An Introduction to riding off-piste

Riding off-piste is the pinnacle of snowboarding. It’s not only about your technical ability and skills it’s also about being able to fully immerse oneself into the mountain environment.

A lot of factors will contribute to a day’s riding off-piste. Conditions will always vary, and you must be able to change and adapt your riding style. Riding on a manicured piste is relatively easy. In this article we are going to outline some tips to prepare you for riding off-piste and being comfortable in the backcountry.

Safety:

Firstly, a little Safety briefing. Safety is paramount when riding off-piste. Create a game plan and think through everything. Understand how weather conditions have been and what the forecast is. Have a good, studied look at the type of terrain you will encounter. Be aware of the type of mountain hazards that you might find. Here are a few examples of what you must think about before heading out:

Is the terrain littered with exposure and big cliffs?
Are you high up and riding on glacial terrain with possible crevasses?
How steep are slopes that you intend to ride and how loaded are they with snow?
When was the last time it snowed
What is the ability of the crew that you are heading out with?

If in doubt always side on caution. Playful and mellow lines can be as rewarding as steep and gnarly. Remember that once onto a steep face you are committed, and you got to ride it! Look at your line before dropping in and always have a plan B.

Never ride alone off-piste, always have one other or a small crew and manage how you hike and ride. Remember to go one by one on slopes where there is potential risk of a slide.

I do a daily check of the White risk app in the Valais region where I live, work and ride. This is one of the tools that helps me gage conditions all over the mountain. I will also check various weather forecasting sites to get a feel for conditions. There is little point of heading to a high-Altitude area if there is weather moving in fast and conditions will change quickly. Once the light goes it can get very dangerous very quickly, particularly if you don’t know an area. Forests and tress are a great bet when the weather does turn nasty. Trees will give you definition and visibility. This will allow you to stay out riding.

The local avalanche risk bulletin will be around all major lift stations. Remember the simple scale 1-5

Low
Moderate
Considerable
High
Extreme

The higher the number the great the risk. Please don’t be fooled into thinking if the risk is 3 for example things are good to go. Taking a local guide for a day is such a good way of learning more about the local area and riding in a more controlled environment. They will be experienced and know a lot about the slopes and terrain in the chosen area.

Carry the following in your pack and know how to use them.

-Shovel

-Probe

-Transceiver on body

-Water

-Snacks

-Spare layer

-Change in eyewear (goggle lens)

-mobile phone with good battery life (but not near transceiver)

-Duct tape

-Tool

Knowledge is key when riding off-piste. If you purchase your own safety equipment or hire for a few days, be able to use it. Learn the settings and the different modes that the transceiver will have. The better the transceiver the more idiot proof they become!

Reading and Riding Terrain:

Being able to read terrain and adjust one’s approach is very important. Your speed and line will be very different when conditions are blower powder to when its hard and icy. Generally, one’s riding style will be a lot more reserved when conditions are harder and less forgiving.

The gradient of the slope will also determine how you ride a specific aspect. A steeper slope will generally need a more reserved approach and line. Think about that simple open and closed turn structure. When riding on a steeper face you will tend to be using a closed turn with rounding off on both the heel and toe edge. You will look to control your speed with a simple closed turn. On flatter more mellow terrain you will be able to use a more open turn where the board will be more directly in the fall line. This again might vary depending on snow and weather conditions.

If you are on your game and the conditions allow, then look at and choose a more direct line when riding on the steeps. Think about a nice open turn structure. Look for features to slash and play with and be as creative as possible. Look at and plan your decent. Visualize where and when to make your turns so that your run will flow and link together. Try not to allow your run to have any dead spots where you kill you speed too much. A consistent and constant smooth line is what we want.

Snow depth and cover will also determine your style of riding when off-piste. If snow cover is thin, then you will have to use less force and pressure through the turn. Think about how light you can be on your feet and board. This will help keep you on top of the snow and you will not be breaking through to potentially hit rocks and other objects beneath.

When riding off-piste we will keep the same shape and form with the body. It’s important that we stay strong, stacked, and relaxed. Check out the last issue for more information.

Equipment:

Use a board set up which you feel comfortable with. If the conditions are blower, then it might be worth setting the bindings back a little to give the nose a little extra lift in the powder. If you are fortunate enough to have more than one board in the quiver, then I would suggest a freeride shape. These have a bigger nose for float and will generally be a little stiffer.

Check out the best boards, binding and boots to ride here : Equipment

Look at equipment before heading off for a day. Buckles and high backs are working properly and in ok condition. I always carry duct tape in case something snaps or breaks while out in the backcountry. This way you can safely make it out of the location and home.

Fitness:

Riding powder is one of the reasons we snowboard. However, riding off-piste is sadly not only riding fresh snow. We must be able to tackle everything the mountain gives us. A day out in the mountains while riding off-piste is going to involve a lot of movement. This could be hiking into an area or possibly traversing hard across the top of slope putting a lot of force and pressure through the muscle groups in the legs. Make sure before you head away for your winter trip that you’ve managed to prepare the body. This will keep you riding longer and make the day a lot more enjoyable.

From experience I would strongly suggest joining and learning from a mountain professional. You can pick up so much information in just a day. Please check out our camp options here : Freeride camps