Freeride World Tour Champ turned FURTHER rider, Mitch Toelderer
Welcome back to the In My Boots 2012 interview series. We’re jumping in the boots of each our team riders to get the lowdown on what their best trips and deepest days of the winter were. Hopefully their adventures will inspire you to get out on your own epic shred missions this spring and next winter.
Up next we have Mitch Toelderer, the 2011 Freeride World Tour Champion from Austria who filmed this winter with Teton Gravity Research and Warren Miller.
Weapon of choice:
64 flagship; 64 solution
Where did you ride this winter?
I spent most of this last season in my home mountains between Innsbruck and the Arlberg. Austria had an epic season, maybe the best one ever so there was no reason to go anywhere else. I did put a cherry on top of the cake with a trip to Alaska at the end of the winter though.
Mitch has a pretty nice backyard. Spine line in the Austrian Alps.
What was your best trip of the winter?
Hard to say, it was so incredible all season long from Austria to Alaska.
Why would you recommend visiting Alaska or Austria to other backcountry snowboarders?
When it’s on in Alaska you can ride the best lines of your life! It seems that if you are patient and can get through the down days, the day of glory is always waiting just behind. When it’s good in Austria, a big plus is that we have a lot of infrastructure like mountain huts that make it easier to get out in the untouched terrain. But of course you have to hike, because there are no snowmachines or helis allowed.
Did you visit any old backyard zones that were all-time?
Last winter was the season to go and ride some stuff at home that has not been ridden before. We had a deep snowpack and pretty stable powder conditions that allowed us to go for some lines that are not possible too often.
Best Line of the Winter:
I rode a few lines in and around my home resort that I am stoked on and then I did this run called Rattlesnake in Alaska that was pretty rad.
Early season pow day in the Alps for Mitch and Jeremy Jones
Deepest pow day:
Austria!
Scariest moment of your winter:
When I got caught in a slide with my wife Bibi climbing up a steep face in Austria. I was really worried something would happen to her because we took a pretty big ride down with that slide. We were lucky to get away with some torn muscle and a blown ACL.
Going Further…
One thing you learned about backcountry snowboarding this winter:
It is dangerous to be out in the backcountry and if you ever want to be a granddad one day you better play it safe and stay conservative! It was the best winter ever but at the same time the craziest too. Even if you try to find decisions in a pragmatic way, it is often really difficult to make the right ones. Sometimes the only thing left when you are unsure if you wanna climb/ride something is to listen to your gut feelings. If you turn around and don’t do it you will never find out if it would have worked out, but sometimes it is better not to find out….
Where can we see your footy next fall:
You’ll see me exploring my backyard with Jeremy and Bibi in FURTHER next fall and I also filmed some lines with Warren Miller in Cordova, Alaska.
Any people you would like to thank for another great winter?
My partners for their support and everybody who shared good times with me during this epic season!
