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Snowboarding in Chile boomed in the late 1980's, when counter-culture hipsters found heaven on earth in the Andes-west side. It didn't take long for the word to spread. Soon any boarder who was sick of the commercialized mountains and was crazy enough to venture to Chile, found out what all the fuss was about. Most didn't come home.

Snowboarding all began in the 1920's when kids made improvised boards out of barrel staves. It wasn't until 1965 when Sherman Poppen invented "the snurfer" for "snow surfers". His intentions began as mere entertainment for his daughter, but when he licensed the snurfer in1966, over half a million of his products were sold in the US.

Vermonter Jake Burton took the toy to a new level by creating wood boards that had rubber straps. He now presently owns the prestigious Burton Snowboard company.

Dimitrije Milovich was the other snowboard entrepreneur. Dimitrije modeled his style board after the surfboard with the technique skis use. He scored publicity in Newsweek, Playboy, and Powder. This initial advertising helped introduce the idea of snowboarding to Chile.

Tom Sims made the first snowboard in 1977. The first National Snowboard race was held in Woodstock, VT in 1982. Finally, in 1985 "Absolutely Radical," the first real snowboarding magazine was published. Four years later a French snowboarder, Regis Rolland, promoted snowboarding in Europe by starring in "Apocalypse Snow."

The Olympics boosted recognition of snowboarding in Chile the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. The competition was divided into men's and women's halfpipe and giant slalom. The Olympics coupled with snowboarding magazines caused the growth in popularity .

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