“It’s important for us to take snowboarding back.” – Mark Carter
Mark Carter is a snowboarder for sure, but I don’t think of him as a snowboarder. I definitely see him as a snowboarder — it would be difficult not to with the massive lines he drops and exploratory video edits he puts together — however, I think of him first and foremost as a rancher. And that right there is one of the biggest compliments I might give, especially considering that I hail from rural Japan by way of Kansas City, Kansas, spending winters and summers in the backwoods of Colorado. In my humble opinion, ranchers and those folk who work the Earth represent the grit and determination that was once the driving force behind what made America great before we turned our ever-fleeting attention towards cluttered skylines and crowded city streets. Snowboarding and other high-adventure pursuits need more of these folk who not only enjoy the outdoors, but truly understand and fully appreciate the outdoors, or at least the outdoors that is available to them.
Anyway, meeting him in person only made me think of him even more as a rancher. He carries himself with the quiet confidence you would expect from a man who allows his calloused hands to tell you where he’s been. And Mark is proud of where he comes from in Ten Sleep, Wyoming; he is proud of the land and he is proud of the people. Moreover, he is proud of the man his father (and this lifestyle) raised him to be.
“My old man, I mean, he was a battle axe,” Mark says. “He taught me work ethic and being honest and how to be a man and be tough — don’t be a pussy.”
From the looks of his riding and the success of his family’s ranch, he learned well.
For more from Mark Carter, head on over to Carter Country, or keep up with him through North Face and Arbor Snowboards. And don’t forget to follow him on Instagram.
