Snowboards offer surf, snow
Sport is fun,but lessons,patience all part of learning
By David Wilson Special to the Kansan
Students looking for a renegade twist on the old Spring Break ski trip might consider a snowboarding trip.
The uniquely "Generation X" sport, in which participants strap their feet to a nearly 5-foot-by-10-inch plastic-coated wooden board, combines elements of skiing, skateboarding and surfing. Snowboarding has been increasing in popularity since the 1980s.
Greg Gay, a snowboard instructor at Snow Creek Ski Area in Weston, Mo., said that much of that popularity could be traced to shows such as ESPN2's "Max Out" and MTV's "MTV Sports." Both feature nonteam sports such as snowboarding.
But would-be snowboarders should not think that the transition from MTV channel surfer to world-class snowboarder will be easy.
"If you're a couch potato, don't even get on a snowboard," Gay said.
For starters, snowboarding takes more energy than its cousin, skiding, Gay said. Or bull riding, for that matter. And it's harder
to learn, even if you have skiing, skateboarding, or surfing experience. .
So for a person who has never snowboarded before, a lesson is in order.
"The first day, a lot of people come out, too proud to take a lesson," said Gay.
This, he cautions, is a mistake. Even with lessons, getting the fundamentals down takes at least three days.
"The first day can be a nightmare," said Gay. "Your butt will be frozen and sore."
But students should not let that scare them. Apair of snowboard pants with built-in knee and butt padding, which usually go for about $80, should soften the falls.
Renting a snowboard for one day can cost anywhere from $20 to $30, and most rental shops require a credit card deposit of around $500. Bindings, which strap the snowboard boots onto the snowboard, come with the board. Boot rental costs about $10 a day.
Before renting a board, a person must figure out which foot will be the leading foot on the snowboard. Jeff Lundee, an employee of the ski shop at Winter Park resort in Winter Park, Colo., said right-handed people usually snowboard left foot forward, and vice versa. But this is not always the case.
The best way to decide, he said, was to have a friend give you a push from behind. Whichever foot you naturally extend first should be the leading foot, he said.
tion representing the ski areas of Colorado, recommends warming up with stretching exercises before the first lesson, and any other time a person snowboards.
Colorado Ski Country USA, an organiza-
For Colorado-bound students, the group warns that the high, oxygen-thin altitude may cause shortness of breath and headaches. To combat altitude sickness, the group recommends exercising in moderation for the first few days, drinking more water than usual, and avoiding alcohol and salty foods.
While out there on the kiddie slopes, struggling to learn J-turns and link turns, remember that almost nobody masters snowboarding in one day.
But good things come to those who persevere. Within a few days, Gay said, "you are quite a bit better."
As fate would have it, most mountain surfers must drive 12 hours to get to the Colorado Rockies.
But before hopping in the car and hitting I-70 for a trek across rural Kansas, consider that there's a healthy hill or two in or near Lawrence.
Campanile hill, for instance. Some KU snowboarders have found it to be mildly good fun, in the absence of the Rockies.
Max Clifford, Lawrence junior, said that last year's snows made a few runs possible.
"It was fun. Some guys even built a ramp," he said.
The closest place to Lawrence with an actual lift is Snow Creek Ski Area near Weston, Mo.
David Grenier, general manager of Snow Creek, said the slope had an area specifically for snowboarders. The area includes a snow halfpipe, which consists of two sharply-trasitioned banks of snow with a flat bottom in the middle and resembling a giant "U."
Snowboarding lessons are available at Snow Creek. Lift tickets cost $23 on weekends and $19 on weekdays.
Clifford said Snow Creek was fun, and a good place to learn.
"It's OK, for being an hour away," he said.
But the real deal, of course, is in Colorado. Colorado is home to at least 25 major ski areas. All but two - Aspen Mountain and Keystone - welcome snowboarders. Wendy Nevins, an instructor at the Snow Mass Ski School in Aspen, Colo., said that Aspen Mountain's slopes are too narrow to safely accommodate snowboards.
Boyd Mitchell, director of mountain operations at Keystone, said the skiers of Keystone didn't want to share the slopes with snowboarders.
"We didn't feel they mixed with our clientele well," he said.
But Mitchell said that Arapahoe Basin, which does allow snowboarders, is in the same area as Keystone.
"I like Loveland Pass, because it's a little bit cheaper, and a smaller area," Clifford said. Some of his other favorite spots include Arapahoe Basin, Steamboat, and Winter Park.
SPRING BREAK • THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN • March 16, 1994
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