I started snowboarding around 1987. My first board was a 1987 Burton Cruzer 165.



My first snowboarding experience was with this board at the Snow Summit ski area in Big Bear, CA. That trip consisted of myself, Dave Ruder, and Tom Garner. Snow Summit was one of the few resorts in our area that allowed snowboards at that time. We didn't have, or know, what the proper boots to use were, and ended up using some cheap "moon boots" from Target. For our first few runs, we hiked up the beginner hill and learned the basics of turning and stopping. After learning these basic skills, we rode the beginner chairlift. We rode Snow Summit about every week or two after this, for a few months.

In February of 1988 we went to June Mountain. June Mountain had just been purchased from Bud Hayward by Mammoth Mountain Ski Area the prior season (in June of 1986), and had just opened for snowboarding during this 1987/88 season. I don't recall if we simply wanted to experience other ski resorts, or what the exact motivation for going to June Mountain was, it would change everything however. On this trip we experienced boarding in lots of new/fresh powder for the first time. I remember several feet of fresh, untracked powder during that trip, and no crowds or lift lines at all. We went to June Mountain several times each season, for the next few years.

By the 1988/1989 season, I had a new board - a Kemper Freestyle.



I competed in the Mt. Baker Banked Slalom contest on January 27-29, 1989.