Born in the Aosta Valley, a small alpine region in Northwest Italy, Ettore Personnettaz has always been drawn to the mountains. His love of the mountains, and specifically the snow, led him to explore freestyle and freeride snowboarding, and become a National Snowboard Instructor. Now, Ettore focuses on the backcountry, where he loves to discover new routes and first descents. Wanting to share his passion, Ettore founded Freeride Alliance with a team of pro friends. The organization has a goal of promoting a respect for the mountains, sharing their appreciation for nature, and, in general, the importance of having a good approach to snowboarding/skiing peaks.