With the sensation of uninhibited freedom at the core of skiing’s appeal, it’s no surprise that the confining spaces of chutes make us uncomfortable. The irony, however, is that our tunnel vision is usually more confining than the chutes themselves. Intimidated by the rock bands, trees or cliffs that form a chute’s boundaries, we avoid its outer fringes and cling to the “safe” middle, even though the sides often hold the best snow and are better places to change your edges. This month, we show you how—and why—to ski on the edge.