Top twenty One Early Season Snowboarding Tips
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So you’ve been waiting for the season to start the past couple months, or maybe the whole summer lol. Snowboarding is quiet possibly one of the most fun activities to do and depending on where you live, you only get to enjoy it during the winter months (unless you live near an indoor snowpark). That’s what makes riding so special, and has most winter enthusiasts anticipating for colder temps, the newest board, and deep powder days.
Whether your a season veteran or this will be your first year riding a snowboard, there’s always advice or tips that could make the start of your season more enjoyable! In this post I came up with twenty tips to keep in mind for the start of your season. Alright, lets get started.
What is considered Preseason
Preseason is the portion of winter where not much terrain is open and depending on how much snow falls early on, a lot of the snow is man made. Meaning they blow snow onto the runs with a machine, once temperatures start to drop. There’s usually only a few runs open and sometimes at resorts, they have only one run open, nicknamed the white ribbon of death.
Early season is typically the first month and a half of the season, before snow starts to cover most of the resort. At higher elevations ski resorts typically open around Mid to Late November with some resorts open in October in places such as Colorado and even the midwest!
Which ski resorts open the earliest
There’s actually a number of resorts that start turning there lifts pretty early in the season. Because of the higher elevation in Colorado resorts such as Abasin, Wolfcreek, Loveland, and Keystone will be some of the first resorts to open in North America. Kind of crazy, but the midwest has resorts opening in October too. Wild Mountain in Minnesota and Troll Haugen in Wisconsin can open really early if the weather permits. Mammoth in California, Brighton in Utah, and Breckenridge also typically open early November.
Twenty early season tips
Tune your snowboard- If your board has been sitting in your garage or storage all summer long, give it a fresh wax, sharpen the edges, and fix any minor repairs. Tuning the board will allow you to ride smoother down the mountain and overall will increase the longevity of it. Also make sure to check all of your binding screws! For more info, check out our blog post on Waxing your snowboard, for a complete guide.
2. Repair your gear- There’s always a chance that you cut your jacket or pant on an edge, tree, or ice. Purchase Gear tape at your local outdoor store or REI and this stuff will prevent you from having to buy new outerwear. It’s also a good idea to check all of your binding straps and buckles. Keep extra parts on you when riding, as you never know when something will break. Local shops usually have spare parts, but sometimes they run out!
3. Sell your old Gear- If you want the latest gear yet still have great stuff from previous seasons take it into a consignment store or sell it on Ebay. Facebook groups are also great places to sell old gear. Consignment stores will take a percentage of the sale vs if you sell it on your own. However, the nice thing about consignment shops is sometimes they can give you cash on the spot. You also don’t have to deal with trying to sell the gear in your spare time.
4. Wear a helmet- I never use to wear a helmet, but the older I get, the more I realize how important it is to throw on a brain bucket. As the old saying goes, it’s cheaper then a cat scan. Helmets will all meet the same safety standard, so it’s going to come down to comfort and then style. Measure the largest part of your skull in cm, and that will tell you what helmet size you are. Helmets will all fit differently, so it’s best to go into a store to see what works best. However if you can’t do that, measure your head and then purchase one online with a good return policy.
5. Set up your board properly- If you’re new to snowboarding, it’s important to have a stance set up that is comfortable! Figure out if you are regular (left foot forward) or goofy (right foot forward) and then determine your stance width and angles. Everyone is different so therefore, choose what set up is best for you. Typically you want the width to be a little wider then shoulder width and your binding angles to be more open.
If you want to practice going switch (opposite of your natural stance) or like riding rails equal angles on both bindings works great. These angles can be 6 and -6 or 12 and -12. If you like to carve or want a stance that is more natural then angle your front foot out more then your back foot.
6. Talk to your local snowboard shop for the right gear- Your local snowboard shop will be able to point you in the right direction for the right gear. It’s important to get the right gear based on your size, riding style, ability level, and what terrain you’ll be snowboarding on. If you don’t have a local shop, wholesalers and snowboard shops have websites to purchase gear. You can reach out to them with any questions you might have on the latest product.
7. Start small in the Terrain Park- The terrain park is essentially a playground for snowboarding. If you’re new to the park or if you haven’t been on a snowboard for months, warm up on smaller features before you try more difficult tricks. Resorts will typically set up smaller features in an early season park that you can hike, to get the muscle memory back!
8. Ride the resort on weekdays- I know this isn’t possible for everyone, so if you do go on weekends, arrive as early as possible to find parking and get up the mountain quicker. What I have found when riding weekends is the base area gets very crowded, but once you take the lift up and ride different parts of the mountain, the lines aren’t as bad. The problem with early season is, not many trails are open yet, therefore weekdays will be the best time to ride and get the most laps!
9. Take it slow and watch out for other people- Because less runs are open there will be more people on one run. Just make sure to watch out for other people and avoid being reckless on the mountain. The person in front of you always has the right of way, regardless!
Remember snowboards are meant for turning, not straight lining down an icy run. It’s important to have good control of your board when riding. There’s no right way to turn your board, incorporate your own riding style and have fun with it.
10. Ride an older board and keep an eye out for rocks and exposed terrain- Early season isn’t a good time to whip out the new Burton Custom! Even though I have done that before lol. The best thing to do is ride an older board if you can because there is usually exposed terrain that can damage the base of your board pretty easily. Rocks, trees, and other peoples boards/skis are all things to watch out for during pre-season!
11. Have the right tires and a winter emergency kit in your car- October and November can sometimes bring winter storms. Colorado can start seeing snow as early as late September! Make sure to prep your car for winter towards the end of summer or beginning of fall. It’s important to have either snow tires or all weather tires when driving to the mountains. It’s also really helpful to have an AWD vehicle. In states such as Colorado and California, there are traction laws and failure to have the proper tires as well as traction can result in an expensive fine.
Another good tip is to have an emergency winter kit in your car, especially if you have to drive to the mountains from a major city or you plan on taking a trip somewhere far. Extra food, water, and blankets are just a few helpful items to have in your vehicle.
12. Pick up your pass early or have it mailed to you- Avoid the early season lines at the ticket office by having your pass mailed to you or by picking it up early in the morning. Also picking up your pass the night before can speed up getting to the chairlift sooner. Check the ticket office hours before you pick up your pass!
13. Stay Hydrated- As you get use to riding again, make sure to drink plenty of water while on the mountain. There’s drinking fountains at every restaurant bathroom area. I also like to carry a small Hydrapak when riding and throw it in the pocket of my jacket.
14. Bring Snacks- It’s always good to pack a few snacks when riding. Nothing wrong with grabbing a meal at the resort, but packing a couple Kind Bars will save you money for the day. Chairlift snacking is one of my favorite things to stay fueled for the day.
15. Sunscreen- It’s important to protect your skin and lips when riding! Especially at higher elevations, the suns rays will be more intense. I like Sun Bum out of California because their stuff isn’t greasy. Just apply to your skin 15-20 minutes before riding. Also don’t forget chapstick with SPF in it. Salt and Stone is my favorite right now.
16. Zip up your jacket before you get off the lift- Often overlooked, but with early season, temps can warm up and sometimes you unzip your jacket at the base. The key is to make sure you zip it up on the lift or before you get on the lift! Any loose gear can get caught on the chair which is not a fun experience when getting off at the top.
17. Double check and make sure you have everything before you drive to the mountain- Especially if you live far from the mountains, double and triple check that you have everything! I like to use the Burton Rider Bag to keep everything in one place. You can store your outerwear, gloves, and goggles in the top part of the bag and your boots in a separate compartment on the bottom.
18. Ride with friends and have fun-I ride solo a lot, but riding with friends will always be more fun. From the chairlift banter to learning new tricks from each other, it’s always a good time. I also recommend riding with people who are better then you because it allows you to progress much quicker and learn new tricks as well as improve your style.
19. Layer properly based on the temperatures and avoid Cotton if possible- This one is one of the most important tips, not just for early season but the entire season. Check the weather, but most importantly pack extra layers just in case. For really cold days down is the best because it is lightweight and packable. There is real down and synthetic down. Real Down is lighter and more packable. It loses it’s loft when it gets wet, but will last longer if taken care of. Synthetic down will still keep you warm if wet. If you run warm, a mid layer is a great option under a jacket or pant.
For warmer temps I would recommend lightweight base layers. Avoid cotton because it will not wick moisture or breathe which will end up trapping sweat and making you colder.
20. Know where to park your vehicle- Knowing where to park, especially the free lots, can save you wasted time driving around and more time spent riding. If you get on the resorts website there should be a link for parking. Some resorts don’t charge for parking at all, Some have a mixture of both, and some have a carpool rule where if you have multiple people in the vehicle, parking is free.
It also helps to review the public transportation which can typically be found on the towns website that the resort is in. Public transportation can take you to the mountain and is usually free.
21. Book your lodging early for trips- If you plan on taking a trip somewhere, especially a more popular destination such as Breckenridge Colorado, look into lodging options early! Lodging can book up quick, so in order to get the best room or place start planning and researching ahead of time. The only reason to really book your lodging last minute is if you are chasing a storm (looking to book a trip based on potentially a lot of snow).
So that’s it for early season snowboard tips. If you have anything to add or questions leave a comment below! Also, if you want the latest updates on outdoor content, subscribe to our email newsletter below. Thanks for reading the blog and I’ll see you all on the next post!
