Snowboard mountaineering pioneer Stephen Koch visits USU
Stephen Koch visited Utah State University Tuesday to speak of his extreme snowboarding mountaineering adventures and how to better meet personal goals.
Koch, age 50, has climbed and snowboarded down all seven summits of the world, including Kilimanjaro and Mount Everest. He has also made several first descents down peaks internationally, including all major peaks in the Teton Range in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
“There isn’t much of a straight answer of why I chose to make these descents,” Koch said. “I just thought, ‘I don’t know if it is possible, but I am just going to go for it.’”
Koch explained four techniques he has learned as an extreme snowboarding mountaineer that help him reach his goals.
First, do what is necessary to enjoy a passion. He spent time working as a server and amateur baker after first moving to Jackson so he was able to spend his days on the slopes.
Second, do whatever possible to reduce risks when going after goals.
“I climb up the mountains I ski down to intimately know the snow conditions. This reduces the risk of severe injury or death so I can stay safe,” Koch said. “Every goal has a mountain, climb that mountain so you know your goal inside and out.”
Third, Koch encouraged to picture personal goals every day. Before each climbing trip, he would print out a photo of the mountain he was going to climb that included the top peak. He looked at this picture every day to remind him of what his goals were.
Koch said, “I would envision what the final steps would be like as I reached the top of the mountain. I would go so far as to find out which way the wind would be blowing, I would envision myself pulling my balaclava up against the wind.”
Fourth, overcome adversity, even when it seems impossible. While making a first descent down Mount Owen in Jackson Hole, the most challenging of the Teton peaks, Koch was caught in an avalanche that broke his back, dislocated his right knee and tore his left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL.)
Koch said the moment he heard the avalanche begin above him, “I kicked my feet in to brace myself against an avalanche. I am obviously an optimist.”
Koch did his best to overcome this adversity by continuing his optimism and making new goals for himself.
“It’s not like you aren’t going to have avalanches in your life. You will. The way I handled it was to take one step at a time,” Koch said.
While Koch has had several successes in his climbing and snowboarding career, he said he often takes time to reflect on his failures. This reflection helps remind him that he has successfully met several of his personal emotional and physical goals.
During the first half of his quest to climb and snowboard all seven summits, Koch failed to climb Kilimanjaro and Denali on his first attempt. It was during his final climb of the quest, the ascent and then snowboarding descent of over 29,000 feet up Mount Everest, that he learned the most valuable lesson of his career.
Koch attempted to climb Mount Everest without oxygen during monsoon season, since this is the time the peak has the most snow. He wanted to climb during this season even though the risk for avalanches were much higher. Koch went with only two other people, a climbing guide and a cameraman.
“Lots of people ask why I didn’t climb (Everest) with the support that most people have. To me, that is just a physical challenge, not an adventure. The adventure was my goal,” Koch said.
Koch and his team made it about 3,000 feet up the final north face of Everest, but the climbing conditions were not safe and he decided to turn his team around for the sake of safety.
“Despite being 10 years into my snowboarding quest, I knew I was the leader of an expedition and I took this responsibility seriously, I knew I had to turn the team around even though we were so close to the top of the world,” Koch said.
Koch decided to strap into his snowboard and enjoy the ride down Everest anyway. He now proudly exclaims he has climbed 6.5 summits.
“I realized I am enough and I have had enough of this seven summits quest, and I didn’t need to do it anymore. 6.5 summits are alright with me.”
Koch was born in San Diego, California, but grew up in other major cities including Denver and Boston. He found he loved to be active when he started to play soccer as a young boy. The older he got, the less he enjoyed playing and spending time with his teammates, especially when they showered after practice.
Koch was born without a right pectoral muscle, and was teased relentlessly when his teammates discovered his chest looked different from theirs. He decided to quit soccer and started to skateboard.
“You don’t have to shower with your teammates as a skateboarder, in fact, they discourage it altogether,” Koch said jokingly.
After graduating high school, Koch moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to take a year off of school. In Jackson, he discovered his true passion for snowboarding.
“My first day (in Jackson), I rented a snowboard. I went from the bunny hill to the expert slopes in the matter of a few days. I just jumped in and had the time of my life.”
To learn more about Koch and his adventures, visit www.stephenkoch.com.
— Brianne Sorensen
@SorensenBrianne