Rocky Mountian Winter Transition

This is Zach Mitchell, 17 years old, from Evergreen Colorado and a new Riot Team member. While I am typing this blog it is about 35 degrees outside and will probably snow tonight and a few more times during the next few months. This is great for snowboarding but will delay paddling. During this winter season in the Rocky Mountains we got slammed with a ridiculous amount of snow. For example, in Boulder during December we got 27.5 inches of total new snow where as last year in December we only got 5.5 inches. This amount of snow will make an epic Colorado spring run off.

In a few weeks, I will take my snowboard out of the back of my Nissan truck and slide in a couple of my Riot boats and drive out to Santa Cruz, California for the U.S. Surf Kayak Team trials. If I make it on to the team then it will qualify me to compete in the World Championships in Spain in the fall. After paddling in Santa Cruz and since it has been a long cold Colorado winter, I plan on paddling some rivers on the way back home. By then the ice on my home town rivers will be melted and I will be able to go boat.