Hard-Earned Backcountry Turns on a Homemade Splitboard!

By staff member Kay Gallagher

The author enjoying some fresh backcountry snow "Just learn to ski, it's waaaayyy easier" That's one phrase I've heard way too many times. I'll admit that I've tried my hand at skiing, a few times. Yet for some reason flying down a mountain side face forward trying to coordinate two ski and two poles is more terrifiying than fun for me. I've always been stubborn and determined to keep up with everyone chasing the powder days and fluffy snow in the backcountry. In college I lived next to a group of boys who were avid 'dawn patrollers' - the sort of people who wake up 3 hours before the sun begins to rise to get the first runs down the slopes before the lifts start spinning. I'd hear their tea kettle whistling at 3 am and the 'clomp, clomp, clomp' down the staircase to the car left running to stay warm. I always wanted to be a part of that adventure. In the winter of 2012, after the New Year's storm that left us with over a 14 inches of perfect powder I joined the boys for a skin up the cross country trail in Nebraska Notch in search of some first tracks.

An early morning skin up Mad River All the other members of the group were seasoned back country skiiers equipped with touring setups and adequate layering. This was my first time, I strapped on my snowshoes (luckily equipped with heel risers), extended my trekking poles and strapped my snowboard onto my ski pack. After two hours of grueling uphill, post-holing in knee deep snow (even with snowshoes on) and making the rookie mistake of wearing my goggles on my head the entire trek ( which caused them to freeze = no vision), I finally made it to the top. That lap was well worth the frustration and sweat. I eventually got better at hiking up with my snowboard gear and snowshoes. But then heard about splitboarding, when I started working at another local ski shop. It wasn't until I started working at the OGE that I decided I was going to try it out. So this winter I decided that I was tired of strapping a snowboard on my pack and post-holing up behind the skiers in my snowshoes. Before ever having tried a split board, I decided to make one myself out of my old board. I had bought myself a new snowboard, to replace my 7 year old one. I did a little bit of research online about the pros and cons of making your own, touring, skins, different kits and bindings. I enlisted the help of our handy-man, ski tech/instructor and boating extrodinaire, Brian Jessiman - who'd repaired a number of watercrafts, skis too large to recall and had built his own house. If anyone knew their tools and building things better, it'd be him.

The author working on her splitboard I did a test cut of sawing my board in half first with some extras that had been tossed in the 'free pile' in the staff area. And it went smooth. So I then cut my board in half, and epoxied the wood edges so as to preserve the board. I then counter drilled the holes for the touring plates with a wood drill on the base inorder to counter sink the t-nuts that would hold it all together. I then mounted the pucks for where my bindings would attach. I decided to go with actual splitboard bindings, rather than put an older pair on the puck slides that came with the kit. This would ensure a more smooth ride and more control of the board.

I had some debate as to how I should mount my stance, because once it was mounted it wasn't moving. And after a few tours on the board, I think i nailed it! Last I mounted the tip clips and had the ski techs help me finish out the base. I had some difficulty getting the base flush, and had to grind down some of the t nuts. ( Thank you ski techs- mainly Eric!)

After the board was finished, I had to pick out some skins. I went with Black Diamond, because the G3's didn't fit my board / clip on well. I ended up modifying the skins with a Spark R&D tail clip. Since making my splitboard I've done a few dawn patrols, and got in the some pre-season riding at the resorts before they opened. And I have to say it so much better than hauling up snowshoes. I'm hooked! Thanks to all who helped with project come to fruition!

Sitting in the Mad River single chair, but not riding it!