James Buehler on Riding the Ribbon, Devil’s Castle
Last week on social media, many of us were blown away by some pretty terrifying footage of a snowboarder negotiating the Ribbon on Devil’s Castle at Alta. So we talked to the rider, James Buehler, about his first descent with Alex Gavic of the Ribbon on a snowboard, and James walks us through the technical aspects of the route; his preparation for the line; the mental and physical demands it imposes; encountering multiple cruxes; the “Ronald McDonald Grin”; and what’s next on his list. (You can also see photos of the route in the show notes to this episode on our website.)
TOPICS & TIMES:
Alter Egos & Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (2:20)The history / backstory of Ciochetti’s Ribbon (6:44)What’s the most scared you’ve ever been on a line? (12:28)Doing heavy lines on a surfy, playful powder board?? (17:30)The Approach (21:19)The Traverse (24:48)The Crux — and the ‘Ronald McDonald Grin’ (27:53)Unexpected Crux #2 & #3 (39:00)The Descent (48:04)How does the Ribbon compare to other objectives? (50:22)James’ other near-term objectives & dream objective (57:50)Jame’s YouTube channel, Wild Lines (59:52)
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