Editor’s note
The Colorado Sun has been hosting fellows selected by the International Center for Journalists almost since our founding in 2018. One of our first fellows, a journalist from Costa Rica, livened up our first birthday party by creating a photo booth complete with sparkly hats and fake mustaches. We’ve since hosted journalists, usually for about a month, from Peru, Colombia, Russia and, this year, the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent. In turn, two Colorado Sun reporters had the opportunity to travel to South America — one to Peru and another to Argentina — through the program intended to foster greater understanding of the responsibility of the free press and sustainable media business models. The ICFJ is a nonprofit funded through grants, donations and federal dollars.
NEDERLAND — “Ten thousand feet above sea level and I could see how far I’ve come,” was my Facebook post on Feb. 4, a day after I was completely outside of my element.
Here was a guy from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the Colorado mountains at Eldora ski area. In my Caribbean island state, the biggest “hill” is the 4,049-foot-high volcanic peak of La Soufrière, and the closest thing to winter is a rainy day.
But now, I was strapped to a snowboard for the first time in my life. After years of chasing adventures in warmer climes, I was about to learn what it means to “shred” in the Rockies. Spoiler: It involved a lot of falling, a patient instructor named Matt, and one hard-won lesson about not catching an edge.
I have always been the type to seek out thrills far from home. Back in 2018, in Taiwan, I hiked up Teapot Mountain, scrambling over rocks, climbing cliffs by rope and carefully maneuvering the hills so as not to make a critical mistake.
A couple of years later, I zipped through Vietnam’s Red Sand Dunes on an ATV, dodging other riders and sand hills under a relentless sun. In my own country, SVG, I’ve trekked the Vermont Nature Trail and the Saint Andrews Mountains, and covered disaster recovery stories after hurricanes and volcanic activity. Snowboarding however? That was a whole new beast. No ocean to cushion the falls, just cold, unforgiving white ground that looked deceptively soft.
Eldora, tucked about 20 miles west of Boulder, felt like the perfect place for a rookie like me. It gave me that laid-back Colorado charm of not being too crowded, with views of the Continental Divide (something the locals constantly reminded me of) that make you feel small in the best way.
I arrived early that morning, bundled in layers so kindly lent to me by Colorado Sun photographer Andy Colwell, whose hospitality definitely lives up to his “Nice Guy” branding. The resort was buzzing with locals and a few out-of-towners, the air crisp and pine-scented (pro tip: fleece is your best friend when you’re used to 80-degree “winters”). Matt met me at the base of the mountain with a grin and a quick assessment: “First time? No problem. We’ll take it slow.”
Matt was the real hero of the day. Patient doesn’t even cover it; he was encouraging without being pushy, breaking everything down into bite-sized steps. We started on flat ground, practicing the basics: how to strap in, stand up and glide without immediately eating snow.
“The key is balance and not fighting the board,” he said, demonstrating with the ease of someone who’s probably been on slopes since he could walk. As a West Indian man whose idea of balance is staying upright on a boat in choppy waves, it took a few tumbles to get the hang of it.
The big lesson? Don’t catch an edge. That’s when the side of your board digs into the snow unexpectedly, sending you flying. Matt taught me the toe-side turn, heel-side turn, toe-edge slide, heel-edge slide, and the J-turn. However, before I even got to the “magic carpet beginner slope” to practice what I’d learned, I caught an edge and face-planted into the snow (photos Andy didn’t include, thankfully).
Matt was right there every time, helping me up with tips like, “Lean your weight slightly to the front of the board” and “Look where you want to go, not at your feet.” He respected my pace, never rushing, and made sure I was comfortable before moving on. By the third or fourth try, something clicked. I linked a few turns, feeling the board carve through the snow like it was meant to be there. That rush; wind in my face, cutting through the snow, was unlike anything I’d experienced. No ATV engine roar, no hiking sweat; just pure, silent momentum.
Coming from Saint Vincent, where our “extreme sports” involve dodging rain showers during Carnival or hiking La Soufrière, this felt worlds away. Back home, my adventures are tied to the land and sea, community events and cultural festivals, or to reporting on resilience projects after disasters. But Eldora reminded me how pushing boundaries builds that same inner strength. Matt’s approach mirrored that of the best mentors I’ve had: respectful, adaptable and focused on growth. By the end of the session, I wasn’t just surviving the slope; I was starting to enjoy it.
Snowboarding at Eldora wasn’t just a checkbox on my adventure list; it was a reminder that stepping into the unknown, even when it’s freezing and unfamiliar, pays off. For anyone from a warmer climate thinking about giving it a go, start with a good instructor. And if you’re in Colorado, Eldora’s mix of accessible runs and stunning scenery makes it a gem. As for me, I’ll be back, maybe aiming for a blue run. After all, once you’ve conquered a volcano and hurricanes, what’s a little snow?
Ari Shaw is a communications specialist and journalist from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, currently participating in the ICFJ Professional Fellows Program in Denver.