Explaining pow surfing is like explaining how to ride a bike: we can write out the instructions 100 different ways but at the end of the day you still need to just get up off those training wheels and figure it out. But to help you get a jump start, we put together a few basic concepts that beginner pow surfers should understand.

Stance is everything.

The ideal pow surfing stance is entirely dependent on the snow, but in general, your stance should be about shoulder width with your back foot about 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) from the tail of the board; most pow surfing boards have indicators marking approximate foot placement. Move your stance forward (towards the nose) for lighter fluffier snow and backward (towards the tail) for denser hard-packed snow.

If you have absolutely no idea what your stance might be, check out our guide on getting that set up first for a complete overview of how to establish your ideal stance..