NEVER TOO YOUNG OR TOO OLD TO GET ON THE SNOWBOARD!

There is so much I can say about snowboarding and skiing, it is hard to keep it all in. The first thing to remember is that you are never too old to start, but you may be too young to start. It is also one of the few activities that the entire family can do together, regardless of ageor other physical factors.

Winter sports are all about you, and your enjoyment. Whether you ski or snowboard, there is enough room on the hill for all of us. Ride what you like. Either is just as fun. Skiing and snowboarding have different learning curves, and ride styles, but it’s the same hill. Skiing is easier to start, more natural, but harder to master. Snowboarding is hard to get at the beginning, but mastery is not what we are about here, it is about enjoyment. As long as you enjoy it and are going down safely that is what matters.

When I ski or snowboard, I find myself feeling very free; a time to let loose. It is all about passion.(this sentence as well to be in the box)

Waking up earlier than you would normally for work, driving for hours in the cold and snow to get to the ski slopes. The desire to be there is great; the more you do it, the more you want to keep doing it. There is something about swooshing through the snow, feeling your edges driving deep. Or just taking a nice casual run and enjoying the sights, and feeling the sun.

I was asked to write up some basics notes about snowboarding itself. When you ride, it is a total experience, you are immersed in it. The sites, the sounds, the feelings from the ground all become part of you. The people around you. There is a lot going on. Even during the act of riding there is much happening.  Like driving a car, I cannot describe it in a few words to tell you how to drive. You must experience it. You must also have proper guidance by someone who is watching and letting you know how to improve. You can go out with your three best friends, receive the same lesson and all you of you will ride differently. You all will also receive different tips from your instructors on how to improve. This is because we are all different. We do things differently, and our bodies move differently. Some will pick up elements faster than others. Nonetheless, in the end, enjoy, the sport is there for you.

Here are a few tips I can give about how to ride a snowboard:

Keep your knees bent, back straight, head up, always look in the direction where you are going.

Falling can be a good thing – you are learning how your equipment handles. You could be testing the limits of your skill in a controlled manner. When I teach, sometimes I will ask people to perform tasks that are very difficult for them. Expecting them to fall.  You need to be pushed outside of your comfort zone, to make yourself a better rider. It will relax you more when you ride. People who quit are another disappointment.  Never give up. You will succeed if you want to, regardless of age. And the sweet thing is that success is what you want it to be.

There is one thing that does upset me – when people laugh at or make fun of others who are trying to learn to snowboard. The biggest part of the sport is trying. Falling comes with it. We all do it. I have been laughed at a few times, actually many times.  And for those who laugh, if you are so good, where is your gold medal? Did you learn to walk on one try? Come on people – it takes time. Ignore the ignorant and enjoy being in the snow.

And for the end of my message to you, no matter if you are skiing or snowboarding, beginner or experienced: Keep smiling, and bring the passion/desire.

For those completely new to the sport here is a little write up on what to expect:

1)    Buy nothing!

You do not need to buy any gear for your first trip out. Or your second or third for that matter. Only buy hard goods (i.e., ski boots and boards) when you know you are going to stick with it, and you will be riding more than once a month. You can rent all the gear, even helmets now.

What you do need to bring is a smile and a warm jacket that you will be comfortable rolling in the snow with. Also, a snack or lunch and waterproof/rain pants. If you have snow pants even better or borrow a pair. 

2)    Take a lesson - discovery package.

These lessons are a 1 to 1.5-hour intro to your sport of choosing. They will show the basics from putting your gear on to obstacle avoidance.  NOT turning, but how not to hit anything, so you can spend your time afterwards in deeper enjoyment.

3)    Plan for half a day at most

Since this is your first time (and you were not born with skis on), your muscles will be sore and will get tired. No point burning yourself out to get in an extra few hours. Plan for about 3-4 hours on the hill. Take a break near the 1 to 1.5 hours mark.  Reset yourself and get ready for more fun. 

4)      Expectations: Smile only 

You are on the hill to have a good time. Do not worry about how well you or others are riding, or about kids mocking you. The sport is about you, and your enjoyment. Do not even think about kids flying by you or doing tricks. If you spend the rest of your natural life going down the bunny hill, because you enjoy it, then more power to you.

First thing, for first-timers, only plan for a half day of 3-4 hours. Skiers may last longer, but snowboarders, I doubt it. You are using muscles you do not normally use, and for prolonged periods of time.  In the case of snowboarders, I heard they learn to balance on their heels 9 times longer than the average person.

You’ll also want to call ahead to see if they have discovery programs available and at what times. Ask them when you should arrive for your desired times. At peak times it will take longer to work through the rental processes. Then give yourself time to change, go to the washroom, and get refreshments. No need to rush. You want to be relaxed and ready to enjoy.  Anywhere between 30-60 minutes should be enough time. But the hill knows best.

Also ask where to book the package. With most hills everything is done in place – rentals, tickets, and lessons (a.k.a. the discovery package). Some resorts may require two stops.  You will need a credit card which they will take an imprint of to make sure the gear is returned.

MEN only: when in doubt, ask (women tend to be born with this ability). Simple, eh? If you have never been to the skill hill, how do you know where to buy lift tickets? where the washrooms are located?  where the rentals are? Yeah, I am big on washroom breaks. And how do you put the gear on?

Secure your keys in a zipped-up pocket or if your pants/jacket have a key chain sewed in, use that. If keys fall out on ski hill, it’s a long walk home. And your keys may never see the sun again (carried away by spring runoff). Worse is they can be a safety hazard for others.  I’m not joking, gear is meant to ride on snow, not a small pile of metal frozen into it.

After you get your gear, they will also tell you where to meet. You will be placed in a group of people just like yourself. Not even sure how to put the gear on? Make sure your instructor gives you a quick look over. They will do that for you.

Where to ride a snowboard?

For complete listing try www.skicanada.org.

Even though I snowboard, I refer to the sport as skiing. It was there first, and long before terrain parks there was ‘hot dogging’. But shaped skies, guess where those came from?

If you are on the east side of the city, say Scarborough or beyond, I would suggest going to Dagmar (http://www.skidagmar.com/) or Lake Ridge (http://www.ski-lakeridge.com/).

I did the discovery at Dagmar years ago, and they have a good learning area, but they also have some downfalls. Nonetheless, I used to take friends after work there on Friday nights to get them riding and did some of my early riding there too. Now I go back to hit the park. They turned half their hill into a terrain park, and it is a good investment.   

Another place I would suggest is Mount St. Louis Moonstone (http://www.mslm.on.ca/). This is my favourite place to ride, and what I consider to be one of the best learning areas in Ontario of all the resorts I visited so far in this great province. A few winters back, I took some friends there a few times to get them going. They also have a half-day beginner lift ticket and rental package at a very good rate, and they are very well maintained. It is well worth the drive for a first-timer on a weekend afternoon. Hit the St. Louis side. They have discovery packages a few times a day. Remember to take a lesson. Skiing and snowboarding are not natural to anyone; you will need help. Their runs transition nicely and with the proper guidance you will progress quickly. They now have night skiing as well. 

Snow Valley (http://www.skisnowvalley.com) is on the way to Blue Mountain. It looks more appealing than Horseshoe Resort and they also have night skiing.

Blue Mountain also has a good learning area on the south side, but it is much farther away, and costs noticeably more (http://www.bluemountain.ca/). For a beginner, hill size is meaningless, instead you want a nice gentle hill. My thinking is this, why go to the farthest, most expensive place only so you ride on their smallest and gentlest hill? 

You can also try Glen Eden, if you are out near Milton (http://www.gleneden.on.ca/). They have set off first time hills of their own. The good news is that they clearly will not scare anyone. You can easily walk up to the top.  And you are in a completely isolated beginner-only area. The down fall is little motivation to get you on a chair lift. From most parts of the city, without traffic, it is about a 45-minute drive. They also have a good ‘next step’ set of trails that require a chair lift.  

If you are looking for an eight-week program, at the beginner level, then try the City of Toronto ski schools. They have two. Centennial Park near the airport and EarlBales (http://www.toronto.ca/parks/prd/skiing/index.htm). Earl Bales is very easy to get to by bus. Centennial park, not so much. Programs are available for registration online via the City of Toronto web site.

I saved this for last and now I must come clean, I am heavily biased as I work at Centennial Park as a snowboard instructor. I took lessons here for years.  It is a great place in the city to get the first run in. To take regular lessons once a week as I did. Yes, the hill is small and gentle.  I used to take lessons there then ride another hill on the weekend. It worked great. They are right in the city and the discovery package sells out fast. To improve your skills, try taking the eight-week program where space is limited to 6 or 8 students. Courses are grouped by rider level and age. Meaning you will be in class with only adults or late teens.  Also, you might find yourself in a class with only one other person! In past winters I had two classes with only 2 students and two classes with 6 students.  However, many of the budget classes have been cut. So, the smallest class I have seen now is 4 people. 

Let us say for a moment, if I had daughter, and wanted to teach her, where would I go? I would take her to Centennial Park, Dagmar, or Mount St. Louis Moonstone for her first trip out. Once she could turn and we need some good intermediate runs, then I would try St. Louis, or Lake Ridge, and Glen Eden. For her first parks runs, Dagmar or St. Louis since they both have excellent progression and intermediate parks. Glen Eden also has a very good park and I know a few people who hit it on weeknights.