# Tips on Ice?



## tanscrazydaisy (Mar 11, 2013)

Keep those edges sharp. 

A stiffer board would help also, with the edge hold.


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## freshy (Nov 18, 2009)

Grip technologies like magnetraction also can help immensely. Keeping extra low and doing precise, deliberate and smooth movements is the key. Make sure your always in control because if your not you'll be going faster than you want before you know it and it will obviously be harder to slow your self back down.


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## Oldman (Mar 7, 2012)

Ice is Ice. It is not snow.

Type of board, type of profile matters not when it comes to ice. I can sympathize with your conditions given where you reside, but to be truthful and honest, there is no such thing as "ice technique" when it comes to ice. 

If you are on ice, then you simply cannot "carve" There is no magic technique that will allow that to happen.

We make the most of what we have. I simply suggest, if possible, you save up what you can and treat yourself to a trip somewhere that has snow, not ice, and enjoy!


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## pow247 (Mar 27, 2018)

Oldman said:


> Ice is Ice. It is not snow.
> 
> Type of board, type of profile matters not when it comes to ice. I can sympathize with your conditions given where you reside, but to be truthful and honest, there is no such thing as "ice technique" when it comes to ice.
> 
> ...



Thanks everyone for the tips and suggestions.

I do have a big trip planned for this season, trying to do at least one a year. I just wish I could get the practice in before I go so I can just enjoy while I'm there, but it's taking me twice as long to get a good enough day to practice (by good day I mean slushy day at least  lol) 

I was just watching a video by SnowboardProCamp: 




Is this what people consider side slipping? If not, what's the difference between this and side slipping?

I got a new board last year, but I wish I had thought about something like magnetraction. Maybe on the next one, if they haven't come up with something better by then!


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## WigMar (Mar 17, 2019)

Pro Camp calls it sliding turns, I think of them as skidded turns- they are a very useful tool but are the opposite of carving. The sidecut is sliding and skidding sideways instead of gripping and ripping.

Side slipping is whenever you're sliding sideways down the fall line. Many of those sliding turns he does there end in sideslips.


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## pow247 (Mar 27, 2018)

WigMar said:


> Pro Camp calls it sliding turns, I think of them as skidded turns- they are a very useful tool but are the opposite of carving. The sidecut is sliding and skidding sideways instead of gripping and ripping.
> 
> Side slipping is whenever you're sliding sideways down the fall line. Many of those sliding turns he does there end in sideslips.



Ah, that's probably what I meant, skidded turns lol I think that's what I do a lot of the time because I don't have conditions good enough to practice unless it's slushy. Maybe we will get lucky this season :laugh2:


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## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

You need to drink less booze, wake up early and get out for first tracks on groomers. It’s still icy but not ice. Definitely harder to learn to carve when edges don’t have much to dig into. But it’ll make you a better rider. You CAN carve on icy conditions. Later in the day, stick to sides of runs. Practice short quick turns on the “shaved ice” that gets pushed out. Finally, call in sick when there’s fresh pow!


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## pow247 (Mar 27, 2018)

Scalpelman said:


> You need to drink less booze, wake up early and get out for first tracks on groomers. It’s still icy but not ice. Definitely harder to learn to carve when edges don’t have much to dig into. But it’ll make you a better rider. You CAN carve on icy conditions. Later in the day, stick to sides of runs. Practice short quick turns on the “shaved ice” that gets pushed out. Finally, call in sick when there’s fresh pow!


Great advice, thanks! I don't drink so that helps! Also I have a flexible schedule so I can almost take off whenever but I do live a ways away so it is sometimes difficult to drop everything and just go whenever there's fresh pow. But I like your morning idea at least.

So excited for this season!


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

That pro camp vid is really for intermediates, evidenced by the lack of being dynamic. To progress, you want to get more dynamic, attack the nose and let the board run...and ya ub going fast, instead of fighting gravity. Let the board run, get on edge to use your sidecut and flow ther terrain/line. And look far below and for the open spaces.


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## Psi-Man (Aug 31, 2009)

lol, that's not ice, that's a packed powder snow report in any resort in New England.


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## pow247 (Mar 27, 2018)

Psi-Man said:


> lol, that's not ice, that's a packed powder snow report in any resort in New England.


That's true, lmao. His conditions look amazing compared to what we have. I've gotten off the lift and it was nothing but bumpy ice. Don't know what I would have done without my impact shorts


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

247..Xavier on riding ice









Learn the best ways to ride the ice from the expert himself, Xavier De Le Rue


Learn the best ways to ride the ice from the expert himself, Xavier De Le Rue.




www.redbull.com


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## LALUNE (Feb 23, 2017)

wrathfuldeity said:


> 247..Xavier on riding ice
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Exactly my mind.

I agree partially with people who claims that one can carve on ice, yes you can when you are ice skating .


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## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

wrathfuldeity said:


> 247..Xavier on riding ice
> 
> 
> 
> ...



That guy has amazing skills—and nerves.


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## pow247 (Mar 27, 2018)

wrathfuldeity said:


> 247..Xavier on riding ice
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That it madness. How is that even enjoyable lol

He’s good though, those steeps + ice look terrifying

I’ll just stick to the greens and blues when there is ice. Staying away from the quadriple diamonds.


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## pow247 (Mar 27, 2018)

Let's pretend this isn't me (but to be fair it's an older video lol).









Dropbox - File Deleted


Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily. Never email yourself a file again!




www.dropbox.com





Basically it was really icy that night, but could it have been prevented by doing something else? Was I leaning too far on my back foot? Posture wrong?

All criticism is welcome, because I want to get better. I can go a whole day without falling in slushy conditions but I think improving my technique can help in those icier conditions.

** Side note: stupid reason I wasn't wearing a helmet was because I gave it to my sister that run but after this happened I snatched it back and told her to get her own


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## Rip154 (Sep 23, 2017)

You didn't have enough pressure on the edges and was off balance. Same thing happens to most people who try a rail for the first time. Besides getting an edge tool to sharpen your edges now and then, it's mostly about getting the skills. Practicing carving and slashing in softer snow helps, as you need edge control and balance for that. You will have a harder time if you are under the weight range of the board.


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## WigMar (Mar 17, 2019)

You didn't have enough pressure on the edges and was off balance. This.

It looks like you're turning by leaning your weight over like on a skateboard. This can lead to a washout pretty easy. It helps to think about flexing your feet in your boots- driving energy down into the turn. Get your toes up to drive pressure into your heel edge. Also think about squatting into it more, dropping your butt to your highbacks instead of letting it stick out and bending over at the waist when you bend your knees. Think about the line of pressure generated by your body weight and drive that pressure down, not out.


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Can't watch either vid. Dunno if it's the new format, my old IOS, or both.


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## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

Definitely too much on back foot. But also leaning over too much. Need to get centered on the board more. 

So basically Xavier already explained in that video. Your skills are not even close to his but the principles still apply. 

Don’t turn so much
Lean/face foreword 
Start slow and work up. 

But you also can’t go too slow on ice. You’re gonna have to get comfortable going fast. The moment you hit an edge too much because of fear is the moment you hit the snow with a thud. That’s what you did. Started going too fast and turned too hard. 

I’m no expert—still learning like you. I’m just trying to get over that fear on steeper slopes. The shit ain’t easy.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

WigMar said:


> You didn't have enough pressure on the edges and was off balance. This.
> 
> It looks like you're turning by leaning your weight over like on a skateboard. This can lead to a washout pretty easy. It helps to think about flexing your feet in your boots- driving energy down into the turn. Get your toes up to drive pressure into your heel edge. Also think about squatting into it more, dropping your butt to your highbacks instead of letting it stick out and bending over at the waist when you bend your knees. Think about the line of pressure generated by your body weight and drive that pressure down, not out.


 ^^^ Pretty much this. Squat more and you need to attack the nose more/sooner. At the point you taildragged/wiped out, you should have been on the nose and transitioning to a toeside carve. In a way, carving is more about timing and staying ahead. When you are going fast, you got to pre-drive because if you are driving where you are at...you ain't there any more.


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

OK,... wuz finally able to see that _SHORT _clip on my laptop. ?

Honestly,.. In deference to my more experienced SBF colleagues, I'm not sure how to critique your riding based on observing you make one single turn. Looks to me like you simply lost your balance while on a heelside turn. Probably because you were too stiff legged & washed out on a bump.

Also, I really don't see anything I would call _ice_ in that clip. ? Maybe it's me being used to our _usually_ lousy, Midwest conditions, but that looked a lot like sum pretty decent hardpacked to me! Which is pretty good for doing either Skidded or Carved turns. Hardpack is usually pretty easily edgable.  lol

When I think "Ice?" I usually picture Boilerplate, Bulletproof Snowcrete! ? Now, riding *that* successfully takes practice, experience, a fair bit of confidence and the ability to edge your board rather aggressively. That will take sum time!

Just my 2₵

Since you stated you "want to improve," and are open to "any & all criticism." I have two pieces of advice,...

First, ride,... *A LOT!!!* The more you ride the better you'll get.
Second, (...and frankly I'm surprised it hasn't been suggested already,) _*Take lessons!!!*_
Preferably one on one private lessons, but if that's out of the budget, go with a group lesson. (_...Schedule it on a Sunday, or mid week during the day so as to have fewer people for the instructor to deal with._)

Quite a few of us have done just that. Some of us even continue to take a lesson every now & then just to brush up, identify & correct any bad habits we might have picked up. Or to learn a new skill, trick, or technique! There is NO shame in taking lessons!


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## MrDavey2Shoes (Mar 5, 2018)

You didn’t engage the front of your board at all. Use as much edge as possible on ice. Also ride a board with camber to grip. Full camber has the most grip. It won’t be fun if you’re skidding turns though.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

pow247 said:


> That it madness. How is that even enjoyable lol
> 
> He’s good though, those steeps + ice look terrifying
> 
> I’ll just stick to the greens and blues when there is ice. Staying away from the quadriple diamonds.


Its enjoyable when you survive....and jumping up and down joyful when you don't crash. Which reminds me at the hill there is this little place where you have to often balls up for about 20' semi-drop on cascade concrete sheet ice but then it opens up to a wonderful open field that rarely gets hit. The first couple of times it was trying to slide slip it, which was impossible cause I would end up sliding/sitting on my ass and out of control. But then I ended up just going for it, it was great and only lasted 1/2 second to open slashing.


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## drblast (Feb 28, 2017)

pow247 said:


> Dropbox - File Deleted
> 
> 
> Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring your photos, docs, and videos anywhere and share them easily. Never email yourself a file again!
> ...


All balance. It looks like you're timid and anticipating falling on ice, which makes you tense up and that makes the fall inevitable. Ice is like rails and boxes; if you lean back and try to slow down by engaging the heel edge, you're just going to slip out and fall on your ass. Sharp edges might help that a tiny bit but probably not.

Don't go sideways or skid turns on ice. Think about the fall line and your center of gravity. If you're pointed directly down the hill (or within 15 degree of that), even with zero friction you're just going to slide down the hill straight. If you're trying to traverse ice yer gunna have a bad time, especially at slow speeds.


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## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

Just looked again. Too short of a video. But all was well until you continued your carve too far. Think shorter faster linked turns. Right before you fell was the point in which you should have transitioned to toe side.


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## Aracan (Nov 24, 2017)

If you want to make worthwhile turns on the hard stuff, you need to

engage the edges. Do rotation drills until you are comfortable. Next step:
bend those knees: lower your COG. This will help you maneuver (and it will hurt less if it doesn't work)
turn! Someone said that you need to turn less on ice. This will cause you to build more and more speed, because you bleed off less and less in each turn. You will then either have to sideslip/drift, or you will crash. Ride out those turns until the noise points uphill.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Scalpelman said:


> You need to drink less booze, wake up early and get out for first tracks on groomers. It’s still icy but not ice.


This. Nothing like a fresh corduroy in early morning! 
K, not "nothing". Pow always wins. But for groomer conditions, a firm hardpacked, freshly groomed run is awesome. Put some aggressive music on your playlist, turn on the volume and tilt the board and commit to those turns. No joke. Riding icy conditions is about commitment. If you only half-heartedly tilt and push the edge? It'll slip. If you put your energy into the turn and tilt the board decently? It'll hold (given you're not onerweight for the edge and edge is well maintained, of course). 

I struggled long time with icy conditions. Meanwhile I prefer a hardpack corduroy over soft snow. Only difference is my commitment to the turns. The tilt is the answer


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## Bill Jacks (Dec 7, 2019)

How would you get your edge to bite though? Do you apply more pressure?


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## Rip154 (Sep 23, 2017)

You ride the edge instead of the base of the board. If you can balance your weight on that edge, it applies alot of pressure. Being more active with your body instead of just holding on helps you take control, lean into the turn. Putting your hand down through turns can be like training wheels, until you know how far you can lean over and use the momentum to transition into the next turn.


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## Bill Jacks (Dec 7, 2019)

Rip154 said:


> You ride the edge instead of the base of the board. If you can balance your weight on that edge, it applies alot of pressure. Being more active with your body instead of just holding on helps you take control, lean into the turn. Putting your hand down through turns can be like training wheels, until you know how far you can lean over and use the momentum to transition into the next turn.


Thanks alot! Yeah I can see what you mean by being active with your body, when I'm not bending down enough, I usually slip out of the edge. I get scared though when I put my hands down it feels like if I lean a little bit more I am going to tip over, both heelside and toeside, is there anyway of overcoming this fear?


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Bill Jacks said:


> Thanks alot! Yeah I can see what you mean by being active with your body, when I'm not bending down enough, I usually slip out of the edge. I get scared though when I put my hands down it feels like if I lean a little bit more I am going to tip over, both heelside and toeside, is there anyway of overcoming this fear?


You want to be dynamic and really squat into the turns...don't lean over. Squat so low that you can drag your leading hand on the snow when going heel side and on toeside, so that you can drag your trailing hand on the snow.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Billy watch Xavier's vids in the link below








Tips on Carving


Hello this is my second season snowboarding , tried to improve as fadt as i could.. i could really use some tips on how to improve my carving since i had no coach or lessons there’s a video link thanks ! https://youtu.be/5n8Gt5KSUD0




www.snowboardingforum.com


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## MrDavey2Shoes (Mar 5, 2018)

Practice - the only useful advice for improving edge control....or spend a season in the NE.


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## WigMar (Mar 17, 2019)

Bill Jacks said:


> I get scared though when I put my hands down it feels like if I lean a little bit more I am going to tip over, both heelside and toeside, is there anyway of overcoming this fear?


There's a motion we call petting the dog, and it sounds like you're doing it. You don't want to pet the dog, you want to squat down and pat his feet. Petting the dog leaves you bent over at the waist with your head down and your ass up. This pose makes you feel like you could tip over for sure, and it is terrible at transmitting forces down into your edges. Get low at the knees with your back straight, turn into the snow, and the ground will come up to be pet right at the doggie's feet. Getting low should feel like dropping your butt to your highbacks and almost sitting on the snow. 

Also, Xavier is a total boss. Check out his how to series for sure.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

wrathfuldeity said:


> You want to be dynamic and really squat into the turns...don't lean over. Squat so low that you can drag your leading hand on the snow when going heel side and on toeside, so that you can drag your trailing hand on the snow.



Hmmm... IMO, mentioning squat and handdrag is not enough info. The missing link is the tilt. On contrary. The hints of dragging hands are a bit dangerous IMO, as it could lead an unexperienced rider to concentrate on getting those hands low, no matter how, which can lead to the bad habit of trying to get low by bending upper body with a kink in hip, a position where there's hardly tilt of the edge, which is exactly not what one should do.

Thus I'd rather disadvise from trying to drag hands. Forget about those hands (this comes automatically into play ONCE you get the edgehold set and lean into carves more and more). 

Concentrate first on putting the board ON EDGE (=tilt! ). Lean into carve with upper body aligned (NOT bent fwd), to get the board tilted. This, no matter how low squatted or not. IMO it's a good balance exercise to do carves also in quite upright position, i.e. almost with straight legs, and by this learn to ride on edge in any level of squat/no squat.

The squat is only important for dynamic riding, adding pressure on edge in specific phases of carve, but not a necessity for getting a board on edge. That's like stage two. Stage one is the tilt, i.e. riding ON edge.


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## Bill Jacks (Dec 7, 2019)

neni said:


> Hmmm... IMO, mentioning squat and handdrag is not enough info. The missing link is the tilt. On contrary. The hints of dragging hands are a bit dangerous IMO, as it could lead an unexperienced rider to concentrate on getting those hands low, no matter how, which can lead to the bad habit of trying to get low by bending upper body with a kink in hip, a position where there's hardly tilt of the edge, which is exactly not what one should do.
> 
> Thus I'd rather disadvise from trying to drag hands. Forget about those hands (this comes automatically into play ONCE you get the edgehold set and lean into carves more and more).
> 
> ...


With toe side, I find it much easier to get the board and edge then apply enough pressure to hold it. But when I go on my heel edge, I feel that the edge is not gripping, and I don't know how to apply pressure to it. I lift my toes up to so it's facing my shin, but when I watch clips of me riding, there is barely any edge angle.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Bill Jacks said:


> With toe side, I find it much easier to get the board and edge then apply enough pressure to hold it. But when I go on my heel edge, I feel that the edge is not gripping, and I don't know how to apply pressure to it. I lift my toes up to so it's facing my shin, but when I watch clips of me riding, there is barely any edge angle.


Balancing on heel edge is inherently more tricky as ankle flex is restricted. Lifting toes is fine for mini adjustments. But the main tilt for me comes from highbacks/calves and thus knees/hip position. To me, it starts with being able to ride heel edge super low, as it's easyer to add tilt and keep balance from low position by straightening legs while butt is already close to ground.

I exercise heel edge balance on wide groomers. Ride straight first and squat down very low, introduce heel edge and then grab the front edge by hand, and try to keep that grab as long as possible all the way through the carve. This helps to keep weight well balanced and body in a nice little package (great thigh workout ), and toes can learn to do all the little mimi adjustments to keep on edge balanced. Once this works well (balance), you can let the grab go and add tilt to that heel edge by leaning calves a tiny bit into highbacks by straightening knees a tiny bit (pic +/- shows that moment). Ur back arm can be stretched out over the front edge as balance help. If you don't have enough momentum, you'll land on your butt. No harm. Add bit speed next time. The higher the aimed tilt, the closer the butt to ground, staighter legs, the more momentum you need to stay in that position.


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## MrDavey2Shoes (Mar 5, 2018)

Drop that booty low to leverage the heel side turn


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Toeside is inherently easier because you can adjust simply by squatting a bit more or less. On heelside there's more overt body movement required to adjust your angle. Additionally, people feel safer (and therefore more willing to commit) on toeside.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

BTW: finally watched that initial vid...



wrathfuldeity said:


> That pro camp vid is really for intermediates, evidenced by the lack of being dynamic. To progress, you want to get more dynamic, attack the nose and let the board run...and ya ub going fast, instead of fighting gravity. Let the board run, get on edge to use your sidecut and flow ther terrain/line. And look far below and for the open spaces.


Agree. That vid? I disagree with almost everything, lol. That's not ice. That's just hardpack. Perfectly ridable. And they say to be less aggressive; it's the exact opposite of what I learned on my way to embracing icy conditions. 

Vid should becalled "how can a new rider get safely through a very narrow crowded spot on his first encounter with hardpack". For anyone else? Don't avoid hardpack by side slipping. RIDE it. Your boards have metal edges . They can perfectly grip on such surface. The more comitted (aggressive) you are, the better the edge grips and soon, your headache about such conditions is gone because you learned to handle them and trust yourself and your board. 

Few yeads back, I avoided hardpack. Until that day when it clicked (Nirvana and Rage were on the playlist on that day ) and I experienced that it's just me who is the problem: Timid riding leaded to halfhearted tilt leaded to slipping. Full commitment leaded to edgehold.


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

I have to say I agree with @neni about that pro camp vid. That run may have had some icy _patches_ to it,.. but everything he was riding looked like perfectly good, edgable hardpack conditions to me.

I can also attest to @neni's advice about attacking ice more aggressively. Aggressive doesn't necessarily have to mean "fast." But it does mean getting up and engaging your edges on ice. I was that "timid" ice rider myself. Too frightened to commit and just trying to survive doing skidded turns on bullet proof, boilerplate ice! NOT fun!!!

After gaining a few seasons of riding experience, I finally decided to take neni's advice and "man up" some.  I started to used those edges to turn one particularly icy day. A day that I was really ready to give up on because the conditions were so bad. But I persisted. I used what I had learned about engaging my edges in hardpack to give me a little more angle on the ice. I ended up riding the rest of the day and actually enjoying most of it instead of dreading it!

I'm not claiming I was bombing down those runs @ mach 1, or laying down icy Euro carves.  But I _was_ carving & scarving down icy blues and doing so with much more confidence and speed that I ever did when I was always skidding down them!


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Oldman said:


> Ice is Ice. It is not snow.
> 
> Type of board, type of profile matters not when it comes to ice. I can sympathize with your conditions given where you reside,* but to be truthful and honest, there is no such thing as "ice technique" when it comes to ice.
> 
> ...



I wish I could post a link to the Instagram or maybe it was a FB post I saw from Neversummer. In it, They had a video clip of one of their riders laying down a carved turn on an ICE RINK! And I mean Laying down a *fully* laid out, _Low AF_, Euro carve on the ice! And this was on a CRC board which most ppl claim is shite on ice!

I zoomed in on a still frame from it and looked like the dude had only THREE point of contact with the ice. Front & Rear contact points and the middle rocker! It was AMAZING to see!! 

-Edit-
If @The Chairman sees this and has a link to that video clip? I'd _really_ appreciate you posting it here!


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## Crusty (Nov 8, 2018)

Scalpelman said:


> You CAN carve on icy conditions. Later in the day, stick to sides of runs. Practice short quick turns on the “shaved ice” that gets pushed out.


yup and yup, although the second part is not actually carving on ice but finding what little snow there is on icy days. Good trick, too.




LALUNE said:


> I agree partially with people who claims that one can carve on ice, yes you can.


Fixt that for you.















drblast said:


> All balance. It looks like you're timid and anticipating falling on ice, which makes you tense up and that makes the fall inevitable.


Yup.

Best advice I got on riding ice was basically this: Pretend it's not there and just keep riding.

Granted this is more psychological than technical advice, but I've found it to be completely true.

Riding ice is part mental, part physical. There is no magic trick, no secret technique, just good solid form dialed down a notch or two. Bend your knees, weight forward, quiet upper body, etc etc. Any mistake will be magnified- probably a lot- and might be painful, so just keep it simple as you get more comfortable. So yeah, don't freak out, don't be scared, just keep making good turns and ride.


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## Crusty (Nov 8, 2018)

chomps1211 said:


> I wish I could post a link to the Instagram or maybe it was a FB post I saw from Neversummer. In it, They had a video clip of one of their riders laying down a carved turn on an ICE RINK! And I mean Laying down a *fully* laid out, _Low AF_, Euro carve on the ice! And this was on a CRC board which most ppl claim is shite on ice!


No way!


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## drblast (Feb 28, 2017)

CRC done right can be fantastic on ice because you get that extra contact point between your feet. As long as overall the profile still maintains pressure on the tips, it's great. Lib's BTX/C2E/C2 don't behave like that but their C2X and C3 do. Never Summer's Ripsaw profile does too.

But I like Xavier's technique - flat base that ice like it's a rail. East coast ice is no joke and sure, you _can_ carve on it if everything is just right, but any variable like bumps or boot out or having to avoid a kid last minute and you're done. An ice rink is pretty much the ideal condition for that carving demo. Put that guy on a lake that froze over on a windy day and see how it goes.


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## LALUNE (Feb 23, 2017)

Crusty said:


> yup and yup, although the second part is not actually carving on ice but finding what little snow there is on icy days. Good trick, too.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Do you see ice skaters compete on a slope? The acceleration introduced by gravity will easily makes the speed too fast to fully engage your edge, then you lose the edge engagement and the edge starts to chatter like hell and you slip down the slope with your butt or belly.
Admittedly, having extra contract points or knife sharp beveled edge will help in certain situation but lowering the angulation or just flat base through ice is still the best advice I can give out.


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## Rip154 (Sep 23, 2017)

LALUNE said:


> Do you see ice skaters compete on a slope? The acceleration introduced by gravity will easily makes the speed too fast to fully engage your edge, then you lose the edge engagement and the edge starts to chatter like hell and you slip down the slope with your butt or belly.
> Admittedly, having extra contract points or knife sharp beveled edge will help in certain situation but lowering the angulation or just flat base through ice is still the best advice I can give out.


Red Bull Ice Cross.. 

But seriously, most people are talking about icy conditions, not actual blue ice. 100% of people who ask about this, doesn't mean blue ice.


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## LALUNE (Feb 23, 2017)

Rip154 said:


> Red Bull Ice Cross..
> 
> But seriously, most people are talking about icy conditions, not actual blue ice. 100% of people who ask about this, doesn't mean blue ice.


100%.


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Crusty said:


> yup and yup, although the second part is not actually carving on ice but finding what little snow there is on icy days. Good trick, too.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for posting that pic. (...the vid clip was amazing.)?

Agree 100% with you about riding ice being "Mental!" (...you have to be *mental* to ride east coast boilerplate!) ???

Seriously tho, you are right on the money. Tone it down, go slow and focus on good form when transitioning from edge to edge.

And as long as you stay off really steep shite,.. You can use your edges & turns to keep your speed reasonably under control. ????

I've done it. And yes,.. ice still scares me. But not to the extent it used to. (...I still don't _like_ it, but I can survive riding it!)


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

A thing to think about, is on ice, don't try to turn more than what your radius allows. Or in other words don't try to turn too much or get too transverse of the fall line...you can tell when this happens in that your board will get skippy. Meaning that you are overpowering the edge and its not holding. The remedy is either angulate more to dig the edge in or point more down the fall line and just flow the line using terrain to bank off of. Most of it is mental but there are physics involved...a body in motion tends to continue in the direction unless some force (edge) gets it to go in a different direction. So the point is...just realize that your meat, because of gravity and physics, will want to flow right down the fall line...so all you got to tell yourself (mentally) "I got to keep up with my meat"...lol...cause you don't want to get separated from your meat. Ideally, mentally you are able to stay ahead of your meat. The whole idea is to mentally anchor your chi to a far distant point down the hill and then let your meat get pulled there....voile...cold smoked pulled/shredded chicken sliders B U will.


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## Crusty (Nov 8, 2018)

chomps1211 said:


> Seriously tho, you are right on the money. Tone it down, go slow and focus on good form when transitioning from edge to edge.
> 
> And as long as you stay off really steep shite,.. You can use your edges & turns to keep your speed reasonably under control. ????


That totally sums it up better than I could say it. I am mental, though- been riding ice for 30 some-odd years now.


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

I remembered probably THE most important _AND_ probably the *hardest* to do tip about riding ice today while riding ice,.. ?

_STAY OUT OF THE BACK SEAT!!! _

You will DIE if you try to ride ice leaning nack cuz yer scared. It was really firm today @ Boyne Highlands and I started out with the full camber ride, but I was starting out all timid and skeered! Lol. And I kept leaning back which caused the board to have very little control. 

I had to focus hard on keeping my weight forward and engaging those contact points in the nose. When I did that,.. I rode much better. But it does take sum discipline and ability to get ones "balls" to drop. ???


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Proper form is important at any time, but the tougher the conditions, the more of a difference it makes.


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## cliffjumper68 (Nov 30, 2018)

wrathfuldeity said:


> You want to be dynamic and really squat into the turns...don't lean over. Squat so low that you can drag your leading hand on the snow when going heel side and on toeside, so that you can drag your trailing hand on the snow.


This vid of yours is good to show how to get your weight over edge, posted many times but a classic


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## ridethecliche (Feb 27, 2019)

One of the big takeaways I had taking lessons at Jay last week was that when conditions are icy you need to be more deliberate about when you're going to turn. It becomes like moguls or the glades where you need to plan 2-3 turns in advance and stop or slow down once in a while.

Turning on ice is likely not going to end well. Keep your knees bent to absorb the chatter. Look ahead and see if there are any spots with some snow on them (there almost always are) and plan to use those to slow down and/or turn. If its resort ice (ie not true blue ice) you can still slow down a bit on the icy spots but you might need to put a hand out on the ice for balance. I've had that work well for me. It's controlled slow though. I'm not advocating sticking your hand out when you're falling.

Oh and... make sure to sharpen your side edges if you think it's going to be an icy day. It'll make a huge difference.

Cold icy days at jay were fine on a RCR board with no magnetraction etc for me last week (2018 signal omni).


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