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Stephen Koch is one of the most accomplished snowboard mountaineers
in the world. At 39, Stephen has snowboarded more than 40 first descents, many of which have never been repeated. His list
of accomplishments certainly shows the mastery of and dedication to his sport, which includes his being the first and only
person to snowboard on all the Seven Summits, the highest peak on each continent.
Seeking out aesthetic and challenging lines regardless of their altitude, Stephen is a pioneer in his field, snowboard
mountaineering, and is the first to snowboard all the major Teton Peaks, as well as Wyoming's Gannet Peak, the North Face
of Mount Hood in Oregon, the Aiguille du Chardonnet in Chamonix, Central and Diagonal Gullies on Mount Washington in New England.
Stephen admits that, "carrying my snowboard up these peaks is a lot of work, and it is easy to forget why I am there until
I strap it on for the descent down the mountain."
In Stephen's ongoing Quest for the finest lines on a mountain, he continues to pull off extremely difficult and challenging
alpine climbs. When he began snowboarding at the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and throughout the Tetons in 1987, he used climbing
as a means to access snowboard descents. His solo ascents on the Grand Teton are recognized as extraordinary achievements.
In 1995, he soloed Mt. Kenya's Diamond Couloir and in 1997 he soloed the north face of the Matterhorn in winter. On Kilimanjaro,
after first guiding clients to the summit, Stephen completed the first solo ascent of the fearsome Breach Icicle. In June
2001, Stephen and partner Marko Prezelj completed 'Light Traveler,' arguably the most difficult route on Denali, and the first
new route climbed in a single push - with no bivouac gear, in an incredibly fast 48 hours. And in January, 2004 Stephen and
partner Mark Newcomb completed the First Winter Grand Traverse of the Teton Range, known as the Last Great Problem of mountaineering
in the United States.
Stephen remains enthusiastic about continuing to push himself as a climber and snowboarder by continuing to pioneer ascents
and snowboarding descents around the world. His appreciation of movement in the mountains might best be summed up by this
quote: "The snowboard track is the most aesthetic and ephemeral passage that man can leave on a mountain, but in the end,
the snowboard is just one more tool to help me do what I love to do: ascend and descend some of the most beautiful terrain
on earth."
Between expeditions Stephen guides for Exum Mountain Guides and is a professional motivational speaker, having given numerous
multi-media presentations nationally and internationally. Through his triumphant accomplishments and heroic mountain survival,
he translates the skills he used to fuel him on the Seven Summits, as well as what it took to survive an avalanche, into practical
leadership, business and life skills. He also runs a non-profit he founded, The Avalanche Awareness Educational Fund (www.avalancheawareness.org),
an organization dedicated to educating young people about the dangers of avalanches.
Sponsors:
Cloudveil
GU
Life-Link
Mountain Athlete
Petzl
Rome Snowboards Mountain Athlete
Website:
www.stephenkoch.com
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