when i lived in michigan we would ride at least once and take semi annual pilgrimages to colorado. burton is the board they give free to the instructors so they will tell the noobs, who rent burtons from the mountain, how great they are. since the noob learned to ride a burton they think they have to stay with it. pick a board thats wide enough so your foot wont drag and then a board thats 6"-8" short than you. when you get the point where you can get down the mountain with out bustin deside how you want to ride. if you want to do tricks and shit get a short board if you want to go real fast or just cruise get a longer board. i had a fatbob (is bob still out there?), it was wide enough so my foot wouldnt drag and it was a good 6' long. didnt work in the half pipe and wasnt good for impressing the prepubesent girls, but it would carry a ton of speed, it was real easy to control in the powder, and if i hit a role in the hill just right i could carry a good 150-175' of sexy down range air. dude, i just got nostalgic i think i might try to get out to colorado this year.