The Art of Shralpinism: Lessons from the Mountains

by Jeremy Jones

Overview

2023 National Outdoor Book Award Winner in Outdoor Adventure Guides

2023 Banff Mountain Book Award finalist in Guidebooks

• Includes stories, lists, and prescriptive guidance based on Jones’s experiences as well as those of other wellknown adventurers
• Anecdotal and experiential approach for creating a resilient mountain life
• Features original art by the author
• 1% of all sales of this book benefit Protect Our Winters

Not a technical guide on snowboarding but, rather, a very personal approach to how to think about mountains, snow, and adventure, The Art of Shralpinism reflects the remarkable journey of snowboarding superstar Jeremy Jones. Drawing on the hundreds of journals he has kept over the years, Jones offers intriguing snapshots of time and place that include his own on-the-slope stories and white-out moments, as well as those of other prominent adventurers such as Jimmy Chin, Zahan Billimoria, and Christina Lusti.

Shralpinism is a compendium of lessons hard won: quick tips, sound advice, and impactful stories. Learn which aspects of avalanche training are most crucial to absorb, ways to anticipate slope behavior or recognize clean lines, how to cut a cornice or develop safety protocols, how to build a fitness routine, the art of the turn, and keys to developing terrain and skills progression. Jones discusses the importance of mentors, the necessity and intensity of practice, the nature of risk, and the shape of failure.

But at its heart, The Art of Shralpinism revels in the power of experience, the impact of stoke, and the beauty that underscores all outdoor adventure.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781680513301
Publisher:	Mountaineers Books, The
Publication date:	10/18/2022
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	120,363
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Jeremy Jones is an award-winning snowboarder, the owner of Jones Snowboards, and the founder of Protect Our Winters, a global nonprofit that unites passionate outdoor people to protect the places they love from climate change. The recipient of eleven “Big Mountain Rider of the Year” awards from Snowboarder Magazine and a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, Jones has starred in dozens of snowboard films including his highly acclaimed trilogy, Deeper, Further, and Higher.

Table of Contents

Prologue 9

Intro: Why I Ride 15

Part 1 Wisdom

Chapter 1 Building a Foundation 23

Chapter 2 The Resort and Progression 37

Chapter 3 Mistakes, Goals, Mentors, and Partners 55

Chapter 4 Risk 67

Part 2 Science

Chapter 5 Mountains 95

Chapter 6 Avalanche Safety 135

Chapter 7 Health and Fitness 171

Chapter 8 Gear and Backcountry Travel 197

Part 3 Art

Chapter 9 Life of Glide 223

Chapter 10 Alaska and the Birth of TGR 231

Chapter 11 Raising Shredders 249

Chapter 12 The Mountains Are Changing 259

Outro: Life Focus 275

Acknowledgments 279

Resources 283

Editorial Reviews

Part memoir, part skills guide, part almost motivational, self-help guide, The Art of Shralpinism provides a window into Jones’ evolution as an individual and an athlete. It gives readers the opportunity to learn from his lessons, lifestyle and wisdom.

Backcountry Magazine - Tom Hallberg

In ‘The Art of Shralpanism: Lessons from the Mountains,’ legendary snowboarder Jeremy Jones has created an elegant fusion of memoir, manifesto and mentorship that is required reading for backcountry snow enthusiasts, but should also be given to every high school graduate.

Mount Baker Experience - Meg Olson

The Art of Shralpinism is an insightful read for anyone who enjoys being in the mountains. While written directly for snowboarders (Jeremy Jones himself is a pioneer and luminary in the snowboarding space), skiers, climbers, and even armchair alpinists can learn from and be inspired by the stories, wisdom, and pieces of artwork Jones provides his readers.

The Mazama Bulletin - Ali Gray

Ultimately, this is a book about managing risk, our most important work in the mountains. Jones has thought about this as much as anyone.... Jones begins the book with a quote from Robert Pirsig's 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.' My first impression was to judge this connection a reach. But I'm happy to say that these books belong on the same shelf. And you'll learn at lot more from Jones about how to live safely in the mountains than you will from Pirsig about how to tune your Ducati 900SS.

David Stevensonn Alpine Journal

The Art of Shralpinism is like a handbook for mountain aspirants; there are many nuggets, some literal, some more mystical. Jones also peppers the book with not infrequent comments and advice from a who’s who of the mountain scene.

WildSnow - Jason Albert

Think of the book as part memoir, part manual for best practices in the mountains, part art book, and an ode to finding joy by making turns. Page after page, Jones exudes the glass-half-full ethos.

Totally Deep

Having read this book now, I feel like in 20 years people will be quoting this the way Bruce Lee used to talk about water. His whole section about how the turns he made as a kid at Stowe return to him when he needed to shred an icy face in Nepal…the way he views his entire snowboarding life and every turn meaning something and what he does with it.

BLISTER Podcast - Mike Rogge

[Jones] shares his accumulated wisdom in the new book The Art of Shralpinism: Lessons from the Mountains... “Shralpinism” is a portmanteau of “shredding” and “alpinism,” two pursuits Jones has combined with aplomb.

The Seattle Times - Gregory Scruggs

The Art of Shralpinism serves as a manual for those who learn by experience rather than a classroom. Truly, in essence we must all learn mountain sense in this way.... This is where the book shines. Jones helps elevate the base level of mountain awareness to a point where others after him can learn from the mistakes he and his contemporaries made along their journey, and hopefully empower the next generation of Shralpinists to go further down the road that they have paved.

The Inertia - Steve Andrews

[The Art of Shralpinism] is filled with insights and lessons from Jeremy’s long and storied career in the backcountry. From how Jeremy reads terrain and snow, to the importance of mentors and life lessons, it is all there.

Black Sheep Adventure Sports Snowboarder's Gift Guide

Of special appeal to readers with an interest in snowboarding, mountain climbing, and outdoors exploration, "The Art of Shralpinism: Lessons from the Mountains" is also nicely illustrated by author Jeremy Jones and should be considered a 'must read' for his legions of snowboarding fans.

Midwest Book Review

Equal parts autobiography, epic tale, and guidebook to snowboarding, outdoor adventuring, and survival—a beautifully conceived scrapbook from a masterful athlete, and a love letter to mother nature.

SnowBrains - Jacqui Davis

A tasteful and creative how-to book for splitboarders all premised on the lessons the author has learned over the years.

WildSnow

If you’re an aspiring shralpinist, this is a must-read and if you have an aspiring shralpinist in your life the book would make an excellent gift. For this 30-something splitboard guide, The Art of Shralpinism was a great pre-season read to put myself in the winter state of mind.

The Avalanche Review - Aaron Diamond

You can learn from the superstar himself, as each topic serves as a snapshot from the slopes.

Mountain Weekly News - Brittany Artwohl

While I think it’s fair to assume that Jeremy’s intention was, first and foremost, to lay out more of an ethic or a way of life in this book than to (first and foremost) create some great work of literature that happens to have riding at the center of the story … there are numerous descriptions and passages in The Art of Shralpinism that hold up to the descriptions and passages of the writing of John Krakauer, Christopher McDougall, and even (dare I say it?) one of my all-time favorite authors — someone who, in his own way, was every bit as passionate about wild places and the outdoors — Henry David Thoreau.

BLISTER - Jonathan Ellsworth

Drawn from decades of journal entries and years of experience, the book is full of stories and tangible tips about how to live and travel well in the backcountry, which we could all use as we think about our personal futures on snow.

Outside - Heather Hansman