The Alaskan weather meant well for the revival of King Of The Hill; it was the most beautiful day, sunny and cloudless. Riding up on Dave Short's sled in the morning felt just like being in Whistler, except that our ride would take us to the bottom of the legendary Bro-Bowl. Gathered here after 10 years were some of the legends of big mountain snowboarding. Queen of the Hill Julie Zell, Mike Basich, Shawn Farmer, and Nick Perata, had all come together to celebrate snowboarding and crown a new King and Queen of the Hill.

We got sled-shuttled up and after a quick hike got onto the ridge of the contest face.  There are so many different runs down this mountain and everyone got to pick two lines. I had eyed a windlip all morning. It looked like the perfect backside hit for me and had another smaller version right below it, funneling me out at the bottom. When I watched Travis Rice drop into it and throw a huge Backside Seven, I knew I had chosen a good line and couldn’t wait to drop in.

At the bottom I looked back up to see Anne-Flore Marxer's line—she had chosen to get herself into a sweet chute—I was so stoked to be riding with everyone. It really came together when I saw crazy Shawn Farmer do a Backflip into his run.

Farmer hucking backflips on his 45th birthday.

On top of the ridge Eric Themel chose a line all the way looker's left of the face on top of a windlip into a chute. He dropped a sick Frontside Three into it and power-slashed some snow into the lit up backdrop. I knew I wanted to shred that line and made my way back up.

Eric Themel.

On the way over I passed by the drop-in for the big rock face. Dave Short was about to do his run so I stopped to watch my friend go. He had a pat-down built and I stood next to it as he backflipped over my head. What a way to enter into a line.

As I dropped into my chute I loved that it only had Themel's and Lago's tracks in it. I did a Front One into it and slashed snow down that rock face into the last light. I love Alaska.

Vera on her second run.

For our third run we all headed over to the halfpipe—a gully filled with cliff drops and side hits. When we rode over to the drop-in, I finally got to meet Shawn Farmer and I remembered Perata's Alaskan rule: "If you don’t know where you're going - don't follow Farmer!" With that in mind it was the best feeling ever to follow him down that run.

Vera and Shawn Farmer.

The halfpipe ended up being one of the longest runs I have ever taken without stopping. Everyone's legs were burning at the bottom and Sullivan and Perata were there waiting for us, enjoying the sight of out-of-breath Alaska-rookies. It was the sickest day riding ever. When everyone gets to do Alaskan lines it's hard not to…

A huge thanks goes out to the OG's for putting this event back on. I feel like snowboarding missed something in the last decade. It’s so good to have it back. Corporations can't put on shred-festivals like this because you can't buy true snowboarding.

Big ups to contest organizers Nick Perata and Mark Sullivan.

Editor's note: In her infinite humbleness Vera neglected to mention that she was crowned Queen Of The Hill alongside King Travis Rice.

The King and Queen.