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Spring skiing blues

EAVL

Certified Ski Diva
Anyone else not enjoy spring conditions? I really do not like after lunch on warm days when the snow has turned to slush. Was hoping my new Kenjas would make it more bearable and less tiring but I found that it was hard to control those skis in the soft, slush today. Did much better on hard pack, soft snow with colder temps last weekend. I ski in CO and it was 50 today! I also don't like overheating. Would rather deal with cold and having to warm up. Is there a trick I don't know to enjoying slush? Are these skis wrong for it?My husband and older daughter think it's great! My husband will ski until our one resort that stays open until they run out of snow keeps going. It could be June and they have the one "white ribbon of death" open and he will go! Same with early season. Not me! I will wait until December and once the bulk of the resorts close I am itching to start mountain biking anyway. Hubby wants me to love it but I just can't get excited about it. We are supposed to be skiing all this week for spring break, but with these warm temps and no snow in the forecast I don't think I will make it past Tuesday or Wed and want to head home. Last year we got lucky and it dumped powder every night that week! Would love a replay of that!!
 

newboots

Angel Diva
Come to Massachusetts! We are busy measuring the wind chill - how far below zero.

Seriously, are you spoiled by powder? We have ice . . . :snow::brr:
 

newboots

Angel Diva
I haven't tried spring conditions except once, in January at Okemo, but I was still a pretty new skier (unlike my present self, in March! hah!). I couldn't manage it then. We'll see soon.

Come to Massachusetts! We are checking how far below zero the wind chill will be tomorrow. I fear you are spoiled by powder. Come east. We have ice! :brr: :snow:
 

SallyCat

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I think that ski choice can make a big difference in whether you enjoy spring conditions. I LOVE spring skiing, but I have to say, I did not like the Kendos in soft snow. Many others do, though. The Kendos/Kenjas like to carve through everything; in soft snow I like a more floaty, playful ski. I really enjoyed the Black Pearl, and am only letting those go because they turned out to be too short for me. Now I have Nordica Soul Riders and they are fantastic. When I first skied spring snow, I only had a pair of narrow carvers, and combined with my low skill level I HATED spring skiing. But I learned that you have to be patient with your turns in soft, heavy snow, which turns out to be really helpful to one's skiing in general.
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I used to hate spring skiing. Then I got to liking it. But where are you skiing in Colorado that it's all slush already?

Here's the thing. I don't know you and how you ski, but - you can get better at slush by getting better at skiing in general. Slush can be grabby, or fast, or slow, all in quick succession. Learning to ski with better balance, and learning to ski "3D snow," will give you confidence and ability in slush.
 

EAVL

Certified Ski Diva
Come to Massachusetts! We are busy measuring the wind chill - how far below zero.

Seriously, are you spoiled by powder? We have ice . . . :snow::brr:
I realize I am probably spoiled living in the west. My DH is from CT and NH and learned to ski there. When I complain of icy conditions here he laughs at me!
 

EAVL

Certified Ski Diva
I used to hate spring skiing. Then I got to liking it. But where are you skiing in Colorado that it's all slush already?

Here's the thing. I don't know you and how you ski, but - you can get better at slush by getting better at skiing in general. Slush can be grabby, or fast, or slow, all in quick succession. Learning to ski with better balance, and learning to ski "3D snow," will give you confidence and ability in slush.
Was at Keystone today and it got up to 50 this afternoon! Might get a couple inches of snow tomorrow night. Fingers crossed!
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Was at Keystone today and it got up to 50 this afternoon! Might get a couple inches of snow tomorrow night. Fingers crossed!

I skied the upper mountain at Breck today, and it never got slushy. So you just have to get comfortable skiing double black bowls, if you aren't already ;-)
 

Christy

Angel Diva
There are a lot of people that just ski that sweet spot between after it thaws but before it turns to slush. That can be fun, and sitting outside with a beer in the nice warm sun can be fun too. But I don't think you're under any obligation to love slush. I am also a little fussy about snow conditions but I also don't see a lot of reasons not to be. I have a lot of other hobbies and interests and I'd just as soon be doing one of those rather than skiing in crap conditions. It sounds like you're the same way. If your husband doesn't like skiing alone maybe he should find some ski friends that love slush and white ribbons of death as much as he does.
 

Christy

Angel Diva
Sounds like it's been warm a lot of places. I was watching the World Cup races from Squaw today and it was 55° there. They used 7 1/2 tons of salt on the slalom course to keep it skiable and it was still very slushy. It got into the mid 30s in the Cascades today; it hasn't been over freezing in a long time.
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
More slide, less edge in slush. But like the rest of the east coast.....it's too cold to even think about it. Even out in WB this week, we got a little on the lower mountain on the way home. This time of year, it's usually higher.
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Strong core helps, because you *will* have different densities from turn to turn.

Singing helps with a strong core. You can also growl or make race car noises. They all engage your core while shutting your brain up.
 

Albertan ski girl

Angel Diva
...um or one could bypass spring skiing altogether and come to Alberta :smile: definitely still winter here...
 

EAVL

Certified Ski Diva
Bounceswoosh I am not quite ready for the black bowls. Update: Copper today with friends. Hubs had people to do the back side with. I hung with all the kids front side. Was dumping snow up too so we had some nice powdery runs. Loved the Kenjas in the fresh few inches of pow! Super floaty and edges not catchy at all. Then the kids got bored and wanted to go other places so was on runs with soft chopped up and scraped off snow. Kept feeling like my edges were catching and so didn't want to go as fast as my skis seemed to want to which was a tough battle at times! I got worn out so never went back out after lunch. Plus my 11 year-old was damp and cold (stayed in the 30's today!) and the boys with us fell asleep in he lodge! I need to pace myself if I am going to be here for several days. I find my knees and legs getting sore in places they aren't usually. I am thinking this is due to he fact that I am on wider and stiffer skis. Will I get used to this?
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@EAVL have you taken recent lessons? the "didn't want to go as fast as my skis" thing sounds like you probably have some classic bad habits. People usually lean up the hill when they're anxious, which puts your skis in a position where they bite in with their edges and go flying. That's overly simplistic and I'm too tired to express it well, but anyway, it sounds like you would benefit from instruction. @KatyPerrey should be able to recommend instructors for you at Copper.

As for knees and legs getting sore - sure, wider, stiffer skis can do this. Whether or not you get used to that - it depends on your particular body. The better your technique is, the less force you have to use, meaning it gets easier on your knees and muscles. Generally speaking, if you're skiing slush and variable conditions, you're going to be sore in all sorts of muscles, and your knees may be cranky, too. It's just more work - more force on your body.

Again, better technique mitigates a lot of this. Wider skis are generally harder on your knees *on firm snow*. In current conditions, you'll be skiing firm snow at least part of the time.

A thought I haven't fully pondered: I suspect wider skis are also hard on your knees if you're initiating turns by rotating your upper body, basically forcing your skis around rather than using the construction of the ski to turn for you. Might you be doing this?
 

snow cat

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Then the kids got bored and wanted to go other places so was on runs with soft chopped up and scraped off snow. Kept feeling like my edges were catching and so didn't want to go as fast as my skis seemed to want to which was a tough battle at times! I got worn out so never went back out after lunch.

I find my knees and legs getting sore in places they aren't usually. I am thinking this is due to he fact that I am on wider and stiffer skis. Will I get used to this?


Chopped up snow is harder/more work to ski. If you keep feeling like your edges are catching in the chopped up snow then you are probably rushing your turns and forcing your skis to turn.

Getting used to knees and legs getting sore....maybe or maybe not. If everything just hurts, either your legs are not in ski shape yet or maybe the skis are too heavy/wide/etc for you. You will know which if it happens every time you ski your skis, whole season vs just at the beginning of the season. If your front quads are hurting then you are doing too much backseat skiing but it will not be a problem when you get out of the backseat. I find that my knees (especially the right one) hurt when making lots of turns on heavier/longer Volkls, and wider skis in general, especially against their (wider) turning radius.
 

EAVL

Certified Ski Diva
Bounceswoosh I am not quite ready for the black bowls. Update: Copper today with friends. Hubs had people to do the back side with. I hung with all the kids front side. Was dumping snow up too so we had some nice powdery runs. Loved the Kenjas in the fresh few inches of pow! Super floaty and edges not catchy at all. Then the kids got bored and wanted to go other places so was on runs with soft chopped up and scraped off snow. Kept feeling like my edges were catching and so didn't want to go as fast as my skis seemed to want to which was a tough battle at times! I got worn out so never went back out after lunch! Plus
@EAVL have you taken recent lessons? the "didn't want to go as fast as my skis" thing sounds like you probably have some classic bad habits. People usually lean up the hill when they're anxious, which puts your skis in a position where they bite in with their edges and go flying. That's overly simplistic and I'm too tired to express it well, but anyway, it sounds like you would benefit from instruction. @KatyPerrey should be able to recommend instructors for you at Copper.

As for knees and legs getting sore - sure, wider, stiffer skis can do this. Whether or not you get used to that - it depends on your particular body. The better your technique is, the less force you have to use, meaning it gets easier on your knees and muscles. Generally speaking, if you're skiing slush and variable conditions, you're going to be sore in all sorts of muscles, and your knees may be cranky, too. It's just more work - more force on your body.

Again, better technique mitigates a lot of this. Wider skis are generally harder on your knees *on firm snow*. In current conditions, you'll be skiing firm snow at least part of the time.

A thought I haven't fully pondered: I suspect wider skis are also hard on your knees if you're initiating turns by rotating your upper body, basically forcing your skis around rather than using the construction of the ski to turn for you. Might you be doing this?
I don't think I am initiating turns with my upper body, but I sure may have bad habits. One is rushing turns because I freak out that I am going to fast and will lose control on steeper terrain so I feel I must turn up mountain or just come to a screeching stop for a minute! I was even doing that on my short skis at times. I have not had a lesson since last season and could prob use one with these skis. Some days I am just so anxious! I really think I could die doing this some days and others I feel fine - on the same runs! I really don't know if I will ever feel like my husband or oldest daughter who fear nothing on the mountain!
 

newboots

Angel Diva
There's a thread on here somewhere about anxiety and it went on for hundreds of posts! I thought it was just beginners, like me! I think it might actually be more or less everyone.

If we discuss this for long, @bounceswoosh or half a dozen others will recommend A Conversation with Fear, by Mermer Blakeslee. I haven't read it but when others quote it I am impressed with the science (and I'm usually very critical!).
 

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