Idaho proved to be the perfect testing grounds for the Burton Splitboard. The company’s S-Series SplitBoard — about $500 for board only — is a neat tool for backcountry mobility on a board. Like all splitboards, it “splits” into a pair of skis for going uphill and across flat terrain. You attach skins for climbing. Then it converts to a board again for the descent.
While a splitboard functions nowhere near as agile as a pair of skis, I was impressed at the terrain this setup was able to traverse. As a snowboard going down the mountain, it is on the heavy side. Transitioning into turns was a bit harder, and the board flex seemed “mushier” than on a standard board.
But overall I like the setup. The bottom line is that this versatile piece of equipment carried me to where mountain goats live, then it delivered me back to the hut in time for dinner — all with just a few adjustments of a binding system.
As the aforementioned “North Carolina boy,” my goal from the beginning was just to survive the trip. By the time it was over, I’d had an incredibly fun time and was convinced of a few things: Though few people I know aspire to visit Idaho, consider it if you love solitude and untouched slopes. And for those with little or no backcountry experience, a guide is a must. My Sawtooth Mountain Guides allowed this southern boy to experience an amazing mountain adventure free of worry and, by the end, full of enthusiasm to come back and do it all over again.
—T.C. Worley
