NASJA DAY 2: Walking, Riding, Skiing

When I was out on the mountains yesterday, several skiers said to me, as we were going through the flats, “That’s why I’m not on a snowboard.”

Yesterday I wrote about how snowboarders need to plan their routes carefully, to avoid extended flats. Yet I forgot to mention one other elements of the flats: Encountering one isn’t going to ruin your day.

Depending on your fitness level and experience with various types of equipment, you may find it easier to deal with flats on a snowboard than on skis. Here’s why: If, despite your best efforts, you’re on a snowboard and you come to a stop, you can simply get off the board and carry it. The board is pretty light, and you can walk in most snowboard boots.

If you run out of speed on skis, walking for more than, say, 20 feet is rather difficult. And depending on the slope of terrain, polling is no picnic, either. The combination of skis and boots is rather heavy. More than once yesterday, I saw a skier huff and puff his way towards the lift after running out of speed.

I don’t want to overstate the frequency of flats here. But they are something to be aware of.