SNOWBOARDER
JIM ZELLERS
TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA

One of big mountain snowboarding’s pioneers, Jim Zellers has been there from beginning—establishing the sport in Tahoe after being banished to Slide Mountain and Donner Ski Ranch, exploring Alaska in the early days and leading snowboarding mountaineering expeditions around the world. Jim’s first snowboard descents include Mt. McKinley. Nepal's Pumori, New Zealand's Mt. Cook, Africa's Mt. Kenya, and, Yosemite’s Half Dome.

Jim grew up in Cupertino, California, making trips to Tahoe through his childhood (and first sliding sideways on a $49.95 bindingless Tom Sims Ski Board in 1978) until he eventually moved to Truckee at age 18. While attending the University of Nevada, Reno, Jim started rock climbing and soon combined it with his passion for snowboarding to venture deeper into the Range of Light and beyond. Jim has supported himself as a construction worker, a furniture maker, a commercial stuntman, a pro snowboarder and now as the founder of High Camp, an internal branding and culture building company. 

A TNF athlete since 1988, Jim still believes his backyard is the future of exploration. While many seek remote locations from home, Jim knows the Sierra hold enough adventure for a lifetime. Accomplishments. He designed and built his home with his wife Bonnie, a former TNF athlete, and raised two boys who are now off to college. 

Accomplishments

• First snowboard descents of: Mt. McKinley, Pumori, Mt. Cook, Mt. Kenya, Half Dome
• Founder of founder of High Camp, an internal branding and culture building company