# how the fuck do you ride glades?



## jyuen (Dec 16, 2007)

Just came back from a 3 day trip to jay peak. great snow even in this shitty season that we're having. my question is... how the hell do you ride glades.. is there some different technique to it? i keep getting thrown around by the bends and the trees. farr to many near death experiences this weekend.

I added a ton of forward lean to my highback on the last day which made a huge difference in terms of control but is there anything else? I can do to improve my glade riding? how can i control my speed without having to stop. 

i feel like every time i pick up good speed, i ended up getting thrown by a bend or a tree branch or a rock.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

Just ride them more often. I've never rode there, so I'm not sure what they look like. Plenty of tree runs here in CO are so steep and tight that you pretty much have to pick your way through them.


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## Milo303 (Apr 6, 2009)

About the only way you can control speed in some gnarly glades is to literally scruff of speed whenever you can and if you have to, zing around a tree and face up hill some if you need to. 

Glades are my favorite stuff to ride and I've bounced off a ton of trees, it happens....

I've also found a lot of fun in making big zig zags and essentially side hilling back and fourth thru the trees to make a sweet tree run last a lot longer. But that's in really tight trees.... More open trees like aspens or something I like to just fly thru those weaving in and out of them.

But ya, it's all about practice.... I can shred trees with the best of them but you get me on a wide open bowl with bottomless powder and I flail around like an idiot and can't make a good looking line to save my life. 

It's because I've got a ton of tree riding experience with not insane deep powder (Colorado resort riding)

Oh I've ripped probably a handful of gloves from having to grab onto tree trunks to help me make a tight turn because I was going to fast

But my smile is from ear to ear when I pop out of those trees


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## jyuen (Dec 16, 2007)

hmm thanks guys. looks like i need more experience riding glades. i don't get to ride them all that often. i have to admit they were pretty addictive. every time i got out of those trees it felt like quite the accomplishment because i made it out alive lol.


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

It's mostly about developing your reflex-to-control abilities. You should be constantly scanning in front of you and picking your next line; visualize what your gonna do in your head rather then reacting when it comes up. To ride trees fast and efficiently you need to be making decisions about your line every 1/2-second a new "frame" comes into view. Right now since it's new your likely uncomfortable having to make split-decisions and commit to them, so instead your bailing out every time. Like anything it's something that just comes with time and practice, once you get over the fear of hitting trees it will all just click.

Once you get it down, it's easily one of the funnest and most intense things to ride. Snow is a big factor too... if you have ice-burms and hard conditions they're hard to ride no matter what. Deep powder also tends to suck since it drastically slows down your turning speed. 4-inches to 2-feet tends to be the best.


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

Mentally you need 2 or 3 trees ahead of where you actually are, swallow tail boards make a massive difference in your ability to dodge trees at high speed. Lastly know when to bail as seen in the 2nd vid below!

tree run vids.
Snowboarding Rusutsu Japan 28/1/2012 - YouTube
Snowboarding Rusutsu Japan 28/1/2012 - YouTube


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## AIRider (Dec 25, 2010)

ETM said:


> Mentally you need 2 or 3 trees ahead of where you actually are, swallow tail boards make a massive difference in your ability to dodge trees at high speed. Lastly know when to bail as seen in the 2nd vid below!
> 
> tree run vids.
> Snowboarding Rusutsu Japan 28/1/2012 - YouTube
> Snowboarding Rusutsu Japan 28/1/2012 - YouTube


very nice runs!!!! jealous


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## gjsnowboarder (Sep 1, 2009)

Some great advice here. I would add another tactic for riding trees which is very simliar to riding gates. A lot of people tend to wait till they get above the tree to turn this typically causes a person to be late and have to make more gross movements to get the board to swing a round and turn. It also doesn't allow them to focus on the next turn and line of turns they will need to navigate the trees. The next to you are in the trees try to thing about finishing your turn on the downhill side of a tree each time. It should allow you more time to complete turns in the tree and pick your line.

P.S. There will be spots in the trees where turning is not in the cards and picking a straighter line is more appropriate. In general though in a well gladed run and even in sections of gnarly tight helmet branch breaking trees that the above tactic will work.


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## herzogone (Oct 19, 2010)

I can't offer anything in terms of advice since I'm still new to (and terrible at) glades, but maybe this video of my first glades from Jay Peak last season will help boost your ego: :laugh:






If I recall, the first glades shown are "Bushwacker" (blue), then I think it was "Buck Woods" (black), and "Half Moon" (blue). The guy in the green pants constantly waiting for us is Mysticfalcon. He's a Jay Peak local and experienced glade rider so maybe he'll chime in here with some tips...


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## nickwarrenn (Feb 11, 2011)

I ride a lot of tight glades (whenever we get the snow), and I find that you really need to pick your line(look 5-10 seconds ahead), and then commit. Look through the gaps you want, and absorb whatever bumps are underfoot, you'll see the rocks if there is any if you're looking ahead.

Other thing though is keep your nose up in the powder, but that's pretty obvious. 

If you're just starting, ride a glade in parts where you're only a couple of trees from a groomer, and you can easily cut out back to the groomer when you pick up to much speed, scrub, and go back in to the woods.


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## IdahoFreshies (Jul 9, 2011)

trees and glades are my favorite things to ride on the mountain. One of the biggest deciding factors even on where to ride is how steep it is. the more snow the more fun it is, but also the slower you go and the harder it is to stop. making tons of turns through the forest in pow kills your speed, so you have to be on steep enough terrain to keep your momentum. Having enough speed is also critical. Like all aspects in this sport the faster you go the easier it usually gets (to a point). if you are trying to make turns through glades and you are coasting along slowly it is going to be so much harder to balance and it is going to throw you off and you will lean too much either way and fall over. which sucks because then you have to dig yourself out. When turning in deep snow like you would hopefully find in glades you dont carve with your edge, there is no hard pack to dig into, so you are pushing off of the snow with your base instead of digging in the edge, also while sitting more backseat so the front is sticking up. therefore your turns have to be more mellow and drawn out. it is also going to be alot more full body leaning as you get into the "surfing" and floating style. so because you cant make sudden adjustments you have to think and plan your line quite a ways ahead of you. you have to be looking for the next turn, the exit to that, the approach to the next turn and that exit so you dont get yourself stuck and in a situation where you have to dig yourself out. always be on the look out for thick bushes, holes, valleys, anything that you dont confidently think you can ride through and keep your speed, always have your next turns and exits planned.

you said you were getting thrown around by the bends and trees. that all just comes down to having a smooth, mellow, floaty style and planning your lines so there are not any surprises.


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## Unowned (Feb 5, 2011)

i'm pretty new to tree riding here as well, just started 'enjoying' them this year. First time at a resort with decent glades, and even then i found some of the trails to be pretty rutted out. I try to take my time, but definitely not looking pretty lol
jay peak glade run - YouTube
Jay Peak - Glade run - YouTube

doesnt help that my local mtn is tiny with barely any glade runs, and are usually iced to shit...can't wait to go back to jay


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## Morgan514 (Feb 10, 2012)

Congrats at going to jay!!! The best glade system on the east coast. To ride glades you first have to have your skills at their peak performance, specially for tight trees like jay. Next take a mellow ride through at first and look for lines you feel confident and comfortable doing. Next find you center self and focus your mind at the task at hand, and then rip it!!! Always be with a friend or have radio with ski patrol channel programmed in. Also wear a helmet, trust me it wont take long to appreciate it.


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## marcdeo (Aug 8, 2011)

riding glades can be both awesome and brutal depending on the conditions. Riding glades in deep pow is absolutely heaven. pure and simple as close to utter bliss as i have ever been.

but riding tight glades in hard pack tracked out conditions is suicide. your contact points are always different because the ground underneath is such a hard mess. Then you get those scooped out turns and your toast. Still fun though.

As long as the glades have a steep enough pitch to keep you moving - you're in paradise.


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