In order to ride a line properly, it is important to study it. Take the time to view it from all angles. Really sit there and stare at it. Don’t rush. Just embrace it! The more angles you look at it from, the better. As you stare try and memorize it in your mind, because on the way down you do not want to experience a blank. It will be more comforting when you know where you are. Read the snow, the slope, and also look for your safety zone, for a way out in case something goes wrong. Things may not always turn out the way you expect them to so you have to be prepared. Also pay attention to details. A divit or bump in the snow that may appear small from the opposite ridge, may in fact be very large. What appears as a roll over may feel more like a drop when you hit it with speed. Be aware!

It’s a good idea to take pictures of the lines that you want to do so you can take them home and study them. Once you look at something for a very long time you may start to see things that you have never seen before.

The more studying you do, the more enjoyable the descent will be. Get creative, be safe, and have fun!

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 30th, 2006 at 6:06 pm and is filed under Backcountry. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.