This is the transition part of the season. Snow freezes at night but doesn't yet turn into corn snow in the morning. Don't risk learning exactly how bad your edges are at the moment you start down a steep, icy slope (And hey, bro, snowboards also need edges).

But if you have dull edges and suddenly start the scary slide for life, here's how to come out of it smiling---and standing up: First, don't panic. Any sudden move on ice gets magnified, so don't make that typical jerk backwards that sends you out of control, and don't stiffen up. Stay relaxed. This is the hard part: allow your skis or board to slide over the ice patch until you come to softer snow where your edges can bite in. An ice patch is usually small, but the quickest way out of it is to slowly turn across the hill and get to the edge of the trail, where the snow is always softer.