Snowboard Falling Leaf
You'll stop feeling trapped on a single edge and start controlling where the board drifts instead of just surviving the slide.
Sliding diagonally down the hill and back again on one edge so you learn how to direct the board before linking real turns.
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Watch & Learn
Key Moments
Let the board travel one way across the slope, then shift pressure to bring it back the other way.
Use the front foot and subtle pressure changes to guide the board rather than flailing with the torso.
Keep the speed low enough that you can reverse direction whenever you choose.
What It Should Feel Like
- ✓Like windshield wipers on one edge
- ✓The board moves because you guide pressure, not because you throw yourself around
- ✓You should be able to pause the drift whenever you want
Common Mistakes & Fixes
Letting the board point too far downhill
Keep more across-the-hill shape so the drift stays slow and recoverable.
Trying to reverse direction with the shoulders first
Initiate with front-foot pressure and let the board respond before the torso follows.
Staying too rigid through the legs
Keep ankles and knees soft enough to feather the edge continuously.
Practice Drills
Heel-edge leaf laps: repeat the drill until you can reverse direction three times without letting the board accelerate too much.
Pause points: stop the drift on command halfway across the slope to prove you are controlling speed, not chasing it.
Mirror-edge practice: once the pattern clicks on one edge, repeat it on the other edge while keeping the same tempo.
The full guide
Reviewed September 2026
How to learn Snowboard Falling Leaf
The falling leaf is a beginner drill where you stay on one edge and let the board drift diagonally down the slope, first toward one side of the run and then back toward the other, like a leaf swaying as it falls. It bridges sideslipping and your first real turns. Once it clicks, you'll be able to steer toward either side of a run and slow or pause the drift on both edges.
What it is and when you'll use it
A sideslip slides the board more or less straight down. The falling leaf adds direction: one end of the board leads so you travel across the slope as you descend, then the other end leads and you travel back, so half the drill is spent riding backward.
Because you never change edges, the base never goes flat while you're sliding sideways, which is the classic way beginners catch an edge. That makes the falling leaf a forgiving place to learn how shifting pressure between your feet steers the board.
It stays handy later for narrow exits, icy patches, or pitches that feel too steep, though it's tiring, so treat it as a tool rather than a way to ride every run.
Before you start
You should already be able to sideslip on both edges, control your speed with how much edge you use, and stop when you want to.
Pick a wide, gentle green with a clear runout, steep enough that the board slides easily but not so steep that it runs away from you, and stay out of the main traffic line.
This guide says front foot and back foot, so it works for regular riders, who lead with the left foot, and goofy riders, who lead with the right.
Look uphill before you set off, and stop where riders above can see you, not just below a roll. If you lose balance, land on your backside or forearms instead of reaching out with straight arms.
Step by step
Learn it on the heel edge first, where you can see downhill, then repeat the pattern on the toe edge.
- Stand up on your heel edge with the board across the hill, ankles and knees flexed, weight centered, and hands relaxed in front of you.
- Turn your head and look toward the side of the run you want to reach, just past your front shoulder.
- Move a little more weight onto your front foot. The nose will start to slip downhill and the board will drift forward on a gentle diagonal.
- Manage the drift with two controls: bring your weight back toward center to reduce the diagonal, or raise your toes slightly to add edge and slow down.
- Before you run out of room, settle your weight back to center and let the board slow to a stop or near stop across the hill.
- Look toward the other side over your back shoulder and shift a little weight onto your back foot, so the tail leads and you drift back. Repeat down the slope.
- On the toe edge, face uphill, lift your heels slightly to hold the edge, and use the same front-foot and back-foot shifts to travel each way.
Why it works
A board on edge tends to travel toward whichever foot carries more weight. Weight the front foot and the nose releases downhill, so the board moves that way; weight the back foot and it reverses. A gentle lean is usually enough.
Speed depends on how far the leading end points down the hill and how flat the board is. A mostly across-the-hill shape and a steady edge keep the drift slow and easy to stop.
The uphill edge stays engaged throughout, keeping the downhill edge clear of the snow. Soft ankles and knees let you fine-tune the edge instead of switching it fully on or off.
How to practice it
Start with drifts of a board length or two each way, stopping between them, then stretch them out until you're crossing most of the run.
Next, let the leading end point a little farther downhill for a moment before bringing it back across, which previews the first half of a turn.
Give the toe edge and the backward direction as much time as the easier combinations, and keep sessions short, because tired legs are when edges catch.
Common questions
Is the falling leaf the same as sideslipping?
No. Sideslipping moves you straight down with the board across the slope. The falling leaf adds diagonal travel to each side, so you steer as well as brake.
Which edge should I learn the falling leaf on first?
Most riders start on the heel edge because they can see downhill, though some prefer the toe edge once they're used to facing uphill. Learn both before moving on.
Why do I keep catching an edge during the falling leaf?
Usually the board has gone flat or you've leaned downhill, letting the downhill edge touch the snow. Keep a little more pressure on the uphill edge, stay flexed, and make smaller weight shifts.
How do I know when I'm ready to move on from the falling leaf?
There's no set number of runs. You're ready when you can drift both ways on both edges, control your speed throughout, and stop wherever you choose.
Prerequisites
Level Up Next
Your Progression
← Previous
Snowboard Side Slipping
Level 2
Current
Snowboard Falling Leaf
Level 2
Next Up →
Snowboard Heel-Side Turns
Level 2