Ride the Wave: Bode Merrill

Bode Merrill is no stranger to the delicacy of Utah pow. Hailing from Salt Lake City, Bode is a part of that lucky breed of snowboarders raised on the magic terrain of the Utah backcountry. Utah, as their state license plate claims, is home of the “best snow on earth”. While the claim that anything is the “best in the world” is always dubious, this short edit shows that they might have a point. More than fluffy snow, this quick little video will introduce you to one of the world’s most versatile and stylish snowboarders around. If you aren’t yet hip to the world of Bode Merrill, this is not a bad place to start. The snow we see looks about as light as it gets— so light that sunshine can’t help but poke through, basking Bode in a pool of light that pairs nicely with a very full-bodied carve.

This is the kind of edit that makes you open up a new tab to check the forecast of your local mountain. The snow we see is like butter, and Bode knows how to make full use of it. Able to pull from a deep bag of tricks developed over years of jibbing everything from urban handrails to heavy cliff drops, we might think of Bode as a kind of snowboarding jack of all trades. His approach is unconventional, and yet it fits snugly in the backdrop of deep, fluffy powder. The imaginativeness of Bode’s riding, met with succinct execution, is what makes him so good to watch. He’s got no shortage of style, either. Perhaps most importantly, he always seems to be having the best time out of anybody on the mountain.

Simply put, Bode knows what’s good. Fresh cut lines and massive airs in the backcountry is what this episode is all about. After a heavy day of hiking, shooting, and boosting, Bode is stoked. “We survived, and live to fight another day.” Cheers to that, Bode. Enjoy your White Claw(s).

The first episode of Ride the Wave is hot and ready to be enjoyed. If one minute of tasty backcountry jibs isn’t enough to satisfy, head over to TGRtv, where you’ll find movies from the TGR vault as well as brand spankin’ new releases like Legend Has It and Flying High Again.