 Dave Short
Dave Short  Bio: His buds might call him "Shorty", but snowboarder Dave Short always goes big. His forte is huge drop-offs. Towering, steep runs are a close second. Short estimates that he hits the backcountry over 60 days a season. During these "snowmobile days", he sets out from his Whistler pad in search of secret stashes. "I’ve lived in Whistler for eight years," he explains in a low-key, melodic voice, "I bought a snowmobile the first week I was here and I’m always on it, trying to access cliffs, natural jumps, and other features." It takes a certain gung-ho mentality to ride the terrain that Short does. And it also takes years of experience. This is a rare blend for any snowboarder, let alone a 25-year-old—but Short has it. He has been on the snow nearly his whole life. Like other snowboarders, he got his start on the sticks. "I grew up ski racing until I was about 10 or 11," he explains. "My sis and I were at the Fall Ski Swap at the local football field and we decided to get snowboards instead." It was all downhill from there. Since that fateful day at the Ski Swap, Short has consistently elevated his snowboarding game to higher and higher levels. His skill has landed him in several films as well as the sport’s leading magazines. It’s something the native Canadian takes in stride, frequently steering conversation away from publicity and back toward his personal goals. Off the mountain, he is a third-year college student, knocking off credits toward an economics degree in between snow seasons. He has also helped design several outerwear lines and hopes to continue pushing the envelope with some of his ideas. Back on the mountain, he says, "It’s always been a goal of mine to explore the big spines of Alaska—going past my comfort threshold and flowing long, scary lines top to bottom." Unique to his sport, Short has traded a tunnel-vision focus for more of a multi-discipline approach that lets him enjoy the outdoors in myriad different ways. His take-no-prisoners snowboarding mentality translates perfectly to downhill mountain biking in the summer. He also plays soccer and, he sheepishly admits, enjoys yoga. If he has one athletic vice other than snowboarding, it’s surfing. His eyes go large as he talks about big waves, including a "heaving barrel" he rode in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. He guesses it was about 12 feet high with plenty of girth. Short’s enthusiasm for surfing is so contagious that it begs the question: Powder or big waves? "Powder, for sure," he retorts. "But snowboarding is basically surfing in the mountains – and riding big powder is basically the same as riding a still wave." Home: Whistler, British Columbia Words To Live By: "Luck is karma in work clothes." Three Things You Always Pack For A Trip: Passport, cash, sunscreen. Passionate About: Keeping a green planet. Favorite Destination: Sunny and fresh day in the Whistler backcountry or Scar Reef, off the west coast of Sumbawa, on a pulsing swell. Website: Career Highlights:
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