Izzy Lazarus

Izzy grew up in the heart of NYC, but it wasn’t long after she moved to Vermont for college, that Izzy fell in love with the mountains and left the hustle and bustle of the city behind. She embarked on all kinds of mountain adventures from hiking and ice climbing, to snowboarding and then splitboarding. Her years spent in the northeast were foundational for developing herself as a climber, rider and instructor. After college, Izzy’s road led west to Colorado where she began to chase the snow and ice in the bigger mountains. Splitboarding quickly became the focal point of her winter and spring adventures, and has led her to some pretty astonishing places.
In 2015, Izzy began her AMGA education, in order to work towards her full IFMGA certification. Izzy is currently an Aspirant Rock Guide and Apprentice Alpine and Snowboard Guide. She has spent the last several years guiding and teaching rock climbing, mountaineering and backcountry snowboarding in Colorado, California, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, as well as in Peru and Ecuador. Calling her a world traveler may be an understatement!
Izzy now calls Jackson, WY home, where she guides for Jackson Hole Mountain Guides full time. She also teaches Split 101 courses , as well as womens specific courses . She is stoked on the access to the endless powder days and technical lines that the Tetons have to offer. Izzy’s true passion to educate and spread the stoke on riding and climbing in the mountains safely, efficiently and with a good attitude. It’s that kind of selfless attitude that makes Izzy such a wonderful addition to our little family here at Phantom.
Favorite Line : Fallopian Tube, Mount Woodring
Favorite Fruit : Pineapple
Favorite Quote: Let the beauty you love be what you do.
Instagram: @IzzyLazarus

Q & A with Izzy Lazarus:

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: New York, NY USA

Q: What was childhood like?

A: I grew up in New . As a kid, my life revolved around ice hockey. In high school, I learned how to longboard and that quickly became the focus of my attention. Weaving through city streets, pushing my board across miles of pavement, and hanging with a really rad group of people. It was addictive for me. When I started snowboarding at age 19, I really wanted to bring my skate style to snow. It has taken about ten years of riding to feel like thats finally the case! Now, I love everything from sessioning a single turn to riding off summits.

Q: What do you remember about your first day Splitboarding?

A: My memory of my first day splitboarding was just trying to skin up this 10’ icy knoll. I think I spent twenty minutes sliding up and down the thing before I finally just took the boards off and walked up it. It is a funny memory at this point. The reward for all that frustration was the silent powder turns we found on the other side of the mountain. 

Q: Tell me about a day in the mountains or a trip that you’re proud of.

A: I am really proud of all the times I turned around from a mountain objective. There is too much at risk to have ego about finishing a climb, reaching a summit, or riding a line and I have learned the most from the adventures that weren’t “successful”. The biggest success is getting home to the people you love and making decisions that let you ride another day. I used to get angry about turning around, like it meant I was less or something but now I am pretty stoked when that call is made. 

Q: What drew you to the phantom set up?

A: I began splitboarding because I wanted to climb mountains and snowboard down them. I was drawn to more technical lines that requires crampons and ice axe or were quite remote. The phantom set up came into my life and fit right in.  It has been such a significant part of my progression into the mountains and allowed me to reach and ride some wild places.

 

 

Q: What is your stance and how has it progressed since making the switch?

A: I usually ride with a 20" stance width, + 15 / - 6 

I am love my Cardiff splits (Crane and Powgoda ) and ride the phantom set up on both of them.  My stance is more directional on my phantom set up than my resort boards because I am riding switch a whole lot less. I think riding a little bit more narrow stance is helpful since the range of motion is slightly less than soft boots.
 

Q: Any tips and tricks with the Phantom set up?

A: I like to put some bright colored nail polish on my right binding. It helps prevent me from accidentally putting it on the wrong side of my board.

Q: What do you appreciate the most about the mountains?

A: The mountains were not always a part of my life. It has been a wild 10 years of learning, adapting and respecting these places that have shaped, created and taken lives. As much as I love a bluebird day that is objectively beautiful, I love storms. There is something so powerful about being in the mountains, seeing lightning crash, hearing thunder echo against towering walls of stone, watching the snow bury the world as we know it. It is raw and unlike anything humans could ever create.

 

Q: What does life balance look like to you?

A: Ah balance, that elusive feeling that we all seem to desire! Scales don’t stay balanced, they tip back and forth. That is something I have tried to remember. Sometimes I work too much, so I try to balance that out with days off. If I can remember the last time I had a day to do nothing at all, that is usually a good sign. It is important for me to spend time in the mountains for myself,  but it is more important that I am getting quality time with my partner, our dogs and close friends. My other marker for balance is food. I love baking and can tell that life is moving a little too fast when I haven’t been baking.  

Q: Tell us about a mentor you've had in your life

A:  My friend Michael is one of the most significant mentors in my life. He is always there to answer questions, about life or the mountains. The mentorship feels organic, flows both ways and doesn’t feel like a chore to maintain.
 

Q: Favorite song?

A: That is so hard to choose! I always have music playing, usually on shuffle. The song that is getting me fired up right now is “the toys go winding down” by Primus. 

Q: What’s something you’d like to tell someone just getting into Splitboarding?

A: Start slow, start small. There is a lot to take in. 

Photo 1 : David Katz

Photos 2 & 4 :  Izzy Lidsy

Photo 3: Rebecca Yaguda

Photo 5: OutWest JH