I've been out twice now (did an intro lesson on first trip and just tooled around second time) and am starting to get a feel for the basics but am clearly still missing some things. One area that I noticed as a problem was in areas that were straight/downhill and narrow or just crowded. I either didn't have space or didn't feel like I could use the lateral space to skid off speed and anything else seemed to want to put me into the back of the people ahead of me. I just put myself down a few times on the side and waited for the crowds to pass.

Any tips on maintaining a straight line but minimizing speed? I've heard digging in on one edge more helps but am not 100% clear on how to do that without initiating a turn (both heal and toe? flexing the board?). Something less than sideslipping as I don't want to be a complete obstacle myself.

Usually these cat tracks are put into the side of a mountain and wind their way down.  They are typically not steep at all, relatively flat.  I am sure you have discovered already that flats are harder than moderately pitched runs on a snowboard.  When these sorts of trails are cut into the mountain, they are not totally level. 



TO KEEP ENOUGH SPEED

There is an uphill side (wall) and a downhill side (cliff).  You want to ride mainly on the uphill side.  This is very important since speed (momentum) is precious here.  If you get stuck on the downhill side and it is too flat, you might have to frogger hop to the uphill side of the trail to get going again.   So balance on your uphill side edge and try to stay on the uphill side of the trail.  If you are cruizing nicely and you encounter a person or thing that is blocking your way there, you will have yo steer to the cliff side temporarily, go around it, keeping your speed and then back to the wall side.

When you see a really flat spot coming up, take it with more speed than you think you are going to need.  That way you do not get stuck or loose so much speed that it makes you fall over.

TO SLOW DOWN

Some of the spots on the narrow cat track are going to be a little steeper.  You are going to have to take it at a speed that you are confident with.  If it is a crowded area then you need to consider the comfort and safety of those around you as well.  A great way to slow yourself when there is limited room it to do speed checks.  They involve turning your board a certain degree sideways while still traveling forwards.  To do this, use the torsional flex of your board by moving your feet to twist the board slightly.  Stay light on your edge.  Once the board gets mainly sideways, you can at weight and increasing edge angle (uphill edge of course) to slow you down.  Then twist the other way to straighten back out.

Another way to perform a speed check is to use your back leg to fan around to the side, give a little edging, then straighten out.  You will find that this way is about the same as the way mentioned first, but just a different way to think about it.