Riding Styles As there are many ways to enjoy the snow (snowboarding, skiing, snowshoeing), there are many ways to snowboard. There is, for example, a three-fold division of freestyle (performing tricks), alpine (racing-style) and freeriding (all-mountain, or simply getting from top to bottom). If you start to prefer one form of snowboarding over another, you may benefit from specialized boots, bindings, and boards. CRUISING As with skiing, you can cruise on the mountain with a snowboard, taking each trail as it comes. If you take the lift to the top and ride back down, without hitting the terrain park, you're probably cruising. Cruising often takes place on groomed slopes. FREESTYLE Snowboarding's historical connection to skateboarding is most apparent in freestyle, the stuff of video games and television commercials. The emphasis is on catching air, spinning, or performing other tricks. In competitive versions of freestyle, riders are judged on technical difficulty, style, and height (how far they are above the ground or manmade feature). Freestyle riding often occurs in a halfpipe, a semi-circular trench in the ground that looks like--you guessed it--the bottom half of a pipe. It can also occur in a terrain park, which positions manmade objects (tables, handrails, etc.) for snowboarders use in jumps and acrobatics. Professional freestyle events held on the mountain in areas specifically built for competition are called slopestyle. For more information, see FreestyleTerrain.com POWDER RIDING Skiing in powder is fantastic. Riding a snowboard in powder is even better. If you ride in powder, you might benefit from a slight change in technique in equipment. But even with no modification, riding in powder is great way to build confidence in your snowboarding experience. Not only does falling in powder take away some of the sting of falling, it also lets you ride comfortably at a higher-than-usual speed. Many people will recommend that you move your boot bindings further towards the tail of the board if you anticipate a day of riding in "pow," otherwise known as "freshies." CARVING Like its cousin in skiing, the most basic definition of carving in snowboarding is making turns without skidding. As you progress to become a more skilled all-mountain rider, your turns will rely less on skidding and move on carving. But then there's carving in a whole other dimension. With its hard boots and asymmetrical boards, "alpine" or "extreme" carving resembles skiing more than any other form of snowboarding. Anecdotal evidence suggests that it, of all forms of riding, is the one dominated by snowboarding adults. According to the Carver's Almanac, carvers "tilt the snowboard high on edge, leaving pencil-thin trenches in the snow, while leaning into the turn until both forearms are skimming the slope." With their bodies stretched out nearly parallel to the ground, extreme carvers occupy a parallel universe of riding. Besides the Almanac, check out Bomber Online, Pure boarding and Extreme Carving for more information on this type of snowboarding. BACKCOUNTRY With its special thrills (remoteness, hidden caches of powder, cliffs to jump off), and dangers (avalanches), backcountry riding requires special gear and training. Avalanches are one danger of backcountry riding. The National Avalanche Center has information about avalanche awareness and education. The short film, A dozen more turns shows how a wrong decision in the backcountry can be fatal. Tree wells, which you can also find in-bounds, are another danger of the backcountry. Be sure to read Tree Well and Deep Snow Safety for more. There are several ways to get to the backcountry, including riding a snowmobile, snowshoeing, or using a split board. A split board is a snowboard that splits into two pieces. Uphill, you use it to ski. Then you put the board back together into one unit and ride down. One web site with information on splitboards is Splitboard.com. The backcountry can offer exhileration, a test of your mettle and fantastic snow--and it can also bring death. Educate and equip yourself before you go--and don't go alone. RACING Racing events include GS, Duel Slalom, and Parallel GS. In these events, competitors race against the clock, either one at a time, or two at a time on adjacent courses. A boardercross [actually a trademarked term], by contrast, is a race of several competitors, on the same track, at the same time. Think of it as auto racing on the snow. These courses include terrain changes such as trenches that must be jumped over. Here's an example of a boardercross competitor in action. Note the shin guards, hard-shelled boots, and 90 degree stance of the riders feet (meaning that his feet point towards the tip of the snowboard.) In all these qualities, snowboard cross resembles skiing. (AP Photos) Many racing events (as well as freestyle competitions) are conducted under the auspices of the United States of American Snowboarding Association, or USASA. You can also take timed runs--just you against the clock--through NASTAR. Though first designed for skiers, NASTAR is open to snowboarders. Pay $5, take two timed runs, and your time will be adjusted for the course, your age and the fact that you're on a snowboard. Do you have a golf handicap? It's a similar idea. While the pros wear special protective equipment and hard boots, you can use just about any setup you want on NASTAR. DISCUSSION Stop by the GraysOnTrays discussion board to add your comments or questions about riding styles, and snowboarding for adults. Return to the home page.