# Trouble with cat tracks



## Lamps

Practice, practice. 

Those cat tracks teach you good edge control. I've been riding forty days a year for about five years now, just got back from whistler this past weekend and I still find several of the cat tracks there a pain in the ass. 

Remember to keep a good stance, knees bent. Keep you weight evenly distributed front to back, don't wind up with heavy pressure on your back foot. Don't be afraid to rest, but pick your moments, rest at the crests, stopping in the low spots means skating uphill. The blackcomb side has less cat tracks than the whistler side, especially with the new crystal express. 

And even who it's at it's most annoying remember you're very lucky to live nearby, here in ontario there's no cat tracks and no good hills.


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## SnowDragon

Got back from a week of riding at Red Mountain resort.
Do they ever have cat tracks there!

I'm an advanced rider, and I don't find them particularly enjoyable either, especially when there are other people in your path.
You just need practice, and improvement in your riding.

The only good thing for me is that I tend to be the one flying past people on cat tracks. Just yell ahead that you're passing on their left or right and maintain your speed. Having to un strap and hike because someone slowed you down sucks.


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## Oldman

I would suggest that riding a cat track that is narrow and forces you to basically ride one edge for a prolonged period of time is one of the hardest skills to learn on a board.

It unfortunately is one of those practise makes perfect situations. The bummer part is that you may get better on one edge before the other, but the fall line of the track dictates which edge you ride on. On the other hand if you can ride switch, you can choose. Just keep working it as you glide back to the lift.

Grey D, you mention calling out "left" / "right". I do this as well and wish more people would. I learned about it at Smuggs about 5 years ago when I was on a trail all by myself, working my turns using the full width of the trail cause I could and all of a sudden I heard "On your Right!!!!!". I stayed left and a ski patroller swooshed by on my right. I thought "How great is that", he let me know, no big deal for me, and he carried on without having me hold him up. I didn't slow down, we both carry on safely at our respective speeds. Just a few quick words is all it takes.


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## SnowDragon

The thing about calling out that you're passing that surprises me is that alot of the time I get a "thank you" called back at me from the person I'm passing. It appears that most people find it helpful. As I mentioned above, I tend to pass most people on cat tracks (not sure why, I'm not that fast a rider usually...) and many will hear me coming, but of course they don't know if I will pass them, which side, or slow down and stay behind them. A quick call out removes alot of uncertainty.

Per the original post, I'm curious if most people ride flat on cat tracks or on edge. I've always assumed on edge, but...?


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## wrathfuldeity

Its a progression...1 edge, 2 edges, rock back and forth between edges and then flat. I'm now pretty darn good at riding flat on the tracks...thus cat tracks are no longer a problem.

I've been told that Whistler's runs are wonky because they did not plan nor follow the fall line....verses when they planned Blackcomb they followed the natural fall lines.


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## SnowDragon

wrathfuldeity said:


> Its a progression...1 edge, 2 edges, rock back and forth between edges and then flat. I'm now pretty darn good at riding flat on the tracks...thus cat tracks are no longer a problem.



:thumbsup:Good to hear because that's been my experience. Heel edge, toe edge, flat for a bit. Rinse and repeat.
And I have gotten better at getting my heavily rockered Banana Magic to flatten out on cat tracks. :yahoo:


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## snowklinger

learning to ride cat tracks is like a precursor to trees. 

relevant to some of those threads "when should I use ruddered or skidded turns", well the answer is here.

you can essentially do "ruddered and skidded turns 4 different ways depending on front/back or toe/heel pressure. this allows you to turn and bleed speed in almost any circumstance without taking up very much space along the fall line.

obviously this is a technique perhaps above your ability, but something you need to strive for.

some basic tips to get you there:

-lower your center of gravity (work your quads harder)
-focus on front foot pressure (very very hard for beginners, yet probably the most critical step in progression away from beginnerhood)
-practice transitioning from edge to edge as you ride in a straight line on a low angled slope, imagine the bottom of your board curved and you rolling it from one edge to the other as you go straight. this will help to avoid edge catching and can help that single edge burn from trying to run out a long cat track.

sounds like everytime you go to turn is a big deal. rolling around on your edges should desensitize that.

tldr: none of this internet shit will do jack compared to actual riding, basics will come quickly


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## Lamps

wrathfuldeity said:


> Its a progression...1 edge, 2 edges, rock back and forth between edges and then flat. I'm now pretty darn good at riding flat on the tracks...thus cat tracks are no longer a problem.
> 
> I've been told that Whistler's runs are wonky because they did not plan nor follow the fall line....verses when they planned Blackcomb they followed the natural fall lines.


I've also been told this, and my experience is that whistler has far more runs that are off the fall line compared to blackcomb. I think that we also notice this more on snowboards. 

However the higher cat track on the way over to Seventh is a bitch, worst cat track on blackcomb, especially now that crystal chair is in place. 

Worst cat track in the whole resort is the return trip from Symphony to Harmony, especially for goofy riders like me, I prefer long cat tracks where I can mostly go heelside, gotta work on my switch.


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## mojo maestro

GreyDragon said:


> Just yell ahead that you're passing on their left or right and maintain your speed.


I quit yellin' "left or right" as I'm passing. Seems to cause more confusion then just ridin' by. I yell left and they move left.


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## SnowDragon

mojo maestro said:


> I quit yellin' "left or right" as I'm passing. Seems to cause more confusion then just ridin' by. I yell left and they move left.


Try yelling "passing on your left". I haven't had any trouble with this.


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## speedjason

GreyDragon said:


> Try yelling "passing on your left". I haven't had any trouble with this.


or "on your left/right".
just left/right kinda confusing.


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## snowklinger

Its always a skier with their eyes on their poles, yelling in general seems to help.

Incredible number of people in this world who wake up, drive to the mountain in tunnel vision, ski all day and go home like they were the only people there. These fucks need all the yelling and honking they can get before we cull them out.

Head on a swivel people, you are not alone, and some of us are trying to kill you.


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## mojo maestro

I yell "passing on your left", and snow slider looks back to their left and immediately start to slide that way. Not their fault....you tend to go where you're looking. Between noobs and people rockin' music, I don't bother anymore. The one exception.....if I'm movin' slow and creepin' up on a boarders blindside.


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## neni

GreyDragon said:


> The thing about calling out that you're passing that surprises me is that alot of the time I get a "thank you" called back at me from the person I'm passing. It appears that most people find it helpful.


+1. If I'm the one behind and I'm for one sure about if it _really_ the right term I'm about to yell, I mostly get positive reactions.

Only problem is, when someone behind me yells "on your left", I've not enough time to figure out, which left (many ppl. have problems with left and right, especially women...) 



GreyDragon said:


> Per the original post, I'm curious if most people ride flat on cat tracks or on edge. I've always assumed on edge, but...?


Depends on how crowded and angular it is. Flat if the track is flat (widthwise) and straight and pretty empty.


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## scotty100

I hate flat cat tracks...who doesn't?...like the OP, they kicked my butt big time and just when I thought I knew what I was doing...Squaw has a few gnarly ones...long flat and narrow as hell with scary drop offs to the side. Definitely practice makes perfect and if you know the terrain well and where they are etc. it helps knowing when to build up speed before you enter it, which is crucial to being able to get on edge and ride the length of it without bleeding off too much speed and getting stuck in the middle. Lost count the number of times I had to unstrap and one foot to the end...mind you I wasn't alone...plenty of riders doing the same so it's a very common problem for those with less experience.

It can also help if you are with someone who is skiing...many a time I have simply grabbed onto one of the missus' poles and let her drag me back up to speed to get to the end...quite fun actually!


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## CassMT

this is when switch riding can be particularly useful, calves get tired? hit the side and flip around to the toes

'on the left' or 'on the inside' are my usual calls, but sometimes it's just better to say nothing and time it to pass when they are on the other side of the cat, it's a case by case thing

tune up proper too, wax and edges are essential bc the less time you spend on the cat the more energy you save for the good stuff


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## atr3yu

GreyDragon said:


> Got back from a week of riding at Red Mountain resort.
> Do they ever have cat tracks there!
> 
> I'm an advanced rider, and I don't find them particularly enjoyable either, especially when there are other people in your path.
> You just need practice, and improvement in your riding.
> 
> The only good thing for me is that I tend to be the one flying past people on cat tracks. Just yell ahead that you're passing on their left or right and maintain your speed. Having to un strap and hike because someone slowed you down sucks.


Lol.... Red is cat track hell. I never really have that much fun there to be honest, but there is a lot of terrain to explore.

For me if the cat track is not all that steep I stay flat and just put all my weight up front which keeps you from catching an edge. Faster steeping cat tracks you just have to keep getting better at riding and stay dynamic on them. Smaller, quicker turns to control your speed. I still hate them and don't feel 100% confident on them, but not as bad now in my 3rd year as my first 2.


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## Soul06

GreyDragon said:


> The thing about calling out that you're passing that surprises me is that alot of the time I get a "thank you" called back at me from the person I'm passing. It appears that most people find it helpful. As I mentioned above, I tend to pass most people on cat tracks (not sure why, I'm not that fast a rider usually...) and many will hear me coming, but of course they don't know if I will pass them, which side, or slow down and stay behind them. A quick call out removes alot of uncertainty.
> 
> *Per the original post, I'm curious if most people ride flat on cat tracks or on edge. I've always assumed on edge, but...?*


I switch from flat to edge often when riding cat tracks. But it depends on the length of it. If its not too long I will stay on an edge. But if its a lengthy one, and my speed is good, I will ride flat to relieve my legs a bit and then re-engage an edge when necessary to maintain board control. 
I was just on one this past Saturday that was longer than I expected but I tried to stay on my toe edge the entire way through. I thought my calves were literally going to go nuclear. They hurt to high hell


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## CassMT

flatish, but with edge pressure...cats are seldom truly 'flat'

i only really edge on a cat to avoid ducks


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## snowklinger

*thats crazy, Cass.*



CassMT said:


> flatish, but with edge pressure...cats are seldom truly 'flat'
> 
> i only really edge on a cat to avoid ducks


and deny yourself the creamy pleasure of DUCKJIBBING?!?!?!?!


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## CassMT

dude...i hipcheck them into the dirt whenever no one will see


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## 2hipp4u

I dont really care for them but I force myself to keep doing them. Practice, Practice and more Practice.


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