Snowboarding is tough in the beginning, but after a bit of practice, nothing beats the thrill of cruising through powder down the slopes. Here are some tips that will save your rump a few hard knocks and make you the envy of your less graceful friends once the snowboard season is back in action.  

--This Glossary of Snowboarding lingo (click here) will help you better understand this article if you’re new to the vocabulary and snowboarding experience--

Be Prepared

You will find snowboarding to be much easier if you take the time to properly prepare. That means dressing in layers! it will get way too warm in a thick coat. Make sure your boots and board are the correct size--boots keep your ankles from straining too hard, and a correctly sized board will give you the best handling. I use a board I purchased for five bucks at a garage sale--it’s nothing fancy, but it is the perfect size for me and it just feels so good on every turn where I know I have complete control. Check out this Snowledge article (click here) to see what size you should look for, or just ask the folks at the rental place. Sunglasses or tinted goggles are a must for day skiing (your eyes will burn from all the reflected light otherwise). Don’t forget a helmet!

Beyond equipment, planning your trip to the resort on a day with favorable weather is hugely important. If you want fresh powder and aren’t afraid of a bit of wind, going on a snowy day is perfectly fine. If you are a bit nervous about your first time, then a cold, sunny day with clear skies would suit you best.

Snacks are optional, but highly recommended. They tend to be pretty pricey at the mountain, so it never hurts to bring a granola bar or some beef jerky. 

Know Your Limits

Every run is marked with one of the following: a green circle, blue square, or black diamond.  Green runs are the easiest, blues are intermediate, and black diamonds are difficult. Double black diamonds also exist. Beginners should avoid these as well as single black diamonds until you have more experience. Green runs typically are the least steep and are plenty wide enough to allow for gentle turns. Blues are steeper with less forgiving turns. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself, but don’t expect to hit a blue run in the first day or two of learning. You will fall--a lot! Don’t stress about it; learning to fall properly is actually one of the first skills that everyone needs to learn. 

Learn from the Best

Even if lessons are too pricey, watching the more experienced boarders will help you learn way faster. Seeing when they switch from toe-edge to heel-edge, where they keep their arms, even how they get off the lift will help your confidence. Most slope bums are super relaxed and happy to help newcomers. Feel free to ask around if you have a specific problem. Questions like “How do I manage my speed on steeper slopes?” are perfect for improving your understanding and technical skills, and you may get some demonstrations with it too! (For those curious, the answer to the question is to zig-zag instead of just going straight down the mountain like a rocket: the more you zag and zig, the less you scream in joyous terror.)

Assorted Tips

• Get comfortable with either the toe edge or heel edge, then get good at the other, and then practice the transition between them.
• Don’t ever have your snowboard flat on the ground- all of your control comes from the edges.
• Spend some time (before you even go up the hill) learning to move around with just one boot locked into your bindings. This will help you get off the lift easier.
• A lot of beginners will “bulldoze” down the hill--instead of slowing down when needed, they use the heel edge to brake the entire way down the mountain, afraid of picking up speed. While OK on the bunny hill, it ruins carefully groomed powder and makes the experience less enjoyable for others. 
• If you lose control (see the second bullet point), feel free to throw yourself to the ground before you pick up more speed. I still do it myself, and I’ve been snowboarding for 8 years! I advise you, from experience, to NOT use your face to break your fall.
• Avoid sudden turns. Telegraph your intentions, and watch for others.
• Relax and smile :)
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That is all you need to know  going into the fantastic world of snowboarding. Good luck, and have fun shredding the gnar!