By: Denis Piccolo
Searching for the Powder with Forever Snowboard
Hi guys how nice to find you again with such a fresh and ambitious new project, can you explain what Forever Snowboard is?
Hi Denis, how nice it is to meet again after so many photosessions of snowboarding together Forever is mainly a strong passion for snowboarding that has been with us forever. We offer trips for passionate riders who enjoy being guided and sharing experiences around the world in search of the best snow. We take care of all the logistics by trying to be flexible and as far as possible be in the right place at the right time.
Where did the idea and the need to create this project come from?
Forever was born from the desire to share our passion for snow and travel, but the purpose lies, above all, in trying to breathe the spirit of snowboarding that has always animated us, trying to find a good balance between professionalism and authenticity!
What is the sketch of the snowboarder for Forever Snowboard?
To embark on such a trip it is helpful to have a good command of powder boarding, good physical training and knowledge of safety equipment, and if you are talking about Japan you must like sushi 🙂
I know you all too well, but to those who meet you for the first time in The Pill instead of in the pages of Sequence, do you tell who you are?
Massimo Ferro. I have been snowboarding since 1992, and you could say it has influenced almost my whole life. I have done competitions, videos and photos for magazines, traveled the world in search of the best places, which over the course of 30 years of riding have obviously changed. I am a national master and instructor, the only thing that is unchanged from the first day is the incredible feeling of peace when I strap on the board!
Oliver Mondino. I started snowboarding in 1995, since then snowboarding has been part of my essence. After years of doing competitions, photo and video sessions, I turned to powder and became a master. For the past 16 years, I have traveled far and wide with my Lemon8 crew, snowmobiling, in search of the perfect lines, and every year in late fall, I am as excited as if it were my first winter.
What trips do you propose? Can you briefly tell me the difference between them?
We propose trips to 3 dream destinations, but also camps in Italy. Trips usually start in January, and the first destination is Japan. A much sought-after destination in recent years, but many agencies just stay in the same resort for a week, whereas with us we get in the car and move around according to disturbances and the best snow conditions, staying overnight in typical, cozy places. You can only understand Japanese snow when you surf it: light and fast, and even when you find gentler slopes you are never slow.
Snowboarding among the snowy birch trees of Hokkaido is a mystical journey that should be taken at least once in a lifetime! In February, on the other hand, we fly to Canada, here the scenery is different, the terrain is more like the Alps, but the vibe you get from traveling on British Columbia’s famous Powder Highway, among snow-laden forests, ghost towns and vast spaces, leaves a memory hard to forget. In addition, thanks to the many resorts and dozens of companies between Heli-ski and Cat-ski, the best snow conditions can always be found. In March, however, there is the coveted Alaska, which we decided to propose a little differently. We are convinced that for so many, Alaska is likely to remain a dream in the drawer because perhaps one never feels ready or because one cannot find anyone to share the journey with. That said, with Forever Snowboard you can find other riders to share this incredible experience with! Olly and I will be on the helicopter with the departing riders to give advice and guide you to the best descent! Do you need to know anything else?
How many times have you been to these powder-filled places to snowboard?
OM. In 2015 I was fortunate enough to visit the length and breadth of Japan, snowboarding for only a couple of days. Then in 2016 I embarked on my first snowboard-trip to Hokkaido, and from then on I thought I should go back every year, and I did. I was an escort for 6 years in Hokkaido and Honshu and for 4 years in Canada.
Should I choose one, the first one to do, your advice?
OM. Definitely recommend Japan. A journey within a journey. In addition to snowboarding, their culture is fascinating and at the same time different and difficult and sometimes difficult to understand, but their kindness and helpfulness are factors that we Westerners are becoming somewhat unaccustomed to and on a leisure trip can make all the difference.
Can one of you tell me something funny that happened in Japan?
Japan is a unique joke, the people are great but also funny. One year I spent New Year’s Eve with a group of guys at a resort on the outskirts of Nagano, which was very nice and fun, with several drunk and partying Westerners.At midnight the toasts went off and the party seemed to start, but at 12:05 the Japanese started taking everything down, turning off the lights, closing the premises, and leaving. All the people, including the groups of very drunk Europeans, found themselves at ten past midnight with no music, no bar, and forced to retreat given the very cold temperatures… Here, this is to make you understand that for the Japanese there is black or white, nuances do not exist 🙂 🙂
But if I sold the board to buy skis can I still come?
If you sold your board for a pair of skis maybe you need a psychologist and not a trip 🙂
I was hearing about “Camps” what the hell are they?
MF. For us, camps are times to meet new people who want to improve technique in pow pow. Then there are the special snowmobile camps, unique moments that no one in Italy offers, obviously dedicated to snowboarding, with no lines, no stress, but only virgin slopes at one’s disposal.
A reason to choose you over an agency I find randomly on the Internet?
I think 30 years dedicated to the sport is a good starting point, plus the security of booking with a tour operator who has 15 years in the business gives you the confidence to do it with a light heart.
Final reflection. If all the daughters of the mothers whose hearts you broke 20 years ago come, do you have a full Booking for the next 2 winters?
MF. Hopefully, so we can take a dip in memories 🙂
For more info or to contact you?
Oh I forgot do you have a claim?
Forever Snowboard!
