This is a partial list of the rules of the road when you are
on the mountain. Bear in mind that knowing the code is your responsibility.
Whether you hit the slopes with Snowboard or Skis, or use other
specialized equipment, always show courtesy to others so that your
paths don't cross. Be safety - conscious.
Additional Snowboarding Safety Tips
- Never snowboard alone.
- Snowboard on runs that are appropriate for your ability (i.e.
Beginning Snowboarders should take lessons and start on bunny
hills or easy slopes to practice turning and stopping).
- Stop only at the side of the pistes and kneel or stand facing
up-hill in order to see oncoming traffic.
- Before you change your direction, especially on a backside turn,
look behind and check your blind spot.
- Your front foot should be attached by a security leash.
- Your rear foot should be detached from the bindings when riding
or boarding the chairlifts.
- Your board should be face-down on the piste with the bindings
in the snow when it is not attached.
- Do not remove your Snowboard when traversing glaciers due to
danger of crevasses.
- Know your limits. Rest if you are tired and go inside if you
are cold.
First
Board Exercises - Skating/Sliding
Move to the level run out of the bunny hill. This
area should almost be completely flat. Lie your Snowboard on the
snow and attach your front foot to your Snowboard (regular stance:
left foot, goofy stance: right foot) either while standing up or
by first sitting down. Make sure the surface is flat when you put
on your front foot or your board will move possibly separating your
two legs. Sitting down might be safer. Stand on your board with
your front foot in the Snowboard and your backfoot beside your Snowboard
at the Toe-side. For the first time in your life, you now have the
feeling you will have to get used to: the feeling of having a large
board attached to one of your feet. Now lift up your front foot
with the board attached and move it around a bit. Try to get a feeling
for the weight of the board and how easy you are able to turn the
board.
Now it is time for the next step: moving around with your front
foot strapped on and your backfoot free. Try making a skating motion
by keeping your front foot and board in a straight line in front
of you and using your back foot to move forward. This is very similar
to Skating. Skating/Sliding on your Snowboard with one foot attached
is something you will need to Learn and that you will use a lot
in Snowboarding. Everytime you need to Enter or Exit a Lift or travel
short distances on a level or uphill slope, you will need to skate.
Try skating around with your backfoot at the toe-side of the board
(how most people like it) and with your backfoot at the heel-side
of your board. Make sure to only make small steps with your backfoot.
As you improve, you will Learn How to Take Bigger Steps and really
kick with your backfoot. Also, make sure to keep your front leg
slightly bent with most of your weight on your front foot. It will
help you keep balance. As your skills improve, you will be able
to make some speed and place your backfoot on your stomp-pad, if
you have one, or pressed against your back Snowboard Binding if
you do not have a Snowboard Stomp-Pad. As your skills improve, try
to keep both feet on the board as much as possible. Try crouching
and getting up while sliding on the board. Practice makes perfect,
and you will notice how soon you will feel comfortable with a board
on your front foot. It's all about getting that feeling.
Moving
Up the Slope
At this point, you will probably survive your first attempt at
the Lift but it might be better to Walk up the bunny hill for your
first experiences. For short distances, you can keep your front
foot strapped to your Snowboard. For longer distances, it is better
to just carry your board up. Moving uphill with your front foot
attached is easy as long as you make sure to keep your board across
the direction the slope is heading to (the fall line). Take a step
uphill with your backfoot while dragging your front foot and board
behind you. Plant your board across the fall line and make another
step. As long as you keep your board across the fall line, your
board should not slip and you should be able to make your way up
pretty smoothly. For now, it would be best to simply take off your
board and walk up the bunny hill for about 30 feet.
When you get caught in Powder Snow Surface or just need to move
up slope for a short distance then you could keep both your feet
Strapped in their Bindings and frog hop up. Keep your board across
the fall line and lean on your hands. Now jump up and plant your
board and both hands up slope. It is tiring so you will only want
to do this for shorter distances.
Gearing
Up On Slope
Putting down your board on the
Slope
Now that you are on the slope with your board in your hands, it
is time for the next step: putting on your board while on the slope.
You've got to be very careful when you put down your Snowboard.
It could easily slip down the slope and start its way down, being
both a danger to others who are on the slope and giving you the
task of running down the slope to collect your board again. If you
are going to put down your board on the slope, make sure to keep
the Snowboard's Base (the bottom side) facing up and your board
across the fall line. If you have Highbacks, make sure to plant
them into the Snow. This will keep your board securely in place.
Gearing up on Slope
Now the next step: strapping your feet to your Snowboard while on
the slope. The safest way to do so is by facing the slope and placing
the snowboard on your back foot. With the Snowboard lying securely
on your backfoot, place your front foot in the front binding, either
step-in or strap on your binding. Your front foot is now secured
in the binding. Your next worry is not to stand on your front foot
and slide down the slope. Turn and sit down with your back facing
the slope with your board in front of you. Dig the heel edge of
your board in the slope. You can now easily place your back foot
in the back binding and Step-in or Strap on the Binding. You are
now sitting Geared up On the Slope, ready to try to make your first
descend with a Snowboard.
First
Moves Down the Slope - Straight Gliding
This will probably be the first step where you will probably feel
uncomfortable. You will need to stand up, not fall over, and try
not to move. If you are having trouble standing up on the gentle
slope by moving your weight to the front, you can try to use your
hands by grabbing the toe-side of the board and tilting forward.
Once you are up, try to keep balanced. Make sure not to tilt over,
it is better to fall backwards back on your buttocks then tilt over,
landing with your face in the slope. If you do fall, try to fall
on your forearms instead of your hands. Your Fingers and Wrists
are much Easier to get Injured when Snowboarding so always try to
fall on your forearms, knees, elbows, and buttocks.
Gliding vertically down Slopes
Once you are up, try to stay straight and still for a moment. Try
to find your balance. When you are able to sit down and get up without
slipping or falling, you can try to make your first descend. While
you are standing, you are keeping your heel-side edge dug into the
snow to prevent it from slipping. Point your toes downwards and
you will notice how you will start to move downwards. Give it a
little try and make sure to point your toes upwards again as soon
as you start going too fast. You are now able to move across the
fall line of the slope by either pointing your toes down to move
forward and moving your toes up (and your heel into the slope) to
brake. This is actually your first real Snowboarding experience
and it will Teach you one of the most important things of Snowboarding:
Edge Awareness. With the edge of your Snowboard, you are now able
to brake and control your descend. Try this exercise a couple of
times: move up the hill, attach your board, stand up, and slowly
make your way downwards across the fall line by moving your toes
upwards for braking and downwards for going down. You should be
able to comfortably move down the hill after a few tries.
Once you are comfortable with gliding down with your back facing
the slope, it is time to Learn the same Trick the opposite way with
your face facing the slope. Climb up the slope the same way you
did before and sit down. Now you have to turn yourself around by
turning over your left side. If you do it correctly, you should
be kneeling on the slope and facing it. Make sure to carve your
toe-edge into the slope so that you do not slide down on your belly.
Once you are stable you can try to get up. Move your weight to the
back and use your arms to push yourself off the slope. Like you
did before: try to find your balance and use your feet to slide
down and brake. This time it is the other way around: push your
toes down to brake and push your toes up and heel down to go downhill.
Practice gliding down vertical the fall line either way and make
sure you become comfortable in doing it. As you progress, try to
speed up your descents and brake harder. This will Teach you more
about edge awareness and will Teach you How to Brake at Higher Speeds.
Gliding
Horizontally Down Slopes
Now that you are able to glide down the fall line, you can go to
the next level by Learning How to Move Left and Right Aross the
Fall Line. This will really get you into Snowboarding and will Teach
you How to Move Down the Slopes. Moving across the fall line is
not that difficult and you already did some changes while practicing
how to glide down the fall line. Do the same thing you did previously,
stand up on your snowboard while maintaining your balance. Now for
the new part: shift your weight to front or back side of your board
and bend the knee of the direction you want to travel to. In the
beginning you could use your arms for extra help. Straighten your
arms so that your upper body forms a "T". Now move your
upper body in the direction you want to glide to. You will notice
that you'll glide in the direction that you are putting your weight
into.
Now practice the following: stand up straight, move your weight
to the left, and bend your knees. As you progress to the left, pick
up some speed. Then slow down by moving your weight back and try
to end up in standing position again. Now move your weight to the
right and glide to the right. Try to move down the slope by making
a "Z" pattern, moving from left to right. Once you have
mastered this, you have already mastered a large part of Basic Snowboarding.
You are now able to move left, right, straight down, and brake.
Making
Skidded Turns
As a regular stance rider, you will need to Learn that when you
glide to the right, you will be facing the slope. Consequently,
when you are gliding to the left, your back is facing the slope.
If you have a goofy stance, this means that it is the other way
around. That is, at the end of each glide you would have to turn.
Up until now, you have done this by sitting down, turning around,
and gliding the other way. But you now need to Learn How to Turn
so you can go the other way.
The most common and easiest to Learn is the Skidded Turn. You have
learned that while gliding, you are either using your toe-side edge
to glide or your heel-side edge. By turning, you switch edge. There
are three essential parts to making a skidded turn:
- Look in the direction that you want to turn to
- Move your weight to your front foot and sink into the board
- Tilt the board on its turning edge
During your turn, you use your feet to control the turn. Your backfoot
is used to adjust the way the turn is going and to brake your descend.
In the middle of both a left-sided and right-sided turn, your board
will be facing straight down. At that moment, the board will accelerate.
You will need to use your backfoot to make sure that the board tilts
and that an edge slows you down. In the beginning, you will have
a hard time getting the hang of turning, so do practice a lot. Many
people find that they Learn Toe-sided Turns quicker as those turns
use the more powerful calf muscles, ankles, and toes. Concentrate
on learning both.
As you progress, make sure to pay attention to the sound your board
is making and the tracks you are making on the slope. What you are
looking for is a uniform smooth skidding sound and an even pattern.
Turns are one of the most important parts of Snowboarding and they
can give you a huge adrenaline rush. Practice hard on your turns!
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