The Greatest Snowboarding Journey You’ve Never Heard Of

Dutch children are born with skates on their feet. American kids break in baseball gloves before they lose their front teeth. Brazilian youngsters juggle a football before adolescence. And Indian youths race down titanic mountains on snowboards before grade school.

So that last example might only apply to one Indian child, Zubair Ahmad Lone. The now 28-year-old from the Kashmir Valley grew up in the shadows of the herculean Himalayas and now races down slopes around the globe alongside the world’s best.

Lone became the first Indian-born snowboarder to race in a FIS World Cup event earlier this year in Mylin, China. He placed 58th but making it to that start gate was a greater victory than any medal.

How does a young boy from Northern India dream of snowboard glory?

In India, there is one sport that reigns above all: cricket.

The system is set up for cricket to prosper, and sporting resources are diverted toward developing the next Virat Kohli. Even a young Lone was a solid batsman by his own admission. Yet the mountain calling was a greater temptress.

That tranquility he found strapped to a wooden board led Lone to chase an unheard-of dream.

A dream realized through a cosmic combination of perseverance, a bloody nose, a cute girl, sacrifice, fresh powdery snow, a broken board, love, and one thing above all – family.

An Unforgettable Slap in the Face

India is a massive, sprawling landscape full of diverse cultures, thousands of dialects, and numerous climates. Lone is from the far northern region of Jammu and Kashmir, known for its brutal winters.

It was there at Gulmarg Ski Resort where the dream began when he was just four. However, this snowboard journey began on two separate planks of wood.

Lone’s father worked at the resort and would allow his sons to come visit once a year. Skiing was the only available option at the time. Lone was a quick learner, completing basic courses by five and advanced levels just two years later. The switch to his true love of snowboarding would come later and started due to one simple reason.

There is only one gondola at Gulmarg and a few drag lifts. Use of the lifts was restricted to paying skiing customers. Lone developed a workaround without spending a cent on pricey lift tickets.

It was foolproof! Until it wasn’t.

“Eventually, I got caught multiple times and was warned, but I didn’t stop. One day, I got caught in front of a girl I liked who was skiing with a school group. The ticket checker slapped me twice, my nose started bleeding, and I felt brutally insulted in front of everyone, especially her. I walked straight back up to the government ski shop, returned my skis, and decided I would never come back for skiing again,” Lone said.

Nothing may be as powerful as the desire to impress an adolescent crush, except embarrassment in front of that same crush. Lone’s bloodied shirt that day and teenage shame would set up the path for the rest of his life.

It is no exaggeration—Lone literally never saw such a thing. Cascading down the mountain on one board, not two? What was this witchcraft?

Later that day, a skiing instructor informed him the magic he witnessed was called “snowboarding.”

My father hugged me. He took me to the government ski shop and asked if they had any snowboards,” Lone said.

No luck. The attendant directed Lone to check out some used boards in the back. He raced toward the island of misfit snowboards. One came to him like an Ollivander wand uniting with Harry Potter. It was broken on both sides, scratched from toe edge to heelside, and crimson red with rust. Lone clipped in and never looked back.

“To me, it was a treasure. I went outside, put it on, and did my first run. I fell about 200 times on that run, but even then, I became completely addicted to snowboarding. In that very first run, I knew this was what I wanted to do. Snowboarding gave me freedom,” Lone said.

Lone never donned skis again. Snowboarders were not allowed to use the drag lifts, so Lone never risked another bloody nose. The more comfortable snowboard boots allowed him to walk back up the slopes, board in hand.

Lone had the dream and determination, but his broken board could only take him so far.

His broken board made training difficult. Lone also suffered back injuries, a fractured shoulder, broken nose, and knee ailments. Yet his love never dwindled. Neither did his family’s unwavering support. Lone worked every waking second. He trained mornings and evenings, working as an instructor in between.

“In 2016, after being disqualified at state trials, I sat alone in the cold, feeling completely lost. That’s when Shabir Khan from IISM Gulmarg stopped, watched me ride, and invited me to join his club’s team. With their support, I competed at nationals and won two gold medals,” Lone said.

The success came with more setbacks.

Lone would find his next guardian angel in an unlikely source. In 2017, he met a Kashmir visitor, John Gibson from the USA. Gibson noticed Lone’s dilapidated equipment and gave Lone his next lifesaver.

A few more chance encounters gave Lone lines of hope. Oftentimes, messages to sponsors and promised help would go unanswered. Lone’s love for the sport proved stronger than the roadblocks.

“In 2022, I received a call from Jaspreet Kaur from Delhi. She said her son wanted to learn snowboarding. After watching me ride, she asked the same question everyone did: why I wasn’t racing internationally. I told her it was impossible: no funds, no sponsors, and the sport was too expensive,” Lone said.

Kaur supported Lone through her foundation, sending him to train in Steamboat Springs in Colorado for two years. Kaur sponsored Lone’s first entries into FIS races in Europe at the union level and the world championships last season in Switzerland. Her son Sehan also supported Lone with sports gear through Zabarvan, India’s first mountain sports brand.

That training was crucial to get Lone to the next level. He had no coaches back in India and taught himself all the wrong habits.

It took Lone two full seasons to rebuild his technique the proper way—a “frustrating, humbling, and physically demanding” process that proved his perseverance once again.

Lone’s sponsor family and coaches gave him the boosts he needed when his own blood had nothing left to give but faith and emotional support. Their love was more than enough.

“Last year, when I won a gold medal at a FIS race, my father called me. For the first time in my life, I heard him cry. That moment will stay with me forever. He passed away recently. Now, every time I train or race, I carry him with me. This dream is no longer just mine. It is my father Abdul Aziz’s dream,” Lone said.

The Next Summit

Lone made it to the highest level with his World Cup debut this season but is not satisfied. He wants to change the sport of snowboarding in his home of India forever, something that could continue with an Olympic bid.

Lone’s impact is already inspiring the youth.

“What I see today gives me real hope. Thousands of young kids are choosing snowboarding after watching my journey. In my own village alone, around 40–60 children between the ages of 10 and 15 have started snowboarding,” Lone said.

Parents are bombarding Lone with questions about how to start their kids out, ditching the cricket bat for snowboard boots. Even young girls are entering the sport, a huge shift in the cultural mindset of Lone’s home area.

An area that is prime for ski and snowboard development.

“In the Himalayas, the snow is real, deep powder. Winters are cold, and in some areas, we receive 12–19 meters of snowfall every year. The ski resort I belong to, Gulmarg Ski Resort, is located at about 4,500 meters (14,500 feet) above sea level, higher than many famous resorts around the world,” Lone said.

That rich powder could provide the foundation for a whole new generation of Indian riders.

It is a journey that began in a crowded home underneath the looming Himalayan summits, where his family always reached out a hand every time Lone fell.

Lone’s father supported the family of seven on his own. He put them through school while his mother gave them health through her homecare and “amazing” food. Lone’s father earned just 300 dollars per month.

The financial support may have come from others along the way, but nothing will be more valuable than the unconditional love Lone always found when he came home.

“They supported me mentally, emotionally, and spiritually during my hardest times. When I was injured, broke, or doubting myself, they stood by me with belief and prayers. Whatever I am today is built on their sacrifices, their patience, and their silent support. My journey is not just mine—it carries their dreams, their struggles, and their love with it,” Lone said.

That love drove Lone to achieve his dream when he made the gate at the World Cup event in Mylin this season. It was there, at the peak of his career, that every sacrifice carried him down the slope. When injury struck later in the tour in Italy, that same love was there to lift him through the rehab process as he aims to return in January and wipe away every bloody nose along the way.

By Sean Cavanaugh