Launching Point
An interview with Emma Crosby about Pyramid Gap
Interview by Desiree Melancon
From the moment we are born, life becomes a series of firsts that hold significance throughout our lives. We celebrate the basic firsts, such as breaths, steps, and words. As we age, firsts evolve into formative moments, such as our first friendship, first love, first job, or, more relevant here, our first time exposed to snowboarding. Firsts have an immense impact in snowboarding culture, from seeing our first snowboard film to riding our first street spot or powder jump. Established and aspiring pros celebrate firsts when achieving the profound by doing something that someone hasn't done yet. This can be accomplished by creating a trick, founding a new spot, or progressing upon first moments that have already been established. The firsts in the history of snowboarding have influenced the evolution of our sport, serving as a launching point that transforms potential into reality.
With some discourse surrounding the history, it is considered that Lucas Huffman was the first snowboarder to land Pyramid Gap in 2000, referenceable in the Kingpin Productions film The Revival. To play into the gender binary, Emma Crosby is the first woman to complete Pyramid Gap 23 years later. After a long winter of filming, injuries, and a focus on the project "Dorothy," Crosby walks us through her experience and the emotional aftermath of bridging the gap.
Why Pyramid?
I'm not sure. I wanted to try to do a couple of things this year, but with being hurt and everything, the last thing that was maybe lining up was Pyramid. I don't think it was my sole focus, but if it made sense and felt right, it was something I wanted to try.
Walk us through how it went?
We built for four days. On the fifth day, we showed up ready to hit it, but the landing had melted. That should have been a sign to hold off this year, but I think at that time, everyone was still feeling pretty invested in it. We threw blocks in the landing, full street spot style, and then started snowboarding. It was me, Sam Taxwood, Nils Mindich, Grant Giller, and Parker Duke. I waited until each of them hit it a few times before I ended up dropping in.
I mean, the session started with Nils taking a pretty brutal slam. I noticed the landing and runout might have dictated how the rest of the day went?
That was a bummer. Our poor guinea pig… And, yeah, it wasn't super ideal. With the imported snow for the landing and the snow changing after it was hit a few times, it ended up being a bumpy hell ride.
WATCH EMMA'S FOOTAGE FROM LAST YEAR IN DOROTHY: