Epic swells graced the Hawaiian Islands just a week ago, gifting surfers waves that rose more than 50' high. Mother Nature was back this week with another treat: heavy snow on the Big Island of Hawaii.

With more than a foot of fresh powder on Hawaii Island's Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, a few dozen wintersport enthusiasts --most who also surf-- went to the chilly peak where steep volcanic slopes covered in white gold provided the perfect venue to snowboard or ski in.

We caught up… with snowboader Tai Johnson who took a break from surfing Kona hotspots like Magic Sands to enjoy the winter weather on the island. Tai tells us what it's like to shred the mountain ...and how dozens of runs can be had in a day without any ski lifts.