Slow snow

"Chuck" wrote in message
news:5Czwf.2704$Xo5.2446@trnddc02...
As many of you know I ski mostly in PA, the land of snowguns and
artificial snow. I'll be cruising down the mountain at full speed, but
when I hit the snow that's fresh from the guns it's like someone jammed
the breaks on. I slow down so much it feels like I'm gonna fly right
over the tips (I don't in reality but it sure feels that way). It's not
that deep - maybe an inch or two, but it's like running over molasses.
So what causes this?

Chuck


Just like skiing in spring snow really. Wax can help, but only for
a while, keeping weight in the center of the ski will keep the speed
most consistent in spite of the inconsistent snow, weight back will
speed you up, weight forward will slow you down.

The best answer of all is to use a very high edge angle, keep
turning in the stuff, because, the less of the ski that's in contact
with the snow, the less the effect of the inconsistency. Even this
won't do a lot to mitigate the problem, it's just crummy conditions.
Wet and slow apparently.

I'd just stay away from that sort of situation, take the off piste
or something.

foot2foot wrote:


"Chuck" wrote in message
news:5Czwf.2704$Xo5.2446@trnddc02...

As many of you know I ski mostly in PA, the land of snowguns and
artificial snow. I'll be cruising down the mountain at full speed, but
when I hit the snow that's fresh from the guns it's like someone jammed
the breaks on. I slow down so much it feels like I'm gonna fly right
over the tips (I don't in reality but it sure feels that way). It's not
that deep - maybe an inch or two, but it's like running over molasses.
So what causes this?

Chuck



Just like skiing in spring snow really. Wax can help, but only for
a while, keeping weight in the center of the ski will keep the speed
most consistent in spite of the inconsistent snow, weight back will
speed you up, weight forward will slow you down.

The best answer of all is to use a very high edge angle, keep
turning in the stuff, because, the less of the ski that's in contact
with the snow, the less the effect of the inconsistency. Even this
won't do a lot to mitigate the problem, it's just crummy conditions.
Wet and slow apparently.

I'd just stay away from that sort of situation, take the off piste
or something.




Off piste? I ski in PA. ;-) If they need to use snow guns to keep the
trails covered, their's not going to be any snow off piste.

--
To reply by email remove "_nospam"

In message . com, Jeff
writes

Better snowmaking teams know how to avoid making hazards like this on
the piste, although better snowmaking conditions helps alot as well.

I don't consider it a hazard. Frankly, I think it's fun. Camelback had
some rolling gun drifts last week. I was eating it up before it all got
tracked out....


I agree. Those sort of hazards give variety to intermediate skiing,
they help keep us interested and help us develop the odd clue here and
there.

--
Sue ];(