AG: Tell me your name and a little about where you’re from

LW: Lauren and I’m from St. Louis, Missouri. I rode Hidden Valley (in St. Louis) for 6 years before moving to Colorado. Its small but I got mad love for Hidden Valley!  Hidden Valley is all fake snow and rails.

Pic by Justin Tibbs

AG: Some people might not know you’re deaf, can you tell us how that plays into your riding and daily life?

LW:  It’s hard sometimes.  Everyone says their best days snowboarding are with their friends, but for me, that can also be one of the hardest days.  It’s easy for everyone to forget that I am deaf (probably because I can talk) and everyone just talks and assumes I’m tuning into the conversations.  Not true, I’m most likely thinking about unicorns and bacon since I have no idea what everyone is saying.   Another thing that’s particularly frustrating is sometimes all of us are getting into a routine (like lapping a park or doing the same fun run again and again) and all of a sudden, everyone goes another way while I still do what we were doing.  It’s kinda funny, that’s when it hits my friends and they go, “Ohhh!!  We forgot!!!!”  Other than that, I like being deaf especially on a powder day.  It’s just really peaceful and makes me think I’m the only one there.  It’s pretty fantastic when you’re just floating and totally tune out.  As for daily life, it’s not as hard because I wear my cochlear implant (it makes me hear!) but I still cannot hear perfect.  I still need to read lips to understand someone.  I don’t wear it snowboarding because it’s not waterproof and it falls off too easily.

AG: So I know you like rails and park crap but do you have any interest in Powder?

LW:  Oh yeah!!!!!  We had no powder at Hidden Valley, natural snowfall was very rare.  We didn’t even have tree runs, it was just mud in the trees.  Ever since I moved out here, I’ve become addicted to it.  I’d love to get a lot better at riding powder.  I already dropped some cliffs and cornices thanks to you, and it is so much fun.  Nothing like it!

Pic by Kiet Miller

AG: Who is supporting you besides 720 boardshop?

LW:  I am very grateful to have AblePlanet, Roxy, and Holden support me.

Pic by Kiet Miller

AG: Who are your influences in snowboarding and tell us who about your crew you ride with

LW:  I don’t really have any influences, I guess… I just go out and do whatever.  I don’t even watch much snowboard videos.  However, I dig that karate kick you do when you ollie, I wanna try that sometime.  My crew I ride with are some of my good friends who like to just chill and enjoy snowboarding.

AG: I know you have 3 dogs, is that kind of like being a crazy cat lady but only with dogs?

LW:  Hahahaha… those are YOUR dogs!!!!  You already had the husky and the beagle, and wanted my mom’s english bulldog!  I had nothing to do with it

AG: I know competing is a big part of snowboarding when you’re trying to make a name for yourself but you seem to enjoy it, tell us why you like competitions

LW:  Who the heck told you I like competitions?!  I really don’t like them at all, it’s pretty stressful because I have NO idea what’s going on and sometimes the other competitors take advantage of that and won’t tell me what’s up.  Thanks.  However, one thing I DO like is that competitions make me step up my game and I try new things I’ve never tried before.  Oh, and most of the times, there’s photographers there and sometimes I get sweet shots!!

Pic by Kenneth Hoglund

AG: On that same note what is it exactly you hope to gain from snowboarding?

LW:  I’m just snowboarding because I love it so much, it’s why I moved to Colorado in the first place!  I had no agenda when I came out here, I just wanted to snowboard and all of these things just started falling into place.

Pic by Shannon Johnson

AG: Do you have any funny stories about any of the 720 crew you’d like to share with us?

LW:  Heh, yeah.  Lakota threw up on my couch once.  I actually had a sheet over that couch, that was what he threw up on then he grabbed the sheet and threw it in the river in my backyard.  He forgot to wash out the stain that seeped through the sheet and I found out what happened.  I wouldn’t let him back in unless he got Febreeze, and he got extra strength… perfect.  I plan to burn the couch eventually, we should have a bonfire.

AG: So your ride or die homie and 720 teammate Jessi Huege and yourself watch alot of Jersey Shore and we all call her J WOWW, does that make you Snookie?

LW:  No, I’m not short enough.  She’s like, 4′9 and I’m 5′2!  Plus, this didn’t happen to me:

Pow!  Right in the kisser!!

AG: Any last words?

LW:  Thanks for interviewing me, it was fun!  Go snowboarding, everyone!!!!!!  And remember, I can’t hear you… so throw a snowball or something if you see me!

Pic by Shannon Johnson

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