Bozeman Splitfest unites splitboarders for adventure, connection and avalanche awareness

Splitboarding, a sport characterized by its unique splittable board, allows snowboarders yearning for the backcountry to achieve their dreams. 

Bozeman Splitfest was held at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds from Feb. 28 to March 2. The event began in 2017 as a small gathering of splitboarders, according to Mati Tressler, founder and director of a local brand that aims to empower women in snow sports called Sisters in Snow.

Since then, the festival has evolved into an annual gathering of backcountry snow athletes. It also serves as a fundraiser for the Friends of the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center (GNFAC), a nonprofit that offers direct support to the GNFAC’s operations. 

During the festival, organizers raffled off splitboards, bindings, safety gear and apparel. According to Shannon Regan, the education coordinator for Friends of GNFAC, all proceeds collected from the raffle directly benefited the avalanche center

“When you choose to donate money at this event, it’s going to the Friends of [GNFAC], which goes towards the [avalanche] education program,” Regan said. “We do low-cost and free education in Southwest Montana and the surrounding communities. We also help support the [avalanche center] forecast.”

Though the festival primarily served as a fundraiser and social outlet for splitboard enthusiasts, it also offered additional activities. Various companies such as Venture Snowboards, Weston, Pallas Snowboards and Chimera were present at the festival offering gear demos ranging from splitboards to splitboard skins and bindings. Spark R&D — a local splitboard binding manufacturer and sponsor of Bozeman Splitfest — was also present and offered to set up demo boards for festival attendees. 

In addition to the vendors, several nonprofits participated in the festival, including Montana Mountaineering Association — which offers professional mountain guides and various community programs — and Friends on Hill, which aims to help adults get into snow sports.

On top of supporting the avalanche center, Friends of GNFAC offers additional resources, Regan said. These include lecture and field-based avalanche awareness programs, which incorporate presentations and hands-on learning to teach individuals how to recognize and be safe during avalanches. 

The first night of Splitfest included a “State of the Snowpack” presentation from Haylee Darby, an intern and educator with Friends of GNFAC. During the presentation, Darby provided an update on recent avalanche conditions. She noted Southern Madison and Cook County as being particularly dangerous areas recently. 

On the second day of Splitfest, festival attendees were encouraged to go ride the Bozeman backcountry, with vendors returning in the evening to continue advertising and demoing their gear. Additionally, the Friends of GNFAC hosted a raffle for the avalanche center. The third and final day of Splitfest granted boarders more time in the backcountry, concluding the 2025 Bozeman Splitfest. 

Attendees of the festival ranged from seasoned experts to complete beginners. Maeve Salveson, a freshman at MSU, shared her newfound enjoyment in the sport. “I recently got into splitboarding, so I’m here to demo out some gear and meet new people,” she said. “I started splitboarding because I wanted to ride harder lines. Sometimes, you can’t really get that with snowboarding, but you can definitely get it with splitboarding.” 

Salveson noted one inherent risk and challenge of splitboarding. “Being aware of avalanche danger and learning about how it works, it’s kind of like a whole new world,” she said, citing her plans to take an avalanche safety class in the upcoming school year. 

Ethan Marcoux, a team ambassador for Venture, highlighted the uniqueness of splitboarding. “It is definitely a niche thing. I think events like [Splitfest] are probably the best way to get into it. They’re popping up more and more across the country,” he said. 

To stay updated on the next Bozeman Splitfest, follow @bozemansplitfest on Instagram.