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Powder question
I'm just back from Davos, where it snowed quite a bit. So I got the opportunity to try skiing powder on the areas just off the piste. I can't say that I had a great deal of success, even thought there was only a few inches of powder. I'm a solid intermediate. I don't have much of a problem with the steep, groomed black runs. I'm admittedly weak on moguls and powder. I was skiing on 169 cm X-Scream Series skis. I would like somebody in the group to give me a quick tutorial on skiing powder. I feel like I'm skiing in quicksand, when I'm in the powder. I have great difficulty making turns. The pole just sinks when I try to use it to help me pivot. It looks like people that ski the powder well just jump from left to right and right to left to make turns. Is this all there is to it ? Thanks for your help. John -- John Bradley "I'm a realist. I always see the possibilities for the worst event. At the same time, I'm maybe so much of a realist that I'm quite optimistic. What a paradox." --- Egil Olsen |
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#2
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John Bradley wrote in
: I'm just back from Davos, where it snowed quite a bit. So I got the opportunity to try skiing powder on the areas just off the piste. I can't say that I had a great deal of success, even thought there was only a few inches of powder. A few inches of powder would normally be skied much like groomed snow. Was this really powder? Was it simply new (untracked) snow which was fairly heavy or wet? The main trick with what you describe, if indeed it was powder is to understand that the untracked has more resistance to you skis than hardpack and so a bit more speed and a few less turns is the order of the day. Also, what was under the "powder"? Was it a smooth surface or was it all cut up and rutted? The answer may have some bearing on your experience. I'm a solid intermediate. I don't have much of a problem with the steep, groomed black runs. I'm admittedly weak on moguls and powder. I was skiing on 169 cm X-Scream Series skis. These skis should perform well in what you describe. I would like somebody in the group to give me a quick tutorial on skiing powder. I feel like I'm skiing in quicksand, when I'm in the powder. I have great difficulty making turns. The pole just sinks when I try to use it to help me pivot. It looks like people that ski the powder well just jump from left to right and right to left to make turns. Is this all there is to it ? This sounds like a little more than a few inches. But anyway, Skiing powder is much like skiing anything else. You should be balanced over your skis, NOT sitting back, buy into the fact that there is more resistance and that you need to turn less than a similar slope of hardpack and remember that any action take longer to reach a conclusion in the pow. Initiate your turn and your skis will come around, eventually. Don't expect instant gratification like you get on hard pack. Yes, poles will sink into powder. Have someone watch your pole use. In any conditions, except maybe very steep hardpack, you shouldn't be using your pole as a physical pivot. You are just touching the surface of the snow and almost simply "marking" the spot for the pivot. No weight. If no weight, then no losing the pole in the pow. ESPECIALLY in pow, the pole is a timing device, nothing more. Oh, and one more thing. For any conditions, taking a lesson now and then is always helpful, even if the lesson is not directed at a specific condition. I've been dope-slapped lately by the need for correct alignment of hips, legs, boots and skis. A specialist is need for a good evaluation. Here in New England, the best is Greg Hoffman at Green Mountain Orthotic Lab http://www.gmolfoot.com/ is the best. He is at Stratton Mountain. If you don't believe me, get a copy of Warren Wetherel's "The Athletic Skier". Thanks for your help. Your're welcome RW John |
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"Richard Walsh" wrote in message . 1.4... John Bradley wrote in : I'm just back from Davos, where it snowed quite a bit. So I got the opportunity to try skiing powder on the areas just off the piste. I can't say that I had a great deal of success, even thought there was only a few inches of powder. A few inches of powder would normally be skied much like groomed snow. Was this really powder? Was it simply new (untracked) snow which was fairly heavy or wet? The main trick with what you describe, if indeed it was powder is to understand that the untracked has more resistance to you skis than hardpack and so a bit more speed and a few less turns is the order of the day. Also, what was under the "powder"? Was it a smooth surface or was it all cut up and rutted? The answer may have some bearing on your experience. I'm a solid intermediate. I don't have much of a problem with the steep, groomed black runs. I'm admittedly weak on moguls and powder. I was skiing on 169 cm X-Scream Series skis. These skis should perform well in what you describe. I would like somebody in the group to give me a quick tutorial on skiing powder. I feel like I'm skiing in quicksand, when I'm in the powder. I have great difficulty making turns. The pole just sinks when I try to use it to help me pivot. It looks like people that ski the powder well just jump from left to right and right to left to make turns. Is this all there is to it ? This sounds like a little more than a few inches. But anyway, Skiing powder is much like skiing anything else. You should be balanced over your skis, NOT sitting back, buy into the fact that there is more resistance and that you need to turn less than a similar slope of hardpack and remember that any action take longer to reach a conclusion in the pow. Initiate your turn and your skis will come around, eventually. Don't expect instant gratification like you get on hard pack. Yes, poles will sink into powder. Have someone watch your pole use. In any conditions, except maybe very steep hardpack, you shouldn't be using your pole as a physical pivot. You are just touching the surface of the snow and almost simply "marking" the spot for the pivot. No weight. If no weight, then no losing the pole in the pow. ESPECIALLY in pow, the pole is a timing device, nothing more. Oh, and one more thing. For any conditions, taking a lesson now and then is always helpful, even if the lesson is not directed at a specific condition. I've been dope-slapped lately by the need for correct alignment of hips, legs, boots and skis. A specialist is need for a good evaluation. Here in New England, the best is Greg Hoffman at Green Mountain Orthotic Lab http://www.gmolfoot.com/ is the best. He is at Stratton Mountain. If you don't believe me, get a copy of Warren Wetherel's "The Athletic Skier". Thanks for your help. Your're welcome RW John Amen to Greg Hoffman - that man has put so much time into my feet already and he hasn't even sold me a single thing yet. Granted, i'm going back for boots and orthotics, but he knows what he's talking about. However, you know when he's baffled (and gets that 'Oh crap!' face when he first sees your feet) you've got really messed up feet... Jon Bond |
#4
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John Bradley wrote in message ...
I'm just back from Davos, where it snowed quite a bit. So I got the opportunity to try skiing powder on the areas just off the piste. I can't say that I had a great deal of success, even thought there was only a few inches of powder. I'm a solid intermediate. I don't have much of a problem with the steep, groomed black runs. I'm admittedly weak on moguls and powder. I was skiing on 169 cm X-Scream Series skis. I would like somebody in the group to give me a quick tutorial on skiing powder. I feel like I'm skiing in quicksand, when I'm in the powder. I have great difficulty making turns. The pole just sinks when I try to use it to help me pivot. It looks like people that ski the powder well just jump from left to right and right to left to make turns. Is this all there is to it ? Thanks for your help. John Your difficulties probably stem from one word in your last paragraph where you say "pivot". You cannot "pivot" the skis in deeper snow. As Richard notes, there is too much resistance from that snow to allow you to skid your ski tails sideways to start or finish a turn comfortably. You CAN follow the suggestion to turn less. Alternatively, you can learn to roll your skis on edge and ride them through the deeper snow like a toboggan. Let the skis do the work. Follow his suggestion to take a lesson. |
#5
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Kneale Brownson wrote:
John Bradley wrote in message ... I'm just back from Davos, where it snowed quite a bit. So I got the opportunity to try skiing powder on the areas just off the piste. I can't say that I had a great deal of success, even thought there was only a few inches of powder. I'm a solid intermediate. I don't have much of a problem with the steep, groomed black runs. I'm admittedly weak on moguls and powder. I was skiing on 169 cm X-Scream Series skis. I would like somebody in the group to give me a quick tutorial on skiing powder. I feel like I'm skiing in quicksand, when I'm in the powder. I have great difficulty making turns. The pole just sinks when I try to use it to help me pivot. It looks like people that ski the powder well just jump from left to right and right to left to make turns. Is this all there is to it ? Thanks for your help. John Your difficulties probably stem from one word in your last paragraph where you say "pivot". You cannot "pivot" the skis in deeper snow. Probably also explains much about the self description "solid intermediate." You cannot "pivot" the skis in a carved turn. |
#6
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On 2004-01-20, lal_truckee penned:
Kneale Brownson wrote: Your difficulties probably stem from one word in your last paragraph where you say "pivot". You cannot "pivot" the skis in deeper snow. Probably also explains much about the self description "solid intermediate." You cannot "pivot" the skis in a carved turn. I'm going to agree with everyone who said to get a lesson. It's pretty hard to identify the flaws in your own technique. Rather than asking how to ski powder, the question is, what are *you* doing that's holding back your powder experience? Only someone else's eyes can help with that. Now, if you have a video of yourself, that's another matter. An instructor can tell you what you need to work on, even if you're not skiing powder when they see you. -- monique |
#7
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lal_truckee wrote:
Your difficulties probably stem from one word in your last paragraph where you say "pivot". You cannot "pivot" the skis in deeper snow. Probably also explains much about the self description "solid intermediate." You cannot "pivot" the skis in a carved turn. Sure you can. Of course, as soon as you do, it's not a carved turn anymore. Likewise, you can pivot your skis in deep snow. Chances are it'll lead to a faceplant, but you can do it. You can also set yourself on fire in the liftline, but that's not really recommended either. -- //-Walt // // http://tinyurl.com/3xqyq |
#8
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On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 14:42:18 CST, Walt
wrote: lal_truckee wrote: Your difficulties probably stem from one word in your last paragraph where you say "pivot". You cannot "pivot" the skis in deeper snow. Probably also explains much about the self description "solid intermediate." You cannot "pivot" the skis in a carved turn. Sure you can. Of course, as soon as you do, it's not a carved turn anymore. Likewise, you can pivot your skis in deep snow. Chances are it'll lead to a faceplant, but you can do it. You can also set yourself on fire in the liftline, but that's not really recommended either. Unless you are stuck in line at Vail and would rather burn yourself alive than wait for hell to freeze over. nate |
#9
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Walt wrote in
: Likewise, you can pivot your skis in deep snow. Chances are it'll lead to a faceplant, but you can do it. You can also set yourself on fire in the liftline, but that's not really recommended either. It's better to set someone else on fire (preferably a snowboarder). Then while everyone is distracted by the sight, slip to the front of the line. ;-) Bring plenty of matches too. You may need to repeat the performance at the end of the next run. Keep repeating until the lines are gone, or there are no more snowboarders. Skiers are off limits. -- Chuck Remove "_nospam" to reply by email |
#10
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