Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a snow-covered slope on a snowboard that is attached to one's feet using a boot/binding interface. It is similar to skiing, but inspired by surfing and skateboarding. The sport was developed in the United States in the 1960s and the 1970s and became a Winter Olympic Sport in 1998.

Styles of Snowboarding

Both terrain parks and backcountry have grown in popularity with advances in equipment and mountaineering technology. "Terrain park" boarding is when you are snowboarding in an area marked by the resort for terrain parks. Terrain parks usually consist of jumps, most commonly referred to as "kickers", rails or boxes. There are also two different ways to "ride" on a snowboard, regular style (left foot forward) and goofy style (right foot forward).

Freestyle
Craig Kelly and Terje Håkonsen have been credited as two of the founding fathers of freestyle snowboarding. Craig began the art of freestyle, then later switched from the contest circuit to full time backcountry riding, filming, and photography before being killed in an avalanche. Terje started young, has been the subject of two movies, and recently achieved the world record quarterpipe air at the 2007 Arctic Open.

Many believe that freestyle snowboarding owes much of its form and content to skateboarding. Since a snowboard is attached securely to your feet, you are unable to perform many of the skateboard tricks, like a kickflip. With the recent introduction of rails into freestyle snowboarding, a closer resemblance to skateboarding is seen.

There are many different Freestyle disciplines including big air, slope style and the half pipe. In the big air event, competitors launch from a hill or ramp and perform stunts whilst in the air. They're judged on distance, height, difficulty of the trick and their landing. In slope style competitors ride down a course while performing tricks off the many jibs(rails), kickers(jumps), and quarter pipes.

Slope Style
Competitors perform tricks while descending a course, moving around, over, across, or down obstacles. The course is full of obstacles include boxes, rails, jumps, jibs (includes anything the board or rider can slide across), and quarter pipes (a half side of a half pipe, although usually not as long).

Half-pipe
The half-pipe is a semi-circular ditch or purpose built ramp (that is usually on a downward slope), between 12 and 21 feet deep. Competitors perform tricks while going from one side to the other and while in the air above the sides of the pipe.

Freeride
Whether just learning to link turns or pushing the limits of an Alaskan descent, freeriders prefer the all mountain experience: open terrain, backcountry chutes, fresh powder, trees, as well as an afternoon spent in the park or in a freshly cut pipe. This is the realm where pros can show what they are really made of.

Freeriding is the most general style of snowboarding and has correspondingly versatile equipment. Like freestyle, freeride equipment uses a soft boot. Boards in this category are relatively longer and more directional in their shape. If you don't know what kind of terrain you like, or know that you like everything, this is your category.

Racing / Freecarve
This often overlooked style of snowboarding focuses on carving and racing. Sometimes called alpine snowboarding, freecarving takes place on hard-pack or groomed runs and focuses on the ultimate carving turn. Little or no jumping takes place in this discipline. Freecarve equipment is comprised of a hard boot and plate binding system, while the boards are stiff, narrow and relatively long.

The racing events are slalom, giant slalom, and super G. In slalom, boarders race downhill through sets of gates that force extremely tight turns, requiring plenty of technical skill as well as speed.

Giant slalom uses a much longer course with gates set further apart, resulting in even higher speeds. Super G is the fastest of all, with speeds of up to 45mph.

Snowboard Cross
In snowboard cross, several riders race down a track that has jumps and other hazards in the way. The winner is the rider that finishes first.(wikipedia)

Whiteface Mountain

At Whiteface Mountain, you'll find some of the best alpine skiing and snowboarding in North America. It has the greatest vertical drop this side of the Rockies and is the only ski area in the East to have hosted the Olympic Winter Games.  

Facts

Base Elevation: 1,200 feet
Summit Elevation: 4,867 feet
Top Lift Elevation: 4,416 feet
Vertical Drop: 3,350 feet (Biggest in the East)
Skiable Acreage: 211 acres
Cloudsplitter Gondola: 7.5 minutes from the base to the top of Little Whiteface
Lifts: 10
Trails: 67
Snowmaking: 97% - does not include the slides
Terrain: One-third each of most difficult, more difficult, easiest
Half Pipe: 425 feet, International FIS Specs
Hours: 8:30 am to 4 pm daily
First opened: 1957
The Slides: 35 acres (open conditions permitting) Experts Only
Operated by: New York State Olympic Regional

Directions;

From New York City and New Jersey
Take the NY State Thruway (I-87) north to the Adirondack Northway (Exit 24 in Albany). Follow 87 to Exit 30. Pick up Route 9 north and follow it for two miles to Route 73. Continue on 73 for 28 miles to Lake Placid area. Take Route 86 east to Whiteface Mountain. From NYC: 5 hrs, Albany: 2 1/2 hrs.

From Toronto
Take 401 east to Cornwall Bridge. Pick up Route 37 east to Malone. Follow Route 30 south to Paul Smiths and pick up Route 86. Continue on 86 thru Saranac Lake and Lake Placid to Whiteface Mountain. Drive time: 5 1/2 hours.

From Montreal
Take Route 15 south to Champlain Crossing, connecting with I-87 south. Take Exit 34 west, following Route 9 north, then follow Route 86 to Whiteface Mountain. Drive time: 2 hours.

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From Boston, Springfield, Hartford
Take Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) to Albany. Pick up I-787 north to Cohoes. Connect with Route 7 west to I-87 north. Follow I-87 (Northway) to Exit 30, then use final directions above: "From New York City..." Drive time from Boston: 5 hours.

From Ottawa
Take routes south to the Cornwall Bridge. Pick up Route 37 east to Malone. Follow Route 30 south to Paul Smiths and pick up Route 86. Follow Route 86 and continue thru Saranac Lake and Lake Placid to Whiteface Mountain. Drive time: 3 hours.

From Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Points West
Take I-90 (NY State Thruway) east to Exit 36 (Syracuse). Pick up I-81 north and follow to Watertown. Take Route 3 and follow it east to Saranac Lake, then follow Route 86 east to Whiteface Mountain. Drive times: From Buffalo: 5 1/2 hours; Rochester: 4 1/2 hours; Syracuse: 3 1/2 hours.

West Mountain - 59 West Mountain Road, Glens Falls, NY 12804. 3 miles west of Northway (I-87) exit 18. (518)793-6606. 1,010 foot vertical drop, 21 trails (beginner, intermediate and expert), 60% snowmaking. Lessons and equipment rental available. Child care and kid-ski programs available. Open daily, Monday through Friday 9:30AM-10:30PM, Saturday and Sunday 8:30AM-6PM. Closed Christmas Day. Tickets are sold for 4 and 8 hour blocks.

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CROSS COUNTRY SKIING

PACKBASKET ADVENTURES
P.O. Box 136 12 South Shore Rd. Ext. Wanakena, NY 13695 Ph/Fax: (315) 848-3488
email:info@packbasketadventures.com
The base for Packbasket Adventures is our lodge, located on the fabled Oswegatchie River, famous for its scenic beauty, remote wildness and fine sport. The river flows through Wanakena into Cranberry Lake, which has 40 of its 55 miles of shoreline State protected and waiting to be explored. Our newly constructed lodge consists of 4 bedrooms with private baths. Each room is finely appointed in the lodge style, making for a cozy return at the end of the day's adventure.

13th Lake Rd, North River, NY 12856
518-251-2444  Email: mail@garnet-hill.com

301 Main Street/Town Hall
Lake Placid NY 12946
518-523-1365