All photos by Gwilym Thomas
I am sitting here writing this blog, nestled in the cosy raptures of the Ticket To Ride Mountain Lodge with a big grin on my face as over the last week we have had close to a meter of fresh snow bless our humble slopes.
As I awoke on the 6th February, the mountains of the Three Valleys rang out with the glorious sounds of our legendary powder horn (To clarify, yes we have a horn at the Mountain Lodge that is sounded at 8:00 AM on each powder day…it is the call to get out and RIDE. ) Safe-to-say the atmosphere was electric. There was not a single person who wasn’t pumped to get out and put down some fresh tracks on the blanket of freshly fallen snow.
For many, perfecting the art of powder riding is the ultimate mastery of our glorious sport. It requires a potent combination of refined technique and complete commitment. A momentary hesitation is likely to send you tomahawking down the slope in a veritable yard sale. Go too slow, and you will most likely find yourself hip-height in snow. Go too fast, and your buddies may have to crack out the crowbar to peel you off that tree you just wrapped yourself around.
While riding powder is undoubtedly a challenge for an intermediate rider such as myself, day three of riding and my confidence has already increased dramatically. By following these five simple tips, passed on to me by riders with many years of experience riding in powder, I have been able to enhance my riding, and take a sip of the sweet sweet nectar that is riding your snowboard in powder.
1. Know the terrain
While it may be incredibly tempting to get out there and hit every powder field you come across, you have to know exactly what’s underneath you first; as well as where the slope actually ends up. As our fabled Lodge Manager will be happy to tell you, riding powder with shallow lying rocks can result in some pretty major damage to your favourite board; not to mention the potential risk to your health. Fly off piste to hit the fresh powder, without knowing where it ends up, and you may also result in an unplanned tour when you have to trek your way back up the mountain to avoid rivers, cliffs and other impenetrable objects. Ride with people that know the area well, and ideally if you can hire a local Mountain Guide or Instructor to show you around safely. Regardless of the gradient, analyse all the terrain well before attempting any off piste shredding.
2. Speed is your friend
If you don’t want to end up stuck in hip deep snow, this is a lesson you better learn quickly. If you don’t have enough momentum, you will sink. You need to maintain speed to be able to effortlessly surf over the top of the powder. To do this requires some serious balls. When every thought in your brain is screaming “slow down, you’re going to die!”, you must rise up, keep your mind calm and ride out every last drop of powder. This is not saying that you shouldn’t control your speed (you most definitely should) but it is a case of hitting that fine line between having enough momentum to glide, without having too much speed that you have no control.
3. Nose up, weight back…and flex
As an intermediate rider, I spend a lot of my time consciously trying to bring my weight forward towards the front foot, however, to do this in powder, and you will find yourself digging holes in the snow, using your face as a shovel. While it might be fun to take a bail now and again in powder, if you don’t learn to move that weight back into your rear foot you will most likely be finding yourself face down and ass-up more than the girls that do it for a living. Bring that weight back, add additional bend to that rear leg and allow the nose of the board to part the snow like a ship through water. As the off-piste terrain is far more uneven than on piste, keeping your legs flexed and absorbing the variable terrain like a suspension coil is key to a smooth shred.
4. Getting yourself back on your feet
Powder days are tiring, there are no two ways about it. The constant resistance of the fresh snow pushes your muscles to their limits. But what can take your day from a sweet shred to a completely exhausting slog is the time that you spend fighting the snow. Two minutes of wallowing in the snow, struggling to stand up, can easily sap your energy for the rest of the day. The key is to stay calm, make sure you still have all your gear, and stand up in a planned and fluid motion. Use your backpack as a stable platform to push against, or gently punch your fists into the snow behind you until you have a stable compacted layer. If you fancy a challenge, try facing down hill, sticking your tail into the snow, and levering yourself up. Learning how to stand up in powder takes a lot of trial and error, but get it right, and you will have more juice to find that last fresh track. I’d highly recommend taking some water and light snacks such as nuts and energy bars to keep you fuelled for a big day.
5. Get the gear and shred safe!
If you are riding off-piste in powder you are putting yourself at the mercy of the mountain. If that slope is above 30 degrees you are in avalanche territory, simple as that. Don’t get me wrong, I love that feeling of living on the edge as much as the next guy, but taking unnecessary risk is just asking for trouble. To be safe in powder you must not only be aware of the risks, but you have to be equipped with the correct avalanche safety equipment and more so have the knowledge of how to use it. No smart rider will do any serious off piste without at least a transceiver, shovel and probe. To give yourself the greatest chance of survival, an ABS backpack is a must. Take an avalanche training course, know the risks, mitigate the risk and shred safe.
