At ASO Mammoth, we sell just about all of the ski and snowboard gear you need to be a better skier or snowboarder. Whether you need a better board, boots, or think your current gloves are holding you back for some reason, there isn’t a better place in Mammoth to find winter gear.
However, there is one thing we don’t carry at ASO.
You won’t find the skills needed to progress as a skier or snowboarder on the shelf or behind the glass at any ski shop in Mammoth or anywhere else because they must be earned. To help you earn your skills and progress on the mountain, we’ve put together a list of tips to help you push your ski and snowboarding skills to the next level. Check them out below and start earning your stripes!
Push the Same Lines
The most obvious way to push your ski and snowboard skills is to ride harder terrain. If you’re at a smaller mountain or don’t feel confident enough to try bigger runs yet though, there is another solution.
You can use your familiarity with a run by riding it more aggressively than ever before. If the run is ungroomed, then you can get the feeling of riding more difficult terrain by riding harder and faster without moving on to a black diamond. This method works best on blues and black diamonds where the terrain is steep enough for serious speed and there are few other riders or skiers around.
Add Confidence to Your Caution
You can improve your skiing or snowboarding on the lift by making a conscious effort to be confident in your skills.
Before we go any further we should make it clear that you should always ski and ride in control by not pushing yourself beyond your skill level, but simply acknowledging that you’re in control, even when you’re riding fast or difficult terrain, makes a huge difference in your riding and skiing. If you know that you’re in control and trust yourself, you’ll find yourself speed-checking less often and sliding towards more difficult lines and features. Plus, there’s nothing like tearing up a run without ever doubting your ability to do so.
Try New Runs with People Who Ride or Ski Like You Want To
If you’ve carved through a trail enough to form your own moguls, it may be time to move on to a new run with new challenges.
When and where you move is a personal choice based on your comfort level and what type of riding you want to do, but one of the best ways to progress is by riding new terrain with someone who is more skilled than you are. Not only will you be forced to try and keep up with them, but they’ll also give you advice on how to ride the terrain and how to tweak your skills to match it.
Ride Switch
Snowboarders who think they’ve mastered their carving skills can challenge themselves by riding down a trail switch. Riding switch will be most useful to park riders, but everyone can benefit by practicing it to the point of being comfortable going down off-foot forward.
Lean Forward
A good way for skiers to check their skills is by paying attention to how far forward they’re leaning. Beginner and intermediate skiers often develop the habit of skiing on their heels, but the best skiers get that way by leaning forward onto the balls of their feet where they have better control.
Take Another Lesson
There are lessons for everything from beginner to backcountry riding at Mammoth Mountain, so if you want a professional to help your progress book yourself a session!