In a previous issue of The Pepperbox, Ruby Smith wrote Snowboarders catch an edge in favor of spending your snow trips skiing instead of snowboarding, but I’m here to set the record straight. If you’re planning a snow trip for this spring season, strap in your bindings and shred the mountain on a snowboard instead. There is no better feeling than carving your board through the snow-covered slopes with the cold air against your face and a breathtaking view of the mountain scenery.
A typical stereotype, which I won’t deny is completely incorrect, is that snowboarders are obstacles on slopes. If snowboarders are waiting for the rest of their group, giving their legs a rest, or strapping in their free foot after getting off the lift, you will most likely find them sitting down. Beginning boarders have to balance by digging their heel edge or toe edge parallel to the mountain. Coming to a dead stop without sitting down becomes increasingly difficult the longer you’re balancing. It isn’t sitting down that causes a problem for skiers, it is where you choose to sit. While on a run, pull off to the side, preferably at the top of a hill or close to a tree. This will boost others’ visibility of you and keep both parties safe.
Once snowboarders get off the lift, it takes a second for some to strap into their bindings. “I could see how that could be annoying if they’re sitting all over the place, but as long as you do it off to the side… have spatial awareness,” sophomore Tasman O’hay said. A lack of spatial awareness isn’t a trait that just belongs to snowboarders.
It’s not uncommon to come across this issue with skiers. “If you’re on a dead run, where there’s like not a lot of people on it, sometimes you’ll find a group of them just going back and forth across a run, making it pretty impossible to pass them,” junior Maddi Mosher said.
The most oblivious people on the mountain are typically beginners. When you’re first starting you don’t know any better. Even skiers were novices once; don’t you remember pizza-ing down the mountain? Newcomers are learning to have control over their boards and skis. But for snowboarders managing a board while having a non-dominant foot unstrapped, getting off lifts, and maintaining control over direction and speed comes with practice.
“I don’t find it hard, but I mean I know beginners do. Once you get the hang of it, it’s not really that much of an issue,” Mosher said.
It feels unnatural to have your feet strapped to a board at the start, so snowboarding is more difficult to learn than skiing. It may take longer to learn how to snowboard, but it will be more rewarding. Tackling a challenge and walking away knowing you didn’t opt for the easier alternative is empowering. You should be proud of learning a new skill whether it be skiing or snowboarding. However, saying you went snowboarding sounds way cool!
One major misconception that has surfaced is that the carves from a snowboard that are left by the edge of the board “ruin” the snow for skiers. Although snowboarders do leave a trail caused by the edges of their board, this doesn’t have a negative effect on the snow, nor does it inhibit anyone’s ability to enjoy the mountain.
In fact, the edge of a snowboard helps compress the mounds, referred to as moguls. “It actually evens it out because if there’s too many skiers and the trails aren’t properly groomed it’ll create moguls,” O’hay said.
On a steep run, skiers reduce speed by making sharp turns. In order to do this, they lift their inside foot slightly and push diagonally against the snow. The tail end of the skis shoves the snow, forming a pile. With new snowfall and other skiers following the same path, the mound builds into moguls. This isn’t something skiers can help, but snowboards don’t create bothersome snow for others.
Skiers throw out the idea constantly that borders are more egotistical. The fact of the matter is it is just not true. “You can have skiers with a high ego and snowboarders with a high ego… that can kinda go for any sport,” O’hay said. Playing a certain sport doesn’t give you a big ego, that’s determined by who you are as a person, separate from preferring snowboarding to skiing.
In any sport, if you’re performing well, you feel better. The high from being proud may make people a little more reckless or show off a little more, but doesn’t change who you are and won’t make you cut people off or run into them.
The rivalry between skiers and snowboarders is infamous and will continue as long as there’s snow on the mountain. This spring, join the other boarders and rip up the slopes on a snowboard.
