How far would you go for powder? Snowboarder Hannah Teter plans to travel to the Middle East next winter to shred northern Iran's Alborz Mountains. It's not a travel destination on many bucket lists, but Teter and Gabi Viteri hope to show people a side of Iran that's not found in the headlines by way of a new film "Boarders Without Borders," which is scheduled for a 2013 release. We caught up with Teter to find out more about it.
ESPN: Where did the idea for Boarders Without Borders come from?
Hannah Teter: The idea came from filmmakers Nick Catania, Marjan Tehrani and Brian Sachson. They wanted to round up a few pro riders and ship us out there for some shredding. Nobody I know has ever been there, but from what I've seen in pictures and videos it's a really amazing place to ride. So far, Gabi and I are slated to be the boarders without borders, and we will be going next winter.
What appeal does Iran and snowboarding in the Alborz Mountains hold for you?
I wanted to be a part of this project because, as a snowboarder, we're constantly wanting to rip around at places we've yet to experience. I am also looking forward to the cultural aspect of being in this foreign land with a different mindset than I'm used to.
Three Americans hikers were imprisoned in Iran after crossing the border from Iraq. Are you concerned about safety?
Yeah, that was a sketchy situation, but we're covering all of our bases and getting permission from their government to travel there. We'll be smart and abide by all of the rules. Not saying there's not a chance that something will go down, but that's what makes it an adventure.
Speaking of prisoners, we have the highest amount of imprisoned people for the longest durations of time of any country in the entire world. More than 2.3 million people are locked up over here, a shocking amount of them are completely innocent. I am mystified at the way my country deals with problems, especially when interacting with other countries, like Iran. I am not afraid to travel to Iran. They will for sure grope me down less than our TSA.
Is there a story you want to share, or riding experiences you want to expose others to?
I think people can expect to be blown away by seeing an uncharted territory that nobody has documented in snowboarding since Craig Kelly went out there in the mid-90s.
We will be showcasing the culture of this nation, meeting with the locals, hearing from those who really know the country, getting to know them and sharing the common stoke we have for snowboarding. We want to share the truth of the innocence of this amazing place, and obviously snowboard a lot. We hear there is some amazing powder over there. It's going to be rad.
You fell and got a concussion at the U.S. Open and posted a picture on Twitter of your cracked helmet. How are you feeling now?
I'm feeling as good as gold. It was a nasty fall but my RED helmet took it all. It did affect me not being able to compete at Winter X Tignes, which I was pretty sad about. But now it's time to find some last-minute powder and get ready for the Burton 2013 shoot.
Check in with "Boarders Without Borders" on Twitter and Facebook for more information on the film.
