Carving a New Path
02/26/2026 11:07AM ● By Skylar Leeson
Few sports have evolved as quickly, or as dramatically, as snowboarding. From a homemade invention in a Michigan backyard to a global Olympic phenomenon, snowboarding’s rise mirrors youth culture, innovation and freedom on snow. Today, it’s a multi-billion-dollar industry and a symbol of creativity on the mountain.
The modern story begins in 1965, when engineer Sherm Poppen bolted two skis together for his daughter in Muskegon, Michigan. He attached a rope to the nose for balance and called it the Snurfer, a blend of snow and surfer. The simple toy captured America’s imagination: by the late 1970s, more than a million Snurfers had been sold nationwide.
The late Sherman Poppen, who lived in Steamboat Springs for several years, invented the 'snurfer' in 1956, unknowingly launching a new sport: snowboarding. Photo courtesy of Julie Poppen.
Sherm, who unknowingly launched an entire sport, would later develop a deep connection to Steamboat Springs. After inventing the Snurfer, he eventually moved to Steamboat later in life, when he embraced the town’s mountains with the same enthusiasm that sparked snowboarding’s beginnings.
He became a familiar face at Steamboat Resort and frequently rode with Steamboat PowderCats alongside guide Mike Rakowski. Sherm loved the camaraderie and terrain, joking with typical humility: “There’s some people that love me and some people hate me.” His presence in Steamboat added a unique full-circle element to the town’s snowboard heritage – the sport’s originator spending his later years riding the very mountains that helped define its future.
The Snurfer planted the seed for a sideways-stance winter sport. Similar experiments were happening elsewhere – Cornell student Dimitrije Milovich crafted fiberglass ‘Wintersticks,’ while California skater Tom Sims and Vermont tinkerer Jake Burton Carpenter developed boards with bindings and greater control. These pioneers didn’t just invent equipment; they created a new way to experience mountains.
“We used to use a Snurfer to ride down the hills outside Boulder, standing on giant staples pounded in for traction and holding onto the rope on the tip for dear life,” recalls longtime Steamboat snowboarder Eugene Buchanan. “We got the hang of it eventually but definitely took a few biffs.”
The 1980s marked snowboarding’s rebellious adolescence. Manufacturers refined boards with steel edges and stronger bindings, drawing skateboarders, surfers and thrill-seekers. Many ski resorts banned snowboarding entirely, viewing riders as reckless outsiders. By 1985, only about 10% of U.S. resorts allowed the sport, forcing snowboarders to hike backcountry slopes or build makeshift jumps.
Still, the culture thrived. Grassroots races appeared, magazines like “Absolutely Radical” chronicled the movement, and small brands shaped the sport’s identity.
As snowboarding surged into the late ’80s and early ’90s, Steamboat became home to its own early pioneers. Among them was Chris Smith, a longtime local rider, mentor and shop owner who helped introduce the town to the sport.
Chris began selling boards out of his college dorm before moving to Steamboat, where he taught others to ride and eventually opened Powder Pursuits, one of the town’s first snowboard shops.
“We started Powder Pursuits before the mountain even allowed snowboarding,” Chris recalls. “We’d wait at the bus stop and ask people if they wanted to learn, and we’d take them up to Rabbit Ears. We’d get six to 10 people, hike up Rabbit Ears, build a jump and launch them. If you wanted to go snowboarding, you’d have to go with us.”
Those sessions helped build the foundation of Steamboat’s snowboard culture. “People would come up to us, and we’d change their lives right there,” he says. “It was such a culture.”
Even future Olympians passed through his shop. “When we opened the store, we had people like Shannon Dunn coming in, and we sold her her first snowboard. Then she went on to win the Olympics.”
Steamboat's Shannon Dunn-Downing pioneered snowboarding in the Olympics when she won the bronze medal in the 1998 inaugural halfpipe event in Nagano, Japan.
Another early force in Steamboat’s snowboarding scene was Chris “Zusch” Zuschlag. He was one of the first riders to help formally introduce the sport to the mountain after spending much of the ’80s hitchhiking up and down Berthoud Pass with Jake Burton, sharing rides and ideas with the man building snowboarding’s future.
Zusch’s path into instruction at Steamboat was humble but pivotal. “When I got involved, Chris Smith and I were the first instructors on the mountain,” Zusch recalls. “We did training on the mountain to find out how to teach, because no one knew how to teach the sport yet. The first year, I think I gave two lessons. But then it slowly grew.” In those early days, instruction was improvised, experimental and fueled by pure passion rather than any established curriculum.
Acceptance wasn’t immediate. Zusch describes the tension of snowboarding’s early arrival on the mountain in 1987. “We’d have other ski instructors yelling at us, ‘You don’t belong here,’” he says. “But then five years later, when it wasn’t such a fad, the same instructors were coming to us asking to learn.” His experience captures the cultural shift snowboarding forced onto traditional ski areas – resistance giving way to curiosity, and eventually, respect.
By the early 1990s, snowboarding was shifting from outsider sport to mainstream phenomenon. Resorts built terrain parks and halfpipes, lifted bans and welcomed new riders. Professional tours and films fueled its rapid expansion.
The defining moment came in 1998, when snowboarding made its Olympic debut at the Nagano Winter Games. Steamboat native Shannon Dunn-Downing, who bought her first board from Chris, made history as the first American woman to win an Olympic snowboarding medal, earning bronze in the halfpipe. Her success cemented Steamboat’s emerging legacy in the sport.
Steamboat has continued to shape some of the nation’s top halfpipe riders, including siblings Arielle and Taylor Gold. Raised riding at Steamboat Resort and honing their skills through the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club, both quickly rose to prominence on the world stage.
Taylor carved his place as one of the most creative and technically precise halfpipe riders of his generation, known for his style-driven runs and unique trick selection. Arielle followed with equal impact, winning a world championship title as a teenager and earning an Olympic bronze medal in 2018. Together, the Golds helped shape Steamboat’s reputation not just as a haven for Alpine and freeride snowboarders, but asa powerhouse in freeski and halfpipe progression.
Steamboat continues to create its own distinct snowboarding culture today. Local rider and Steamboat Resort’s public relations manager, Laura Kuczkowski, describes the town as uniquely generational. “Kids learned to snowboard here, grew up and now they’re teaching their kids,” she says. “It’s a legacy that’s stayed in this town.”
Expansions into Mahogany Ridge and access to Fish Creek Falls added challenging, backcountry-style terrain, allowing for boarders to learn even more about the sport. “Those areas let people get into more expert terrain,” Laura notes – terrain that encourages riders to push their skills.
For new riders, the spirit remains welcoming, and Laura offers this advice: “Don’t be scared of it. You fall down, you get back up. It’s OK to make mistakes – just give it a try.”
One of the most meaningful celebrations in modern snowboarding is “A Day for Jake,” honoring Burton founder Jake Burton Carpenter, whose passion and innovation shaped the sport more than anyone else. After his death in 2019, riders around the world began dedicating one day each March to simply getting on snow – no competition, no pressure, just joy in riding.
The event quickly grew into a global gathering. On March 14, 2026, Steamboat riders can join thousands worldwide for the seventh annual celebration. From families cruising mellow groomers to seasoned locals hiking for powder laps, the day captures the essence of Jake’s philosophy: snowboarding should feel free, fun and shared. Steamboat’s participation reflectes both its history and its future. Many riders describe it as a reminder of why they started snowboarding in the first place, and why the sport continues to matter.
Today, Steamboat continues to influence snowboarding in ways that echo its pioneering roots. The same spirit that drove early riders up Rabbit Ears Pass now fuels a new generation raised on local terrain, community support and the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. Far from fading, the town’s snowboard culture has evolved into a training ground that consistently produces talented riders across multiple disciplines.
Two standout athletes carrying that legacy forward are Cody Winters and Walker Overstake, both homegrown snowboarders whose careers began on Steamboat’s slopes. Cody, who made his Olympic debut in 2022, has since established himself on the international stage with World Cup podiums in Alpine snowboarding. His precision, versatility and longevity in the sport highlight the depth of Steamboat’s coaching and the value of growing up riding everything from See Me to the trees off Closets.
Rising alongside him is Walker Overstake, part of the next wave of Steamboat talent. A product of the Winter Sports Club, Walker finished fifth in parallel slalom at the 2025 Junior World Championships, marking him as one of the top young Alpine riders in the country. His ability to move among Alpine disciplines, snowboardcross and freeriding reflects the all-mountain style that has long defined Steamboat riders.
Walker Overstake is one of Steamboat's up-and-coming snowboarders. Photo courtesy of Walker Overstake.
Together, Cody and Walker represent the evolution ofSteamboat’s snowboard culture – from backyard Snurfer experiments to Olympic arenas and World Cup podiums. Their paths show that the community’s passion for snowboarding isn’t just a piece of local history; it’s a living, growing force shaping the sport’s future.
From the Snurfer to Steamboat’s early pioneers, and from Olympic milestones to global community days, snowboarding’s history is rooted in passion, defiance and reinvention. And through every era, one truth remains: Snowboarding was never just about getting down the mountain. It has always been about carving your own path and sharing it with others.