The 7 Things Nobody Tells You Before Your First Snowboard Season
Forget learning to snowboard for a minute. First, learn how to enjoy the mountain.
For new snowboarders there’s a lot of advice about helmets, lessons, boots, and learning to turn, but there are a few things that nobody tells you about before your first season. These are the things that can make the difference between feeling completely overwhelmed and feeling like you belong on the mountain from your very first day.
Listen to this Story on the 1923 Main Street Podcast
Snowboarding is more than just a great winter sport. It’s part travel, part adventure, part culture. The sooner you get that, the more fun you will have.
With that in mind, here are the seven things you need to know before your first day on the hill.
Expand Your Lines. Expand Your Horizons.
Every new mountain holds the promise of untouched powder, fresh terrain, and unforgettable runs. The 1923 Main – Mountain Expansion unisex tee celebrates the feeling every snowboarder knows—the unknown of exploring a new resort, chasing the next storm, and carving first tracks through fresh snow. Built for riders who believe the best days are always waiting on the next lift, this graphic tee is inspired by mountain life, snowboarding adventures, and the endless pursuit of winter. Wherever the season takes you, keep exploring.
Also available as a hoodie.
• Base Item: Gildan 5000 • 100% cotton • Fabric weight: 5.0–5.3 oz/yd² (170-180 g/m²) • Open-end yarn • Tubular fabric • Taped neck and shoulders • Double seam at sleeves and bottom hem • Blank product sourced from Honduras, Nicaragua, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Bangladesh, Mexico
Disclaimers:
• Due to the fabric properties, the White color variant may appear off-white rather than bright white. • Dark color speckles throughout the fabric are expected for the color Natural.
This product is made especially for you as soon as you place an order, which is why it may take us a bit longer to deliver it to you. Making products on demand instead of in bulk helps reduce overproduction, so thank you for making thoughtful purchasing decisions.
Please note: since all orders are custom created, all sales are final and we do not accept returns, refunds or exchanges. Please check sizing carefully using the guide.
1. Stop Thinking Like a Beginner and Start Thinking Like an Explorer.
One of the biggest mistakes first-timers make has nothing to do with technique. It’s more that they treat the mountain like a gym, whereas experienced riders treat it like a destination.
Before your trip, spend a few minutes exploring the resort online. Look at the trail map. Find the beginner area. See where the lodges are. Check out the mountain village. Learn where to get the good coffee before first chair and where people go after the lifts close.
That way, when you arrive, the mountain will already feel familiar. Sure, you still need to earn your rite of passage, but that doesn’t mean you don’t belong or have to feel like the newbie at a gym.
That confidence is worth as much (almost) as any YouTube snowboarding tutorial.
2. Learn the Language Before You Learn the Turns
Every sport has its own vocabulary, and snowboarding is no different. Knowing a few common terms before you arrive helps everything make more sense.
You'll hear people talking about groomers, powder, corduroy, blue runs, terrain parks, glades, and après. You don’t need to become an expert overnight, but understanding the basics means you spend less time wondering what everyone is talking about and more time enjoying the day.
You will feel like part of the mountain instead of a visitor.
A Snowboarding Hoodie for Those Who Embrace the Chill
The 1923/MS Numb hoodie takes that frozen-fingers, frozen-face energy and wraps it in warmth. Perfect for layering up before first chair or posting up slopeside when the day’s done.
Because being numb never felt so good (and every snowboarder knows it).
Also available as a lightweight unisex tee for all-season wear.
• Base Item: Gildan 18500 • 50% pre-shrunk cotton, 50% polyester • Fabric weight: 8.0 oz/yd² (271.25 g/m²) • Air-jet spun yarn with a soft feel and reduced pilling • Double-lined hood with matching drawcord • Quarter-turned body to avoid crease down the middle • 1 × 1 athletic rib-knit cuffs and waistband with spandex • Front pouch pocket • Double-needle stitched collar, shoulders, armholes, cuffs, and hem • Blank product sourced from Bangladesh, Nicaragua, Honduras or El Salvador
Disclaimer: Due to the fabric properties, the White color variant may appear off-white rather than bright white.
This product is made especially for you as soon as you place an order, which is why it may take us a bit longer to deliver it to you. Making products on demand instead of in bulk helps reduce overproduction, so thank you for making thoughtful purchasing decisions.
Please note: since all orders are custom created, all sales are final and we do not accept returns, refunds or exchanges. Please check sizing carefully using the guide.
3. Prepare for the Parts Nobody Talks About
Your legs are going to get tired. When you spend the day carrying your board, standing in lift lines, skating with one foot strapped in, getting up after falling, and walking long distances in snowboard boots, it’s going to happen.
Those are the movements that surprise almost every beginner. Yes, it’s much better than trying to walk in ski boots, but it’s still a new experience for you.
A little extra walking, a few bodyweight squats, and some balance exercises before the season starts will make your first day much more enjoyable.
4. Mountain Etiquette is Just as Important as Technique
One of the easiest ways to feel comfortable on your first trip is to understand how the mountain works. A few unwritten rules go a long way.
In particular:
Wait your turn in the lift line and try not to scratch anyone’s board or skis.
Don’t stop in the middle of a run where other riders can’t see you.
If you need to rest, move to the side of the trail.
Respect slower riders and other beginners.
And if someone gives you advice after you fall, just smile.
Mountain culture is surprisingly welcoming, but there’s always that guy. Don’t be that guy.
No One Like’s Hearing “Last Run,” So Make it Epic.
Every snowboarder knows the moment when the lifts slow and the day feels cut short. The Last Run No Fun t-shirt by 1923 Main Street® puts that shared feeling into a simple, bold graphic.
Built for everyday wear on and off the hill, this tee fits right in. It’s for riders who live for lap after lap and never think the day should end when the mountain is still calling.
Also available as a sweatshirt.
• Base Item: Gildan 64000 • 100% ring-spun cotton • Sport Grey is 90% ring-spun cotton, 10% polyester • 4.5 oz/yd² (153 g/m²) • Shoulder-to-shoulder taping • Quarter-turned to avoid crease down the center • Blank product sourced from Bangladesh, Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Haiti or Guatemala
Disclaimer: Due to the fabric properties, the White color variant may appear off-white rather than bright white.
This product is made especially for you as soon as you place an order, which is why it may take us a bit longer to deliver it to you. Making products on demand instead of in bulk helps reduce overproduction, so thank you for making thoughtful purchasing decisions.
Please note: since all orders are custom created, all sales are final and we do not accept returns, refunds or exchanges. Please check sizing carefully using the guide.
5. Pack Like Someone Who’s Done this Before
Forget giant packing lists. The items you’re most likely to really appreciate bringing are the small ones.
Bring lip balm, because cold mountain air is dry. Pack sunscreen because snow reflects sunlight. Throw an energy bar into your pocket for the afternoon. Keep a pair of dry socks in the car for the drive home.
These little comforts are the difference between ending the day exhausted and ending it already planning your next trip.
6. Your Goal isn’t to Become Good
This may be the most important thing nobody tells beginners. Success is measured by finishing your first day wanting to come back, not linking a perfect turn before lunch.
Maybe you ride the chairlift without feeling nervous, or maybe you make it down your first green run.
Those are real victories on day one.
Snowboarding has a learning curve, but it also has a way of rewarding persistence.
Stay Cold. Ride Longer.
The Keep Frozen Label sweatshirt by 1923 Main Street® is built for snowboarders who embrace cold days and endless snow. Featuring a cold-storage-inspired Keep Frozen graphic, this sweatshirt is designed for riders who want warmth without losing their winter identity.
Perfect for first-chair rides, mountain towns, and end-of-day downtime, this sweatshirt delivers cozy comfort while reinforcing a frozen-first mindset. It’s a go-to mid-layer for snowboarders who chase winter wherever it exists.
Because forever frozen is where you live.
Also available as a t-shirt.
• Base Item: Gildan 18500 • 50% cotton, 50% polyester • Pre-shrunk • Classic fit • 1x1 athletic rib knit collar with spandex • Air-jet spun yarn with a soft feel • Double-needle stitched collar, shoulders, armholes, cuffs, and hem
Disclaimers: • Due to the fabric properties, the White color variant may appear off-white rather than bright white. • Subtle orange hue shifts with lighting in the Orange color variant.
This product is made especially for you as soon as you place an order, which is why it may take us a bit longer to deliver it to you. Making products on demand instead of in bulk helps reduce overproduction, so thank you for making thoughtful purchasing decisions.
Please note: since all orders are custom created, all sales are final and we do not accept returns, refunds or exchanges. Please check sizing carefully using the guide.
7. Your First Mountain will Always Mean Something
Ask almost any snowboarder where they learned to ride and they’ll remember all about it.
Not because it was the biggest resort or the deepest powder day, but because it was where everything began.
Years from now, you may be chasing storms through Whistler, Banff, Jackson Hole, or the French Alps, and it will all have started on this day.
Welcome to Snowboard Season
So try to give yourself a break and remember that your first snowboard season isn’t about becoming an expert. It’s more about discovering a new way to travel, explore, and experience winter.
Take the lesson. Rent the gear. Expect to fall a few times and get a few bruises.
But also take a few minutes to enjoy the mountain village before the lifts open. Watch the sunrise over the slopes. Grab a coffee or hot chocolate at your mid-morning break and always celebrate the small victories.
The turns will come, so enjoy the ride.
Read more about how to prepare for your first time snowboarding.