Snowboarder Tess Carney on South face of the Tindfjöll Glacier in Iceland.  Photo: Shane Orchard

Snowboarder Tess Carney on South face of the Tindfjöll Glacier in Iceland. Photo: Shane Orchard

Mission Statment:

To snowboard and document as many glaciated places as humanly possible. Exploring areas where few people have gone is important in a world that is constantly changing.

Motivations:

It is the journey that inspires me.  Getting to the top of a peak is challenging work and it takes constant attention to do it safely.  Route finding and taking careful notice of my surroundings surpasses real and mental obstacles.

I love showcasing my photographs and video from these adventures.  Sharing the subtle nuances of climbing and snowboarding a distant line is very fulfilling.



Rider: Tess Carney Warrior Peak , New Zealand  Photo by Shane Orchard featured on the inside cover of The New Zealand Alpine Journal

Rider: Tess Carney Warrior Peak , New Zealand Photo by Shane Orchard featured on the inside cover of The New Zealand Alpine Journal

Published Articles:

2015

 A Chink in the  Armoury Range New Zealand Alpine Journal 

2014

The Long Way Home Frequency - The Snowboarders Journal By Tess Carney

Tess Carney and Shane Orchard - Blue Collar Pros  Teton Gravity Research

Last Descents  Jackson Hole Guide

Carney Takes On WindsPinedale Roundup 

2013

Powder Fever  New Zealand Climber Magazine by Tess Carney

2012

Wilderness Riders New Zealand Snowboard Journal, by Shane Orchard

Crouching Tigers, Hidden Monkeys  by Tess Carney,  New Zealand Alpine Journal  

2010  

The Chugach New Zealand Alpine Journal by Shane Orchard


Competition Results

Through competition, I hoped to inspire women to ride more technical lines, meet other freeriders and have a blast. The results from the FWQ, which are qualifiers for FWT events, are as follows:

2016:

1st : North Face Frontiers, Remarkables , New Zealand

2014:

2nd K2 Big Mountain, New Zealand

2nd Black Diamond, New Zealand

4th Crested Butte, Colorado

2013:

1st K2 Big Mountain, New Zealand (Venture Splitboard)

2nd Black Diamond, New Zealand (Venture Splitboard)

3rd Taos, New Mexico 3rd Winter Park, Colorado

Snowboarder Tess Carney in the "waterfall section"  in the North Face Frontiers NZ. Photo : Tim Hillsamer

Snowboarder Tess Carney in the "waterfall section" in the North Face Frontiers NZ. Photo : Tim Hillsamer

Climbing Log:

Iceland 2016

Eyjafjöll Glacier:

West peak 

East peak  (rarely snowboarded or skied) Photos

Tindfjöll Glacier:

South face

Hekla Glacier :

North face

Hvannadalshnúkur glacier:

East-West Traverse   

Skaftafellsjökull and Morsárjökull Glaciers:

traverse (last descent) Photos

Dyrfjöll:

North face Photos

Sveinstindur öræfajökull:

(Second descent after an accidental snow bike descent)

Photos

This is Tess Carney and Shane Orchard's route on Sveinstindur öræfajökull

This is Tess Carney and Shane Orchard's route on Sveinstindur öræfajökull

2015 USA

Valdez, Alaska:

The Books

Marshall Glacier

Cleave Glacier Photos

Snowboarder Tess Carney on a peak in Valdez, Alaska  Photo : Greg Staford

Snowboarder Tess Carney on a peak in Valdez, Alaska Photo : Greg Staford

2015 New Zealand

Spenser Mountains:

Faerie Queen Peak: South and East Faces  

Photos

Hucksley  Range:

Jackson Peak: East Face (first snowboard descent) 

Armory Range:

Outlaw Peak: North Face (first descent)

The Warrior: North Couloir (first descent)

Photos

Arthurs Pass

Mt Rolleston Samson's Couloir,

Mt Armstrong: South Couloir (first snowboard descent) 

Photos


Mountaineer Tess Carney,  north west face of The Warrior, New Zealand Photo by Shane Orchard.  Photo featured in the New Zealand Alpine Journal.

Mountaineer Tess Carney, north west face of The Warrior, New Zealand Photo by Shane Orchard. Photo featured in the New Zealand Alpine Journal.

USA 2014

Bear Tooth Range:

Granite Peak

Wolverine Peak


Wind River Mountains:

12-day traverse of the Wind  River Mountains from Elk Hart Park to  Green River lakes, with descents of the following peaks:

- Fremont Peak: Five Finger Couloir

- Harrower Peak: West Couloirs

- Mt Helen: West Couloir

- Woodrow Wilson: South Facing Gun Barrels

- Gannett Peak: North Face

(Likey I am first women to snowboard all of these! )

 Photos


Tetons:

 The Splinter

Tess with Freemont peak and Jackson peak in the background

Tess with Freemont peak and Jackson peak in the background

New Zealand  2014


Butler Range:

Mt Petermann,  

Mckinnon Peak (first descents) 

Photos, and Map


Salisbury Glacier:

Spa Glacier, 

St Mildred Peak: South Face

Photos 

Tess ridding down the east couloir  of Eyjafjöll Glacier

Tess ridding down the east couloir of Eyjafjöll Glacier

New Zealand 2013


Sibbald Range:

D'Archciac: Southeast Couloir (first descent)

Map and Photos


Black Range:

Mt Greenlaw, 

Cow Peak ,

Mt Gizeh, (all first descents)

Map and Photos


Rolleston Range:

Mt Williams: South Face (first/last descent)

Photos and Map


Rider: Tess Carney in the lower chute of Mt Greenlaw, New Zealand<br />
Photo by Shane Orchard

Rider: Tess Carney in the lower chute of Mt Greenlaw, New Zealand
Photo by Shane Orchard

New Zealand 2011


Arthurs Pass:

Mt Franklin: East Face (first descent)


The Garden of Eden:

Mt Kensington,

Mt Hulka,

Mt Farrar,

Newton Peak

(Story in NZ Snowboarder) Map and Photos

Splitboarding in the Garden of Eden, New Zealand  <br />
Photo: Tess Carney

Splitboarding in the Garden of Eden, New Zealand
Photo: Tess Carney

New Zealand 2010


Tasmen Glacier:

Mt Walter (first female snowboard descent)  

Mt Mannering: Northwest Face (first snowboard descent)


Murchison Glacier :

Mt Acland: West Face (first snowboard descent, and mentioned in NZ Snowboarder Magazine)

Alymer Peak: South Face (first female descent) 

Photos and  Map





Snowboard Mountaineers Tess Carney and Ben Pritchard,  first descent of Mt Atkin,  Murchison Glacier, New Zealand 2010.  Photo by Shane Orchard

Snowboard Mountaineers Tess Carney and Ben Pritchard, first descent of Mt Atkin, Murchison Glacier, New Zealand 2010. Photo by Shane Orchard

New Zealand 2009


Franz Josef Glacier:

Mt Mantenga: South Face (first descent),

Mt Mallory: North face and

Mt Aurora: South West Face  

Photos and Map

More Photos from Franz Josef

Shane Orchard and Hayden Surg finding a place to camp on the Geikie snowfield, New Zealand. Photo: Tess Carney

Shane Orchard and Hayden Surg finding a place to camp on the Geikie snowfield, New Zealand. Photo: Tess Carney


Rider: Tess Carney  Beartooth Mountains, Montana Photo by Shane Orchard

Rider: Tess Carney Beartooth Mountains, Montana Photo by Shane Orchard

Media Presentations:

2016:

Guest speaker at Splitfest:  The Armory Range

2015:

Guest speaker at Splitfest: Cook City

2014:

Guest Speaker at Splitfest: First Descent Mt D'Achiac

Guest Speaker at Adventakucha: Wind River Traverse 

2011

Guest Speaker at Adventakucha:  BP Gulf Oil spill

Itinerary for 2017

January :  FWQ competition

 February: Training competitions

March :  Recovering from injury, learning how to fly a drone. 

April:  TBT

May:  TBT

June: Conditions permitting 

July- December: Missions in New Zealand



Tess at the high alpine camp Dinwoody Glacier, Wind River Mountains, Wyoming   Photo by Shane Orchard

Tess at the high alpine camp Dinwoody Glacier, Wind River Mountains, Wyoming Photo by Shane Orchard

Gear Testing

Patagonia

Earth Sea Sky

Under Armor

Kathmandu

Jones Snowboards

Venture Snowboards

Prett Helmets

32 Boots

Point 6 Socks



How I feel about snowboarding:

When I snowboard my body fills with joy.

Powered by SmugMug Owner Log In