Girl Gone Wild: SUP Yoga Instructor Emma Rossoff

Have you ever met someone who you thought was going to be awesome, then she turned out to be even better? That's kind of what I have going on with Emma Rossoff. I got in contact with her when I wrote this piece about Outdoor Vino and immediately wanted to know more. It started with her covetable position as Tasting Room Manager at Naked Winery near Hood River, Oregon, where she gets hands on with sales, staff and, yes, tastes wine. Then it was her summer job running an outdoor yoga program, followed by her winter job running the Sno-Blasters Kids Snow Sports program at Mt. Hood Meadows. To top off it all off, the girl is stunning. Amazing home base, dream jobs, killer body and personality to boot? I think it's safe to say she fits in here.

Oregon is such a wonderful place to live for an outdoorswoman. What activities do you take part in?
I love to ski and snowboard on Mount Hood, and standup paddle board and kite board on the Columbia River. Down winders on the SUP [standup paddle] are some of the best adventures.

You were one of the pioneers of SUPYoga—what are the benefits of practicing on the water?
It challenges your core stabilization muscles and your senses more than on dry land. You're surrounded by beauty, which can sometimes distract or overwhelm you, so you have to be more focused. The consequences of falling in the water are way more fun (and refreshing) than falling on a studio floor, so one might be encouraged to get into an inversion, for example. It's a total confidence booster.

What's one piece of gear you're loving right now?
I'm loving my Marcy ear-flapped beanie by Pistil and my Omni Mitts by DaKine—both essential for winter in Hood River. The Naish 12'6" Glide is the best all-around SUP for me. It's wide and stable enough for SUPYoga, fast in the flat water and easy to carry.

Tell me about picking up kiteboarding.
I had a nightmarish adventure learning how to kite off Jetty Island near Seattle a few years before moving to Hood River. I launched myself into the air and crash-landed into the sand. My friend had to spend an hour saving the kite I was using. When I moved to Hood River, I invested in five or more hours of private lessons...essential! Even though the gear is much safer, everyone should learn from a certified instructor. Kiting on the water together with my husband is one of the coolest things we share, although one of us is usually on the beach with toddler duty.

Working at a winery seems like a great job—how does your career help you lead an outdoorsy lifestyle?
At Naked Winery, "we aim to tease!", so it's always fun. Several of us also work for Mount Hood Meadows during the winter, including one of our owners. He understands the importance of keeping it real and we even have a brand of wine that represents that with Outdoor Vino.

What are the top three items on your bucket list right now?
1. Standup paddle the Colombia River to the Pacific Ocean.
2. Hike the Pacific Crest Trail south to north with my family.
3. Hold Pinca Mayurasana on a SUP.

Check back next month because Emma is showing us three easy yoga moves to try on our SUP boards right here!