# Aw yea...new with questions



## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

WTF? The lifts are hard when you're learning to board, but getting _off_, not usually getting _on_. Take a lesson. Learning to get on and off the lift will be part of it. You're obviously doing something fundamentally wrong, and the comment about a regular board and a goofy stance rings alarm bells.


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## wolfie91 (Mar 4, 2012)

Well I sure didn't have any trouble getting on--my falls were both getting off.

As for riding goofy, I wasn't trying to ride a normal board backwards: just rented a normal board by mistake and wound up having to lead with my other foot.

And lessons: they are a little steep for me, so at the moment I am learning from a boarder friend. Don't get me wrong, I've been working on my basics and I have no illusions about the fact that I am very, very new to snowboarding. I just want to be able to get off the lift without cracking my head all the time.

Emmy


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## Nefarious (Dec 26, 2010)

Some tips to getting off the lift.

Don't wait too long to get off. If you get up and situate yourself while you're still on the flat, you'll have your balance to ride down the run-off. 

You want to stand upright on your board with your weight distributed evenly. Plant your back foot centered on the board and don't lift it AT ALL. Stomp pads will make a difference the first few times, but you won't need it for very long IMO. It doesn't hurt to ram your boot against the binding to ensure it will stay in place.

When you stand up and plant your back foot, grip the lift with your hand. Either the seat or the back part. Stand up on the flat and let the chair push you to get your momentum. Make sure not to adjust your back foot until you are moving. It will feel unnatural at first, but you will become accustomed to it. 

Once you start going down the run-off, adjust your back foot (toe or heel) based on the direction you need to turn. Ride straight if you can, but with busy lift days it will seldom be the case. Move your boot to the side you want to turn. It also helps to put pressure down on that edge to help dig it in. Moving it a little one way or the other will give you extra leverage to lean into the turn.


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## Rider161 (Oct 12, 2011)

I would try and stay to the outer most seat that way when you stand up and push off the chair you will effectivly be out of the chairs swing


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## Nefarious (Dec 26, 2010)

Rider161 said:


> I would try and stay to the outer most seat that way when you stand up and push off the chair you will effectivly be out of the chairs swing


:laugh: That was implied but should have been stated. Thanks!

Also, make sure to give yourself a medium push off the chair. Enough to get you going, but not so much that it will send it rattling around the corner.


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## wolfie91 (Mar 4, 2012)

Sweet! Thanks for the tips: considering that my knowledge of snowboarding basically amounts to, "This is sick! Look how fast I can go! -crash-," this was especially useful


> that way when you stand up and push off the chair you will effectivly be out of the chairs swing


I think part of it is that I wasn't pushing hard enough to get going. Apparently I was just sort of standing there before I got nailed in the head and face-planted down the nearest bank.  Anyways as soon as I can gather my proverbial chickens I will be back out there...but maybe with a helmet.

Emmy


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## Nefarious (Dec 26, 2010)

wolfie91 said:


> Sweet! Thanks for the tips: considering that my knowledge of snowboarding basically amounts to, "This is sick! Look how fast I can go! -crash-," this was especially useful
> 
> I think part of it is that I wasn't pushing hard enough to get going. Apparently I was just sort of standing there before I got nailed in the head and face-planted down the nearest bank.  Anyways as soon as I can gather my proverbial chickens I will be back out there...but maybe with a helmet.
> 
> Emmy


There's no Maybe in helmet. I haven't fallen the last few outings and I'm always VERY careful to look around me....that doesn't keep me from wearing it EVERY time. You can rent them for almost nothing from any resort. They're $6 a day where I am. If you only go a few times a year, just set aside money to rent them.


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## Rider161 (Oct 12, 2011)

Nefarious said:


> There's no Maybe in helmet. I haven't fallen the last few outings and I'm always VERY careful to look around me....that doesn't keep me from wearing it EVERY time. You can rent them for almost nothing from any resort. They're $6 a day where I am. If you only go a few times a year, just set aside money to rent them.


I would definitely look to at least rent one as Nefarious implied even if YOU are careful it might not be you that you have to worry about.. It could be and most likely will be someone else.. I was recording and I turned around in time to watch a kid in skis coming at me wreck enabling me to adjust my edge hold to move out of his path :laugh:


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## Bones (Feb 24, 2008)

Nefarious said:


> There's no Maybe in helmet.


For a newbie just learning to ride: there's no question....get a helmet.

You're going to fall and it's going to be unexpected and you will whack your head.

As for getting off the lift: try to be in an outside spot. Maybe mention to your next door neighbor that you're new. Most people will leave a little early and veer a bit to give you space. Especially if they're boarders...we've all been there.

Try to just go straight. If you can see that you'll have to turn when exiting, then place your back foot a little off-centre (an inch or 2) when you put it down. That over hanging toe or heel will drag a little and you'll skid a bit in that direction.

Practice on a small incline. Skate up and slide down one-footed. It'll give you confidence.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

wolfie91 said:


> Well I sure didn't have any trouble getting on--my falls were both getting off.


Oh, sorry, I got the impression that you smooshed while getting on. Your snowboarding friend should spend some time working on the dismount with you -- although you've already gotten the most important advice in this thread. The rest is detail.


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## wolfie91 (Mar 4, 2012)

Oh boy I think if I cased it getting on the lift I might a' quit right there!

And Snowboarding Friend suggested I purchase his old helmet...thought I could use it for some reason.... I will be wearing on all subsequent adventures for sure. The last thing I need is to lose any more brain cells (I'd rather conserve the few I've got left).

I like the idea of skating around to get more used to it. I'm fine on the nice open hills: I fall, but it tends to be less spectacular and more controlled (one of the nice things about being an athletic but clumsy person...I can take a fall like nobody's business). Except off the lift apparently.

I spent my first hour or so on a little tiny hill that instructors were pushing small children down, and I seem to have started to get the hang of turning (I can do falling leaves etc as long as I don't make turns too sharp for my speed).

Another, probably silly, question. As a kid I always avoided snowboarding because in my area (Western Maryland) it was relatively expensive as hobbies go. How practical is it to just take a board (which I would purchase, obviously, along with boots/bindings) and goof off on a nearby hill? Obviously I wouldn't want to try anything super technical that wasn't groomed, but is it possible to still have a good time without shelling out hundreds of dollars on resorts and passes? Even the mountains here are only free because I'm a college kid and they figure we're good advertising.

Emmy


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## SnowMotion (Oct 8, 2010)

When you are approaching the top you will see the off ramp is flat where you first come over it then it slopes down. The first big mistake is staying in the chair until the down if you stand up on the board on the down slope then the board will take off before you get the chance to gain your balance. So make sure you stand right up at the first chance you get on the flat part of the off-ramp get your back foot against the back binding and allow the chair to nudge you to the down. With your balance right you should be able to ride out the down and be good. Another thing to practice is being able to put your foot where it goes quick. So at the bottom of the hill hike up 10-15 feet strap in your front foot stand up on your back foot point the board down hill with no weight on it then in one motion put your back foot on the board and ride out the down then practice making a single turn and stoping one footed.

About riding a local hill, Milage is milage anytime your riding your board your getting better!


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

wolfie91 said:


> Another, probably silly, question. As a kid I always avoided snowboarding because in my area (Western Maryland) it was relatively expensive as hobbies go. How practical is it to just take a board (which I would purchase, obviously, along with boots/bindings) and goof off on a nearby hill? Obviously I wouldn't want to try anything super technical that wasn't groomed, but is it possible to still have a good time without shelling out hundreds of dollars on resorts and passes? Even the mountains here are only free because I'm a college kid and they figure we're good advertising.


Very common thing to do. Even on the mountain actually. Many times you'll see people hitting a feature and stopping and hiking up to do it again instead of taking the time to go to the bottom and ride up. 

Burnaby Mountain Park up at the top of (wait for it) Burnaby Mountain  is great for just what you're talking about on the rare occasions when we get enough snow.

Or just build something in your back yard.


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