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It couldn't be that easy, right? Or is it? Powder skiing.

novium

Certified Ski Diva
So recently, I've had several really new skiers tell me about their adventures in (waist!?) deep powder. And I'm kind of bemused by this because powder skiing has been kind of the last area of skiing for me to get the hang of. I've been skiing for a while - and I used to live in the mountains, so I skied a lot. I mostly stick to the blacks - they're fun and they're less crowded. But I haven't really gotten a chance to get squared away with powder skiing between the drought and not really having anyone who could get me started on the basics.

I've gotten some better tips this year, and have a much more solid understanding of the mechanics of how to do the whole weighting/unweighting thing to float your skis back up. But it definitely seems at least a little challenging, requiring a degree of athleticism and practice to get the hang of. (I'm really excited to get back up there and give some of these drills a try, however).

But seriously, three brand-new skiers I know, who are still working their ways into the most moderate of blues, keep talking about all the powder they're skiing and I just do not get it. They're not even on rockers or fat skis, which at least I could understand making it easier. (Maybe all the my muscle memory for skiing on groomed and chopped up runs is detrimental?)

Have I just been missing something obvious all along?
 

Christy

Angel Diva
My first reaction: they are GREATLY exaggerating. New skiers, not on powder skis, having an easy and great time in waist deep powder?

Cough cough. I'd believe it when I saw it. Next time one of them brags, check the snow totals. Maybe when they say waist deep the rest of us would say ankle deep.
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
For one thing, even 5" of fluffy light Colorado power will slow you down to a complete stop in the shallower sections of a blue run. I've had that happen while straight-lining with 125cm skis.

For another, waist deep doesn't last long, especially when you're a blue square skier and can't go find the secret stashes hidden in tricky terrain. So unless they're cat skiing or heli skiing, yeah, I want photographic evidence.
 

novium

Certified Ski Diva
I just want to know how they're doing it at all. (Or if they're doing it at all). Maybe it's just my ego talking, I refuse to believe that it's that easy.

Although I don't really have a leg to stand on. One of the best and most accomplished skiers - seriously, she didn't pursue olympic racing, but could have I know insists that powder skiing is merely a matter of leaning back and "turning like a battleship" But that cannot be right, I mean, I can see powder skiers doing the thing where they're popping up and down.
 

novium

Certified Ski Diva
It isn't that easy. The lean back thing is very old school and not a good idea.

Are these men?

ETA: I just noticed you're in Tahoe. Tahoe has the heaviest snow around! That makes it even harder.

I know, right? I can get through various bits of powder I run into via the "lean back and force your skis up" method, but it is fricking exhausting, like shoveling snow.

Two are women, one is a man, and the extremely good skier friend is a woman. (in her case, I think it's more a matter of not knowing exactly how she's doing what she does, so she can't really explain it properly).
 

WaterGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
So recently, I've had several really new skiers tell me about their adventures in (waist!?) deep powder.
Are you sure they aren't just getting stuck in it and not really skiing that waist deep? b/c my DH on his snowboard has had a lot of waist deep adventures this season in Mammoth! I have pictures to prove! lol. Its been deep alright, but heavy deep, and unless they had waterskis (i.e. full on fat rockered skis) I don't see it happening for real.
 

TeleChica

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
"Powder" can mean a lot of things. Some powder (low density) is incredibly easy and a total blast. Some will kick your butt if you don't find an untouched line. It really all depends--mostly on the moisture content, whether it has been blasted by wind, or warmed up by the sun. Aspect and slope angle also come into play. But give me natural snow any day.
 

WaterGirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
" Some will kick your butt if you don't find an untouched line. It really all depends--mostly on the moisture content .
Well its been and AR winter, with higher temps and heavier snow, a few colder but most heavy. IF OP are in similar to Mammoth conditions, its the kind that kicks your butt after its been tracked out by a few. And finally this weekend was a major wind / snow event with a ton of wind buff and lighter snow. Majority of its been heavy, especially in the 4 ft dumps.
 

TeleChica

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Well its been and AR winter, with higher temps and heavier snow, a few colder but most heavy. IF OP are in similar to Mammoth conditions, its the kind that kicks your butt after its been tracked out by a few. And finally this weekend was a major wind / snow event with a ton of wind buff and lighter snow. Majority of its been heavy, especially in the 4 ft dumps.

Oh, I've heard all about Mammoth. You folks get it handed to you--it can be tough to ski for sure.
 

ski_hat

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
As a blue square skier, I can confidently say that they don't think they're exaggerating, though they totally are.

I ski at Heavenly, and there are little "stashes" all over the mountain, even off of some of the greens. I've skied through them on non-busy days, and it's a great way to practice powder skiing without having to dive into trees, etc. It's even untracked, if you're willing to accept that "untracked" means only one or two tracks already there.

Here's the kicker: if you fall off your skis, particularly in this "untracked" powder, and you have to get back on, there's enough snow base that a wrong step will put your legs into the snow at least up to your knees, maybe deeper. And then there's still MORE snow underneath, so the calculus works out that it's AT LEAST waist deep!

So heck yeah, it's waist deep, untracked pow, brah! ;-)
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
It's also likely that they are just skiing straight down and not turning. If the powder is deep enough,and the slope shallow enough, turning isn't necessary. It is definitely easier to "ski" if you don't have to turn!

Although that takes guts I didn't have as an intermediate.
 

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