Snowmaking, Good and Bad

Snowmaking is useful for several reasons. But it also has its downsides. First on the list: riding or skiing during snowmaking operations can be pretty tough. Obviously, the stuff is cold, but it also contributes in terms of wind chill, and if you're especially unlucky, spray that gets stuck on the goggles. But in the early days of the season, such as we have now, it's better to have it than not at all.

Lift Riding: In or Out?

Skis are worthless without bindings, which are critical for controlling direction. So what's behind the rule that snowboarders must have the back foot out of the binding during lift operations?

I can appreciate the desire to make sure that everyone in a lift line is under control; no need to have someone near moving equipment if the are "frozen" in place. And face it, the entrance to lifts is a flat place, and moving forward on a board on the flats is a difficult proposition. Sure, some people can hope their way around, but many (and I could suspect most adults) cannot.

So the unbound rear foot theory makes sense during loading. But what about unloading? I always find it much easier to ride away from the lift if both of my feet are in a binding.

Today I rode up the lift with a member of the ski patrol. I asked her if I could, by the rules, stick my rear foot back into the binding once in the chair. She said that I should be riding away from the lift with only one foot in.

Now that seems counter-intuitive. I am much more likely to fall if I attempt to ride away from a lift with only one foot in. Even skating on a flat surface is more than I can handle, let alone trying to skate in a high-traffic area.

Maybe skateboard-savvy kids can ride with only one foot securely attached, but for this adult, it's quite a chore.

Winter's Here: Might as Well Enjoy it, with Snowboarding

I went out to my local mini-hill today; it was the first day of the season. Sadly, it was a couple of weeks delayed, compared with last year. Warmer weather will do that.

It's easy to hate winter. Cold. Ice. Shoveling snow from the driveway. Driving in the snow. But that's one reason that I like snowboarding: it's a way to put the cold and the snow to my advantage. While the snow is a nuisance if it's on the road, it's a source of pleasure if it's on the mountain. If you're in the northern part of the U.S., you're going to have a cold winter and some snow; you might as well find a way to enjoy it.

Now if I could just do the same with the shoulder seasons: late-October through mid-to-late November, and mid-March through April. During these two six-week periods, it's too warm for winter sports, and too cold for summer sports.

Snowboarding versus Skiing

Why Skiing is Better than Snowboarding

• Getting into bindings: insert toe, drop in heel, and you're done.
  
• Getting out of bindings: push pole into binding one. Release. Step on binding two. No need to bend over. No problems with icy buildup (compare with step-ins) or need to bend over and deal with troublesome hardware (straps).
  
• No blind spots: you're more likely to see where you are going.
  
• Less physically demanding.

Why Snowboarding is Better than Skiing

• Here's what you carry from the parking lot: one board.
  
• Boots: walking in snowboarding boots is more comfortable.
  
• Terrain: snowboarding is more suitable to tiny 'ski' areas.

New Stomp Pad: New Equipment Helps

While "slippery" is a good quality for the underside of a snowboard, it's not a good quality for the topside. The last thing you want to do when you put a foot on top of the board is to slip away. That's what stomp pads are for.

Today I installed a stomp pad on my "new" (used) board. I am not sure yet where my bindings will end up, or even if I will want to change from a regular stance to a goofy one, so I didn't want to put it too close to either set of binding holes.

That's not the optimal choice. Ideally, I should put it next to where my bindings will end up being permanently. But since I don't know where that is yet, it is better to minimize the downside that would come from having it in the wrong place. Better "middle of the road," which is where the new pad is: in the middle of the board, right between the two sets of binding holes.

My first day ever out on snowboarding was on a rental board (as part of a class) that did not have a stomp pad. It wasn't until my second lesson that I got a stomp pad, and understood its value.