In little more than thirty years, since the first crude prototypes in the 1970s, snowboarding has exploded into the winter sports scene. Since then, snowboarding has come into its own, with a pantheon of icons and distinctive music, clothing, and art. The Way of the Snowboarder, the newest edition to Abrams' "The Way of' series, which includes The Way of the Surfer and MX - The Way of the Motocrosser, looks at the history of snowboarding by profiling the people who have been instrumental in shaping this sport that has come of age in so little time. Beginning with the early innovators, such as world-renown Jake Burton and Tom Sims, this history acknowledges the big-mountain influences of Tom Burt and Craig Kelly, the first female riders such as Tina Basich and Tara Dakides, the dynamic new generation of freestylers such as Terje Haakonsen and phenom Shawn White, as well as the visual documentarian Mike Hatchett, whose inspired celluloid vision has fueled snowboarding's evolution and popularity. With contributions from the best photographers in the industry, The Way of the Snowboarder is the most comprehensive view of this vibrant cultural and athletic phenomenon.