Our newest addition takes us to a place where the snow is dry and the skies are blue. The Rocky Mountains stretch for more than 3000 miles but for this interview we get a in-depth look at a Colorado Rockies local. Barrows is a well seasoned traveler who has a extensive resume of big line descents from AK to Colorado and all in between. I was able to chat with and get a in depth look at some of Barrows achievements that show what a snowboarder with some determination can achieve.
Name: Barrows Worm de Geldern
Primary location: home base, Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado Rockies
Age: I’m a little older than TB!
Primary Solid Board: Winterstick Tom Burt
Primary Splitboard: 2011 Venture Storm R 166
Preferred Binding System: Direct mount Catek toe and heel pieces to Voile slider plate (titanium bolts). Dynafit toe pieces on board for tour mode.
Boot: Highly Modded Dynafit Zzero 3C
How long semi-pro: Not really semi pro anymore, first sponsor was Burton in 1989
How long splitboarding: I am a late adopter, 4 seasons
What Compelled You To Split: I wanted to spend less energy and go farther in the backcountry
Most Memorable Glacier Travel: 1st day in AK, St. Elias Mts., after spending our first night at our 10,500′ basecamp on the Klutlan Glacier my two partners and I roped up for a (we thought) straightforward ascent of a small peak directly south from our camp. The peak was entirely glaciated, but things looked well filled in. I was I the middle on the rope, and my partner Mark Rikkers was leading when he broke through and took a 35 foot fall into a hidden crevasse. Everything went OK, but it took awhile for him to get out and over the lip. Looking down into the now exposed crevasse was paradigm changing-it was bottomless, nothing like what I’d ever experienced in the Canadian Rockies or Cascades. Right then we unroped, put on our boards (solids) and straight lined back to camp for a safety meeting and re-assement of our abilities vis-a-vis full big mountain AK glacier travel realities.
Most Extensive Approach: Fly to Seattle-fly to Anchorage-6 hour van ride to airstrip in the middle of nowhere-bush flight to Paul Klaus’ Ultima Thule lodge on the Chitna River-glacier flight to 10,500′ on the Klutlan Glacier (paradise!) then 6,900′ up to the summit of Mt. Bona through full on crevassed riddled glaciers in total isolation.
Ideal Backcountry Day: A couple of close partners, a big, steep, line with 8″-16″ of stable settled powder.
Lifetime Goal: some of these are secret, I would like to get back to the St. Elias Range someday-not neccessarily for peak descents-but just put in a nice basecamp with single day access to many lines.
Favorite Backcountry Meal: NA, I really enjoy a post big line descent dinner and margaritas at The Cantina in Aspen though. In the backcountry I think of food mostly as fuel, and just getting it down is good enough for me.
Favorite Piece of Gear: my modded Dynafit Zzero 3Cs. This says something about my regard for gear from snowboard companies-I wish we had better gear!
Favorite Place You Have Travelled: St Elias Mountains, AK, endless possibilities, as big and serious as The Alaska Range, without the crowds.
Sponsor: PatagoniaPro, I do not really play the sponsor game anymore-and I am not really worthy.
Print/Movie Exposure: Rock and Ice magazine: #70, #75; Book: Long’s Peak, by Dougald MacDonald; Film: Green Productions: “Raw Footage” and “Stock Footage”-(very limited release)
Local Causes: POW, everyone should get behind this. IMBA, CAIC.
Other activities: Photography, High End Audio, Cycling
Website: not mine, but I am well represented on Zach’s cool site:
14ersnowboardproject.homestead.com
For a taste of what Barrows has to offer here is a link
