Watching Emma Crosby ride, it’d be easy to assume that her parents had her on a snowboard early in life, thrown down the steeps soon after she learned to walk. Her prowess in powder surely doesn’t suggest a humble Midwest upbringing, but Emma is a living reminder to limit assumptions, both on-hill and off. She embodies a mature desire to be the best version of herself, integrating in a healthy dose of stubbornness when necessary. Whether trucking through a battle to get the clip, taking park laps in whiteout conditions or snooping around for a spot that might not actually exist, Emma is down. 

The 26-year-old possesses the ability to switch from healthy banter to real talk at the drop of a dime. Emma plants firmly on certain social issues but isn’t one to overstep her stance or assume ultimate spokesmanship for causes she cares about. In June 2021, Torment Magazine published Emma’s Pride Week memoir about growing up queer in a homophobic society. This act of vulnerability was just one of countless ways Emma has put herself out there for the benefit of those around her, but far from the only reason to remember her name.

Never one to shy away from a fight though rarely one to instigate it, whether she’s navigating controversial conversations or barreling into a backcountry jump, Emma toes these lines in notable fashion—a catalyst of energy in snowboard sessions and deep discussions alike… 

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