How to snowboard in powder

Learning how to snowboard in powder is less about new tricks and more about adapting skills you already have. Deep, soft snow hides the surface under your board, slows you down unevenly and makes every fall harder to recover from. That is why the best preparation happens on groomed runs.

Before you head for untracked snow at the side of a run, check that you can:

• link smooth, rhythmic turns on both your heel edge and toe edge at a steady speed;
• stop reliably on either edge when you choose to, not just when the slope flattens out;
• ride a little faster than you normally would without feeling out of control;
• get up from a fall on both sides without help.

If any of those feel shaky, spend more time on the edge-control drills in our carving guide first. A lesson on a powder day is also a great investment: an instructor can pick suitable terrain, watch your stance and correct habits that only show up in soft snow.

Your board matters less than your technique, but shape, length and setback all affect how a board floats. Check the manufacturer’s description of your model to see how it is designed to ride in soft snow, and see our board-buying overview for the bigger picture.

Your first powder turns belong inside the resort boundary, on runs that are open and marked. Resorts close terrain for reasons you may not be able to see, including avalanche control work, hidden obstacles and thin cover. The NSAA’s Your Responsibility Code asks everyone to keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.

• The edges of groomed runs, where soft snow collects but firm snow is a turn away.
• Wide, moderately pitched open slopes that you already know from firmer days. Knowing what lies underneath helps you avoid rocks, stumps and sudden drops.
• Terrain with a clear run-out, so you are not forced to traverse through deep snow on a flat section where you could get stuck.

Avoid flat or very gentle slopes in deep snow at first. Powder slows you down, and on a low angle you may simply stop and sink. A slope that feels a touch steep on a groomed day can be just right in soft snow, but only move up as your control allows; our notes on stepping up to steeper runs cover how to judge that.

On a groomed run the snow pushes back firmly under your edge. In powder the board sinks and rides on a softer platform, so small changes in balance have a bigger effect.

Keep the nose from diving

If too much weight goes onto your front foot, the nose can dive under the snow and stop you suddenly. Many riders shift their weight slightly toward the back foot in deep snow to keep the nose riding up. Do this by moving your hips a little, not by leaning back with your upper body or straightening your front leg. Stay flexed at the ankles, knees and hips.

Keep a steady speed

Speed helps the board rise and float. Ride too slowly and you will sink and struggle to turn. Aim for a steady, controlled pace and use the shape of your turns to manage speed rather than stopping and starting often.

Make rounder, smoother turns

• Turn with your whole body. Guide the board with your legs and hips, and look where you want the next turn to go.
• Use a gentle up-and-down rhythm. Extending slightly between turns lets the board rise, and flexing through the turn helps it settle and grip.
• Avoid sharp, skidded pivots. Quick twisting movements that work on firm snow tend to bog the board down in powder.
• Link turns continuously. Connected turns keep your speed even and the board on top of the snow.

Expect your legs, especially your back leg, to tire more quickly than usual. Take breaks at the side of the run where people above can see you.

Getting up in deep powder is one of the most tiring parts of a soft-snow day. Your hands sink when you push on the snow, and the board may be buried. These steps usually help:

1. Stay calm and clear your face. Make sure you can breathe freely and your goggles are clear before doing anything else.
2. Get the board downhill of you and across the slope. Roll onto your back or front so the board sits below your body, across the fall line. Standing up from the uphill side of the board is much easier.
3. Make a platform. Pack snow down with your hands or forearms, or push on your folded arms rather than open hands, so you have something firmer to push against.
4. Push up onto your heel or toe edge. Bring your hips over the board and stand up in one steady movement, then point the board slightly downhill to get moving before you sink.

Getting out of deep snow on flat ground

Carry speed into flat sections so you do not stall. If you do get stuck, you may need to unstrap your back foot and walk or skate out. Be aware that stepping off the board in deep snow can drop you much deeper than you expect. For general technique, see our guide to falling safely and standing back up.

Soft snow cushions falls, but it also creates hazards you do not meet on groomed runs.

• Tree wells and deep snow immersion. The snow around the base of trees can be loose and hollow, and a rider who falls in head first can become trapped. Deep-snow advice from the NSAA’s tree well safety guidance is blunt: “ALWAYS ski or ride with a partner within viewing distance.” Give trees a wide berth.
• Hidden obstacles. Rocks, stumps, logs and creek beds can sit just under the surface, especially early in the season.
• Lost visibility. Powder days often come with falling snow and flat light. Slow down and stay near features you can see.
• Losing your partner. Agree a plan before each run: who goes first, where you will stop and wait, and what to do if you lose sight of each other.
• Fatigue. Deep snow is tiring. Stop before you are exhausted.

Check the resort’s posted warnings on the day, look at how to read the snow report and forecast, and dress for being in snow with our layering guide.

Riding powder inside a resort is not preparation for riding powder outside it. Beyond the boundary, snow is not controlled for avalanches and rescue may be far away. Avalanche.org’s three-part rule is “Get the Forecast, Get the Gear, and Get the Training,” and leaving the resort also requires practice with rescue equipment and experienced partners or a qualified guide.

If you are curious where powder riding can lead, start with our orientation to backcountry riding and the education resources at avalanche.org. Do not use gates or leave the boundary on the strength of reading a web page.