All posts by Blake Clark

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How Beginner Snowboarders Can Ride For Free

Blake Tholen Clark Certified Snowboard Instructor, Free Snowboarding Lessons, From Your Snowboard Coach, Snowboarding Tips

Many times beginner snowboarders buy a full price lift ticket and stay on the bunny slope all day. However, I’m going to give you a little tip that may help your pocketbook if you are at a low skill level or a beginner snowboarder and looking for a practice spot…

Most resorts have a lift or two that is open to the public for free. Of course, this is not generally advertised in this way. However, there are many reasons why these lifts are free. For instance, Ski in/Ski out lodging must run a lift so that people can board/ski over to the ticket office then use the lift to get them home. Other reasons include carrying employees and guests back to their cars. There are other reasons these lifts run for free—but no matter the reason, most of the terrain accessible by these lifts are easy green level slopes, which is great for first timers, beginner kids, or lower skilled riders to practice basic riding in these areas for free.

If you’re teaching kids they might not last long. It’s great to have a mellow slope to practice with beginner kid snowboarders. Children get tired, hungry, cold, thirsty, and need to use the toilet all the time. These lifts are usually by all the facilities that beginner kid snowboarders need. They are also near the base near parking/transports so you can leave quickly. Your girlfriend or boyfriend will like this too if they’re beginner snowboarders so the more advanced riders can often times leave them to practice while they take a few fun runs. Then, they can meetup, practice together, and have money in the pocket to eat at one of the resort restaurants.

How To Find “Free” Lifts?
Generally, these lifts are located at the bottom of the resort and function for some other purpose, such as the reasons mentioned above. Simply look at the resort map online before you choose your destination. Also, do your research on when these lifts open and close since they may vary from other hours of operation. Lastly, if it’s early or late season, make sure the lift is running before heading over.

So remember, if you’re just looking for a practice area, are a low skill level or a beginner snowboarder, & easy on your pocketbook you can get away with using an available free lift for a while. And, although it’s fine to use these lifts to access practice terrain, resorts have all kinds of shops and restaurants, so patronize them, they help their local economies and are there as a business. Then once your basic skills improve, purchase a lift ticket and get out on the rest of the mountain where the real green, blue and black slopes are.

You can signup to get access to all of our snowboard lessons, study guides, text books, glossary, tests and direct feedback from your coach. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com and take a look at our YouTube Page for more free content and learn to snowboard right.

 

 

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Beginners – Where To Ride

Snowboarding Tips, Uncategorized

Here are some snowboard tips for a beginner snowboarder, the places to ride are on very wide trails with gradual slopes and you’ll want to stay away from double fall lines and the flats. This will really help you to learn to snowboard right. The slope needs to have enough angle to keep you moving. Practice slopes for snowboarders varies from skiers since they can go over flat areas by walking their skis and using their poles, whereas boarders get stuck then have to unstrap. When there are flat bits you have to maintain a lot of speed to get you through or get stuck, flats are also where you may catch an edge, ouch! With a mild slope you keep momentum and if you fall it’s not onto flat ground. In terms of safety, a gradual slope also allows you to spread a fall out over several feet or yards instead of a sudden “thud” flat stop. You will be safer and have more success when you ride a nice consistent grade slope.

To find the area that best meets your needs, research the resort you are headed to. There is usually the basic info about the trails online or call and ask (difficulty, length, vertical drop, grade, etc.). You’ll want to have the best time while snowboarding so do a little research and use a beginner snowboard.

Since I teach I see the difference in skill ability when the slope is consistent with no double fall lines and no flat sections. However, if you are literally just starting out there is a use for flats… Specifically, almost every resort has a flat area at the base of the lifts where beginners can try out basic movements such as skating. Then once you graduate to beginning drills there is the “Bunny Hill” trail that is longer with more of a slope. This may be serviced by a lift or a conveyor belt. These are the areas to practice if you are a first timer or low level rider. Ask around to see what area might have the best bunny hill for snowboarding. You can watch our snowboard videos and learn to snowboard online & it really helps beginner snowboarders. Sometimes you may need an in between run that is not as long as the bunny hill. I sometimes hike a hill that has a consistent slope before going on the bunny hill lift. It may take more energy to hike but think safety first.

You can signup to get access to all of our snowboard lessons, study guides, text books, glossary, tests and direct feedback from your coach. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com and take a look at our YouTube Page for more free content and learn to snowboard right.