#barbonslope

It was SO nice to get out this week and walk up the ever watchful mountain I can see most days out my window. . Was the riding good? Honestly, no - the snow was absolutely trashed by wind, which made the approach and descent comical and comically difficult. I let out a few (joyful) screams in moments of panic on the descent, wondering if my whole board would dive under the sometimes breakable crust. I pictured an endless, painful tomahawk through an army of sastrugi threading between ice bulges to the valley below. . (Don’t stress, Dad, I stayed on my feet 🫡) . All that aside, walking through the Coast Range and standing on top of that peak looking down at my home was more of a treat I would even know how to ask for. I grew up in New York, moved to the “big mountains” of Vermont for university, and then found myself here in British Columbia humbled to learn that opportunities outside can be a whole lot larger than sessioning a handrail behind Mercy Hall. This place still takes my breath away. . Plus, I just love using crampons. 😂 . #thisplaceismagic #getoutoftownvibe #barbonslope @burton (at Squamish, British Columbia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqdJksnrpIe/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I used to disappear in the woods as a little girl to find a bit of peace away from the chaos of my brothers and family disputes. As an adult, I find myself seeking the outdoors for the same solace. However, I don’t feel like I’m running away from things so much as being called into the peace of the outdoors. In the mountains I feel small, time feels fleeting, and somehow that is incredibly calming. . This trip to Antarctica required a lot of attention - weather could whip quickly, navigating through ice bulges and bottomless holes, being conscious of timing, and making sure the rope remained taut. My head was constantly on a swivel, working to remain present in this vast expanse so far from home. Uncertainties, fatigue, and self doubt danced with awe, joy, and wonder around my head. . However, it all went quiet at the top, finding myself alone and untethered looking down and around this frozen tundra. The return to breath. The return to stillness. No dialogue to hold and no gaze to keep… just me and this pristine, wild expanse. . I’d feel a wave of gratitude wash up over me to find my feet in such a location, with my splitboard, and with the tools and skills built over time to feel safe and secure. I felt both humbled and empowered. I was a long way from my New York roots, and couldn’t help but wonder what that little girl might think about the woman I am becoming now. . Real all about the journey to Antarctica with @iceaxeexpeditions on the @burton blog ((link in bio)). . 📸 @bruhnsphoto . #barbonslope #getoutoftownvibe @burtonsnowboards (at Antarctica) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqYGDnkL8cd/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I said yes to a wild opportunity to head south to Antarctica for a guiding and art adventure with @iceaxeexpeditions. I had some ideas as to what I’d find in this land of mystery and intrigue - penguins, ice bergs, and a whole lot of inclement weather. . What stays with me about this journey beyond the end of the world is a feeling somewhere within awe, gratitude, and wonder. In many ways we were far from where we belonged, and yet there we were… with our split boards. . This tip of the world is stunning, vast, and surreal, and the people I met there were passionate and curious. I learned so much on and from this expedition, and worked to put the experience into words in an article that is now on the @burton blog (link in bio). . I am tremendously grateful to everyone who came together for this journey. Thank you to @burtonsnowboards for supporting my grand ideas and pursuits. Thank you to @iceaxeexpeditions for entrusting me along the journey to celebrate the textures of the experience with your guides and guests. Thank you to @quarkexpeditions for providing smooth sailing (although my stomach didn’t quite make it). Thank you to my crew for making the trek from Canada as far south as you can go (@joel_loverin, @bruhnsphoto, and @erinbruhns). A special shout-out to our comedic tail,guide @thisismaxwhite, for keeping the rope taut and the banter abundant, to @glenpoulsen for connecting me with @icemandoug, who deserves a heart felt thank you for not only this specific opportunity, but for curating adventures far and wide for such a range of people. I hope to cross paths with all of you again soon! . Head to @burton to read all about the adventure and art beyond the end of the world. ((Or link in bio)) . 📸 @bruhnsphoto . #barbonslope #jessagilbertart #getoutoftownvibe @burton @burtonsnowboards @iceaxeexpeditions (at Antarctica) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqTF1qArgt4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Just like the brochure! 👌I recently lined up a few day stretch in the Selkirks with great views and crews. . Thank you @selkirktangiers for having me out for a few high quality high pressure days! What a place to drop from the top! . #getoutoftownvibe #barbonslope @burton @skidagram (at Revelstoke, British Columbia) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp2x4nzr26j/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Alpine Air… taking it in while keeping a keen eye on where the wind whisks the snow, watching for sharks to swim up or recede. A bit like sailing in the way of working to harness an invisible force, made apparent only from its affects on the surface - marks on the snow or the reddening of your face. Plumes swirl and slopes load, the heat of the sun disguised by a cool or warm kiss depending on its initial departure. Change can come quick. . It was a real pleasure to be back in the alpine for all of it this past week - a combination of layer management and zinc. Thank you to everyone I crossed tracks with 🙏 . #jessagilbertart #barbonslope #getoutoftownvibe @burton @skidagram @burtonsnowboards (at British Columbia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpsvLiAvKkH/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Mt Swanzy, British Columbia :: Single Line ((Zoom In)) #getoutoftownvibe . When the alpine is clear, stability is good, and the people are quality… what a day for a walk. . Felt so good to get out in the pass yesterday, especially to see @adventure_hugo transition into the alpine splitboarder the world has been waiting for! . #jessagilbertart #barbonslope @burton @burtonsnowboards (at British Columbia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpiPMWLrhpT/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Hell of an Ender! That’s a wrap for my guiding season at @baldfacelodge! There’s a long list of reasons why this place is so special, but, for me, the people who come through this lodge are the real gold. . Thank you SO much to everyone I crossed tracks with, shared the cat with, and butchered jokes with (to). I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work, play, and grow alongside you. For better or for worse, this place has really shaped me. . See you next year! 🙏 ❤️ . #barbonslope #getoutoftownvibe #whenimnotinthestudio @burtonsnowboards @skidagram Photo 1 @dustinlalikphoto (at Baldface Lodge) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpfeC9fLsRF/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I love how things connect. I am so honoured to have my artwork featured on the back cover for the latest @pleasuremagazin, especially with @jerometanon and @victordelerue on the cover as the two are connected to the same story. Jérôme reached out about working on a poster design for his latest film, Free Rider. He sent over reference photos of these impossible walls in Alaska where he, Victor, and @samanthamatten had spent their spring filming. . He talked about the vertical relief of these walls when standing at their base camp trying to study and dissect this spectacular maze. I loved the concept, and began to work up different designs demonstrating the magnitude of the mountain face. We moved towards a different composition for the poster, but I was transfixed on how to paint that feeling of being small underneath such a giant face. . Out of that conversation and it’s immediate fixation came this painting, titled “The Maze”. . Thank you Jérôme for entrusting me with your film’s poster, and @pleasuremagazin for printing that byproduct as the back cover of issue 166. Also, thanks to @dustinlalikphoto for the interview and photos within the article. Pick yourself up a copy! 🙏 🖤 . #jessagilbertart #barbonslope #printisnotdead @burton (at Alaska) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpNXQcmLgX1/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=