Russell had a chance to catch up with one of snowboarding's leaders in backcountry exploration, Xavier de le Rue. Here's their conversation: Xavier, what an honor it is to be talking with you! Your riding is downright innovative and inspiring. You have defined a whole new discipline within snowboarding itself: Fast, fluid, technical and explosive descents on large-scale mountaineering lines. What role would you say the splitboard has played in your creativity as a snowboarder? I think that having the option of accessing everything in the mounatins I want is a priceless opportunity that would never be possible without a