I had the opportunity to sit down with Salty Peaks Team Rider Micah Hoogeveen. He rolled up to the shop one day with his sled in his truck a smile on his face and a broken BOA boot which we got fixed right up for him. Micah is a 22-year-old outdoor firefighter in the summer and a globe-trotting snowboarder in the winter. Once this horrible fire season ended, Micah put his sled in his truck and hit the road. We were one of his first stops on this winter’s trek.
SP: Who are you?
MH: I’m Micah Hoogeveen. I’m 22 years old and I have been snowboarding for 10 years and I am from Grand Junction, Colorado.
SP: Wow, I feel like an underachiever. What got you into snowboarding?
MH: When I was in college I went on a trip with some friends to a spot called Sleeping Giant in Cody, Wyoming. I got to hang out with Jason Robinson and I was hooked.
SP: Love Jason Robinson’s style, man. What’s your snowboarding style & setup?
MH: Mainly I love backcountry and free riding. Currently I ride a Flow ERA dual camber snowboard with Flow NX2AT bindings and Flow HyLite Boots.
SP: So…I’m hoping you are sponsored by Flow…
MH: Haha yeah man. Definitely sponsored by Flow as well as Salty Peaks, Smith Optics, Dakine, Quicksilver, Foot Support Group, Arrival Clothing, High Country Hotel and the good people in Cooke City Montana, who have the coolest website ever!
SP: You better put some of those sponsorships to use! Please tell me you are traveling this winter!
MH: Haha, yeah man, I’ll be spending my winter in Utah, Colorado, Washington, Montana, and Alaska!
SP: So you spend your summer sweating in the heat, battling fires and then you spend your winter freezing your @$$ off snowboarding? You are an extreme dude!
MH: Well, I firefight in the dry months in Wildland, Colorado. It’s great because I feel like I’m doing a good thing and it keeps me fit for those chilly winter months.
SP: Makes total sense man. You are protecting the environment and that allows us all to enjoy it. We appreciate it! So let’s get down to the real question on everyone’s mind…food. We all love some food, especially after boarding all day. Personally all I want to do is eat my face off. Let’s talk about your favorites.
MH: Awesome. Most days I pack a lunch, and usually in that lunch is a turkey and cheese sandwich.
SP: Oh word? I love turkey sandwiches! What kind of turkey do you like?
MH: I’m a big fan of honey smoked with colby jack cheese of course.
SP: Oh man, honey smoked is dope. So you wrap that in foil or little baggies?
MH: Haha. Those cheap foldover baggies!
SP: Haha what? Those suck! Your sandwich is gonna get all dried out!
MH: It’s ok man because I bring that Jet Boil with the Cambell’s Beef Stew.
SP: Now we are talking! So you bring like a nice soup spoon with you?
MH: Nah man, I just drink it.
SP: That’s what I have been doing wrong, I just drink Gatorade.
MH: Oh man, I love some Gatorade too! I love the blue one!
SP: That’s cool. Hey man, I think you have gotten a little off track in this snowboarding interview. Here I am trying to ask you about food and you moved on to liquids!?!? Haha stay focused! You like chips?
MH: Man, this is so weird. Yeah, I love Sun Chips. Sun dried tomato flavor. They are the best!
SP: Can’t argue with that man. You know what goes great with Sun Chips?
MH: PBR and Odwalla?
SP: Haha, we will accept that answer. So we better wrap this up and go get some lunch. I think we know where our minds are. Name 4 places you go to when you come through Utah.
MH: Brighton – I love their backcountry access. Park City Mountain Resort – I love their park. Hector’s – You gotta get that California Burrito and Horchata! Don’t forget Chic-Fil-A. Love those chicken sandwiches, waffle fries, and sweet tea.
SP: You read my mind man. Ok seriously, we gotta eat now. I’ll make sure I post some pics and videos so the people can see your skills since all we talked about was grubbing. Have a great season!
MH: Thanks as always man. Hope everyone else has a great season!
Micah Hoogeveen Eighty Seven part from The Mars Collective on Vimeo.
Micah Hoogeveen from Micah Hoogeveen on Vimeo.
