Friends Teaching Friends

As a rule, I think it's best for new riders to take lessons. And I also agree that learning from friends can be hazardous. It can, for example, cause stress on a relationship by interjecting new, unfamiliar roles (student and teacher), criticism borne from frustration ("no, dummy, THIS way!"), and plain old disappointment. Further, the new rider's snowboarding career can be impaired or delayed through the instructor's poor snowboarding habits, or method of teaching.

Despite all those caveats, I gave my sister-in-law an on-the-snow overview of snowboarding a few weeks ago.

By some accounts, she ought to have been the one teaching me. While I've walked 15 miles in a day (in fundraising marathons long ago), she's run marathons. While I used to peddle a 10-speed bike one mile to the train station each day, she's been in long-distance bike races. While I was learning the basics of skiing with parallel turns, she was taking a lesson in bumps skiing.

In other words, if anyone in the family might take on snowboarding, she would be the one.

During a trip to Aspen, I spent a day riding the board while my wife, her sister, and their father were all on skis. I'm sure it was the first time that these life-long skiers had ever spent any time with someone on a snowboard. All of them were impressed, and my sister-in-law was suggested to her sister "If he can make it look graceful, maybe I should try it."

I was happy to give her any assistance that I could. So a few weeks later I suggested that the best time to learn would be on a powder day. We also talked about a simple demonstration in the back yard.

So when we some new snow, I saw it as the opportunity. I took the board over to her house.

But what equipment to use? She had no board, and no snowboarding boots. Could she use her own boots in my (large) bindings?

In the end, we decided that she would simply use my equipment, including my boots. Now, I've got size 12 boots, and I think her shoes are size 6 or 4 or something like that. But she used them anyway. While there was more than enough room for her toes, the cinching string made the fit around the calves tight enough for the boots to be usable in this setting.

GOOFY LIKE ME
The snow had somewhat hard and wet, which would make for a rather slow ride. On the other hand, that may have been a good thing. We had a small space to work with, and there were trees around, so we didn't want to get up too much speed.

We walked to the back yard, and I thought of what to do next. I asked her the typical "sliding" question: if you were to slide on the ice, which foot would end up in front?"

"Right," she told me.

Goofy, just like me. That would make things easier.

I asked her to put her right foot in the front binding, keep her left foot free, and try skating. The snow was soft and wet, so she didn't pick up a lot of speed. This was good; I had encountered a lot of problems skating my first time out, on an icy night. She did a pretty good job. Better than I had.

WHEE!
Then I asked her to put her left foot in a bindings as well. With both feet strapped in, she was going to have to learn how to balance over the board. First, I asked her to stand still. Then I told her to gently shift her weight from the toeside to heelside of the board, and then back again. And then to repeat the exercise.

So far, so good.

Next, we traversed the yard, me pulling her by the hand, and she getting a sense of how the board feels while in motion. It was something like teaching my brother to ride a bike so many years ago, when he pedaled, and I hung onto the bike for balance.

The next step: slide straight down a hill. With my sister-in-law still standing inside the bindings, I pulled her over to the bottom of a three-foot rise that tops out in the neighbor's yard.

She got on her knees and "hopped" to the top. After helping her point the snowboard's nose straight down the hill, I gave her a push. She slid 5 or 6 feet down into the yard.

Her husband, who was watching this spectacle from inside the house, said "You're a shredder now!"

Her response was more brief: "Whee!"

We repeated the exercise twice. First she gave some extra pressure to the toeside of the board (thus making a slight turn left), followed by a ride that emphasized the heelside (a turn to the right).

I THINK I'VE GOT IT
Finally, I pulled her over to the top of a steeper (though still short) hill for an attempt at a toeside to heelside turn.

"Remember when you started making parallel turns on skis?," I asked. "You had to rely on and overcome that moment of terror."

"Your equipment has to point straight down the hill, move, and then you need to make a subtle adjustment and trust the sidecut of the equipment to provide the turn."

I pulled her enough to get the trip started, and then let go. She started the slide down, started the turn, and then fell down.

So how did it go?

She was laughing. "I think I've got it."

We had just a little bit of untracked snow left at this point, so I helped her stand up, and she tried a heelside to toeside turn, doing pretty well.

"That's a great start," I said, before helping her out of the bindings.

"I think I understand how it's supposed to feel," she said.

One skier in the family down, four to go ....

Mashed Potatoes and gravy

While most people think of skiing and snowboarding as Winter sports, you may be able to ride into the Spring in some areas.

Spring riding has its advantages:

• Lower prices for day tickets;
  
• Fewer people on the slopes means more room to roam without interference;
  
• No bitter cold, either on the slopes or in the parking lot as you assemble your gear;
  
• Increased learning opportunities as you adjust to the changes in terrain and snow;
  
• Migrating birds that have returned from southern migrations and mountain steams that are thawing provide a new audio experience on the chairlift;
• Travel to and from the mountain won't be a white knuckle experience, since you'll be driving on dry roads or flying in clear weather.

But there are disadvantages of Spring riding as well:

• Some terrain may be marked closed because of thin snow coverage;
  
• Some of the lifts may be closed, meaning that you have to choose your routes carefully;
  
• The snow an move from soft and wet to hard and icy from afternoon to early evening;
  
• You may stink, literally, due to increased sweating in higher temperatures.

So why bother? with Spring snowboarding

• It's still snow!
• Your expertise as a snowboarder will increase the more that you ride in variable terrain and variable conditions.

MAKING ADJUSTMENTS
The key to successful Spring riding is to make adjustments.

• Change your clothing ensemble to include fewer layers. If you're overheated, you probably won't enjoy riding. Consider a lighter pair of snow pants, or wear ski shorts over your base layer. Your helmet may have an insert that you can take out for increased breathability.
• Softer snow will give a slower ride, so ride steeper slopes than you normally do. You might even explore the terrain park. Falling in the halfpipe (an essential part of learning in the halfpipe) for example, is easier on softer snow.
• Be ready to respond to a variety of conditions within a single run down the mountain; a slick spot in the shade may give way to a pile of slush or chopped up snow.
• Anticipate whether you will ride over a pile of accumulated snow, or ride through it.
• Get up early. The snow may become unrideable by late afternoon, so get to the slopes early to maximize your on-snow time.

Snow Scraping

Do snowboarders "scrape the snow" off the mountain? That's an old accusation, but it's not an entirely fair one.

Now, it's true that a snowboard can scrape a lot of snow, and push it down the hill.

What is responsible for pushing snow around? People who take on terrain too steep for their ability, and who then resort to side slipping for an escape.

But skiers are well as boarders are guilty of the practice.

Still, grown-up riders would do well to act as if they are under special scrutiny from skiers. Act like an ambassador for the sport, that is, and work your way up to the more difficult terrain. That way, you will maximize carving and thus minimize scraping, and leave the hill in better condition for all of us.

Surface Lifts for Boarders?

Snowboarding is challenging enough, without having to deal with surface lifts.

I learned how to ski by using a rope tow. That was hard enough, but at least I had only one axis on which to balance: front and back. It was relatively easy to put equal weight on both feet, since each had their own ski. I simply had to make sure that I wasn't leaning too much towards either the tips or tails of my skis.

But riding a tow on a board--which is what I had to do for my first lesson--is another matter entirely. It's completely different, and ski schools that use ropes for teaching riders ought to be sued for educational malpractice. (Note to lawyers: that's a joke.)

Here was my progression on a rope tow: ten feet up. Splat. Ten feet up. Splat. Ten feet up. Splat. Repeat a dozen times until "it takes," at which point my attitude changes to "Am I actually going to be able to hang on the entire time? This is hard work!"

Riding a board on a tow requires not only having a proper weight distribution between tip and tail, but from heelside to toeside as well. So riding up on a board is at least twice as difficult as riding on skis.

T-BARS and POMAS
All this brings me to t-bars and pomas, which can still be found in older ski areas. Actually, they can still be found in large destination resorts. (Snowmass uses a t-bar near one of its summits.)

How do you ride those things on a board? I faced that question at a new (to me) resort. Thinking back to my early days on a board, I decided that I just didn't want to face either the "splat learning curve" (worst case) or the "this is going to be a lot of work" situation (best case).

My wife was with me, and she was on skis. She had spent a lot of time during her childhood skiing days using surface lifts. In other words, she could have handled the surface lifts just fine. But even she had no taste for anything that required that kind of work. So we avoided the parts of the terrain that were not easily accessible by a chair.

The surface lifts do have one value: they open up some terrain for use. Just not by me.

It's the First Day of Spring and I'm Riding

While the continued existence of snow on the ground on the first day of Spring may be enough to cause despair among some people, if you've got easy access to a ski hill, it's just another day for riding.

Actually, it's not quite just another day. Spring weather brings corn snow, a different surface to work with. But as long as it doesn't get too soft, it's doable. So I spent a couple of hours trying switch riding, ground spins, a ride in the halfpipe (nothing spectacular!) and just riding around.

It must have been Family Video Day. I saw two, maybe three families composed of mom, dad, small child on skis, and a video camera. Come to think of it, the snow conditions were probably great for such an outing. The increased water content in the snow slows down the kiddies so they don't go bombing out of control or get too scared from building up a lot of speed.

Riding Switch: Remember Old Lessons

It can be unnerving to ride switch. After all, you've got a rhythm down, and then when you go switch, everything's changed. But some of the rules from "normal" riding apply. Among them, turn first, then edge.

If you try to turn without experiencing that moment of terror when the board is pointing straight downhill, you'll probably have trouble making a turn. In short, you're actually making things more difficult than they have to be.

As I struggled to make turns while practicing switch riding, I thought, "Why is it so hard to make this turn?"

True, my binding settings played a part. By riding switch, I ride with my back binding at a 20 degree angle, instead of 0 zero degree one that I'm used to.

But I knew there was more than that at work. It was as if I had to forcibly move the board by trying to lift my weight off the ground. It wasn't going to work.

And then I remembered the need to turn before edging. I had a much easier time after that.

Riding forward, riding switch. It doesn't matter. To make turns, point the board down the hill, and apply some heelside or toeside pressure, and trust the sidecut of your board to see the turn to completion.

Spinning 'Round

If you want a good test of your balance and edging abilities, try this: spin your way down the mountain. No, I'm not talking about catching air; simply spinning on the ground is a challenge of its own.

I tried it on the bunny hill of a nearby micro-hill, so the grade was rather modest. Spinning around is a bit scary, but fun, once you get the hang of it. Spinning is one of those just-having-fun activities that can make riding so inviting. Try one thing, nail that down, and then try something else--perhaps, in time, spinning as part of jumps.

Like most new maneuvers, spinning is best performed on softer snow, since you may be falling more frequently.

UPDATE 3/20: At our micro-hill, I took on a slightly steeper trail and had no problem catching edges or, well, spinning out. The snow was even softer (though not too soft, obviously), which helped out matters. By the time I stopped on both runs (because the terrain was starting to even out), I was only just starting to get dizzy.

Living Large

A few weeks ago I bought some new snowboarding pants. The stereotype still lives.

Are baggy pants still in style? Though I really don't pay attention to what anyone is wearing on the slope, I would have to say yes, based on my late-season shopping purchase.

A recent outing in falling snow left me soaked, and I had decided it was time for some new pants. The ones I had were bought primarily with skiing in mind, and I just didn't need really good waterproofing qualities. But now, I do. So it was off to my favorite local shop.

They featured retail prices at 50 percent off. Not bad for something I can see, touch, and try on for myself.

In t-shirts and sweatshirts, I normally go with an XL, or even XXL. Looking over the pants, I saw right away that XXL was going to be too large. I tried on some XL pants, but they produced tents around my calves. And I have big calves, so that tells you just how jumbo-sized those pants were.

So I went down to a mere "large." (The medium were too tight, of course.) Even these are a bit too big, however. For one thing, it sometimes feels like they will fall down when I'm getting ready for a turn. Talk about a distraction; try making a turn when you fear that any moment now, your pants will be around your knees. It took me a while to find the belt loops, so now I wear a belt. It helps some.

But now I've discovered another "bigness issue." I normally put the pants on in the house and then drive to my mini-hill. The getting-ready phase involves walking around, collecting items, putting them in the car, etc. When I go about the house without shoes on, it's easy to trip on the leg gaiters that are part of the pants. So they're even a big long--and I'm 6 foot tall.

Oh well. At least they do a good job of keeping me dry.

I'll Follow the Sun

There's a reason why people prefer bluebird skies. It's not just that sunny, cloudless days are prettier than overcast ones, or that they give a psychological boost. It's also easier to ride on a bluebird day.

The principle is simple: the more daylight you have, the easier it is to see the snow, and respond accordingly. The more daylight you have, the softer (and more forgiving) the snow is. As long as you bring adequate sunscreen and shading for your eyes, what's not to like?

So when you try out a new ski area, stop at the beginning of the day to figure out where the sun will rise and where it will set. If you can, plan your day accordingly. Follow the sun. As sunset approaches in the afternoon, trails that are still illuminated by sunlight will be easier to ride than ones that have gone "dark."

It's a simple idea, of course, and an obvious one. But sometimes the simple and obvious ideas are the best ones to follow.

In Praise of Skiing: Less Trouble with Bindings

Let's give skiing its due. You seldom have to think about bindings.

Even the easiest-to-use snowboard bindings (whichever they are is occasionally a matter of contentious debate) require some attention. Most obviously, you have to secure one foot into a binding once you unload from the chair lift.

You never have to deal with that on skis. Stand up, off the chair and ski away. OK, so you do to secure your poles, but that's a lot less work than working on a binding. And even the poles don't need much attention if you have a Leki trigger system for your poles, as I do.

On the other hand, it IS pleasant to walk back to your car in soft boots, carrying only a board and not two skis and two poles.

Lifts: In Praise of Flat Run-Offs

Riders are at a disadvantage when they unload from a lift: they don't have both feet in a binding. And that's why flat run-offs from lifts are useful. I would consider them the sign of a rider-friendly resort.

My favorite lifts unload riders and skiers onto a large, flat area, with plenty of room for one-legged riding, and for locking in bindings out of harm's way.

But some lift run-outs are steep, dropping six, twelve, or more feet from the unloading area. To make matters worse, some of the run-outs develop little gullies that can catch you up, and can push you one into a little j-turn. This is fine and perhaps even desirable for skiers. They're already in the bindings. But riders? It's a different story, especially for people still learning.

I find the prospect of dropping down twelve feet with only one foot in the binding nearly terrifying. So if I think a run-out is especially steep, I'll put my back foot into its binding sometime near the top of the lift ride. (It's a violation of the rules at every place I know of, but hey, I need to not fall and create a traffic jam.)

Unloading with two feet in presents its own challenge: making sure that I point the board completely straight ahead, to avoid having the board pushed sideways, which would in turn propel me onto the ground after catching a toeside edge.

Flat rides off a lift are a good thing. Ski areas ought to use the off-season to do something (I'm not sure) to recalibrate unloading areas.

The Value of Riding Switch (2)

In general, the smaller the drop in vertical feet your mountain (or "mountain") is, the easier it is to become bored with it. That's what taking on new on-the-snow challenges is all about. For me, it was moving from skiing to snowboarding. For others, it's taking on a new way of snowboarding.

Take riding switch, for example. Practicing riding switch can extend your enjoyment of the mountain, and develop and extend your skills at the same time.

It's different enough to be a challenge, even on a green run that has long since become "ho-hum." But it's similar enough to what you know that you should have a higher comfort level than you had starting out on the board for the first time.

And of course actually having mastered riding switch has benefits as well. It's quite helpful (and even necessary) in doing freestyle tricks of various sorts.

You may even find a more fundamental value of riding differently: it may actually turn out to be your preferred stance. After trying the regular stance for a while, and struggling, I "switched" to goofy, and have made a lot of progress since.

The Value of Riding Switch (1)

If you're going to play in the halfpipe or do jumps in the terrain park, you definitely need to learn switch. But what if you're a cruiser and not interested in leaving the ground? Riding switch is still your friend.

For one thing, riding switch on occasion can help you avoid fatigue. There have been times on the hill when I have been using my leading leg so much that it starts to ache. You know it; it's he quad burn that you get from over-use. I had this problem in the West, and had to take the last run of the day slowly, with frequent stops for rests.

Now, some of this problem comes from an incorrect technique--riding too far towards the tip of the board, rather than being more centered from stem to stern--that over-stresses the front leg. And some of it comes from a fear of riding toeside while making tight turns.

So the best way to minimize a quad cramp is simply to improve one's riding technique. But I also found that riding switch--putting the other leg in front and letting that leg take the weight for a while--helps as well.

I started my riding career in a regular stance, but have moved to a goofy one this year. I have something of a head start in "switch"ing my ride, though that advantage has been somewhat diminished by going from a 0/0 setting on my bindings to a 20/0 one. (Translation: I changed the placement of my bindings to make it easier to ride in my preferred direction, and more difficult to ride switch.)

Where have I found riding switch to be the most useful? On the relatively flat run-outs of a trail, as it approaches the lift.

Don't Stand in the Middle of the Trail!

Stopping in the middle of a trail is not good, especially if it's at the top of a headwall.

Now I appreciate the desire to make a short stop and survey the landscape before proceeding. In some situations, that's the prudent thing to do.

But I've also seen that practice abused.

I was cruising down a trail which split into two directions near the base, heading towards two adjacent lifts. One lift was closer to me than the other. To get there, I had to plan to ride down a headwall, and get there through a relatively narrow section of terrain.

So I'm riding, looking at where I need to go, and ... right in the middle of where I want to be is a group of skiers. Three of them. They weren't looking down the hill, examining their options. That would have simply been a case of bad luck on my part. No, these folks were amiably talking. In the middle of the trail! In other words, unnecessarily blocking my way.

I had to sweep around them, and take a less-than-optimal line towards the desired lift. As a result, I lost a lot of speed and had to skate a ways.

RETURNING TO THE SCENE OF THE CRIME
This being a Midwest resort, it took me all of five minutes to ride to the top of the lift, five minutes to return to the headwall.

Guess what I saw there? Yup. The social club. Still standing in the middle of the action, blocking my path.

Just as I was going to cut around them (again), one of the three skiers pushed off. I had to alter my path, yet again. Grrrr.

Now, shouting at someone on the hill usually doesn't do any good, and I did restrain myself. I calmly but clearly said, in the direction of two skiers who were still standing, "Oh, NOW, you decide to go."

I don't know if they heard me or not. I hope they do now.

Riding the Surf

Some people compare snowboarding to surfing, with the rising and falling of the terrain.

Showing that even a green run can be enjoyable, I was making some warm-up trips down the mountain when the feeling of surfing kicked in. Finally!

The trail was fairly flat, but it had sufficient dips and rises in the terrain (some day I'll find the technical terms for these things) to make the interesting. Actually, more than interesting--simply, a blast. Down ... up ... down ... over ... up. Woooh!

It's hard to describe, but at some point, I did get the feeling that I was riding a wave: playing with and not against the terrain on the (snow) water on a sunny day, "catching" a ride up or down, depending on what was before me. Not that I fully understand what that is like, though; I've only been on a boogie board, not a full-sized surfboard. But I have a better "feel" now for why pro surfers enjoy snowboarding, and pro snowboarders enjoy surfing.

Soft Snow: Good and Bad

Spring is almost here, and that means soft snow. That's both good and bad.

When I rode in softer snow the other morning, I had some extra confidence to let my speed rip. In a wide open, deserted set of runs, I worked on getting comfortable with some speed--or at least what felt like speed. That was good.

But after a while, the bad side of softer snow was obvious. It grabbed my board, especially on easier trails. On occasion, it felt as if I was somehow sliding on my board's leash. So too much of a good thing can be, in fact, a bad thing.

It's possible to avoid some of that trouble by sticking to the shadows, where the snow may be harder, and thus faster. But riding "in the dark" is not nearly as enjoyable as being out in the full daylight.

Green Doesn't Mean Go as Fast as You Can

Green trails serve many purposes, including giving beginning skiers and riders a place to learn how to turn. They also give more experienced snow sliders a place to warm up before taking on more challenging terrain.

But there's one thing that green trails should not be used for: unofficial race courses for intermediate or advanced skiers or riders.

Out on a green trail, I sometimes feel the need to stop by the edge and wait for the upstream of unofficial racers to get past me. And if I, as an intermediate-level rider, am made nervous by such practices, what about the little kids who have graduated from the ski school area to a regular trail?

If you're going to "blast it" down the hill, do it on a blue run, or at least wait until the greens are empty.

The Lost Art of Matching Singles

There's a lost art on the slopes: singles matching up.

No, I'm not talking about "The Dating Game." I mean a solo rider or skier finding another solo rider or skier in the lift line, and then riding the lift together. A shout of "Any singles?" would suffice.

Instead, I periodically see double, triple, or even quad chairs sailing away with one person on board, while the rest of us wait in line.

Matching up would make for less time in the lift line, and more time on the slopes.

Stay in Control. That Applies to Skiers, Too.

Are snowboarders reckless? Some are. Then again, so are some skiers. The other day I saw a woman descend a moderately steep hill with poise and mastery. But I also saw a young man head down the same hill a very short time later. He was "bombing it," and exhibiting little control.

Sure enough, about halfway down the two "met," as the out-of-control skier clipped the skilled one. Actually, the encounter was more dramatic than that. The "bomber" had caught an edge, fell, and was rapidly sliding down the hill when he knocked over the other skier. Fortunately, she did not appear to be hurt.

While it's useful and good to push yourself, be smart about it. Stay under control, and don't endanger anyone else. Save your more strenuous outings for a time and trail where there's nobody else around. And try to make one step forward at a time, not ten.

Where to Sit on the Chair

Here's something that might make getting off the chair easier: sit "opposite" your stance.

If you ride with your right foot forward ("goofy"), sit on the left side of the chair, and ride towards your left when you dismount. If you ride with your left foot forward ("regular), sit towards the right of the chair and head towards the right.

If you ride the lift with your back foot out of the binding (as you should), you may find that coming to a stop off the lift is made easier by dragging your back toes over the toeside edge.

At least it works for me. I ride goofy, which means that I'm going to be dragging my left foot in the snow. I find that doing that is easier done when I am riding to the left once I get out of the chair.

Find something that works for you, and stick with it if you can.

UPDATE 3/20: Remember that I ride goofy, so my right foot is leading. Normally I leave the chair by aiming for a slight left turn, with my loose back foot (the left one) slightly dragging over the toeside edge.

Today I tried heading towards the right after dismounting. This put me into a slight heelside turn, which helped slow my speed. But how to actually stop? I found myself hopping a bit, and then digging my toeside edge into the ground. That almost lead to a face plant several times.

I'm sure I'm doing something wrong, but I'll continue to rely to ride goofy (right foot first) and aim toward the left for a toeside turn. I suppose I could do a toeside turn while going right, but going left seems easier at the moment.

Know When to Quit.

You may have had a great day riding, but it always ends sometime. But when?

I was thinking it was time to pack it in. The sun was moving lower in the sky, but I wanted to stay on. I flirted with trying out the night terrain. But then I was almost taken out by punk rider.

Often, you plan your day and act accordingly. At other times, you just have to respond to the situation as it changes, almost by intuition.

When I was almost hit, I took that as a sign from God: it's time to quit for the day.

Seriously, injuries often occur when you push yourself just a bit too far. Maybe it's best to leave just a little bit before you want to. Not only does it keep you wanting to go back, it may make the difference in you being able to go back.

Make Packing Automatic

On a recent outing, I suffered some sunburn and windburn from not having two simple items with me: sunscreen and a neck gaiter.

Ever since I added a hydration system to my list of equipment, it seems like keeping track of everything I need, and getting it to the car, is a big deal. In this case, it means forgetting two important things.

While I can't recommend keeping sunscreen in the car--freezing temperatures are probably not good for those oily yet necessary chemicals--keeping a spare gaiter there car is probably a good idea. So may be keeping your sunscreen in the same room as your snow gear.

Simple stuff, I know, but sometimes it's the small mistakes that lead to trouble.

Hard Time Riding? Try a Different Resort

I have learned many things about riding this season, including the importance of the right resort.

What is "right" differs from person to person (some prefer pipes, others don't, etc.), but a little "comparison shopping" convinced me that some ski areas are better for me than others.

There is, for example, a small ski hill nearby. It's very convenient, and for the last three seasons, I have enjoyed having it around for a quick mid-day excursion in the sun. On skis, it gets old quickly, but it's doable.

Riding a board is another story entirely. For one thing, two of the lifts have poorly-designed cattle pens. At least they're poorly designed for me, on the board.

Here's why: the entrance to the lifts is a long (100 foot) and narrow (10 feet wide) path set off by fences. Consider it the snow equivalent of a cattle pen.

To navigate this pen, you have two choices. The first is to approach the pen at a low speed, and then skate your way through the path. That's fairly awkward, and I have never been able to skate well on a board.

The second choice is to maintain enough speed that momentum carries you towards the front of the pen--assuming you don't hit anyone along the way. I can do this on skis. I get very nervous doing this on a board.

To further complicate either choice, the path within the cattle pen is curved, not straight. And the ground has little dips and doodles, bends and banks, and other tiny features that are enough -- remember, we're talking about a fairly narrow space here, with people milling around -- to cause me grief.

I don't need it. I'll stick with ski areas with more reasonable approaches to the lift chair.

If you're having too much trouble with a ski area that it makes you want to give up, maybe it's a mismatch between what you're comfortable with and what the area is like. If you can, try another one.

Hey, Punk! Live the Code.

Here's why snowboarding still has a bad reputation. I was approaching the end of a run, and a teenager on a board, who was initially up the trail from me, came so close to me that I could feel the wind from the air he displaced.

I was a bit startled, but managed to maintain my composure and finish the run.

Remember the Responsibility Code, which states in part: "People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them."

What part of that don't you understand, buddy? A simple apology in the lift line would be nice.

Unfortunately, he was able to get away, and even a comment to the liftie did no good.

Ice is Nicer on a Board

While powder is great for skiing or riding, many of us in the East or Midwest have to deal with ice on the slopes. And that's a place where snowboards may have an advantage. At least that's my tentative conclusion from a recent day on the slopes.

I'm a fair intermediate skier who can, in some situations, deal with ice. But my last time out on a board lead me through trails where loose snow would give way to ice. It wouldn't have been the most pleasant experience had I been on skis.

But on a board, if I ever felt like the ice and grade were too much for me to handle, instinctively I made a sideslip, which put my board perpendicular to the fall line.

This gave me enough time to figure out what to do next. And of course, it stopped me cold, which in this case, was a good thing.

It is possible do to this on skis, but in that case, you have to get two skis to work together. It's hard to explain, but the task of a making a sudden stop like this is easier on a board.