"Dude, snowboarding is so easy"
First time snowboarding
By Scott Clayton

"Dude, snowboarding is so easy," I said as I sipped a cream soda on our drive home, totally elated from my first-ever-snowboarding experience. Like my first fish on a fly or the first time hitting a baseball as a kid I was gleeful, almost giddy; I love experiencing new things. My final run ended with carve after carve and no spills. As the ride home progressed my legs began to cramp up and my memory was refreshed with the events that preceded my final glorious run.

Five memorable milestones:

The day started simple enough, my first obstacle was standing up strapped into a snowboard. I spent a significant amount of effort trying to stand up. Tip number one, it's much -- hugely, gigantically, monumentally -- easier to get up by pushing up from the toe-side (starting from a kneeling position) rather than heel-side (starting from a sitting position). Trying to get up heel-side my legs were worn out by the time I finally did it. Once tired I could barely do it.

The next hurdle was getting off the lift in one piece. Get ready to tumble. Remember all those funny home videos that show someone getting off a lift and knocking down everyone in the vicinity like a bowling ball? Well... if you don't fall at least once getting off the lift you're not human.

Step three: traversing the hill. Point the board to one side and slightly down hill, then hold on till you get to the other side. Switch directions and repeat.

Step four: going down the hill without turning just changing directions, kind of like a falling leaf, back and forth. Reaching this step was a major accomplishment.

Step five: carving - changing from heel-edge to toe-edge and then from toe-edge back to heel-edge from a standing position, smoothly without jumping or falling. This is the pinnacle. Changing from toe-edge to heel-edge was unnatural to me, I really struggled to learn to balance leaning back on my heels.

Here are my notes run by run:

1st run - Rest for 15 minutes after successfully getting off the lift, I didn't fall, this time. Try to get up from my heel-side for 10 minutes. No luck, rest for 10 minutes. Get up from kneeling position (toe-side), stand for a while, legs give out, rest. Jeff takes 4 runs to my one. Ready to give up for the day, I get on the lift again.

2nd run - Feet are asleep but I figured out how to get down traversing the hill. I had to rest 3 or 4 times on the way down.

3rd run - Can now get down by changing directions and traversing, like a leaf falling from a tree. Only rest 2 or 3 times this run.

-- Change equipment and eat lunch --

4th run - New boots and board, switched from regular (left foot forward) to goofy foot (right foot forward). Try to carve but crash a lot.

5th run - Three-quarters of the way down I make 2 consecutive carves, things are coming together. I thought this was my last run, but I had to take one more.

6th run - Triumph! Carve the whole way down and never crash. Always in control, even when facing down hill (leaning back on heel-side edge). Facing downhill (leaning back on heel-side edge) was the biggest obstacle. How sweet is was to overcome it!

Tips on equipment:

Boots - comfort is prime consideration. Uncomfortable boots will ruin the day. I liked boots with a hard shell covering that didn't squash my toes when I clamped down the straps.

Warm, dry clothes - plan on spending lots of time on the snow, resting, crashing, etc.

Other tips:

Be open to changing your stance width, angles or even switch your front foot if you are struggling. I started the day thinking I ride regular. But after a couple runs it felt more natural to switch from toe-edge to heel-edge turning right. So I switched to goofy foot and never looked back. It turns out that stance makes a big difference. Choose wisely and don't hesitate to change if one way doesn't feel right!

I crashed many times. Catching an edge is a phrase I became intimate with, mainly because it caused pain to my head and posterior.

Get advice from anyone willing to give it. Don't hesitate to step out of your comfort zone, it's hard to learn if you don't. The single most helpful tip came from a gentleman I sat by at lunch. He said to point your front hand (in my case, my right hand) in the direction you want to go, then slide your hips in the direction you're pointing. It worked great for transitioning from heel-side to toe-side. However going the other way I really had to emphasize leaning back in addition to the pointing.

Balance is a trick. When I lose my balance, like when tripping, I quickly move my feet to catch my balance. While skiing this is sometimes possible. But while snowboarding it is impossible, since both feet are strapped to the board making your feet about as good as cement shoes when trying to catch your balance. I have no tricks here, simply try and try again.

Ditch your pride and wristwatch before you get on the lift. Take your time, have fun and don't fret when you catch an edge right under the lift (or when getting off the lift). Even if a bunch of 10-year-old hot shots laugh their heads off at you. It'll probably happen more than once.

Wrap up:

My calves are aching and my thighs are sore. My arms (triceps and biceps) are tired. My butt is sore. In fact, most of my body aches right now, including my face (sunburn) and eyes. I forgot sunscreen and sunglasses. Don't let that happen to you.

Ok, snowboarding is NOT easy, the first time anyway. But it is dang fun and definitely worth the effort. If you're over thirty and have never tried it you should. I highly recommend it.

Scott Clayton is the Fly Fishing Editor at GearReview.com (he now enjoys snowboarding as well).