As I'm at work looking up weather for my second volcano trip of the spring, I get a nagging feeling to text Dr. Jeff Steele, a philosophy professor at Santa Clara University and an OG splitboarding beast. I met Dr. Steele through fellow Into the Wild member, Dylan Stegman, at SCU, when Dylan and I were first discovering splitboarding. The stoke, skill and experience that Dr. Steele brings to the backcountry is immeasurable.

Jeff gives me a call back - not only is he already heading up to Lassen, he's doing so with another younger current member of ITW, Andre Brisk... the legendary collaboration continues!

I immediately leave work (following an email declaring a vague emergency that needs my attention!), hastily throw my gear in the car and I'm on my way. 

I quickly tour up to meet them at their camp at the base of Lassen Peak, snapping some sunrise pics and quickly exploring the boiling sulfur works on my way up.

After a quick meetup, the boot begins! I'd like to blame my speed on my knee I had injured the week before and my approach earlier in the morning, but beer and chairlifts all winter have not been kind to me. Meanwhile, Jeff and Andre completely kill it, and Jeff rips a quick lap while I join them.

Lets get this show on the road! Time to enjoy 2000 feet of volcanic, baby-butt smooth, fall-line corn with a perfect rip-able pitch.

Andre skis the south-east face first, perfectly turning down the face.

I watch, mouth watering at the perfect spring snow before its my turn. Time to send!

Dr Steele's up last to show ITW how to properly harvest some spring volcanic corn.

We bust out a quick traverse over to the face above their camp for some more incredible corn.

After packing up camp, we head up towards pilot pinnacle, a quick ascent that Dr. Steele leads us up for a long 1000 ft+ descent straight to the car.

The entire time, Dr. Steele points out all the great faces and bowls that surround us, detailing how best to ride them.

We skin up in perfect conditions - the snow stays just firm enough to not be sloppy mashed potatoes, and our excitement grows knowing we're about to score another perfect condition descent straight to the car where our parking lot beer awaits!

We reach the ridge, and strap in - stoke replacing our weariness.

A quick an easy "schwack" that doesn't even qualify because the snow is so damn nice leads us back to the car.

We score some last bit of perfect late day corn

Back to the car at 4:00 pm after a 6:00 am start with 4500 ft of vert and 12.5 miles. 

Incredible time on Lassen as always. It's a spring corn aficionados paradise, and I eagerly await the next opportunity to go! Words cannot describe how stoked I am to see ITW members still being introduced to the bliss of volcano back-country skiing by the one and only Dr. Jeff Steele. It's a privilege to have someone with his knowledge and expertise so stoked to bring out beginners and show them the ropes. 

- Matthew Davenport