First Time

First Time

              Freelance Writer, Erin Pembroke attempts snowboarding

              (Courtesy of Adam Jones / March 23, 2013)

By Erin Pembroke

Freelance Writer

April 7, 2013 |10 p.m.

KEYSTONE, Colorado – Despite the initial falls of snowboarding for the first time, you leave with an exhilarating blood-pumping-thrill in your veins that leaves you wanting to come back to not only the sport but to Keystone Resorts. First, you tumble for several miserable and lousy times until your knees, arms and legs get sore and banged-up but then everything changes. You start to get the hang of it. You put one foot forward and the other back, strap yourself in and let yourself rapidly descend a mountain. Imagine, the cool, icy winds rushing to meet your face at 40-50 mph. Your heart is racing, fear is upon you and yet, an overcoming feeling of achievement sets in your mind.

First, before you experience all of this excitement, you need to know some of the essentials to be prepared for this sport. You should have a well insulated jacket, long underwear and snowboarding pants. In addition to this, a person will require goggles, a helmet, snowboard boots, a snowboard and only one pair of thick snowboarding socks.

The reason why you need one pair of properly thick socks is because if you wear two, your toes will be jammed and hurt in your snowboarding boots. You also need thick and well insulated mittens and may want to consider purchasing hand-warmers to place inside your mittens, a ski mask or a well insulated hat with flaps that protect your ears from the cold. It is a recommendation to wear sun-screen, chap-stick and drink sufficient amount of water before you start snowboarding to avoid dehydration, dried skin and chapped lips.

Next, snowboarding lessons are highly recommended. It is not necessary if you have a friend or know someone that can teach you for free. The first-time snowboarder must figure out if they are “goofy footed” or “regular footed,” meaning which foot are you going to put first; left (“regular”) or right (“goofy”). It is important to know this because your body and its weight will use which ever foot you put forward to steer down several slopes.

Lastly, the key secrets or elements to the actual act of snowboarding are all about posture, knee position and toe/heel movements. A first-time snowboarder’s goal is to have a stance as if you are a goalie playing in the game of soccer. You should have your knees slightly bent while not flailing or moving your arms. Following this position, the person has to slightly move your toes as if you are slightly scrunching them in a ball but not quite curling your toes. Third, while doing the step above, the beginner must add somewhat move your knee. To stop, tilt your heels back so that the board tilts back in the same way a butter knife slightly scraps against a piece of toast.

All this fun can be possible for you, the traveler at Keystone Resorts where the style of the hotels resemble warm and cozy cabins and night skiing is possible until about 8 p.m. (when the gondolas and lifts close). Keystone Lodge offers skiing, snowboarding, ice-skating, snowbiking, tubing, and a dinner sleigh ride. The resort also offers several restaurants, shops and different spa options to choose from on your stay.

LOCATION

22864 U.S. 6, Keystone, CO 80435, (970) 496-4155, http://www.keystoneresort.com/

PRICES

Please see website or call the ticket office for details; prices change with the number of days, people and rental gear available

DETAILS

8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (for mountain activities) on Nov. 2^nd – April 7^th.