I'm going to give snowboarding terrain park another try this year, just started hitting sliders on a wakeboard in the last few months.. getting pretty decent at some basic boardslides and spins, how hard is it to replicate on a snowboard.. I mean does having a rope to lean against make it easier or harder to hit a slider.

start out with the smaller ride on type boxes and slowly work your way up. i personally have never tried a slider on a wakeboard, but i dont think it can be too far off. just start small and work your way up, and start with boxes as well, dont go straight to rails.

Not to scare you or anything...I can hit sliders/kickers consistently on the wakeboard, but managed to break my shoulder on a kink rail in Park City. Got to be careful about those falls on the snow. You underestimate the pain they can inflict. Like Ryan said, just work your way up and try new rails when you feel comfortable enough. I got ahead of myself and had a bad spill. No bueno!

snowboard rails and boxes are way harder than wakeboard sliders. they are very different. wakeboarding you have the roap to lean against and you are going 18+ mph. snowboarding your going about 10 if that depending on the rail and how long it is. make sure you keep your knees bent and your weight very centered forward to back. if you can get rails down this sinter next summer you should be able to school it on the wakeboard

Two bits of advice: crash helmet and no matter how hard you are about to crash don't put your arms out to catch you, just shoulder roll it and take the hit.

Like Jason said snow rails are way different. You have the rope which kind of becomes your balancing point and you also gotta think about your board. Think of it as slinding on a 4x8 sheet of plywood vs a 2x4. Once you are locked on on a wakeboard boardslide it is much harder to fall forward or back, where a snowboard is pretty easy to slip out. Wakeboarders like to build big old wide stuff, where most snow rails are single bars which are much harder to hit. Stick to the big boxes until you get comfortable.

^^^Good tips above <BR> <BR>I agree that it is very different to hit rails on a Snowboard vs. a Wakeboard. Here are a few tips I have been told: <BR> <BR>- Faster is easier. The slower you are going, that longer you have to stay on the rail and the more likely you will loose you balance. Everyone always approaches rails really slow at first (because they are scared), and this leads to some hard falls. <BR> <BR>- Start with a 5050 on a wide box. No chance to hang up rails, and way easier to balance. <BR> <BR>- Aim for the end of the rail. It is impossible for a beginner to change directions on a snowboard rail once you are on it. Pros can do it, but it takes a lot of hard falls and experience to learn. Aim for the end of the rail when you are approaching the rail, so that when you jump on it, you can make it the whole way through. <BR> <BR>- If you feel like you are falling/sliding off, JUMP OFF, DO NOT TRY TO SAVE IT. This is where most people get hurt (including me). <BR> <BR>- Keep you center of balance low and centered. DO NOT LEAN. <BR> <BR>- Lastly, do not put you hand up like you are holding a wakeboard handle. Keep your hands in your happy spot. I still hold an imaginary handle when I am on rails. It is not good for style... <BR> <BR>Let us know how it goes, and if you are ever up in PA, look me up and we will go ride.

Make sure you don't try to jump from your heel edge either. Otherwise, you will land on your back.

^ Everything that has been said is pretty much dead on. <BR> <BR>Just because I learned this the hard way, keep your board flat and off edge while on the rail/box. It is much easier to catch an edge on a snowboard rail than on a wakeboard, and the falls are much less forgiving when you screw up. <BR> <BR>Oh, to re-emphasize, JUMP OFF, DO NOT TRY TO SAVE IT! (Once again, I learned the hard way!)

thx for the tips... sounds like some of you have had a lot of experience in this area... i'm definitely going to ease into it and try not to break myself off.. <BR> <BR>without the rope does toeside/heelside play as much of a role? is 50/50 the easiest slide to start with or front board? <BR> <BR>and can you start a spin once your on the rail or do you have to spin your way onto it?

I think snowboard rails are easier, but thats just me. It feels more natural since i'm more centered over the board then on a wakeboard, but railspins are def a different stoty. Go for a 50-50 on a box for sure.

detune your edges...or else....<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/crazy.gif" border=0>

Agreed JR. Its MUCH easier to catch an edge on a rail with a snowboard than a wakeboard.

Answers to your questions... <BR> <BR>Don't worry about toeside/heelside. At first you will be hitting the box straight on (5050) with even weight on toeside &amp; heelside. Front Board is way harder than 5050. <BR> <BR>You can spin onto a rail, and you can spin once you are on a rail (by moving your arms/body). I highly recommend starting with spinning as you leave the rail. Then try a spin once you are on the rail. Then try a spin onto a rail. If you want to get dangerous, butter onto the rail (this is what I have been working on lately, and it hurts). Buttering has a lot of definitions, but most people say buttering is the art of pressing the nose or tail of the snowboard while rotating in a circle. <BR> <BR>Also, a fun trick that has been showing up lately is the Tripod. I have heard of people doing them on boxes. A tripod is an extreme tail press where you put both hands on the ground directly behind you for balance while you ride down the mountain at high speed. They are old school and a lot of fun (plus you get a lot of looks).

butter is better...i've been on this same kick lately...been tryina butter on and off everything in my way reg and switch...

Wake tendency on rails is to lean back against the rope... on snow... lean WAY forward or you'll slide out on your a$$. Check out the profile pic ;)

I started on snow rails. I still find them easier than wake rails. There's nothing pulling you off the side, you just have to focus your weight on one force (instead of two, two being your weight on the slider and the pull of the boat). Snow also lets you baby in easier, you can start really slow on very basic rails and as long as you have just enough speed gravity will slide you most if not all of the way. On boxes you'll even see people occasionly come to stop from going too slow. At 18+ MPH you don't have that luxuary.