Catboarding skill requirement - how good do you need to be? - Page 2 - Snowboarding Forum

walove · 10-01-2012, 04:20 PM

If your spending much time in whistler, check the weather and head down to mt baker for a day, two hours a way + border crossing. Good chance to get some powder practice in. They average twice the snow whistler does.

timmytard · 10-01-2012, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lamps

I'd like to go catboarding this winter, likely for one day to try it out.

This would be in BC, likely Whistler as I'll be there already on a vacation riding the resort.

Any thoughts on the right skill level to do this - I've been boarding for a few years now, can go on the single black runs at Whistler, a little cautious in the steeper parts of those. Not ready for the double black runs at whistler. My only realy powder experience has been the occasional snowy day where I've been able to play around some in the powder on resort slopes.

How long are you in Whistler? Just book it for the end of the trip.
If you can board black diamond @ Whistler, especially icy shitty chopped up snow. I think you'll be just fine.
For 1, Whistler's black diamonds aren't your average North American black diamond.
2ndly, They're not going to take you to the run from "Terje's First descent",
even if you wanted too.
3rdly, They will dumb it down, from your description I think you will rip shit up in the intermediate class.
Even within each category, you'll have options on what you want.

I don't know what your riding for a stick?, but chances are it ain't a pow stick.
Rent one, don't be a stubborn ass & insist that your boards fine or that your used to it. Trust me it's not, & it won't do.

Go to a rental place right when you get there, if your taking a vacation there, you should be able to afford to rent a board for a few days before, so you can get used to it.
Maybe you ride switch a lot & your stance is all ducked out.
You ain't going to be riding switch any more than using it to turn back around, so your duck stance might have to be adjusted a bit.
A couple days on the renter with a new stance should get you used to it.
Or even if your stance stays the same a couple days to get used to a bigger pow specific board will deff help.

Or maybe just let your friends go

& you stay behind

Do it, you won't regret it.

TT

Lamps · 10-01-2012, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowolf

Honestly, from your description I would put the cat boarding off this season and spend most of your time this season riding off piste. A groomed black diamond really does not compare well to off piste riding in general. In fact, it is quite often terrain that is too mellow that presents the greatest difficulty to the inexperienced off piste rider.

Spend this season riding off piste in the nastiest, iciest, shittyest conditions mother nature throws at you and do it on all terrain including double black off piste. In addition, get some practice in riding deep off piste powder. Half of the battle with powder like this is learning to judge your terrain and where you can and cannot ride. All too often the innexperienced rider will drop a juicy looking slope through the trees without considering the quarter mile flat runout or the deep creek to cross at the bottom. Getting good at off piste powder riding takes experience and a huge part of that is learning proper route finding skills for the snow conditions.

You don't have to be stylish or throwing down badass tricks. It's even okay to fall; just be able to confidently ride anything reasonably well. When you can do this, you are going to enjoy your cat experience much more and really get more of your money's worth.

If I didn't live in Toronto I'd be with you on this plan to get better - I can certainly get lots of nasty shitty icy conditions locally but there's not much if anything in the way of off piste available to me, and deep powder aint gonna happen.

I will get to whistler twice this winter, one long weekend with the guys and a one week vacation, by the time you add up the cost of flying a family of four out there, accomodation, lift tickets, and so on the catboarding is a small expense in whole package so if I don't get 100 per cent out of it that's ok, I just don't want to be hated by 11 other people.

I see that at red mountain they have three different levels so it's easier to get in with those of the same ability, so maybe I'll go there next year, but this year no luck, unless there are 11 others like me who want to get together and book a full cat.

Maybe I'll try to get someone at the resort to go out for a couple runs and advise me if I should go for it or wait another season (or go to red mountain).

61ragtop · 10-02-2012, 01:04 AM

Here is a whistler company check me out.....

Powder Mountain Catskiing/ Heliskiing - about

timmytard · 10-02-2012, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 61ragtop

Here is a whistler company check me out.....

Powder Mountain Catskiing/ Heliskiing - about

Read that, watch the vid, rip shit up.

I'm sure they have some black diamond runs around there somewhere?

They just didn't show any in the vid

If you can't honestly ride that terrain, I can honestly say "I feel sorry for you"

Lamps · 10-02-2012, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snowolf

Pretty much agree with everything TT has said but on this issue, I would caution you against making stance changes. Stance is a very individualistic thing and plays a very important role in riding performance. Changes to accustomed stance take awhile for the body to adjust to; generally longer than you have available.

Duck stances really do not inhibit off piste powder riding performance in any significant way. I ride 15/-15 for everything including on my splitboard and my stance works great for me and I ride 90% off piste terrain even while confined to resort riding. Any slight performance advantage from a forward stance will be significantly countered by your body's unfamiliarity with a new stance. Dealing with challenging (though fun) conditions will exacerbate this even more.

I do however fully agree with TT's advice about a pow specific setup if you have those conditions. His advice on that is solid.

Right now I ride -3, +15 (goofy) so stancewise I'm already a bit forwardish. Will def rent a powder board to practice.

**killclimbz** · 10-02-2012, 09:07 AM

No reason to change your stance. I also ride +-15 and I don't do a lot of switch riding. The duck stance gives you the advantage of being able to crouch very low. If you do any riding in tight trees, you know how this can be an advantage.

Some sort of rocker board powder board would definitely be nice. You shouldn't have much to worry about in the way of flats. I am sure the cat operator is well aware of problem areas for snowboarders and have adjusted their pick up spots and run outs accordingly.

Just let them know that you are getting your cherry popped and you want them to be gentle with you. If it turns out you can be more aggressive ask if they can accommodate that as the day goes on.

10-01-2012, 04:20 PM	#11 (permalink)
walove Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Bozeman/Seattle Posts: 659	If your spending much time in whistler, check the weather and head down to mt baker for a day, two hours a way + border crossing. Good chance to get some powder practice in. They average twice the snow whistler does. __________________ SHRED HAPPENS

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10-02-2012, 01:04 AM	#14 (permalink)
61ragtop Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Langley Posts: 87	Here is a whistler company check me out..... Powder Mountain Catskiing/ Heliskiing - about

10-02-2012, 09:07 AM	#17 (permalink)
killclimbz Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Front Range Posts: 9,174	No reason to change your stance. I also ride +-15 and I don't do a lot of switch riding. The duck stance gives you the advantage of being able to crouch very low. If you do any riding in tight trees, you know how this can be an advantage. Some sort of rocker board powder board would definitely be nice. You shouldn't have much to worry about in the way of flats. I am sure the cat operator is well aware of problem areas for snowboarders and have adjusted their pick up spots and run outs accordingly. Just let them know that you are getting your cherry popped and you want them to be gentle with you. If it turns out you can be more aggressive ask if they can accommodate that as the day goes on.