Having done this before, I convinced myself that nerves were unusual but not unexpected. We were high up. Higher up than any rotary aircraft could take us on this planet. The mountains here were absolutely spectacular, reaching colossal heights. And now for a present to myself on my birthday, I was going to snowboard down it’s highest peak. . .

The voice of the pilot came over the headset in my helmet. “Approaching Altitude. The Spire is up ahead. I’ll give it a flyby if you want to have a look. Its quite a scene.”

I peered out a small port window from the back of the craft and spotted the peak of the mountain. It came to nearly a perfect point of white snow and ice, tall above the natural surface of the planet. The spacecraft we used skirted the horizons of space. The sight alone was enough to give anyone instant permanent vertigo.

But like I had said. . . I have done this before.

“Are you sure about this?” The Pilot asked. “This is insane! I mean you thrill junkies are just asking for a quick death. And you want to go down this beast?”

“I came up here to jump.” I said back into the headset.

“Alright, you crazy son of a B-“ the radio cut out. And then the spacecraft shifted and we turned around to make a wide loop and approach the peak of the Spire.

“I guess I dont care if you die or not.” The pilot continued on. “I got your money.”

A green light switched on in the cabin and the craft’s door began to slide open, revealing whipping thin winds. I checked my suit, and secured my board to my feet. Now was that single moment when one’s heart could stop, and time could cease to exist. Just man verse nature in a primal simple form.

“See you at the bottom.” I said back to the pilot, and then I pushed myself out of the aircraft.

I floated for a minute. Suspended in air. The untouched peak of the mountain underneath my feet. It was dark around me. Above me was the cold dark empty expanse of space, and below me I could see lower hanging thick clouds. It is strange how thoughts randomly occur when you should be focused and in the moment. And in this moment of helpless free-fall, I thought about the snow that covered this mountain, and how it managed to cover the tip, when it rose far above the cloud-line.

The board connected with snow, and I slammed hard into the side of the peak. It was a near straight drop at this point. It was hardest part of the journey down. I tucked myself back to enjoy an even faster ride, kicking up the fresh powder behind me as I went. Back and forth, right and left, I kept my balance on the board with perfect precision. Before I crossed into the cloud blanket, I caught one last look of the spacecraft I had departed as it took another wide loop around the mountain, probably watching my descent.

I caught the lip of a jutting rock and jumped back out into the atmosphere for a moment. I did a trick here, grabbing my board and yelling out a triumphant “wooo!” And then I slammed back down into the rough. This time I was now inside the cloud-cover and visibility was terrible.

I tried to slow myself at another steep embankment, but part of the rock beneath actually gave way! I tumbled in a fall for a second before righting myself and continuing on. Getting into a tumble at this height certainly meant death.

Then like a crack of thunder I felt the ground shake. I looked back to see what every mountain climber feared the most. Avalanche!

It seemed as if the mountain had just shook all of its snow loose. The ground rumbled and above me, snow barreled down towards me. I had but only one option now. Try to outrun it.

I sped up, making my body slim, crouching, doing anything I could to outrace the incoming snow.

Whiteness. Whiteness all around me now. Barreling clouds of it swallowing everything behind me. Glistening crystals of it splitting beneath my board… below. . . The first hint of green.

I hit the tree line fiercely, and darted between the tall pines. I could hear the racing avalanche behind me, snapping the trees like twigs. It was right on my tail now.

The snow began to move all around me. The avalanche had caught up to me. Now I just tried to maintain balance as the entire landscape fell apart around me. It would overtake me soon, there was no escaping this.

I spotted a higher rise on a cliffside that was lined with tall Pines. I slowed my board and hugged the tree. A waist high flow of snow instantly began rushing past me, trying to pull me over the cliffside. I held onto the tree with all of my might, and attempted to dislodge my feet from my board. One… and Two! My feet were freed!

I wasted no time climbing the tree after that, and I prayed that the roots were strong. I made it to an upper branch and rested for a moment there, clinging for my life. Trees to either side of me began to snap and tumble over the cliffside. It was a far drop. Much farther than I had anticipated. Going over would be the end.

The avalanche raged on for a while. It was a low rumble clear across the mountainside. I could just make out the little village below where I had been staying. I wondered if it would swallow up the village.

When all was said and done, the snow had all stopped and I climbed back down onto a new layer of snow. My board was long gone now, and I had to walk my way down the rest of the slope. I did make it back to the village by nightfall, and it had been hit pretty badly by the avalanche.

After warming myself up in the tavern that night and recanting the story to my fellow mountain riders, one of them asked if I would do it again.

“In a heartbeat, I would.” I told him.