Stephen Koch is one of the most accomplished snowboard mountaineers in the world. What sets him apart from many snowboarders and skiers is his ability to safely and swiftly climb the terrain he then descends. Seeking out aesthetic and challenging lines regardless of their altitude, Stephen was the first to snowboard Wyoming's Grand Teton, Kilimanjaro in East Africa, Puncak Jaya in New Guinea and Vinson Massif in Antarctica.
When Stephen began climbing in Jackson, Wyoming's Teton Range in 1987, he used climbing as a means to access snowboard descents. Soon he was climbing for the love of climbing alone. His solo ascents of the Breach Wall on Kilimanjaro, Mt. Kenya's Diamond Couloir and the North Face of the Matterhorn in winter are recognized as extraordinary achievements.
In his continuing Quest for the finest lines on a mountain, he continues to pull off extremely difficult and challenging alpine climbs. In June 2001, Stephen and his partner Marko Prezelj (of Slovenia) made the First Free Ascent of the Moonflower Buttress on Mount Hunter and then went on to climb Light Traveler, arguably the most difficult route on Denali and the first new route climbed in a single push - with no bivouac gear.
Stephen has accomplished many snowboarding firsts, such as the Black Ice Couloir on the Grand Teton, but most are impressed with his successful completion of snowboarding six of the Seven Summits. In the words of Tom Turiano, famed ski pioneer and author of Teton Skiing, "I have no doubt that Stephen Koch will succeed in snowboarding the Seven Summits. He easily has the skill and drive to accomplish this Quest, as well as any other snowboard descent he may undertake the world over."
At 37 years old, Stephen has accomplished over 40 first descents, many of which have never been repeated. His list of accomplishments shows his dedication to his sport. Between trips, he guides for Exum Mountain Guides and teaches avalanche awareness to young people through his non-profit, the Avalanche Awareness and Educational Fund.
Stephen remains enthusiastic about pushing himself and the sport of snowboard mountaineering by continually pioneering ascents and snowboarding descents around the world. His appreciation of movement in the mountains might best be summed up by his philosophy: "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."
In 1998 Stephen's ascent of Mount Owen in Grand Teton National Park was stopped painfully short by a wet spring slide. The avalanche blasted Stephen down 2,200 vertical and left him severely injured and without shelter for 23 hours. Remarkably, Stephen found himself unburied and now counts himself a member of a fortunate minority of avalanche survivors.
Through the Avalanche Awareness and Educational Fund Stephen uses his experience to promote awareness of potential dangers to backcountry travelers of all ages. Stephen has guested several schools in the Jackson, WY area, and plans to expand the program throughout the mountain west.
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