Stephen Koch

I was recently asked about how I train for steep snowboard descents. Below is my reply.

When I was doing steep snowboard descents on a regular basis I trained by riding as much variable terrain as possible as often as possible. Getting out on icy, crappy snow all over the mountains, especially at the areas available via lifts around Chamonix, or anywhere, will give you the skills necessary to handle steep (over 45 degrees) terrain in good conditions. Go find steep pitches with minimal exposure (above cat tracks for example) and make a few turns. Go climb the Petit Aguille Vert, go hit Les Courtes NE face. I had a near epic on the NE face of Les Courtes in 1990 when I hit some ice high on it and had to self arrest with my ice axe. I fortunately had an ice screw on my harness which I barely got into the ice (was using a dull titanium screw) and clipped my harness to just as my hand slipped out of my wrist loop!

I made turns down a different line than I climbed up and nearly paid the ultimate price.

If you push your limits in the BC of Cham…there is a helicopter flying around all the time specifically TO rescue people! Not that I suggest relying on rescues, because I do not, but it is nice to know you can get one so long as you are not dead, even then you at least know your body will be recovered…

Start small and build up, just like when you were a kid climbing up a tree and jumping off. I would jump from a slightly uncomfortable height, then, building on the success (assuming I didn’t hurt myself and had a relatively fun time), I would increase the height/exposure and repeat until satisfied, which usually meant scared silly or forgetting to close my legs upon landing and being over it after barely making it to shore.
May you have safe, fun and successful adventures.