Elena Hight

Elena Hight is an American professional snowboarder, two-time Olympian, and boundary-pushing action sports athlete celebrated for her achievements in both halfpipe competition and backcountry freeriding. Born in Kauai, Hawaii, and raised near Lake Tahoe, California, Hight made history as a teenager before evolving into one of the premier figures in big mountain snowboarding and outdoor documentary filmmaking.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Born on August 17, 1989, in Kauai, Hawaii, Hight moved with her family to the Sierra Nevada mountains around Lake Tahoe at age six. Encouraged by her father, an avid surfer, she took to snowboarding almost immediately and began competing at age seven. By age 13, Hight made international headlines as the first female rider to land a 900 in halfpipe competition, earning an invitation to the Winter X Games and a spot on the U.S. Snowboard Team shortly after.

Competitive Milestones and Olympic Career

Hight represented the United States at two Winter Olympic Games, placing sixth in the halfpipe event at the 2006 Torino Games as a 16-year-old and tenth at the 2010 Vancouver Games. Throughout her 16-year competitive halfpipe career, she accumulated seven Winter X Games medals, including a gold medal in Aspen in 2017. In January 2013, Hight achieved another milestone in women's snowboarding when she became the first rider, male or female, to land a double backside alley-oop rodeo during a halfpipe competition at Winter X Games XVII.

Transition to Big Mountain Snowboarding

In 2018, Hight retired from halfpipe competition to focus full-time on splitboarding and big mountain freeriding. She adapted her technical skills to raw backcountry terrain, earning widespread acclaim across the snowboard community. In 2022, Hight claimed victory at the Natural Selection Tour event in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, solidifying her status as a top-tier backcountry competitor. She has tackled challenging expedition lines in the Sierra Nevada and Alaskan ranges, earning covers on leading industry publications.

Filmmaking and Advocacy

Off the competitive circuit, Hight has starred in acclaimed outdoor films, including the feature film project Blank Canvas, Teton Gravity Research's Ode to Muir alongside freeride legend Jeremy Jones, and HBO's docuseries Edge of the Earth. Beyond her riding, Hight is an active advocate for environmental conservation, working closely with Protect Our Winters to raise awareness about climate change and promote sustainable mountain recreation.