Competitive big mountain freeriding is not for the faint of heart. It’s one thing to slowly work your way down an extreme line riding safely and comfortably. It’s another to lay down a competition run.

The 360 is another staple in every competitive freerider’s diet. Learning how to throw one in a big mountain environment can be quite the challenge. Working up to them is important, building your skills and confidence safely before hucking it all the way home.

Michael Mawn, “It’s so good to be back here; this is my favorite stop, and the fans are so welcoming. An avalanche took out my planned line, and so I had to pick out another one, which I was a bit on edge about. But I found some good snow and went full throttle –…”

Just as an apprentice observes the master in practice; it’s when the art and science come together with experience to form wisdom, is where I find the book most fascinating. Wisdom gained from a lifetime spent in the mountains presented in simple form. Who doesn’t want that one?

“In the practiced snowboarder, a combination of subtle foot movement to apply pressure along the length of the edge of the board along with a combination of precise edge tilt can accurately define, control, and shape any arc.”

These athletes go far beyond the basics of ordinary snowboarding. Their unique riding style of dropping cliffs, throttling high-speed run-outs, and carving tight pivot turns through the unfriendliness of obstacles is undoubtedly exciting. It also requires a set of highly-specialized gear…