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Snowboard, surf and skate all in one spring day in Alberta Rockies
For #SeekersAmbassador Drew Rogers, hitting the triple board play—snowboarding, surfing and skateboarding in the same day—had always been a spring adventure goal. He notched the hat trick in 2022. #SeekersAmbassador
Banff, AB — For a board sports enthusiast, it’s always played in the back of my mind: the goal of riding my surfboard, snowboard and skateboard all in one day. With the Alberta Rockies’ long spring ski season at higher altitudes, and typically dry days in the valley bottoms, it always seemed doable but the right conditions had to line up.
The big snowfall year in 2022 followed by a warm, dry spring set things up just right. I seized the opportunity for an early May adventure and headed to Banff.
Snowboarding at Sunshine Village
I started my day at Sunshine Village. I was able to ride the one of a kind Holy Bowly course which is a one off build by SnowBoy Productions. This type of terrain park really played into the surfy vibes this day was taking on. Did I mention the snow?! If you love spring skiing and snowboarding, Sunshine Village is a must hit!
Ripping the unique slopestyle course Holy Bowly at Sunshine Village.
Surfing the Kananaskis River
I rode all the way out to the parking lot and packed up the car to head south to the Kananaskis River. An hour later I was pulling into the parking lot at Canoe Meadows Day Use Area.
I took a quick stroll upstream to “The Mountain” Wave. River surfing is an emerging activity and the Alberta River Surfing Association has been working hard to improve awareness, facilities and safety for river users.
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Safety note: River Surfing is a high risk activity. I was wearing a helmet, life jacket, wetsuit and have participated in swiftwater rescue training. Please do your research and reach out to Alberta River Surf Association if you are interested in getting involved.
I was able to catch a nice ride, however the other surfers were packing up and heading out. The safe thing to do was get out of the water and dry off. That one wave filled my cup and affirmed that I was well on my way to my triple play.
A look at the standing wave "The Mountain" on the Kananaskis River.
Shredding the Canmore Skatepark
Packed up and feeling slightly refreshed from my dip in the Kan I rolled to the Canmore Skatepark to wrap things up! Dropping into the bowl with the Rockies in the background was an incredible way to finish things off.
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Both Canmore and Banff have incredible skateparks and even if you aren't participating, make for great viewing. My weary legs gave me a few great rides. I was very satisfied knowing I had checked the board sport trifecta off my list.
Surfing the asphalt to finish the triple board day in Banff Kananaskis.
Board triple play: unlocked
At the end of the day I was certainly feeling well exercised. There's a rare satisfaction in living two seasons in a day, and shredding them both.
But after unlocking the triple play board day, next time I'll plan to stretch it out over a few days. While you can do all these activities in one day, it's even better when you can take more time to really enjoy them.
Follow more of #SeekersAmbassador Drew Rogers's adventures on Instagram. To score your own triple play, head to Sunshine Village and build your own adventure from there.
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