I am a Splitboarder | INDIE ALASKA

Alaska Public Media | By Valerie Lake

Published April 10, 2019 at 6:54 PM AKDT

Mikey Cuadrado has been snowboarding for more than a decade, but for the last seven years he's fallen in love with the unique sport of splitboarding. When he couldn't fight his feelings for splitboarding any longer, he decided to leave his home in Indiana and move to Alaska to conquer the rugged mountains of the Last Frontier.

He now shapes his winters completely around splitboarding, even going as far as working night-time bartending jobs so his days are free to spend in the mountains.

Story by: Valerie Kern
Video by: Valerie Kern and Joey Mendolia
Additional GoPro Footage provided by: Mikey Cuadrado, Casey Grove, Marty Franz and Nick Schwartz
Drone Footage by: Valerie Kern
Music by: FirstCom Music

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Valerie Lake

Originally from the Central Coast of California, Valerie joined Alaska Public Media in July 2017. She creates original video content for the station's TV and digital platforms while also overseeing the Production Department. Before moving to Alaska, Valerie worked as an ENG Editor at WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also served in the U.S. Air Force as a TV and Radio Broadcast Journalist where she traveled around Europe, Africa, The Baltics, Australia, and the Southern United States reporting on military events, exercises, and missions. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, backcountry skiing, backpacking, yoga, and traveling.

See stories by Valerie Lake