The first thing that happened was the storm. It is a well-documented occurrence that whenever a park event is planned, the weather will roll in. In snowboarding, Murphy’s Law is less a punchline and more a constant companion: The best laid plans are always at the whim of the weather. In Tahoe, winter was off to a slow and rainy start. Resorts had bases, but new snow had been lacking. But all that the region needed was a scheduled park shoot—specifically Jamie Anderson and Woodward Tahoe’s first-ever enJOY, a gathering for women up-and-comers focused on riding, relationships, and mentorship—and a big, two-day snowstorm moved into the doppler.
Recap by: Mary Walsh
Photos: Shaina Joel
The second thing that happened was my board bag didn’t make it to Reno. We all got into town on Wednesday, the storm set to move in on our tails that evening. My bag stayed in Chicago. When your boardbag doesn’t make it to your destination and you’re looking at two powder days in a row without your snowboard, waterproof outerwear, and the intricate layering system you’ve spent seasons honing for warmth and comfort, all you can do is go to the local snowboard shop (big thanks to Totally Board in Truckee) and replace the Slip-Ons you’re wearing with a pair of winterproof Sk8-Hi’s to keep your feet dry while you figure everything out.
Because snowboarding, inherently, is about being able to go with the flow. You can’t fight the conditions any more than you can reason with the airlines. Full acceptance of whatever Mother Nature and United throw at you is the only way to go. And given the situation, enJOY was the best place we could have been for all of it.
Jamie Anderson has hosted springtime park shoots in Tahoe in years past, bringing together friends and teammates for sessions on pristine jumps and rail lines. But this season, she partnered with Woodward for a similar, yet separate mission—a perfect park and progressive riding were mainstays, but instead of all established riders, enJOY would provide a platform for the rising generation, the women whose momentum is taking shape and shaping snowboarding along with it. Riders like Ellie Weiler, Lily Dhawornvej, Veda Hallen, Freya Hammerlein, Haruna “Luna” Ishihara, and Barrett and Devin Hendrix—a group with both nascent experience and already collective podiums at World Quarters, Heavy Metal, The Uninvited Invitational, and the X Games—had to come to Boreal. The goal was a creative, community-driven outlet for their snowboarding while stacking photos and clips and learning from a multigenerational group of women in snowboarding. Taylor and Riley Elliott, Fancy Rutherford, Barrett Christy, me, and a heavy media team including Mia Lambson, Sammy Deleo, and Shaina Joel were on hand with Jamie for this purpose. The crew had two days to session a custom-built park (thanks Mizl and the Woodward Tahoe park crew), in addition to a third ride day open to the community at the first edition of enJOY.
It is important to note that Jamie led the charge of the event while in her third trimester of pregnancy with her second child and her daughter, Misty, in tow. It was nothing short of impressive how much energy Jamie was able to give to the girls and to snowboarding considering she was simultaneously creating a human the entire time. As a snowboarder, Jamie is one of the greatest ever to do it, her influence undeniable when watching the current state of women’s riding. As a mom, she is further impactful, a visible example of how it is possible to be an athlete and a mother, and find happiness, meaning, and growth through both—without having to choose one or the other.
But back to the storm. On Thursday, things were socked in. It was dumping. It was windy. I-80 was closing, then reopening, then closing again. But we rolled with the conditions, waiting out the weather in the Woodward Bunker and finding a little bit of slowness during the go-go-go of the season via paints and special enJOY skateboard decks. (Learning: Every snowboard event should include an art activity.) One thing about bringing together all of these people was that everyone was so stoked just to be there, to hang out with one another sans any competitive schedule, that it didn’t matter that the riding was on hold. As the snow stacked outside, we patiently waited.
Of course, the third thing that happened was that Tahoe is Tahoe, and even “normal”-sized storms there are of the gnarly category when it comes to snowfall and road conditions. In the evening, we were all supposed to head to the enJOY cabin in Tahoe Donner for dinner and a discussion, led by Barrett and Jamie, on navigating snowboarding professionally. Well, Tahoe Donner’s elevation starts at 6,750 feet—just above the storm’s snow line. The street to the cabin had yet to be plowed and the lightness of the snow was deceptive. In no short time, three cars—all well-outfitted for winter—were stuck in the cul-de-sac.
It was dark, it was still dumping, and without hesitation, the crew rallied, grabbing shovels and moving snow. Crystal Legoff was pitboss with Anny Vongsavanh, but the low-to-the-ground Impreza was high-centered, spinning its wheels. Enter Jamie (and Misty for support). Jamie got behind the wheel, the rest of the group prepared to push the back of the car, and the Subaru was freed. The teamwork, the rally, the support of one another—it was, unplanned, what enJOY was all about.
That energy continued on Friday, when winds died down and powder laps ensued. (Regarding my late boardbag—everyone pitched in to help me get geared up to ride, yet again reinforcing enJOY’s atmosphere of full support.) By the afternoon, the snow was starting to slow and the Woodward park crew had groomed the enJOY park. There was enough visibility for a session, so everyone went to work.
Saturday was our day. The community was welcomed to join the enJOY riders and by mid-day, it was blue and sunny and the park was on. Shannon Dunn-Downing linked up. Kjersti Buaas and Chanelle Sladics rolled through. The riders were ready and they shined. I stood at the bottom of the quarterpipe, watching Veda and Anny hiking the rail line, Freya floating over the hip, Riley and Crystal handplanting the QP, Lily sending the jump, and Ellie dropping into a tree tap. Most of the times that these riders get to meet during the season are at contests, but Jamie’s enJOY provided a place to slow things down and well, really enjoy. Creative sessions like this are the yin to competition’s yang—opportunities to deepen friendships and feed off one another’s snowboarding, while incressing exposure and experience. Of course, being able to go with the flow, through stormy day and sunny ones, is a lesson in itself—and surrounding yourself with a solid crew is the best way to do it. Thank you, Jamie and Woodward, for bringing us all together at Boreal for enJOY!
Big thanks to Jamie (and Misty), Hanna, Mo, Gabe, Tucker, Celine, Duke, and everyone at Woodward Tahoe for bringing enJOY to life! Thank you to all the riders who attended, to the media crew, and to everyone that came out to ride on Saturday! Can’t wait for next year.
