Extreme Sideslipping

A Sideslipping Start to the Season

2009-11-09T00:38:26Z

We went to Copper Mountain today for my third day of the 2009-2010 season (Gregg's 7th day) and I borrowed his Burton Fix from last year with the rounded edges for it. Although the board was wonderfully box-worthy, its crowning achievement (and I say this with some sarcasm) was definitely the unintentional sideslipping.

That's right--we're back at the sideslipping again and I heroically sideslipped the crap out of Copper Mountain all day long today. The scene was a crowded Sunday (as Sundays are wont to be) on a single white ribbon of death. The hill abounded with the general public as well as U.S. Olympic team racers (we think), since it is the time of year for gates training. We even saw a substantial fleet of carving-board-riders, which brings me back to my own humble beginnings in the east coast carving days of yore. Oh for sharp edges, I thought, watching them with green-colored envy.

]]> Alas, I was not to be availed of a race board today. Instead I opted to sideslip. I did it on my toe edge and I did it on my heel edge, pivoting slightly this way and that, in control most of the time. Perhaps I exaggerate. But I am more than a little ashamed to admit that I did complain about the ice--a fact which becomes more ironic when you consider that I will soon have an article on how to ride and love the ice published in the winter edition of 32 Degrees, the national snow nerd (read: instructor) magazine. (In fact, today would have been a great opportunity for the ice-sliding photo opp--which would miss the deadline for the print mag but could be used to illustrate the online feature--but I was in no mood for it.) I pretty much hated the ice today. I kept over-flexing my back knee, swimming around inside my new Salomon Optima boots (for which I guess I should get foot-beds), and skidding out on the toe edge at the end of my turns. Harrumph.

So basically the hand-me-down Fix is now going back in the closet until either the whole mountain turns to packed powder or I'm hiking the park, whichever comes first. I do so want an amazing park board and I was hoping the Fix was going to be it. But the fact is that Gregg beat the crap out of that board last season. Not to mention that park boards with edges are the only way to go. I needs [sic] my edges for setting up a spin or carving up the halfpipe wall--uh, or, to keep from feeling the need to sideslip maniacally down the slope with the rest of the general public.

Unlike me, Gregg made sweet sweet love to the ice all day long today on his sharp new Jussi 156, a salient feature of which--and one he kept pointing out--is the fact it contains camber. Nevermind that reverse camber bullcrap ;) He did hit a rock that bummed him out for a minute, but otherwise he was happier than a clam that just escaped a clam-bake.

I know I sounded like a negative nancy earlier in this entry (but I had to start off with the sideslipping in order for this psycho-babble to qualify for the site, the editors have informed me.) But let me just back up a bit now and clarify that today was in fact lovely and warm with sunny patches, a nice park and friendly people, and a good time overall, brightened by the fact that we both pretty much scored free tickets for the day. I would say the highlight was when Olena showed up and started spinning all about. She's such a happy little jumping frog. Her antics in turn jazzed me up to throw down a few whippety-doo's myself. And 9:30 am to 2:30 pm isn't such a bad tally for day three of [my] season. You gotta get back into it--and in shape--somehow.

Breckenridge opens Thursday and I'm donning the red, white, and blue and working at the mountain starting on day one. Unless it snows it's gonna be a slick one, so let me take this opportunity to recommend to our readers that if you're heading to the slopes sometime in the next couple of days, y'all need to go on down to the basement or the garage and tune up the ol' tool This will help you to maintain control as you sideslip down the mountain. Peace.

Publicity Stunt Fails Due to Lack of Organization

2009-04-24T13:59:45Z

We had it all planned out--a publicity stunt to truly spread the name of extremesideslipping.com around the local snow sliding community. First, we would ride in to Leo's shack at Breckenridge--a handcrafted warming hut snuggled off-trail in the deepest trees--using sideslipping, most likely, since it's so damn tight to get there. Then, we would clean up the mountains of garbage tossed carelessly within by all those non-nature-loving nimrods who seem to frequent the place. Finally, we would post our calling card--a poster, I imagined, saying something to the effect of "cleaned for your visiting pleasure by extremesideslipping.com" or even "under new management" (as recommended to me by one long-time local).

]]> Sadly, due to a combination of our lackadaisical attitudes and our overall lack of organization, no poster was produced.

We did, however, go in and clean up some garbage. We got to the shack around 10:00 AM to find a full house of random folks, to whom we proceeded to distribute garbage bags. This action resulted in an immediate dispersal of half the party, but I'm happy to say that the other half got right down to the task. Within a half hour we had collected five large bags of trash including half-full beer bottles, cigarette butts, and ten metric ass-tons of green wrappers from the complimentary granola bars served up by the mountain.

Among the clean-up crew were two new friends we met that day, telemarkers John and Caroline, and a small group of punk-ass TechNine kids who looked at me with some incredulity when I handed them trash bags but then went diligently about the task. Afterwards we strong-armed a few parties of riders to take out the first two trash bags, and then handled the remaining bags ourselves with the help of our new Nordic friends.

Riding with heavy bags of trash is no easy task, especially when you're trying to make sure not to puncture them on the trees. In the end we found that sideslipping was uniquely suited to the task. When we got down to the cat track, I enjoyed shouting things to unsuspecting passersby like "Be careful, we're about to air this cliff with garbage."

The ride down was the highlight of the day. We shot some lame footage of things like sideslipping through the woods with garbage (of both snowboarders and Nords), a sideslipped cliff-drop carrying garbage, and "switch garbage" on Lehman, before tossing the trash in the dumpster behind Ten Mile Station.

Even though what was meant to be our claim to fame turned into little more than an act of good Samaritanism, it was worth the effort, and we all got in some good sideslipping to boot. So now I am posting this blog in honor of Earth Day--two days late, in keeping with our slapdash approach to the maintenance of this site.

And thanks for listening!

Sideslip Ballet

2009-04-17T14:15:13Z

Well, we've found and exploited some more creative ideas in the world of sideslipping. Apparently there are many and varied ways to explore this new sport. Here's a less dangerous way to compete and push the limits: Sideslip Ballet. Enjoy the video, then go out and rip with your partner.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

2009-04-12T12:24:37Z

This entry is an effort to answer some recent inquiries we've had regarding sideslipping. The FAQs cover the following topics:

What is sideslipping?
When should sideslipping be used?
When should sideslipping NOT be used?
Why extreme sideslipping?
Is this site making fun of me?

For details, read on by clicking the link below.

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What is Sideslipping?

sideslip (v) - To slide on the uphill edge(s) with the board (or skiis) perpendicular to the direction of travel.*

*(Renowned skier Steve Shredberg informs us that the term "sideslipping" comes from skiing and that it would be better if we in the snowboarding world found a different name for it. While Shred's point may be a valid one, we have already purchased the domain name and are unlikely to change it unless he comes up with something really, really, good.)

When Should Sideslipping be Used?

When you are learning to snowboard - New snowboarders learn to sideslip on their heel edge and their toe edge. It helps them to develop an understanding of how the edges work and how to stop. Eventually, however, they learn to turn from one edge to the next instead of always sliding on the same edge down the trail.
When you are slipping a race course - Sideslipping is a great tool for grooming the ruts out of a race course.
To get out of a sticky situation - This is where the debate gets heated. If you find yourself on something you can't handle, then you might opt to sideslip to get down it. It begs the question, however, as to whether you should have gone there in the first place. Here are some opinions on the matter:

"If you have to sideslip to avoid hitting your head on a tree, well,
that's what you've gotta do."
-Bryan Harder (who I met on the chairlift)

"You can use sideslipping in an emergency but you don't want to be seen doing it."
-Gregg Davis (co-author of this site)

When Should Sideslipping NOT Be Used?

On a powder field - Sideslipping should never be used on a powder field. If you can't turn on it, then don't go wreck up the powder for everybody else. Instead, try riding on the groomed trails until you are ready. Sideslipping pow is an aesthetic no-no. Below I have excerpted an interview with Gregg Davis to shed additional light on the matter:

Erica: Gregg, how does it make you feel when people sideslip a virgin powder line that you intended to claim?
Gregg: It's ridiculous, you know. They pack down a swath of powder that four to five riders could use.
Erica: Use for what, Gregg?
Gregg: They could use it to make turns and have joyous snowboarding. But no, someone has sideslipped down the powder. It's as if five people went before me instead of one. And, they didn't even have any fun. They were just trying to survive.
Erica: Why is untracked powder preferable to sideslipped powder?
Gregg: It's just soft and more fun. It's fun to ride in the powder because it's more rare and the board feels different. It's more like surfing in the water.
Erica: Could you say that powder is "floaty goodness?"
Gregg: Yes, you could say that.
Erica: Do you see a market for people learning how to sideslip better? And what would you teach them?
Gregg: Turn [the microphone] off.

Why Extreme Sideslipping?

Pulling off sideslipping tricks--where you sideslip off a jump or onto a rail, for example--is actually quite technical. It's totally the stuff of which a new extreme sport is made.
Inventing sideslipping tricks makes you think outside the box about your riding and/or skiing.
Sideslipping tricks are funny.

Is This Site Making Fun of Me?

Yes - But fondly with love.
No - Because now you are in on the joke too.

Open Invitation to Readers:

As always we'd like to extend an open invitation to our readers to share their input on sideslipping--when TO do it, when NOT to do it, technical information, comments on the interviews, etc. Make your voice heard about this important issue. Leave a comment today.

Sideslipping Video Two - Undisclosed Location

2009-03-30T03:39:55Z

Those present witnessed something that had not been seen before. An undisclosed location hosted the most recent and extreme developments in the sport of sideslipping. Current 'slippers' will be amazed at the level of progression achieved to date.

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Progression was spearheaded by Cornfed who suddenly came alive with excitement at the prospect of documenting the development of the newest tricks and getting them out to the public. "As an ex-pro rollerblader, I feel I'm an expert on new up-and-coming sports with longevity," says apt pupil Cornfed. "And, since I've started Extreme Sideslipping, I find that straight is only a transition between sideslips, and should not be taken for anything more than that." As you can see, Cornfed is serious when it comes to new sports, including his newest endeavor, Extreme Sideslipping.

Enjoy the rare captured video from an afternoon of intense progression in the shadow of potential embarassment.

Sideslipper of the Month - March 2009

2009-03-14T16:23:25Z

Forrest Baker slides into first place in the ExtremeSideslipping.com Sideslipper of the Month contest. (See previous entry, "K-Ton Kid Shows Promise," for details about Forrest's sideslipping exploits.)

K-Ton Kid Shows Promise

2009-03-08T16:12:57Z

Killington rider Forrest Baker visited Summit County with his posse this past week and took advantage of the opportunity to showcase some creative and extreme sideslipping in Breckenridge's El Dorado terrain park.

The challenge we put to Forrest was to sideslip up to the box, onto the box, and then land the trick still sideslipping.

To get enough speed for the task, Forrest dropped in from way above the park, shouting "dropping" really loud every time he did so in order to catch the attention of the "normal" park riders waiting for their turn to hit the features. After some practice, Forrest not only stomped that trick, but he also took it to the next level, hitting both the flat box and the A-box in the same sideslipping line--even turning it around on the A box to ride out in a toe-side sideslip.

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Forrest Baker has definitely caught our attention here at extremesideslipping.com--both for his diligence in practicing the tricks until he nailed them and for his creative dedication to extreme sideslipping. It takes an advanced rider to sideslip the park. Needless to say, Forrest will definitely be in the running when it comes time to select our national team.

When asked what he thought about the art of sideslipping the park, Forrest responded: "Actually I think it's [a great idea]. If we could get kids sideslipping into jumps and rails, it would keep [the ramps] good all day and we wouldn't need a park crew."

Regarding his bid for the Global Extreme Sideslipping Team (GEST), Forrest stated simply, "I'm just in it for the T-shirt." Furthermore he went on to suggest that the front of the T-shirt could say "ExtremeSideslipping.com" and the back could say "Not on my powder field."

Although we have not yet discussed the matter of T-shirts for team members, the idea is currently under consideration. In the meantime we are accepting suggestions and submissions for both slogans and artwork.

Failure to Sideslip

2009-03-04T01:39:43Z

I'd just like to take a moment to apologize to our growing number of readers that we have not yet updated the blog with additional sideslipping photos.

After this last storm, Gregg and I hiked up to Breckenridge's Twin Chutes with every intent of doing a photo shoot. When we got there, however, we found that neither of us had the heart to engage in the actual sideslipping and instead opted for turning.

Don't lose heart, however. I am optimistic that after this spell of 50-degree weather passes, we are bound to be favored with some late season dumps. We'll get it together. We'll sideslip the pow--and YOU'll be the first to hear about it!

About This Site

2009-03-01T04:30:54Z

The idea for this site originated with the observation of an interesting phenomenon that seemed to be shared among snowboarding professionals--a sometimes intense aversion to a snowboarding technique known as "sideslipping."

sideslip (v) - To slide on the uphill edge with the board perpendicular to the direction of travel. He sideslipped down that whole trail, dude.

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Three friends were enjoying the powder at Pico Mountain when they became cold and decided to enter the lodge to partake in some hot chocolate. Thereupon, they ran into one more friend and his two friends. After a warm-up and some good conversation, the crew of six decided to venture back up the mountain to tackle a steep, tight chute together.

It is important that the reader picture the scene. The powder is deep, maybe a foot. The magic of deep pow is in the air. Under the powder, however, runs a waterfall--a waterfall which is currently frozen into an ice floe. The turns are going to have to be tight, that much is certain.

Upon arrival at the scene, however, the first three members of the group have a different idea: sideslipping!

It is at this point that one of the latter three group members, a man by the name of Noah Prince, becomes distraught by the cruel destruction of the powder and subsequent exposure of the aforementioned ice sheet. He is incredulous, really. He does not understand who in their right mind would sideslip that chute. It's written all over his face as he fumes to himself before finally shaking his fist and declaring angrily outright: "You're supposed to turn!"

Why did Noah get so angry about the sideslipping, you might ask?

The answer to that question, and many more, will be explored in honest and open dialogue right here on extremesideslipping.com.

The purpose of this website is to explore sideslipping in all of its aspects--the good, the bad, and the ugly; the useful as well as the offensive. Furthermore, in part as a balance against the angry protests sometimes generated by unwitting sideslippers, we are proud to announce that our offices are now hard at work on organizing a brand new, never-been-seen-before, competitive snowboarding event: EXTREME SIDESLIPPING! (Stay posted for updates.)

It with great honor, then, that we invite the reader to come along with us on this journey, contributing your voice to the conversation as you feel the urge. And thanks for being a part of what makes Extreme Sideslipping so great!