Toby Nagorcka

Freeride

My parents always say that as soon as I could see the mountains, my face would light up and I'd get the "zoomies." To this day, I still get that same feeling whenever I'm in the mountains or around snow. It brings out a sense of excitement, creativity and freedom that's hard to find anywhere else.

I didn't discover snowboarding until I was 15, but it didn't take long for me to become completely hooked. I spent years competing in snowboard cross around the world before finding my passion in freeriding and backcountry filming. I fell in love with exploring new terrain and sharing those experiences through filmmaking.

Alongside snowboarding, I have a degree in environmental science and have a real interest in understanding how our climate is changing. The more I learn, the more I realise that the places we love to ride might not be there in the same way for future generations, especially Australia's alpine regions.

Being part of Protect Our Winters means a lot to me because it's about protecting something that has given me so much. The mountains give us adventure, community and experiences we'll never forget, and I think it's only right that we give something back. The mountains can't speak for themselves, so we all need to be a voice for them.