 Poster: A snowHead
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I've had three lessons at my local dry slope and a couple of open sessions so decided to come to The Lecht to have a taste of the real thing. Staying in my campervan on the car park. On arrival yesterday I had an hour on the green slopes by the magic carpet and manged to get to the stage of turning comfortably.
Today was a full day. Started cold and sleety with a stiff breeze. Played about on the green slopes for a couple of hours and broke my bindings heel strap but with help from the rental guy I managed to get a new one fitted. Then off to the blue slopes - gulp. First problem - I just not get the hang of the button lift which seems pretty fierce at the start - fell over every single time. So took the Pomona lift instead. The blue run to the left of the snowy owl lift was fine except for the bit near the bottom which felt very very steep. So I heel edged down but the rest of the time managed to start turning with some fluidity. Packed up just before 4 as the sleet had turned to rain and I was a bit wet.
But great day. Fell over lots. Didn't bang my already sprained wrist too much. And what fun. Why did I wait 54 years to try this?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@boisdevie, welcome to Snowheads! Great to hear you are getting the hang of your board. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@boisdevie, good effort! You do know this sliding thing is addictive don't you? By next year you'll be trying to work out how to do a season in the Alps. The good news is that the uplift in the Alps is always much easier than the jerky old gear that we have in Scotland. The pistes are usually much smoother and easier too.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Say goodbye to the dryslope! I started boarding at 53 (I think) and have done about 40 days a year for the last 5 years from our motorhome. Totally hooked. I've managed to accumulate 5 boards and can't wait for next year; so much so that I went to Plymouth dryslope on Sunday - gave up after one and a half runs - never again!
Shame about the rain but better slushy than icy, as you will discover.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I’m just (re) starting on Skiis. I was there on Saturday for fifth ski session this season. The Eagle Poma at The Lecht does seem to have quite a fierce take-off, and from what I’ve seen, drag-lifts are a LOT easier on Skis than on a board for begineers! Well done anyway!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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button lift.
you need to approach it with nose pointing up the slope & tail pointing down. Your Body must also be in this position.
Grab the bar, put it under your thigh, groin. Lean forward to the front of the board & into the bar rather than lean back like skiers do.
leaning back means will be on your back foot (unstrapped!) - the front of the board will be chattering & eventually throw you.
Hold tight with your arm of your leading foot & Use the other arm stretched out pointing down the slope as a rudder to balance / steer.
Use your front shoulder to direct the board & press through Heel/Foot/Toe movements on the board as/when required - keep the back shoulder in line with your body pointing down the slope.
If you move your back shoulder, then the back of your board will move. Keeping the back arm stretched out will help negate this.
(This is why so many fall straight away - moving the back shoulder in our out will make you fall)
Once you have learned what to do, you will find you will need to use back arm less & even just slouch against the button lift.
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@Mr.Egg, useful - I've just realised that I always have weight on rear foot - which probably explains why I fell off 5 times running on a button last year and eventually gave up and walked a loooong way to another Chair to rejoin my family  Who were alternately pishing themselves laughing and moaning they'd had to wait 30-mins for me
I will go out of my way to avoid them - thankfully they are rarer nowadays.
For me it is the sudden and violent jerk with buttons which throws me - but that may be due to rear weight
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Like I said on another thread, you need to learn to "Embrace" drag lifts.
This was a typical day from my last weeks snowboarding at Les Mosses which is 100% draglifts.
I did struggle on them at first but they are easier to master than many of the other skills you will want to learn.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Ha the Lecht is a particularly vicious place to embrace the love of drag lifts. IIRC they have nothing but and the springs are quite "severe".
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Oh, one of those places is it. The trick is to compose oneself, get feet and body perfectly aligned and make sure to hook-in swiftly so you aren't leaning forwards upon launch!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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....and if the kids manage on the Eagle, you just have to watch they are heavy enough not to be hoisted up 2ft in the air and left dangling for the rest of the way as happened to mine... Chalk it up to the Scottish skiers' experience!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Too late now but to the right of chairlift is a button, I think its the Kestrel, really slow and you catch the button instead of trigger and release. Ideal for learning to use the poma.
Have not been across the road to the buzzard in years but I remember it had some kick on "take off".
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@boisdevie, well done, and welcome, from another post-50 snowboard learner.
Now, about getting off chairlifts... 
Good luck, enjoy, it'll get easier soon.
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm not even daring to ride the chairlift with the board attached. One thing at a time - struggling with turning down the steep stuff.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Welcome @boisdevie!
Always good to see oldies on a board, I reckon as the average age of boarders goes up the "rude dangerous scruffy ne'er-do-wells" image decreases proportionately:D
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FAQ
