Snowboarding
Mark McMorris: This Is Why I Ride
Injuries didn’t slow him down. Expectations didn’t define him. Mark McMorris rides on his own terms and it’s why he’s still pushing the sport forward.
Mark McMorris isn’t just a name in snowboarding; he’s a force of nature who has helped shape the sport into what it is today. Twelve years after his first Olympic appearance, 25 Winter X Games medals later, and an endless list of other competitions, he’s still at the top of his game and looking to progress as far as his body will take him.
But what drives him isn’t just medals or recognition. It’s the feeling he gets on the board. It’s the pure, unfiltered joy of snowboarding, and it’s never been about living up to anyone else’s expectations for Mark. It’s always been about pushing himself, enjoying the ride, and chasing the possibilities the sport offers.
At 32, with his fourth Olympics looming, he reflects not on the milestones he’s reached, but on the love of snowboarding that started long before the medals, sponsorships, and fame. There’s a rare kind of devotion that sustains a career like his. A devotion to nothing but the act of riding itself. The mountains, the snow, the wind in your face, the push to see what’s possible.
This is why Mark McMorris still rides.
The look of pure joy for Mark McMorris on the mountain
© Lorenz Richard / Red Bull Content Pool
01
Riding on his own terms
For Mark, snowboarding has never been about checking boxes or proving something to the world. From the beginning, it’s been about pure joy for the sport. “I was just infatuated with it, I just wanted to do it all the time,” he says, reflecting on those early years when snowboarding was his escape, his playground, and his obsession all at once.
That infatuation didn’t fade as the stakes got higher, it only evolved. By the time he was stepping into professional competitions, sponsored by the biggest brands in snowboarding, the thrill of progression remained the heartbeat of his career.
Even now, in his 30s, after countless medals, injuries, and a career that spans more than a decade, Mark’s passion hasn’t waned. “Even into my 30s, I’m still loving it and still wanting to push, and about to go to my 4th Olympics. I mean, it’s just been a dream come true. As a little kid, I was like this is all I want to do, and then it became reality, and became even bigger and more successful and special than I could have ever dreamt up, you know?”
As a little kid, I was like this is all I want to do, and then it became reality.
And that's what allows him to ride on his own terms. The external pressures that often weigh on athletes — the expectations from sponsors, fans, or the competitive world — don’t define him. Instead, he’s guided by curiosity, challenge, and the simple joy of being on a board.
On tough days, when frustration and fatigue creep in, Mark reminds himself of the bigger picture: “When it’s frustrating or tough, I just look back and think, ‘Dude, this is all I wanted to do.’ Like, think about how proud and stoked young Mark would be.”
It’s a philosophy that’s carried him through the highs and lows, allowing him to stay centered, motivated, and engaged no matter the circumstances.
Mark McMorris poses for a photoshoot at Mammoth Mountain
© Chris Singer / Red Bull Content Pool
Snowboarding, for Mark, is a multifaceted love story. It’s the rush of landing a trick for the first time, the hours of preparation for a contest, and the quiet moments of carving through fresh powder with friends. “What keeps me doing this,” he explains, “is the want to learn and progress and figure out new things, and chase that feeling of a trick I’ve wanted to land, and then you push through the unknown and you make it happen. It’s like, holy shit, that is the sickest feeling.”
The sport is both work and play, a place where the limits are constantly expanding, and where he can challenge himself the way he wants.
This mindset, with the balance of relentless ambition and pure enjoyment, is what's allowed his career to flourish. It’s why he continues to compete at the highest level, why he continues to chase new tricks, and why he’s still excited for the next ride. Snowboarding is more than a career, more than a game. For Mark, it’s life, and he has refused to compromise the way he rides it.
Watch Mark McMorris, Zeb Powell, and others in Paved on RBTV:
42 min
Paved
Experience the joy as snowboarding’s elite push boundaries and chase podium dreams ahead of the 2026 season.
02
The comeback is always stronger than the setback
If snowboarding is a playground, it’s also a battlefield. And few have faced it with as much grit as he has. Throughout his career, Mark has endured some of the sport’s most brutal injuries: a femur break in 2016, a major backcountry accident that left him with a collapsed lung, jaw, rib, and arm fractures, a ruptured spleen and a pelvic fracture, and too many others to count. Each time, he was forced to confront not just the physical pain, but the mental challenge of imagining himself returning to the sport he loves at the highest level.
“I mean, the mental is just as brutal as the physical, if not more at times,” he reflects. Recovering from a major injury is not just about rehabilitation, it’s about rebuilding confidence, patience, and trust in one’s own body. “As you start to heal physically, your mental starts to heal. Until you come out of a femur operation, or all those operations, it’s really hard to imagine yourself or believe that you could do this at a high level again. But as those months go by, and you work your ass off in the gym and rehab, your mind starts to meet up with your body, and you’re like, ‘Oh, shit, okay, I’m a high-performing athlete again, and I can do this.’”
It’s that resilience that has allowed Mark to return stronger each time. Even after devastating setbacks, he doesn’t just recover, he evolves. He becomes more calculated, smarter, and more appreciative of the sport that demands everything from him.
“I think [resilience] just comes with age and time, and experience,” he says, speaking to the wisdom that has been forged in the fires of injury and competition.
Mark’s approach to pressure has shifted, too. Early in his career, the weight of expectations could have been a burden. But over time, the pressure became something different. It became less about proving himself to the world and more about rising to his own standards.
That’s the ultimate goal: to rise when it matters and ride to my standards, and how I know I can ride.
“Nowadays, it’s more me [being hard] on myself, to ride to the best of my ability, because I know what I’m capable of. That’s the ultimate goal: to rise when it matters and ride to my standards, and how I know I can ride. I don’t feel too much pressure from anyone but really myself nowadays. It’s definitely a little bit different.”
Yet, this overall mindset has continued to carry him through the Olympics, X Games, and other competitions, allowing him to push boundaries even after the biggest challenges. Each comeback has become a statement and a reminder that he can overcome even the toughest obstacles.
Snowboarding has always been about more than medals or recognition for Mark. It’s about proving to himself that the passion, effort, and belief he’s carried since childhood can withstand anything.
Mark McMorris airtime during the Red Bull Performance Camp
© Frederik Kalbermatten / Red Bull Content Pool
Even as he prepares for his fourth Olympics, that drive hasn’t waned. “The longevity play is super motivating for me, and the desire to stay at a high level. And I think it’s just an honour to be able to represent Canada, inspire some of the older athletes, and be inspired by the younger ones. The human body’s amazing. If you take good care of it, it can do some pretty impressive stuff.”
The comebacks aren’t just about overcoming physical obstacles, they’re mental victories, affirming that the sport he loves is bigger than any setback and that determination can create moments of triumph out of even the toughest trials.
Snowboarding has tested him, shaped him, and humbled him.
But it has never broken him.
Get into some more Mark McMorris content
03
Pushing limits and inspiring the next generation
Coming back from injuries isn’t just about proving to himself that he can still compete, it’s also about setting a standard for what’s possible and helping lift others along the way. The same determination that fuelled his comebacks now drives Mark to push the limits of the sport and support the next generation of snowboarders.
“People just push the envelope constantly, and the sport just continues to progress,” he says. “It definitely progresses tenfold in Olympic cycles. It’s really impressive what some people can do on their board, and I’m always motivated and inspired by all the younger kids really pushing the envelope, but they keep me on my toes, that’s for sure.”
I’m always motivated and inspired by all the younger kids really pushing the envelope, but they keep me on my toes, that’s for sure.
Even with decades of experience and countless medals, Mark hasn’t lost the excitement of trying something new. “The want to learn and progress and figure out new things, and chase that feeling of a trick I’ve wanted to do, and then push through that unknown — it’s like, holy shit, that is the sickest feeling,” he explains with a deep sense of gratitude.
That same curiosity and drive is what he encourages in younger riders, both on the Canadian team and through his work with sponsors and training programs. “I definitely help where I can and just kind of be that veteran and be there to talk to. When I think back to when I started traveling with the Burton team, I was with guys who were my heroes. Being able to give back in that way is really special.”
Mark recognizes that mentorship isn’t just about offering advice, but revolves around setting an example, demonstrating professionalism, and sharing a love of the sport that’s infectious. “Kids and people are watching, so lead by example, carry yourself the way you were influenced by people you looked up to,” he says.
His presence in the sport is a constant reminder that longevity and dedication can coexist with creativity and fun, showing the next generation that the sport is as much about joy and expression as it is about competition.
Mark McMorris and the rest of the crew at the Paved premiere
© Cole Giordano / Red Bull Content Pool
By embracing both progression and guidance, Mark ensures that snowboarding continues to evolve while remaining rooted in the core values that first drew him to it: excitement, challenge, and community. Even as he prepares for his fourth Olympics, his role extends beyond personal achievement.
He’s continuing to shape the future of the sport, inspiring others to push boundaries, and proving that the love of snowboarding can endure, no matter the obstacles.
04
Every story has an ending, but not until it’s written
Snowboarding has never been just a career for Mark. It’s a way of life and a passion that continues to shape every part of who he is. Years into a career that has seen him overcome injuries, push technical limits, and compete on the world’s biggest stages, he still approaches the sport with the same curiosity that drew him in as a child.
“I still have the desire to progress and learn, like, even today, I finally stepped up and tried this new trick I’ve been thinking about forever. At 32 years old, learning a new trick is pretty special,” he says. That excitement, that hunger for growth, fuels his daily commitment to the sport.
On top of the passion, Mark’s journey has also been defined by adaptability. The setbacks he faced could have ended many careers, but each obstacle became an opportunity to evolve.
Mark McMorris airtime during the Red Bull Perfomance camp
© Frederik Kalbermatten / Red Bull Content Pool
Recovery was never just physical, it was also mental. “I think there’s tons of teaching moments through every injury, and you learn a lot about yourself, your will, and your resilience,” he reflects.
For Mark the person and Mark the snowboarder, the ride is far from over. Every jump, every trick, and every new challenge is a reminder of why he fell in love with snowboarding in the first place and why he keeps inspiring those who follow in his tracks.
His story is one of passion and curiosity. A true testament to the fact that when you ride for love, the possibilities are endless.
And his story isn’t finished.
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Mark McMorris taking a break and refuelling with Red Bull
© Lorenz Richard / Red Bull Content Pool
