"His knowledge is so deep that it's hard to know what to ask him next"
When I first met Brian at my house in Truckee, California, he showed up with the newly pressed snowboard he had made in his shed. I was curious to compare it to my shiny new Burton. It didn't take long to realize his board was just as sturdy, maneuverable and even a bit lighter than my expensive new board. Needless to say, I was impressed. When I mentioned the weight, he explained that this was his fourth attempt; the first one he made was too heavy which was okay, he said, because its message was the important thing. The base graphic said "Marry Me" and he gave it to his girlfriend Kirsten, now his wife.
When he first came to visit, Brian was working with the mechanical engineering staff of the University of Washington Physics Department on the Supercolliding Superconductor. In his free time he designed, built, and tested mountain boards, snowboards, furniture, roof racks, etc. and windsurfed whenever he could. The day before we met up with Brian he was windsurfing off Vashon Island, Washington, where he now lives and works for K2 Snowboards as a Boot Binding Scientist. Sure all the locals came out for the first freshies at Alpental, Washington. The strange part was how everyone seemed to know Brian; he is so unassuming that you wouldn't think anyone would recognize him. Not the case. I couldn't get a couple words in before someone was yelling his name and hugging him. Not a lift line went by where Brian wasn't accosted by an admirer. He had people showing him their own step-in designs, asking about the best windsurfing boards, how's Korea and even complimenting his thesis on human-powered submarine designs. This one even Brian couldn't believe. This guy in the lift line had not only read Brian's Masters Thesis, but said it was the best one written and wanted specific mathematical equations about the hull design. Brian's ability to talk engineering in one sentence and windsurfing in the next, all while standing in a lift line to snowboard, is unmatched. His knowledge is so deep that it's hard to know what to ask him next.
His stories are just as intriguing. He told of a day boarding Buttermilk, Colorado with K2 pro Athena and how he didn't know the mountain so he let her lead. Lead she did. She had Brain charging hard just to keep up and the next thing he knew he had followed her over a 25 foot rock drop. He said he couldn't believe she just hit it — without any indication of the impending launch. By the time he realized she had disappeared, he was airborne, gasping at his unprepared airtime. He told stories of Korean engineers who don't stand or sit, but enjoy squatting, and of windsurfing nuclear winds in the Columbia River Gorge where he spends a lot of his summertime. Our favorite was Brian's tale of his first ascent of Mt. Adams. He had forgotten his shades, but was determined to make the summit. Brian made the hike, as well as the descent, but on his way down discovered that his squinting was turning into just plain stinging blindness. His sight continued to deteriorate while he drove back to Seattle and by 3am he was so blind he drove himself to the hospital by memory alone. They hooked him up with some eye drops and advice to keep his shades around when surrounded by snow.
Brian's riding ability isn't what you might expect from an engineer either. Not only do you have to keep an eye on him at all times, but he's as smooth as butter. He'll be talking about this great line one minute and hitting mach 3 off in the distance the next. When we met up with Brian again on a frozen day at Crystal Mountain, he was, as usual, wearing his eternal optimism cap. While we told stories of being stung by the ice and boilerplate conditions, Brian told of powder and hiking the ridgeline. Unsure of Brian's words, but convinced by his constant smile, we followed him on a long, treacherous traverse. Sure enough, Brian was right. He had found powder! He led us down the sketchy path through unknown and unnamed trees to the powder stashes only Brian can find. This sums up an encounter with Brian Dennis. Enlightening. Even in the harshest conditions, Brian is charging to catch the last chair. His ability to bring out the best in everyone while making them feel right at home gives a sense of closeness to him, even after only a brief encounter. Today, Brian can be found traveling the globe in search of the best way to attach feet to a snowboard. The developments Brian has made to the Clicker System have almost completely solved the clogging problems of the past. His boot design is unparalleled and pure genius. He's also made a step-in system for Mountain Sports Research's snowshoes and is continuing to study old school strap-ins. He thinks Clickers have come a long way, but also thinks strap-in set-ups will be around for a long time.
If you ever see him on the slopes, make sure you ask him that question you've been saving for the Swami. Chances are he'll have the answer. -- Hans Prosl, Mountain Zone Staff [back to Boarding] or [Mountain Zone Home]