Snowboarding @ Mad River Mtn?

wacissej2

DH and I are thinking about taking snowboarding lessons at Mad River this weekend since we're getting all of this great snow. We're both skiiers at heart but the shorter trails here seem to be a great opportunity to try snowboarding.

Has anyone taken lessons at Mad River? Have any tips? I've seen the bruises my friends have come home with after their first days trying so I'm thinking I'm going to wear as much padding as possible. And does anyone know where you might be able to get discounted lift tickets??

Thanks.

Mrs.SabrinaM

I too am a Skiier and I started to learn to snow board the last several years. We don't get time to go up very often because DH is working full time and is in school.

I have taken snowboarding lessons at both Mad River Mtn and Snowtrails.  I have to be honest I prefered the lessons at snowtrails in the Mansfield area over the ones at Mad River.  They were less expensive so we were able to take private lessons for the same price as a group lesson at Mad River so we got alot more out of the lessons at Snowtrails.  

As far as tips to keep from getting bruised it is as simple as it was when you learned how to ski...fall uphill not down.  If you fall toward the downhill side it will hurt.  If you fall toward the uphill side you'll land alot softer. Oh and try to just let yourself fall and don't try to catch yourself too often with your hands. My wrists ended up sore so I wear wrist guards to help.

wacissej2

Sabrina - thanks for the tips. And I hadn't even heard of Snowtrails so I'll definitely look that up.

ibbunee77

i too used to be a skiier and switched to snowboarding a few years ago. now i'll never go back. i LOVE snowboarding. it's definitely a different feeling and takes getting used, but so much fun. the bruises are unavoidable! but like other poster mentioned, careful of the wrists. your first instinct will be to break your fall with your hands. i've never taken lessons at mad river but what really helped me when i learned was READING about how to first. i know it sounds silly but it actually made it easier to make sense of the real lesson later.