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the product, creating a resurgence of
snowboarders. Now I’m selling snow-
boards like I did when we first opened
up [in the early 2000s].”
Which brings up a good point. While
women’sbackcountryaccountsforonly
a small segment of the market, this cat-
egory offers an alternative avenue for
keeping and maintaining snowboard
participants. Clarissa Finks, women’s
hardgoods category manager for Bur-
ton, explains that while the brand’s
backcountry snowboarding category
wasn’t built as a volume driver, it’s an
influential part of snowboarding that
they feel needs support. “ [It offers] an
amazing opportunity to broaden the
horizons of snowboarding and allows
ladies to get involved and stay involved.
It provides an opportunity to grow old
with snowboarding,” she adds.
UNCOMPLICATED FUN
The gear-intensiveness of back-
country snowboarding can definitely
deter female riders. Once it stops being
fun, then you ultimately lose a custom-
er. Matt Fries, snowboard buyer at Bent
Gate Mountaineering in Golden, Colo.,
recognizes this and focuses his efforts
on the rising splitboard trend. He ex-
plains that more vendors support this
segment now, so riders aren’t forced
into skiing. “Why would you want to go
out in the backcountry on gear you’re
not familiar with?” he questions, “I’m
never willing to sacrifice the down
for the up.” Bent Gate Mountaineering positions
themselves as the premier backcountry snowboard
shop in the state, carrying splitboards from over
five different vendors, including the Never Summer
Women’s Raven and Venture’s Zelix and Storm. Both
of the Venture boards are available in a 24-centi-
meter waist (accommodating a woman’s size eight
boot) and in a plethora of sizes to fit petite women.
The Zelix model won Transworld’s 2015 Good Wood
Award in the women’s-specific category, even though
Venture doesn’t advertise it as such. Branner adds,
“For me personally—being one of the owners and
wanting to do all the things the boys are doing—it
would be amiss to not provide for this segment.”
Prissel explains that advancements to binding
and board interface have made all the difference.
Now, with splitboard-exclusive bindings from Spark
R & D and Karakoram, riders shave approximately
three pounds from their old school setups, making
the equipment better suited for lighter weight, fe-
male riders. Additionally, the bindings’ baseplate
designs assist with the ease of ski mode. Karakoram’s
Prime binding and Spark’s Tesla heel locker give
riders the ability to lock their heel down when ne-
gotiating varied-pitched approaches. While both
manufacturers don’t offer a women’s-specific style
yet, they do offer bindings in smaller sizes.
Burton recognizes that women love options.
That’s why their women’s Anti-Social splitboard and
Hitchhiker binding offer infinite adjustments. The
board’s split channel allows for limitless stance op-
tions so that riders can rock the same stance in the
backcountry as they do on the hill. The Hitchhik-
er binding, offered in a small size for women, uses
Spark’sTeslachassiswith the additionofBurtonheel
cups, highbacks, and straps. Finks recounts her expe-
rience with the product: “I got to the point that I was
quicker than the skiers in my changeover. That was
my ‘aha moment’ that splitboarding’s really come a
long way.”
Dakine is also fine tuning its offering, with a new
women’s-specific fit for its Heli Pro pack this season,
combining personal style with technical backcoun-
try features. The dedicated, quick-access avy tool
pocket and snowboard carry strap also adds to the
functionality women seek.
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
Backcountry snowboarding involves risks that
not every woman is willing to take for the love of her
sport. That’s where educational events come in that
make participation more palatable and fun. Lynsey
Dyer, professional skier and founder of
SheJumps, a non-profit organization
that empowers women through their
participation in outdoor activities,
leads this movement. Regional events
called “Get the Girls Out” offer an au-
thentic way for women to explore the
outdoors in a supportive environment
with peers. Some events integrate back-
country education or a group skin (on
skis or a splitboard). “Each year, more
ladies are furthering their education by
taking the avalanche or guide courses,
just like we were hoping,” says Dyer.
SheJumps also offers an Alpine Finish-
ing School in April at Selkirk Lodge in
BC. Advanced female riders learn skills
like glacier travel, crevasse rescue, av-
alanche safety, route planning, and
navigation.
Other events, like Silverton
Mountain’s Sister’s Meeting in the
Mountains, also bring snow sports
industry ladies together. Brill ex-
plains that the take-home vibe is one
of renewal and inspiration, providing
participants with a newfound confi-
dence from pushing their limits. Fasani
integrates backcountry education into
her annual Amusement Park Photo
Shoot and Burton Girls Ride Day at
Mammoth Mountain as a way to bring
women together to learn. Her hope is
that they continue to further their skills
by seeking out professional teachers in
their own communities. Then there are
in-house company events like Burton’s
lunchtime talks, where product managers discuss
what to pack for backcountry travel or their Learn to
SplitboardeventshostedbyBurton’sWPA(Women’s
Professional Association).
All parties agree that avalanche education cours-
es held by local nonprofits or shops offer a way for
women to sharpen their skills, practice safety habits,
and connect with like-minded individuals. “Women
really appreciate mentorship and this is especial-
ly important in the backcountry, “ explains Lynne
Wolfe, American Avalanche Association educator
and editor of The Avalanche Review. She explains
that, in general, women like to watch, practice in
small groups, and don’t step into a backcountry lead-
ership role until they feel 80 to 100 percent ready.
Conversely men, or those with more masculine
learning styles, tend to be more risk tolerant and put
themselves into a leadership role with less prepara-
tion and an “I’ll learn as I go” attitude.
Does that mean promoting female participation
inbackcountrysnowboardingjustmakethingssafer?
Silverton’s Brill says she’s trying to be better
about generalizing. “Women and men can both make
great decisions. When I’m choosing a [backcountry]
partner, it’s more the individual that I consider rath-
er than the gender.”
“There’s a lot more sense of adventure and explo-
rationwithfemalesnowboardersrightnow,”sayspro
snowboarder and Burton team rider Kimmy Fasani.
“It’s creating more confidence and knowledge. Wom-
en are figuring out that they can snowboard in the
backcountry and are linking up with groups that are
already doing it.”
SURVIVAL OF THE SPORT
According to the 2014 SIA Snow Sports Market
Intelligence Report, more than half of the 7.4 mil-
lion snowboarders in the U.S.
ride in backcountry conditions,
which accounts for anything
from mountainous terrain to
urban green spaces. Thirty-two
percent of resort backcoun-
try snowboarders are women,
and female riders account for
eighteen percent of non-resort
backcountry snowboarders.
While these baseline num-
bers represent a true niche in
the market, companies like Ven-
ture Snowboards have seen an
increaseinbackcountryinterest
from women. “The early adopters were men, which
is not surprising because that’s the majority of the
market. Now I see a lot more all-female groups going
into the backcountry, whereas five or so years ago
you didn’t,” explains Lisa Branner, co-owner of Ven-
ture Snowboards. Her friend and colleague, Jen Brill,
co-owner of Silverton Mountain concurs. “A little
over a decade ago when we started, I often gave the
safety talk to twenty to 80 men. That’s not the case
anymore. Now it’s about twenty percent female.”
And Dakine’s Nate Kuder, senior product line man-
ager, notes that women’s backcountry participation
is growing due to the same drivers that are pushing
everyone else towards the backcountry. “Strong
women athletes like Annie Boulanger are changing
the dude-only perception of backcountry, encourag-
ing women to develop the skills, get the tools, and get
after it,” he explains.
BUT DO THE NUMBERS REALLY MATTER?
Years ago, we lost droves of regional backcountry
snowboarders to skiing. During this time, back-
country ski technology made
huge advancements, causing
snowboarders who “used to
ski” to convert in an effort to
keep up with their friends.
Archaic splitboards and their
cumbersome bindings left many
riders stranded with frozen or
malfunctioning parts. Mitch
Prissel, founder and manager
of Habitat in Driggs, ID, lends
his view: “Media has pushed
splitboard advancements, es-
pecially the efforts of Jeremy
Jones. It’s helped revolutionize
T A P P I N G I N T O W O M E N ’ S B A C K C O U N T R Y S N O W B O A R D I N G
A S A G R O W I N G C A T E G O R Y
By Christina Shepherd McGuire
With resort traffic at an all time high, the urge to go deeper and pioneer untracked territory pulses
through the snowboard community. Add to that the publicized feats of big mountain riders like Jeremy
Jones and Xavier de Le Rue, and we create a crowd of snowboard enthusiasts poised to venture “out
back.” But while media hypes the efforts of male professionals, there’s an equally enthused crew of ladies
taking full advantage of the backcountry snowboarding experience. Their adrenaline may rival that of
their male counterparts, but this levelheaded posse brings balance to backcountry riding. And by
supporting this segment, we eliminate unwanted dropout from our sport.
66 transworldbusiness.com 67
“Thirty-two percent of resort
backcountry snowboarders are
women, and female riders account
for eighteen percent of non-resort
backcountry snowboarders.”
—2014 SIA Snow Sports Market Intelligence Report
PHOTO:DAKINE
“Now I see a lot more
all-female groups going into
the backcountry, whereas five
or so years ago you didn’t.”
—Lisa Brannner, Venture Snowboards
Kimmy Fasani. PHOTO: BURTON