Crystal Mountain Snowboarding- a Great Father and Son Experience

No stress, except for trying to keep up with the little guy who just wants to conquer the world. Like father, like son!

Eric and Evan at Crystal Mountain

(CRYSTAL MOUNTAINS, Wash.) - I have been a surfer for over 42 years and my son Evan who is now 11, never caught on to the one love of my life. Instead, he chose to be a skater dude and he is a pretty good one at that.

However, we moved to Washington from California a little over a year ago and his skating time has been declining due to poor weather and logistics of indoor parks.

So last season I decided I was going to start snowboarding and get Evan involved with me. I knew he would be a natural and this would give him another avenue of pleasure and challenge.

It was the best thing I have ever done for us as father and son.

Imagine, we get to spend the entire day together, pushing each other to become better as we are flying down those powder filled slopes.

The funniest thing happened during our recent trip to Crystal Mountain, we both hit a 3' powder pack and did not know what to do with it. We basically got stuck and had to dig ourselves out. Needless to say, we'll be keeping our speed up when that opportunity presents itself again.

What I enjoy the most, is being on the chair lift with my son and just listening to him share his thoughts as I share mine with him. Then the visual beauty of the mountain, the whispering clouds and snow filled slopes.

There is really no other great feeling like it and unless you have experienced it, you will never be able to fully appreciate it and understand it.

My days on the slopes are always with my son, and it is a sport that will keep us bonded forever.

My biggest fear is that one day soon he will have to cut me loose and start taking on the black diamond runs and back country without his old man.

No stress, except for trying to keep up with the little guy who just wants to conquer the world. Like father, like son!

- Eric Akiskalian Billabong XXL Biggest Wave Award Nominee for 2011

Big wave Surfer Eric Akiskalian of Camarillo, California, travels the world in search of the perfect wave; the biggest waves, in the world. Last October in Oregon, during the Nelscott Reef Tow-In Classic that is held each year in Oregon, Eric and his tow-in partner Keith Galbraith, were towsurfing giant waves at South Reef, and they caught one of the biggest waves ever ridden along Oregon’s coast. This ride, videotaped by Salem-News.com's Tim King, ultimately, was entered in the Ride of the Year Category for The 10th Annual Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards.