Few sports have environmental requirements as distinct as those of skiing and snowboarding. Once the last of the snow has melted from your local slopes, you might find the logistics of practicing your sport increasingly stressful. Before packing away your board for the summer, however, keep in mind that snowboarding doesn’t have to be a seasonal sport. Whether you’re intent on staying within the United States or you’re willing to venture further, there are plenty of places where you can board year-round.

Within the United States, there are mountaintops in several states, including the more popular snowboarding destinations of Colorado and Oregon, where the snow never entirely melts. Mt. Hood, the highest peak in Oregon, is situated on the banks of the Columbia River just 45 minutes north of Portland. The peak offers year-round glacier-free mountaineering ascents and snowboarding descents. If the 6,700 foot vertical ascent sounds overwhelming, you can consider the Mt. Hood Timberline Ski Resort, the country’s only ski resort opened for the entire year.

For snowboarding enthusiasts willing to wander (and perhaps seeking to escape the heat waves across America and Europe), there’s an entire hemisphere full of possibilities: the southern hemisphere. While we’re lathering on sunscreen and planning excursions to the beach, our counterparts south of the equator are experiencing their winter. Thus, even in the heat of the summer months, only a plane ride separates you from the natural winter of New Zealand or Australia. The least stressful way to make these cross-globe expeditions is to book a tour with a reputable travel company that has already secured your lodging, park/resort fees, and snowboarding instruction. There are several companies that offer these trips, such as Access Trips, a New Zealand company which offers snowboard camps and holidays tailored for all snowboarding enthusiasts, from the amateurs to the experts.

Of course, if the inconvenience of any travel outweighs the potential benefits, there’s always a ‘snowboard trainer’ like the Tierney T-Board, a piece of equipment resembling a skateboard that allows you to practice snowboarding skills (like carving on an edge) on hot summer, pavement rather than powder.

Ultimately, you quit snowboarding during the summer months only if you want to. For the boarder who can’t stay away from the slopes, however, there are multiple options – from your bedroom to the far corners of the map – to continue boarding year-round.

For more information on snowboarding holidays in New Zealand, visit Access Trips, an adventure travel company specializing in instructional adventure vacations.

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