Name?
Jen Jones
What is your nickname? If you have one?
Mostly just Jen 🙂 or JJ but I married a JJ so now it’s just Jen
Where do you primarily ride?
All over North Tahoe but I travel ALOT so I’m all over the place.
What made you start snowboarding?
I had always wanted to try it. I found a snowboard setup at a yard sale and went for it. It snowed the next day and I took it in the back yard because I lived on a hill. I was pretty much hooked from the start, after that I got an opportunity to live in Utah where I discovered Big Mountain Freeriding.
What’s your favorite board to ride?
Venture Oracle
Favorite riding story if you have one?
Wow, so many! My most memorable one though was in Japan. It dumped snow for a week, and all the resorts were on minimal lifts if not closed for the day. Our last day in japan, we awoke to blue bird skies and a DEEP, cold powder day. We woke up early to get first chair and had fresh lines all the way until last chair. It was the most amazing day.
Why do you love to snowboard?
Snowboarding is my passion because it gives me the freedom to do and go wherever I want. I love pushing myself to achieve goals I never thought possible. Most importantly though, snowboarding gave me an outlet when I was going through so much and my life wasn’t very well on track. Snowboarding gave me a purpose.
When you aren’t snowboarding what are you most likely finding yourself getting into?
I try to ride 365 days a year, in the summer you can find me still chasing snow if it’s either hiking to a patch of snow just to get turns, heading to mt. Hood or the other side of the world to find winter again. However, if I can’t ride then you’ll see me skateboarding, or mountain biking, or training for the upcoming competition season.
What is your favorite area on the mountain? Jumps, rails, natural terrain?
Jumps, rails, natural terrain? Big Mountain is my passion. I love standing on top of the highest peak, ready to drop a cornice into a coulier. The mountain is my playground, I love to find features to play on and try new things and discover new zones.
Where do you see yourself in five years snowboarding wise? Â Traveling to another country?
Traveling to another country? Hopefully competing on the Freeride World Tour! Traveling all over the world, and exploring mountains that I haven’t been to.
Do you have a pre-boarding ritual or something you need to have on you at all times on the mountain?
I’m trying to incorporate mindfulness before I ride or compete, especially compete. A quick meditation, yoga and COFFEE in the morning. You’ll never see me with out my headphones 😉