Earlier in the season, I presented the fundamentals of snowboard halfpipe riding. Now, let's look at an advanced move that builds on the previous lessons.

Dropping into the halfpipe is an essential skill. By riding along the deck of the halfpipe at the entrance, you gain the speed necessary to carry momentum across the pipe and onto the opposite wall. This speed helps in performing aerial maneuvers.

You can drop in on either the toeside or heelside edge, depending on what trick you want to set up on the opposite wall. It is essential to practice both toeside and heelside drop-ins.

Before you begin, though, consider safety and etiquette. When riding in the halfpipe, it is advisable to wear a helmet and wrist guards. Consider wearing padded hip protectors.

Beyond that is the question of when to drop in, which is a matter of etiquette. If you arrive at the halfpipe and there's a crowd, give others ahead of you the chance to make their runs.

If it is your turn and you don't feel ready, wave others to go ahead. Don't make the drop until the person ahead of you is one-third to one-half of the way down the pipe. Let people know you're making your run by raising a hand and saying "dropping in."

You should work on basic halfpipe skills with a certified snowboarding instructor. This can save you a lot of time and frustration.

Vail Ski and Snowboard School instructor Jason Schetrompf recommends that before you think about dropping in and riding halfpipes, you need to have mastered turning skills.

"You should be able to carve a pencil-thin line in the snow before you start riding the halfpipe," he said.

When you are dropping, you are trying to ride along the ramped snow that leads to the pipe's deck (the flat edge that defines the top of the halfpipe). Beginning riders should start by riding only partially up the ramp, with the backside or frontside edge of the board parallel to the halfpipe.

Start small, learn to drop in early before the wall gets steep and nearly vertical. Ride up along the deck, then make a shallow carved turn. As the board crosses over the edge, you need to hop it gently and lean into the trough so your weight is moving forward and downward.

Imagine carrying the carve across the face of the transition until you complete the turn and set up toward the opposite wall, approaching it almost directly.

The essential idea is to keep your weight over the board as it tilts from the flat edge of the deck to the steeply tilted angle of the halfpipe's transition - the curved part of the pipe.

Obviously, if you remain upright, you will move your center of mass to the back of the board instead of over the center of the board where it needs to be.

Once your board contacts the halfpipe wall, your body will compress as it descends into the trough. You need to keep your knees flexible and you need to compress your knees and body to absorb the force as you ride down the transition.

The acceleration will cause you to rapidly move across the center of the halfpipe to the opposite transition. Remain limber and ready to absorb the transition on the opposite side.

If you try to stand up as you reach the opposite wall, your board will get behind you and you will flatten out against the wall rather than ride up the transition. It is essential to stay loose and allow your body to compress as you reach the opposite wall.