 | Alaskan Snowboarding | |
| Alaskan Snowboarding | |
Snowboarding, despite the illusion that it's a wild sport, attempted only by wide-eyed teenagers, hurtling wildly down mountains without sense or control, is actually a civillized and challenging winter pasttime. It has absolutely nothing to do with age. People in their fifties are out there on the slopes! Although snowboarding is popular in many places, it has really taken off in Alaska:
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Ski slopes are labeled easy, intermediate, or difficult. A slope's label depends on how steep it is, whether it has bumps
(called mogules), and how wide the slope is:
*an easy slope is marked with a green circle. Green slopes are often wide and not very steep. A green slope is great for learning how to ride a snowboard. *an intermediate slope is marked with a blue square. Of course, your idea of an intermediate slope may differ from someone else's point of view, but blue squares usually have some mogules and sharp twists. *black diamonds are designed for experts and advanced skiers and snowboarders. Slopes marked with black diamonds are steep and often narrow. Most of them are bordered by trees and ditches. |
Before Craig Kelly retired from pro snowboarding in 1991, he had won four world championships and three overal U.S. titles. Craig still loves to snowboard, although he's also taken up the pasttime of mountain biking. Craig grew up in Mount Vernon, Washington, near Mount Baker. As a child, he dreamed of playing pro baseball. He didn't go skiing until he was 15. Later that year, he went snowboarding, and he instantly loved it. He and his friends helped each other create new moves. Craig competed in his first contest in 1984. Two years later, he won the World Slalom Championship.
Snowboarding began in the late 1960s by ocean surfers, trying to figure out what they could do on oversized skatebords in the snow.
People have been trying to surf on snow ever since the 1920s. However, snowboarding really got started in 1965, when a man named
Sherman Poppen invented the "snurfer," by bolting two skis together.
Jake Burton began experimenting with snowboards in the early 70s. Jake was a skier as well as a snurfer since his high school years. He
worked nights, so during the day, he would spend his time constructing snowboards. He would carry his latest snowboard up the slopes of
Stratton Mountain, Vermont, ride down, and after each run, he would learn more about snowboard design.
Jake decided that wood, not plastic, worked best for the top of snowboards. Plastic got too hard on cold day, making the board less
maneuverable. Jake also learned that snowboards needed sharp, smooth edges for the rider to be able to make quick stops on icy slopes, so
he put a tough, flexible plastic, called P-tex (which skiers use) on the bottom of his snowboards. The P-tex reduced the friction between the
board and the snow.
Jake also found that quick movements were easier on short boards, so he decided to make a board that was longer than a skateboard, and
shorter than a surfboard. Jake spent hours in his workshop and hiking up mountains, and when he was finished, his snowboard was safe, fun,
and inexpensive to make, and best of all, could do almost everything that skis could do - and more, but the reaction of others frustrated him.
American ski resort owners still wouldn't let snowboarders ride their chairlifts, which wasn't a huge problem, since hardly anyone had a
snowboard, because ski shops wouldn't sell them. Other snowboarders started their own companies, and soon after, snowboards were being
made with new features, and old ones were improved. Riders now have dozens of selections to choose from.
Ten years ago, only a handful of ski resorts were brave enough to permit snowboarders to charge, fly, loop, and carve down their slopes.
Today, however, only a handful ban them.
By the mid 1990s, snowboarders could ride at most of the ski areas in North America. Now, there are snowboarders in at least 75 nations
and on 5 continents.
Snowboards, like skis, need bindings to keep a rider's feet attached to the snowboard or ski. A good binding is sturdy enough to
give the rider control, but not so rigid that you'd break your leg if you fell down. Snowboard manufacturers have been troubled with
the problem of bindings ever since snowboards were invented, but in 1983, Jeff Grell came up with a binding system that surrounded
the snowboarder's entire foot with a hard plastic shell, which was clamped tightly to the board with straps and metal buckels. With
these bindings, riders could control their snowboards, even on hardpack. (hardpack is hard, icy snow, found at most ski resorts)
The first step to learning how to snowboard, is choosing a board. At any snowboard shop, you'lll find an amazing variety of colors, shapes,
and sizes. A new snowboard costs several hundred dollars, although used ones may cost much less. They are usually available at ski shops
and pre-season ski sales.
In any snowboard shop, you will find many different ways of decorating snowboards. Some snowboard designs are so eye-catching,
that you may be tempted to buy a board for what it looks like, rather than what it can do. The sketch or painting on the snowboard
shouldn't be your choice for purchasing it, but the art can be the top tie breaker. Snowboard manufacturers hire artists to create drawings
and paintings for the snowboards. Sometimes these works of art are origionals, and sometimes they are mass produced. Professional
snowboard artists usually spend much of their time riding their snowboards, and sometimes they get their inspiration from the mountains.
Most riders borrow a snowboard from another rider, or rent one for their first time. Whether you're borrowing, renting, or buying,
let a professional snowboard instructor or an experienced rider help you choose which model is right for you. For instance, if you're a
skateboarder, you might want to do some of your skateboarding tricks in the snow. A freestyle snowboard is short and flexible, with a
shovel on both ends, and low-backed bindings.
However, if you want to ride in snow up to your neck, choose an alpine board. This snowboard is long, narrow, and stiff. An alpine board has high-backed bindings and a squared, asymmetric tail.
Snowboards vary in length from about four feet to almost six feet. Children and small adults should use smaller boards than taller riders. Also, the heavier the rider, the stiffer the board needs to be.
men ............... 150-170 cm
women ............. 140-160 cm
beginners.......... chin height
You will be standing sideways on a snowboard, so you will need a board that is as wide as your feet are long. That way, your toes and heels won't hang off of the sides and slow you down, especially around turns.
Snowboarders are (usually) welcome at most ski areas, but you don't have to go to a ski resort for your first time. You can practice on a small public hill, or anything, for free. This way, you won't have to worry about running into other snowboarders and skiers: and hiking up those hills are a great way to loosen up your muscles.
To get started, sit in the snow on a flat surface. Place your front foot in the binding first. Remove any snow or ice that may be in the bindings, then tighten the fasteners as firmly as possible without feeling any pain. Afterwards, fasten your back binding.
Decide which foot will be your lead foot. When you're batting in a baseball or softball game, which foot is closest to the pitcher? That's probably the foot you'll want in the forward binding. Snowboarders call the stance in which the rider's right foot is forward, the "goofy" stance. If your left foot is forward, you're a "regular" stanced person. If you have someone push you from behind, the foot that you step forward with is what foot you'd probably be most comfortable with.
When you are a "first-time" boarder, you should do a couple of things to get a good sense of balance before you begin hitting the slopes. Strap your front foot in. With your other foot, push yourself around in a circle, then try going down an easy slope. Then, after that, you should learn how to stop, and do controlled falls, so you don't break your neck. When you're going too fast, there are two things you could do: one, is to lean as close to the ground as possible. Then, face uphill, and reach for the snow with your hands. Let yourself gradually fall, while at the same time, dig the toeside edge of your board in the snow to slow your self down,two, squat down very low, place your hands on either side or on the board, and sit down.
1.look to the right.
2.shift your weight to the right.
3.repeat for the left hand side.
If you want to stop while you're going straight down a hill, you could do a skid. First, shift most of your weight to your front foot, then swing your tailside around. You can also use this technique to turn.
To do a backside stop, you twist your waist and look in the direction that you want to point. Then you put most of your weight on your front foot so you can kick your back leg around. Dig the heelside edge of your board into the snow, and you'll slow down.
As you learn to go faster, you'll be able to lean further away from the snowboard. At high speeds, it is even possible to touch your cheek to the snow!
When dressing for snowboarding, or any outdoor activity in a cold climate for that matter, you should always wear several layers of clothing. That way, if you become too hot, you can always take one off.
LAYER ONE:thermal tops and bottoms, made of wool and cotton blend, or a synthetic fabric such as polypropelene. These blends keep you warm, even when you're wet.
LAYER TWO:a lightweight wool sweater and pants. Don't wear cotton! It's comfy, but it won't keep you warm when it's wet.
LAYER THREE:water resistant snow pants and jacket, lined for warmth. Riders often wear long jackets to keep the snow out of their pants. Your most important clothing item is your hat. Closely behind it, follows your gloves, socks, boots, and (face mask/neck warmer). Your ears, nose, toes, and fingers are usually the first part of your body to get frostbitten. Since 80 some odd percent of your body heat is lost from your head, the old woodsman's saying holds true: IF YOUR FINGERS OR TOES GET COLD, PUT ON A HAT! Always wear a hat! Fast snowboarding can blur your eye vision. Ice pellets or snow can sting your eyes and force them shut. Goggles and/or glasses are a good choice.
mittens are a better choice than gloves. Gloved fingers freeze faster than mittened ones!
Boots should be snug around the ankles and heels to prevent blisters. A loose-fitting boot increases the risk of injury to your knees and ankles, but don't tie your boots too tightly, or you will get numb feet and frozen toes.
most riders wear two pairs of socks!
Riders in a slalom race must ride through a series of gates as they go swiftly down a slope. There are 30-70 gates. Racers are timed as they take two different runs through two seperate courses. The rider's times are added together, and the racer with the fastest time wins.
Two courses are set up, side by side, for the parallel slalom. Snowboarders are grouped into pairs. Riders with even numbers ride on the left side, and riders with odd numbers ride on the right side for the first time. They swithch for the second run. The rider with the best total time wins.
A giant slalom race is held on a steeper slope thatn a regular slalom. The course is also longer. A giant slalom race is held on a steeper slope than a regular slalom. The course is also longer. A giant slalom gate consists of two poles tied together by colored banners. Racers must ride two runs. On the second run, some of the gates are changed. The rider with the highest score wins.
A super G course is on a very steep slope. Racers must make wide and medium turns. The gates are set across the whole width of the run. Super G races take only one run.
A railslide is a metal or wooden bar, or a downed tree. Snowboarders slide down the railslide.
A slopestyle is filled with challenges. Each snowboarder chooses his or her own course, and while riding in the course, she or he must do tricks.
A halfpipe is a big ditch dug into the snow. It's walls rise seven to fourteen feet on either side. A halfpipe is normally 250 to 350 feet long. Snowboarders glide down one side of the halfpipe, and up the other. Sometimes the snowboarder does flips in the air. They call that "catching air."
Snowboards have changed a lot since the days of snurfing, still, the basic pleasure of sliding down a mountain on a smooth single board remaings the same.
