Elena picked out a meaty section and booted up for a couple of quick lines while a storm moved in, eventually sending us packing.” Photo: Colin Wiseman But you still weren’t done competing? I did a few trips with Hana, then Volcom took me on some trips with Jamie Lynn and Gigi [Rüf ]. But I still felt connected to competing and really loved my community there. I spent one year truly focused on it again in 2017 and I ended up winning X Games and getting second at the U.S. Open. That got me involved in trying to go to the Olympics again, but I think my heart was pretty sideways. Everything happens for a reason and this past season more than ever, I realized that. I’d had this dream of spending more time in the backcountry for so long, but didn’t know how to achieve it. I knew that I felt like my best person when I’m in the mountains, that I could grow a lot there. I knew I could take everything I’ve learned in the past 15 years and put it to use in something that is totally dif-ferent and challenges me in a new way. But I didn’t know how I was going to do that. After missing the 2018 Olympics, I ended up going to Japan to ride some powder, which saved my soul. Then, Jeremy Jones called me and was like, “Hey! Do you want to go on this camping trip with me?” I’d never wanted to go winter camping ever before, but I’d done some stuff with Jeremy at the start of the year and he’d said, “We should get out once the Olympic craziness is over—it will be good for you to get out into the mountains.” So, I was in. He was like, “Just get a good sleeping bag and a good backpack.” I’m like, “OK? That’s it? That’s all I need?” Then we went and walked across the Sierras, literally, from east to west and filmed Ode to Muir (2018). That’s a pretty big commitment for your first winter camp. Was that expe-rience empowering? Going into it, I was super nervous. Jeremy is a beast in the mountains and so experienced in the backcountry. I had spent five days total on my splitboard before the trip. I knew it would be a challenge, but it was enlightening. Nature really worked its magic on me. Anyone who has spent multiple days disconnected from society will tell you about the clarity that you get; the overall presence that you feel after a few days in the mountains is unlike anything else. And I had these ques-tions running through my head: What am I gonna do next? How am I going to continue my career? How am I going to keep snowboard-ing at this level? I thought I’d go on this walk and fix all the problems. On the last day, as we were leaving, I realized that I didn’t think about anything the whole time I was out there. It was the most refreshing feeling and it was completely unintentional. It was just the process of being there in the moment and being like, “How can we make the best of today?” rather than worrying about the past or the future. That presence—whether deep in the mountains or on your local snowboard hill—that feeling is what snowboarding brings to a lot of people. That omnipresence and clarity made me realize the direction that I want to take my snowboarding. We have all these external and internal pressures from society and so many things we as humans deal with. Being able to quiet that and just enjoy what’s in front of you is hard, a lot harder than it should be. To be content with where you are at in the moment is tough. When I’m in the mountains, I’m so connected to what’s in front of me. And it feels like you’re living your best life when you can do that. Do you feel like there’s a whole bunch of growth in front of you now? I got sponsored to compete in halfpipe events and be on TV and that’s how I made the snowboard dream come true. I was so nervous to make the jump and say to my sponsors, “I’m not going to do this anymore, but I would really love for you to support this new dream of mine. It’s totally different and I don’t really know what it looks like, but it’s going to be awesome.” Amazingly, everyone is really psyched on me giving it my all and stepping into that new zone—I feel like there’s a whole world in front of me, another 15-year career. There’s so much to be explored, there’s so much to learn, and I can’t wait—it’s almost overwhelming, but in a good way. 080 THE SNOWBOARDER’S JOURNAL
The Snowboarder's Journal frequency 17.1: Page 80
