This is part of the “Places That Changed Us” series, a compilation of 20 trips that have had a lasting impact on the Matador Network team. To see the other 19 places, click here.
In February of 2023, I traveled to the Tien Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan for a week-long backcountry snowboarding trip camping in the high alpine. The snowboarding and camaraderie on the trip were unforgettable, but the way it so significantly forced me out of my comfort zone is reason that this trip had such a significant impact on my life. It wasn’t the location or the activity, but the preparation required that was new to me. For months in advance of the trip I fretted about my fitness, my competence as a rider, and my knowledge of backcountry best practices. I wondered if my gear would hold up, and if it didn’t, what would I do? The organizers of the trip stated that all on board must be in “excellent physical condition.” We’d be ascending nearly 3,000 feet per day and riding steep, technical terrain that was prone to avalanches.
