After finally putting all the pieces together to complete my split setup last week, Mike was kind enough to set up a great intro day to splitboarding. Just a quick afternoon mission, but fun all the same.

Short flatland traverse to the stash-point (I only fell 3 times trying to use crampons in split mode to go downhill), where we dropped off beer & food and complained about how the lack of snow meant you could see exactly how many people had answered the call of nature in one clearing.

Matt stayed to build a fire and chill while Mike & I continued up on the track for a little while. Crampons came in handy on a few steeper sections when we climbed up through 'The Luge' (handbuilt banked course). There were thin spots galore, so it helped to take note of these on the way up. I was surprised how smoothly everything came apart and went back together - this splitboard tech is a cinch!

Then, crunch time - On a cambered board 10cm longer than my usual Skate Banana and in unfamiliar bindings I set off...

and ate shit multiple times.

What I thought was a generous amount of forward lean was considerably less on the Sparks than my CO2's. Still, it was a fun ride down and then we got to business - beers and bacon cheeseburgers cooked over the campfire.

The perfect intro to splitboarding, and all-round a great Sunday afternoon. Now it looks like we have snow on the way, and I've booked in for my avalanche/backcountry refresher course in a month's time. It's on.