Brody Sanderson, a 23-year-old, has been a part of the snowboarding community for over 10 years. Beginning his journey in Minnesota and currently living in Utah he has been pursuing snowboarding his whole life. From the flatlands and towropes to the big mountains of the Wasatch he has ridden all types of terrain. In this Q&A I cover questions from Why Brody rides to what he thinks of the conglomerate ski passes taking over the industry.
What got you started in snowboarding?
My parents put me on a snowboard when ahh, I don’t even know how old, but young. Growing up in Minnesota I had a small ski hill called Hyland hills 10 minutes away from my house, so it was a pretty easy sport to access.
Why do you snowboard?
There are a couple of reasons: the first being that it is tons of fun, the second being that it’s relaxing, or I guess destressing. No matter what type of day I’m having as soon as my board is strapped to my feet the day is better. It’s kind of like the place my mind goes quiet.
You recently secured a sponsorship with K2, have you always ridden k2 boards?
Yeah, I’m incredibly thankful for the team over there, but typically yeah I’ve ridden K2. There’s been some years I’ve changed it up, but I’ve stuck with k2 for a while, they just have boards that feel good.
What competitions have you attended?
I have been out of the competition circuit for a couple of years due to an ACL injury, but I’ll be back better than ever. Revtour has always been a fun series of competitions that is usually spread out across the American west.
What is your favorite memory on the snow?
The launch is a great memory. In 2018 an event called the launch was held at the copper mountain. It’s pretty much a jam session with a good crew of riders. I have fun doing competitions and training for improvement, but the most fun is just the days where I’m riding with my friends which is pretty much what revtour is, but with a park built just for the event.
What’s your favorite mountain? Why?
Copper Mountain. I grew up riding park in Minnesota which is tough to beat because we have tow ropes, but Copper Mountain has some of the biggest and most parks I’ve seen. The setups are always fun and there are so many different parks and features to choose from.
What are your thoughts on the conglomerate ski passes such as Ikon or Epic? Have they had a positive impact on the industry?
I have mixed feelings about those. I have used them and they definitely enable people to ride more resorts for a much more affordable cost, but they do seem to damage local culture. Back in Minnesota, I watched a local ski hill called Afton Alps fall to Epic Pass. As soon as Epic took over the hill lost its local touch and felt as though it was managed corporately.
What scares you the most?
Avalanches. I guess I don’t really have to worry about them much in the park, but the few times I’ve gone in the backcountry they are terrifying. One second you are alive the next you suffocate beneath 10 feet of snow, they’re no joke.
What are your next steps?
I’m hoping to get back into some competitions this year now that I am all healed up, but we’ll see how that goes. I also started recording some videos last season and am planning on continuing that through this season’s adventures on the snowboard.