Ryan Brubaker
Photo by RyanFrom Desert Dust to Mountain Powder: One Man's Journey to Snowboarding
This interview follows Ryan's journey from a troubled youth to a responsible father, who discovered a passion for snowboarding at 42. From initial curiosity to a love for freeriding, the story highlights the challenges and triumphs of learning a new sport later in life, emphasizing self-reflection, perseverance, and embracing the journey. Ryan shares his favourite aspects of snowboarding, his goals, and his thoughts on the future of the sport, showcasing his appreciation for the community and the freedom it provides.
Can you tell us a little about your upbringing? Where did you grow up, and what were some of the formative experiences that shaped you?
I was raised in Phoenix, Arizona. I am the youngest of 5. However, my siblings are a bit older than I am and my parents split shortly after I was born. So, growing up I was basically an only child of a single mother. I’m proud member of the latchkey generation. I spent a lot of time left up to my own devices. I like to think I had a pretty great childhood. I played American football and baseball. Ran around on my bike causing mayhem with my friends. As I moved into adolescence the mayhem turned into good ol’ fashioned trouble. I have had more than my fair share of run-ins with law enforcement. I ran around with a pretty tough crowd as a teenager. Then at 17 I received the biggest blessing in disguise. I became a father. Luckily, I had some pretty amazing people who helped me get out of the life I was living, and I was able to become a responsible and present parent. It didn’t happen overnight nor without some setbacks and a fair amount of painful lessons. That may be the thing I am most proud of in my life. From there being a parent was life. Friday night football, weekend BBQ’s, road trips to Disneyland, parent teacher conferences, all that fun stuff.
Have you always had an adventurous side? and what drew you to snowboarding in the first place?
I would say I have always been a thrill seeker. I don’t know if I would call it adventurous until my kids. That’s when we started getting into hiking, backpacking and exploring nature.
Oddly enough I wasn’t drawn to snowboarding at all. Growing up in the desert I wasn’t exposed to winter sports much. I went skiing once when I was really young, and it was a terrible experience. In 2017 my oldest son left for the Navy. I had been exploring the idea of moving to Oregon to pursue hiking and backpacking with my youngest. Eventually I stopped waiting for the “right time” and just did it. I have family in Oregon and with their help we were able to pull it off. That same family member for years asked me to go skiing. I was really not interested. Then I happened to come across some snowboarding videos. I became curious, I would say. So, I agreed to go but I wanted to snowboard not ski. I like to say that I operate with a calculated spontaneity. So, I started to do some looking into snowboarding. Everything from the technology in the boards, the boots and bindings to the beginning and progression of snowboarding. As well as the culture and community of snowboarding. As I dove in I kind of knew I was about to be in trouble. I don’t want to be melodramatic, but I knew I was ALL IN the first time I strapped in, and I was standing in that beautiful environment. From there on I just wanted to get better so I could ride as much as possible in as many places as I could. I was 42 the first time I rode a snowboard. I am going into season 4 now at 45.
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What are some of the things you love most about snowboarding?
Oh wow! I don’t know if I could pick just one. I love the freedom that I feel on my board, the lessons on and off the mountain I have learned about myself. The feeling of standing on the summit of my home mountain surrounded by absolutely stunning landscapes. The joy of putting things together and landing your first jump or laying down a beautiful turn. The interactions I have with total strangers on the lift. The great relationships I have been able to start and build. That all comes from snowboarding.
What's one of the most memorable snowboarding experiences you've had so far?
I am really early in my snowboarding journey. So, I don’t have a very long list of experiences. I would say the first thing that comes to mind is that the learning curve for snowboarding is really steep at the beginning. For a while you are a passenger on your board, and it can be hard to control. As you progress there is a moment when you become the driver. It’s not a defined moment though. One day you just realise that there are places you couldn’t get to before that you can now. Or terrain that was so intimidating that is fun now. That’s when you realise there is a world of possibilities.
Photo by RyanDo you have any snowboarding goals or aspirations?
I do yes. I have daily goals, seasonal goals and overall aspirations. A daily goal could be something like. I am going to ride switch 50% of my day. Or I’m not going to worry about anything but having fun and enjoying this amazing thing I do. The one daily goal that never changes is I make it a point to scare myself every day I ride. Seasonal goals are usually something like. I want to ride x amount of days or before the end of the season i want to land trick x. This season I want to take some avalanche courses and some backcountry fist aide courses. My overall aspirations are to travel as much as possible on my snowboard and ride big scary lines on big scary mountains.
Presently, what's your favourite mountain to snowboard at?
This is also tough since I am so early in my journey. My home mountain is Mt. Bachelor in central Oregon. It is a really great spot to progress. It’s not particularly steep in comparison but it is quite unique. We have a 360-degree skiable footprint and a ton of varied terrain. Lots of natural features and the tree riding is some of the best out there!
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Do you prefer snowboarding with friends or solo? Why/why not
I don’t think I “prefer” either. Both have their benefits and I really enjoy both. In my life I grew tired of waiting for others. So, I just started doing things solo. It’s the same in snowboarding. People say “hey I wanna go with you” I say the door is always open! However, in my experience few will actually go. So, you need to be able to enjoy yourself by yourself. On the other hand, Riding with friends is a ton of fun! Plus, if you have the ability to ride with people that are more advanced than you are. It pushes you to become better. So, if I am waiting for others I may never go. If I only ride solo, I may hit a plateau and become stagnant with progression.
Can you share with us what kind of snowboarding do you enjoy most? (Freestyle, freeride, carving, etc.)
No question freeriding is my favourite. I love big open powder fields off piste natural features. Right now, I spend around 80% of my time in trees. When the conditions allow. I find it to be quite exhilarating! I do enjoy freestyle too. I love a good jump line in the park. You are probably not going to catch me ridin any rails though. Falling on rails is unforgiving.
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What are some of the challenges you've faced while snowboarding?
The 2 that stand out the most are fear and self doubt. I was under the impression that I would start to fear intense situations less and less the more I exposed myself to them. That’s just not the case. For me the key is to recognize the fear and use it. That may look different to different people. For me it’s understanding that the fear is telling me that what I am doing is worth it. I don’t see fear and being scared as the same thing. You need to be able to recognize it and that takes some self-reflection. Self-doubt is super powerful in a bad way. When I first started riding, I was stuck comparing myself to other riders. Each journey is unique to that person. If you are doubting yourself cause you are comparing yourself to others, you will never get anywhere. You have to learn to celebrate yourself and give yourself the credit you deserve. It can be really hard to see how far you’ve come if you are looking at others. I remember saying “I’m not as good as this person and I should be!” Then last season I rode with a friend I had not been with since the year prior. He spent all day telling me how amazed he was at how far I had come. I couldn’t see that because I was in comparison mode. So, I wasn’t giving myself the credit I deserved. Snowboarding is as much mental as it is physical. If you feel good you will ride well. So, it is important to be nice to yourself and remember it’s ok to pat yourself on the back, celebrate your accomplishments.
Photo by RyanHow do you stay safe while snowboarding?
That’s tough. Snowboarding is inherently risky to be clear. You cannot eliminate risks. That being said first and foremost is wearing a helmet. I will admit that I got away from this a bit. I gave myself a ton of excuses as to why. At the end of the day, I thought I looked better with no helmet. Not a great way of thinking but I want to be honest. I plan on going back to wearing one next season. Next is the very first thing you should learn is how to fall properly. If you are going to snowboard, you are going to fall and that will never stop as long as you are riding! I read a statistic that the most common injury in snowboarding is broken wrist. This is primarily from beginners that don’t know how to fall. Lastly, take at least 1 lesson, get some basic knowledge from a certified instructor.
In your opinion what are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in snowboarding over the years?
This will be a common thread here. I don’t have a long history so it’s hard for me to compare 20 years ago to today. I will say the technology in gear has really helped to make snowboarding a little bit more accessible to a wider demographic of people. Unfortunately, here in the states we have seen a massive increase in major corporations taking over mountains and lift prices are completely out of control. This does the exact opposite of my first point. It really makes it hard for everyone to have access to the mountain. I make quite a few sacrifices during the off season so that I can ride as much as possible. That’s not an option for everyone though.
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What advice would you give to someone who's just starting out with snowboarding?
My number 1 piece of advice would be, have fun and enjoy the process. Snowboarding isn’t a destination; it is truly about the journey. Spend time on snow. You can watch instructional videos and they help to a degree but there is no replacement for time on snow. Lastly, I would revert back to my previous answer about staying safe. Take a lesson, learn how to fall and wear a helmet!
What does snowboarding mean to you? And how has snowboarding impacted your life?
Snowboarding has become everything to me. It has challenged me in ways I didn’t realise I needed to be challenged. It has completely changed how I see myself and how I interact with others. The energy I put into the world is very different than it was prior. I still love hiking and backpacking; the problem is those are things that seclude us from each other. I think it’s good every now and then to get away to reflect and recharge and I know it’s fun to joke about getting away from people but in reality, we need each other, and snowboarding is a community. I was starting to really distance myself from people before. Now I smile at strangers and have random conversations. I am able to find common ground. I don’t think I would be in that place without snowboarding.
Photo by RyanWhat's the future of snowboarding in your opinion?
I would say that depends on what kind of snowboarding we are talking about. Competitive snowboarding outside of Natural Selection has become unrelatable to me. It feels like competitive snowboarding is for competitive snowboarders not for us. I don’t remember being on a lift and having random snowboarder say “hey did you watch the Dew Tour finals?
I don’t know if snowboarding will ever become a part of the mainstream. I do think it will continue to progress and evolve. The people in snowboarding love it like nothing I have ever seen. There are just not a lot of us.
What's your favourite snowboarding trick? and do you have any favourite snowboarders?
I am a simple guy and I love simple things. A beautiful fully laid out backflip off of a natural feature is by far my favourite. I have yet to land one myself, but I’ll get there!
Yes absolutely! I’ll give you a top 5 in no particular order.
Arthur Longo
Elena Height
Mia Brooks
Nils Mindinch
Mikey Ciccarelli
I will also give you, my G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) Travis Rice. I think he has done more for back country freeriding than anyone since Craig Kelly.
So, I guess that’s a top 6.
Words of Wisdom
Do things that are hard to do. Whatever that may be for you.
Adversity is a great teacher. Step outside of your comfort zone, challenge yourself and the preconceived notions that you have. You never know what you may stumble upon. I absolutely fell in love with something that I fought doing and it completely changed how I see the world.
Be open to possibilities and believe great things can happen to/for you. Don’t be too invested in a certain outcome. You might miss out on something amazing! The path to get there may not look the way you wanted but if you put positive energy into the universe, you will get there! Find a way to be your own biggest fan!
Photo by RyanTo continue following our explorer Ryan’s journey or simply want to reach out and say Hi, you can connect with Ryan on the following accounts:
Ryan: I only have the Instagram page. You are more than welcome to give that out. I am more than happy to talk to anyone.