The 22-year-old "came off the end of a rail" at Cardrona in August last year and landed on his shoulder.
The fall broke his collarbone in three places and damaged his AC (acromioclavicular) joint.
"It was a horrible break ... the bone was sticking right out," he said.
He was airlifted to Dunedin Hospital, where he was given pain relief and a strap and released the next day.
It was not until he returned to his hometown of Tauranga for summer that he underwent surgery to reset the "slowly" healing bone.
Because of his "pretty gnarly" injury, Mr Harwood could not work, so received ACC payments from the time of his injury until April.
While he was "not back to normal yet", he had returned to Wanaka for a second season of work at Coronet Peak and was back on his snowboard.
As for ways others could stay safe, he said the risk of injury was part of any sport.
"There is not really a lot you can do, except wear your helmet and protective gear."
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