Drill
Route and Exit Planning
HOW TO DO IT
Route and Exit Planning
Route and exit planning connects turns into a controllable short section. The exit is part of the task, not an afterthought once the rider reaches it.
Preparation and setting
Visibility, known stopping skills and an appropriate practice area.
Execution / practice sequence
- Identify the entry and intended path.
- Locate turning spaces.
- Choose a stopping option and exit.
- Ride a short version of the plan.
- Compare actual placement with intention.
- Replan if control or space was insufficient.
How to learn / practise
Begin with a few turns and an agreed finish point. Extend the section only after the route is repeatable.
Errors and corrections
A technically good first turn may still leave no second-turn space. Ignoring the runout hides incomplete control.
Observable checks
The route reaches its chosen finish with options remaining.
HOW TO DO IT
Corridor and Ordinary-Fallback Rehearsal
Make the planned arc, body space and exit concrete before low/contact work.
Preparation and setting
A lane inspectable from safe positions; normal turn and stop control on the actual surface.
Exercise sequence
- Identify entry, whole arc, lateral margin and runout. Include space for the body, not only the board track.
- Select an ordinary-riding fallback and a point before commitment at which it can still be chosen.
- Ride the proposed line normally and stop deliberately. Observe whether the exit actually fits in motion.
- On a later ordinary run, choose the fallback deliberately before the planned low task would begin. Do not simulate a fall or edge loss.
- Reassess traffic and snow before every task set. Keep blind or contested corridors out of the exercise.
Transfer
Use the same route logic for a single low arc, then reassess rather than assume it fits a longer linked set.
Errors addressed
Underestimated turn width; No rehearsed abort; Continuation despite changed traffic.
Observable success
The normal line and early fallback both finish with spare room; the learner can explain when to omit contact.
Regression
Choose a wider clearer lane or only ordinary riding. An obstructed corridor cannot be repaired with a smaller technical cue.
Editorial origin
SBSweet editorial exercise; not a verbatim source-school lesson.
HOW TO DO IT
Route, Exit and Fallback Planning
A complete route links entry, turning spaces, speed regulation and a usable exit. The first turn can be technically good yet place the rider where the next turn is impossible. Planning therefore evaluates the sequence and its consequences, not just isolated execution. The local fall line may change across a slope. A lane that appears to descend straight can pull toward an edge or gully. Identify where the terrain wants the board to travel and where the rider intends to redirect it. Visibility, traffic and a stopping area are part of the movement task because they determine which turn shapes are available.
Preparation and setting
Use a known open resort section for this lesson. Check local closures and operating guidance. Ungroomed does not mean uncontrolled in every resort, but being reachable from a lift does not itself establish avalanche control. Travel in avalanche terrain needs separate education, current local information, equipment and practised companion procedures; these cards do not supply that qualification. Deep snow also creates immersion hazards around trees and elsewhere. Avoid tree wells and do not rely on a visible trunk-to-trunk gap as proof of a suitable route. A partner plan must support prompt awareness if someone disappears, rather than merely agreeing to meet at the lift. This package teaches open-terrain line planning, not a complete tree-riding or rescue course.
Planning and execution sequence
- Identify the entry from a visible stopping place. Confirm the selected terrain is open and appropriate today.
- Choose a small number of turning spaces and check what each exit points toward.
- Locate a primary finish and an earlier low-consequence fallback that can be reached with known skills.
- Check traffic, visibility and snow support. Reject the plan if it depends on an unseen continuation or unproven stop.
- Ride the short section while updating the plan for actual conditions. Use the fallback before options disappear.
- Compare planned and actual placement. Extend the route only when the complete sequence remains controlled.
Progression and transfer
If visibility deteriorates, reduce the route to what can be seen and stopped within. If no such route remains, stop in an appropriate visible place and use local assistance or an established alternative. Continuing blindly is not a progression exercise.
Mastery and links
plan, ride and revise a short route with a real fallback. Related: AMTA-05, 16, 20 and 22.
Diagnostic hypotheses and rechecks
Possible causes are hypotheses to test, not diagnoses inferred from one attempt.
| Observation | Possible cause | Diagnostic exercise | Correction | Recheck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First turn leaves no second-turn space | Route planned one turn at a time | AD21 with explicit second space | Plan first exit from next turn's needs | Both turns fit without urgency |
| Rider follows tracks into unknown terrain | Social proof substituted for inspection | Identify actual destination and local status | Use a known open route | Exit confirmed before entry |
| Fallback attempted only after control is gone | Trigger not defined | Rehearse decision point verbally | Set an earlier observable trigger | Fallback used while options remain |
Existing target
AM25-21
Methodology notes
M12, M13
Environmental boundary
Managed terrain only; preserve the stated exit and fallback.
Editorial status
detailed_text_draft; coaching review pending.
SOURCE-BACKED DETAIL
Characteristics
- Evidence type
- SBSweet editorial proposal (not a quoted source)
01
editorial review notes
Rechoose the task if control or available space is insufficient.
CONNECTED KNOWLEDGE