Adventure Magazine Issue 220

Heath, out of his element and yet leading the pack.
We’d all gotten in a few good runs before
Robin and I peeled off to the left to stretch
our legs away from the crowds, boot
packing up to check out the ridgeline. We’re
headed back up after a run and I hear
“Case!...Hey! Casey!”
Someone is calling out behind me, but
it’s just me and Robin on this side of the
mountain. We had started as a four-some
but Heath Joske and Glen Casey, both
surfers, were sticking to the groomed runs.
As of yesterday, Heath hadn’t even been on
a snowboard in 13 years – too busy chasing
surf around the world.
“Casey!” I hear again. I turn around to see
Heath trudging towards me. “Shit mate, I
only followed you because I thought you
were Glen,” he says, frustrated, exhausted.
But I was glad to see him. If we’d left it up
to Heath to decide he’s ready to go off-piste
with us, it might not be this trip.
“Hell yeah, brother! You’ll be alright” I say
with a pat on the shoulder. I reckon this is
my favorite crossover to watch these days.
Surfers may be out of the water and out of
their element, but as soon as they get on
the mountain and strap into the board, the
froth is real.
“I’m still figuring out how to get off the
bloody lift” he says, sounding defeated as
we boot pack up a chute. Robin points out
to me that “even though he feels like he’s
out of his depth, he wasn’t anxious until he
realized you were the wrong person. He
was totally doing it.” She’s so right, it’s easy
to get intimidated when you’re in a new
arena, especially with people who are so at
home there. We’ve both been there before,
and will be again when we go surfing in a
few days.
But right now we’re still on a good 45-minute
thigh-burner and he’s not just keeping up,
Heath’s actually out ahead head of us.
Ocean or not, he’s still a top athlete.
Finally on the other side, the mountain
opens up into an epic view and a landscape
of options, and for a moment we’re just awestruck,
taking it in. Heath breaks the silence.
“I was shitting bricks back there,” he shares
from the safety of semi-flat ground.
“You’re good, Heath! Just do what you know
how to do,” encourages Robin.
Then there’s nothing left to do but drop in.
Right away we’re cruising some wide open,
uncrowded terrain. For the first time, Heath
has a length of proper powder to just glide
from turn to turn and let his surf style come
out. You can’t do that on the groomed runs,
especially on the best snow day of the year.
It’s a perfect day of riding with friends,
watching each other rip turns and seeing my
buddy quickly adapt his technique from the
ocean and apply it to the mountain, surfing
long, frozen waves, and conquering a few
burly hike missions with Robin and myself.
Ultimately whether on the mountain or in
the ocean, we’re all just after that feeling of
flying, and getting to share it only fuels the
fire. There’s something so gratifying about
taking someone with you who you know will
love it, and getting to show them your world.
Next we’ll be in on the coast in Heath’s
world. Hopefully he’s not holding a grudge
about that hike we took him on.
Heath, doing what he loves best
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