Streetboarding: Hitting the Asphalt

I never would've thought that my next Drift story would be written in my house under a winter storm advisory, staring at several inches of snow on the ground in my backyard. 

Apparently, 2021 decided to show it’s chaotic side right off the bat, blowing an Arctic blast across Austin that resulted in historic snowfall totals. According to UT President Jay Hartzell, this snowfall has been the most substantial since 1937. 

With temperatures consistently in the low twenties dipping into the high teens, most Austinites have done their best to stay out of the cold. But some saw this wintery weather as an opportunity to take part in the winter sports they normally miss out on this time of year in Texas. 

All I had to do over the last few days was take a little walk through UT campus and down to Clark Field or the surrounding neighborhoods of West Campus. Longhorns have been breaking out snowboards, ski gear, and makeshift sleds to make the most of an otherwise inconvenient situation. 

Conditions that you would normally have to cross state lines for, just so happened to get dropped in our own Southern backyard this week. 

The skiers featured in the pictures, led by UT students Connor Burton, Samuel Hendricks and their roommates, as well as the other snowboarders and winter sports enthusiasts among us were more than happy to take advantage of the snow. 

At this point, who needs Breckenridge or the New Mexico slopes when you can snowboard down Duval Street or go sledding through UT campus. 

Even those without real equipment were able to take advantage of the icy hills. Storage container lids, flat cardboard boxes, canoes and even pool inflatables were put to unusual but equally fun use this week. 

With frigid temperatures and snow on Wednesday and Thursday, you can bet that Austin will become the winter sports capital of the south for the foreseeable future. Here’s hoping that we can all stay warm and safe during these chilly days!

Photos by Della Orr-Harter