Whitefish mourns loss of snowboarding phenom

Condolences poured out over Facebook and other social media sites Tuesday as the global snowboarding community learned it had lost one of its own when the death of snowboarding champion Aaron Robinson came to light.

In Whitefish, where Robinson grew up, there was shock and sadness for a life gone too soon.

Robinson, 24, a two-time winner of The North Face Masters of Snowboarding, died in the backcountry of Chile on Tuesday when he fell and hit his head on exposed rocks.

He was riding in the popular backcountry area known as Santa Teresita, adjacent to the El Colorado ski area. According to ESPN, the area is accessible via one of the resort’s lifts and delivers skiers to the resort’s access road, where “a quick thumb or a spotted car provides return to the ski area.”

Robinson was a team rider for K2 Snowboarding, Volcom and Airblaster, and had spent time riding in Chile over the last couple of summers. He had planned to stay down there through August filming and shooting with K2, according to Transworld Snowboarding Magazine.

Robinson had arrived in Chile earlier this week and was riding with Blake Paul, filming for FunBlock Films, when he fell forward and hit a rock, Transworld reported.

Word had started to spread earlier in the day suggesting that Robinson had been caught in an avalanche, but Transworld said it confirmed the fatal fall through a source with Blake Paul’s parents, who had spoken to their son earlier that day.

Transworld said Robinson was “endowed with enviable powder-hunting skills that always had him in the deep.”

Whitefish residents remember Robinson as a spunky, joyful, fun-loving kid who was absolutely fearless when it came to snowboarding and skateboarding.

“He was an epic kid,” said Scot Ferda, Robinson’s Whitefish Middle School physical education teacher.

“They come around once in a generation. The kid just lived on the edge. He was living his dream, and I don’t think he’d have any regrets.”

Aaron was the middle son of Pam and Jeff Robinson. His older brother Jason and little brother Sean also are gifted athletes, Ferda noted.

“They were rambunctious, respectful boys,” he recalled, adding that as a P.E. teacher, he delighted in their exuberance during class. “They were all in, all the time.”

Kelly Talsma, who was a counselor at Muldown Elementary School when Aaron was a student there, said the Robinsons are a close-knit family.

“I remember in second grade, Pam coming in [to school] and having breakfast with Aaron every day,” Talsma recalled. “Everybody knew Aaron and his brothers. And everyone knows Pam. You say their names and you smile.”

Pam Robinson pushed for 10 years to get a skateboard park built in Whitefish so her three boys would have a place to hone their skills. The triumph came in 2005 when the David Olseth Memorial Skatepark finally became a reality.

Aaron was the kind of athlete who couldn’t be contained or restrained. He was a trailblazer on the slopes both literally and figuratively.

Whitefish Mountain Resort Events Manager Josh Knight said Aaron played an instrumental role in elevating the level of competitiveness and the success of the annual Nate Chute Hawaiian Classic, an event he’d participated in for several years.

“This is a tragic accident and loss for the resort as well as the community,” said Dan Graves, president of Whitefish Mountain Resort. “Our prayers are with the family.”

Graves said Robinson “will be remembered for his positive, upbeat approach to snowboarding and life in general.”

Many of Robinson’s friends wrote their goodbyes and condolences to the family on snowboarding websites.

One fellow boarder said Robinson “was the most genuine person I have ever met and truly took joy and pleasure in absolutely every moment of every day. He was always enthusiastic, inspired and motivated.

“He will inspire absolutely every person that sees him ride and will be greatly missed by all. He left a huge impression on me and will always live on in my memories.”

Pat Bridges, editor of Snowboarder Magazine, lauded Robinson’s accomplishments.

“Aaron was a vibrant part of the fabric of our sport,” Bridges wrote. “ A-Rob’s love for the alpine in all forms was pure and infectious. His dynamic skills shined from inside the park to beyond the piste. Aaron lived for riding and adventure and the relationships they presented.

“From the time I spent with A-Rob since first meeting him a few seasons back I can find some solace in knowing that he was on another journey and strapped in when his time came, albeit much too soon.”

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.