Nick Perata
Since he first pressed seven plies of maple into a snowboard in La Cañada, CA during the early ‘80s, Nick Perata has been many things in the snowboard world: dreadlocked jibber, big mountain pioneer, film star, guide, mentor and more. Having survived the Moose’s Tooth and Shawn Farmer and created the King of the Hill, The Godfather’s influence is undeniable—and he still knows how to laugh both with you and at you.
As a competitor, filming pro and event promoter, Nick Perata has been one of the most influential snowboarders of the last 25 years. From Totally Board to First Descent, from King of the Hill to The North Face Masters, from pioneering jibbing to surviving Shawn Farmer to kickstarting Tailgate Alaska, Perata’s been there. He’s been immortalized in claymation and has peaks named after him in New Zealand and Alaska, where he’s worked as a fishing guide for the last 17 years.
Perata has remained influential beyond his days as a sponsored pro because he gets things done. He’s the guy you want in your heli, the one who’s good at solving problems and making visions real. He’s a talker who also listens and who can hang with damn near anyone. He respects local knowledge and knows when to delegate authority. Watching Nick work an event, dealing with crisis after crisis, is much like watching the Godfather run his family, minus a few felonies…