Maps are for people meeting for lunch. There is really no need to know what number the lift is that you are on or what random name they have given the trail you are going down. Bonanza, Northstar, Claimjumper at Breckenridge or Mozart, Scout, Spring Dipper at Keystone, they are just meaningless names. You’ll never remember them, what you will remember is how much fun you had going down that steep run with thigh high powder, that turned to the right. So, forget the map and just go do what looks good while you are on the chair. Conditions are always changing when you are in the mountains, go with it.
And if you happen to go by a terrain course and you have never been, stop in and hit something. You don’t have to start with the pipe, just check out the jumps in the terrain park, start with a small one and approach it slowly so you don’t get too much air. Hike up and do it again with more speed. If you are intimidated by the other people in the park, just ignore them, but make sure you don’t hit them. You are there for yourself not for them. Air can be fun and addictive and just being in the air will make you a better snowboarder. So explore the mountain and use to map to meet people.
