Surfing the Earth with Curtis Woodman

Two decades deep into Sierra Surfing, Curtis Woodman exudes board control and shred capabilities that only come with time and a limitless passion for the sport. With the Sierra Nevada as his backyard, sponsorship came soon at age eight. By eighteen he was a standout on the famed Neoproto squad and by twenty-three he was burnt on the industry and somewhat sponsorless. Nonetheless, he kept right on the shred. He learned to devour the backcountry. Six years later—and with a handful of radical video parts in the bag including last year’s Surf The Earth—it’s easy to realize that this freespirit is not even close to putting on the brakes. In fact, he is riding white waves like a banshee, hell bent on finding next level terrain and radical times. 

Photo by Sean Kerrick Sullivan

What was your first day of snowboarding like and where did you go?

I went to Boreal, California. My Dad took me there. I was seven years old. I had an instructor named Guy. He taught me how to shred Boreal right there on that little baby lift. By the third day I was shredding. 

How did growing up in a small town like Garden Valley, California shape your views of the world? 

Growing up in a small town was pretty humbling. I spent a lot of time in the outdoors. I think growing up in the foothill area there is a lot of raw shit going on around in the area. I saw a lot of rippers ripping everything. It wasn’t really like they were into one thing or the other. It was more like they wanted to shred everything, no matter what was put in front of them. Have fun and rip whatever was there! It’s pretty raw, at Boreal and in the Tahoe scene. I saw people pushing skateboarding and snowboarding in unique ways with unique style so it definitely motivated me in how I snowboard for sure, how I skateboard everything, where I grab my snowboard, and where I turn my snowboard. I was definitely influenced by the culture around where I grew up.

As you get older, how do you approach snowboarding and the mountains differently? 

Reading lines and riding mountains—I guess you could say I have definitely become more humbled. Riding lines and learning how to navigate in the mountains. Not being in a hurry to be anywhere and enjoying the adventure along the way. 

How does one successfully surf the earth? 

Go out and fucking turn your board, brah!

What was your first day of splitboarding like? 

Freedom. 

With age, how do you approach the white waves differently? 

I search them out more for sure.

How did going to Alaska for the first time change your perceptions of snowboarding? 

Alaska changes your whole perception of snowboarding and what can be done on a snowboard with that steep of terrain. It opens up your whole world to what is possible. It brings a whole new feeling when you are riding that steep of a mountain for that long of a period of time. It’s a whole other feeling that you can’t really get anywhere but Alaska. Sierra has some pretty big mountains, and Europe has some pretty big mountains, but Alaska is just a special place. First year I rented an RV with Gray Thompson and went up there with a Think Tank filmer and Sean Sullivan. We parked that thing and splitboarded the whole time. We earned our turns and got to really realize how big those mountains really are by splitboarding. It takes a long time. Like four hours of hiking everyday to get to the top. So, we were pretty beat up after the first trip. 

Photo by Sean Kerrick Sullivan

How have you been keeping the low tide stoke alive in Tahoe this season? There hasn’t really been much of a white room to hide in. 

We have been doing our best to turn our snowboards a ton. We’ve been doing a little jumping. It’s been pretty harsh but some snow is better than no snow. We are hitting the road and I am going to be gone for most of the season now chasing powder so we will see what comes of it. 

Can you tell me about your first time snowboarding with Jeremy Jones?

Jones has been a huge inspiration to me over the years. Super awesome guy. I had chance to go out and climb Mt Tallac with him and Brian Sizer. Jones actually forgot his boots that day. Wore his boot liners as he had no boots. Climbed Mt Tallac in his boot liners. Then shredded it in his boot liners. It was insane. I would have went home. He didn’t act like it was a big deal at all. He was actually stoked on the loseness of not having a boot said it reminded him of Sorels. It was awesome. Then Jeremy ended up giving me his four-season tent. The one he used in Deeper. I have been using that since then. Huge!  I couldn’t believe it. It meant a lot to me and it’s a big piece of equipment for mountaineering and being in the mountains and it’s an expensive piece of equipment—so that was really cool. 

What’s your favorite piece of gear? 

My outerwear. iNi outerwear. If you have good outerwear you are going to stay dry and having good outerwear in the backcountry is a huge thing. And it makes you look good, too. Or bad. 

You have been sponsored since you were eight. How do you keep the stoke going?

Just getting out and riding. Just being in the mountains. Getting out and riding when you feel like riding. And not riding when you don’t feel like riding. Just taking it everyday and being thankful to be able to ride. Be thankful that you are healthy and can get out there and ride. 

What does snowboarding as a lifestyle mean to you? 

Doing everything you can to make sure you are riding on the days you want to be riding. 

Best advice anyone ever gave you about snowboarding? 

Shred and don’t look back. 

Photo by Sean Kerrick Sullivan

What really sets Truckee apart? 

Truckee is a quaint little town that is nestled in the Sierra Nevada’s. There are 360 degree views of mountains around. 360 degrees of accessible terrain. That’s pretty unique in of itself. It’s also next to one of the world’s biggest alpine lakes—Lake Tahoe. Pretty unique place for sure. 

You’re like a cat. Always bouncing back. You have lived many a life at this point and are always exploring new possibilities. What can you tell us about this, Mr. Woodman? 

Well, cats are badass. I am stoked that I am a cat. 

Surfing the earth with Curtis Woodman—what is this year going to entail? 

I am going to be on the search for the ever-changing white wave. We’re going to Japan. We’re going to Alaska. And we’re going to Chile this summer. Going to search for the biggest white waves we can and document it. Hopefully meet up with some rad snowboarders in Japan. That’s our plan right now. Hoping it all pulls through. 

Leave us with some words of wisdom.

Without pride, honor comes freely. Without show, respect is given. Without boasting, ability is recognized. Without struggle, the way is easy. No quarreling, so no one quarrels in return. No competing, so no competition. 

Who are your sponsors?

Arbor Snowboards, iNi Cooperative, Ashbury Eyewear, Howl Gloves, Outdoor Technology, Zico Coconut Water, Wend Wax, Boards N Motion Boardshop.