Bramble grew up in New Jersey and began skiing recreationally in Pennsylvania's Poconos at age 11. By 1994, he was a serious snowboarder and occasional skier living in the Lake Tahoe area when he became paralyzed in a snowboarding accident. He soon taught himself to monoski and moved to Winter Park, Colorado, where he joined the Winter Park Disabled Ski Team. He returned to the Tahoe area soon after, settling in Truckee, California, but having acquired the racing skills that he needed. He was named to the U.S. Disabled Ski Team in 1998 after winning the super G at that year's U.S. Disabled Alpine Championships.