Skiing Well and Skiing Bumps

[MissySki]

When I started skiing 10 years ago I never dreamed that I'd want to do blacks ever, and then it was who needs bumps or trees or chutes or.. lol Well that has changed, but I definitely regret not getting into easy bumps and trees and such earlier in my skiing. I've been trying them a lot more in the past few years, but I feel like my progress has been slow. Some days I'll feel invincible in the trees, and another I flounder like a first timer. It's gotten so I can pretty much get down whatever slowly and quite smoothly I'm told from observers (though I feel like I'm completely floundering around, so it's hard to really know). However, I still have a hard time linking more than a handful of turns without feeling like I'm picking up too much speed in certain bumps/trees, and it still makes me nervous to let myself go if I'm not sure what's over that next bump etc. because then I want to go super slow to see everything that's coming..

I've also found a lack of a good intermediate type of class in this area, so I guess I might need to do some privates. When I was set on doing bump/tree specific group classes I kept finding that they were either way too easy or too over my head where I felt I was holding everyone else up. I'd love to find a sweet spot that's challenging, but not so fast paced..

This year I'm hoping to spend time on my own in easy bumps and trees to really work on technique. Perhaps get a couple of private or semi privates as well. When I'm with others who are too much better than me in this area my concern is trying to keep up and not hold people up. Sometimes this pushes me to be better and I can follow others' lines as well, but I can't focus on what I'm actually doing to improve because it's just get down get down get down asap.

 

[liquidfeet]

MissySki, I see you are from MA. Where do you ski?

Ever go to Bretton Woods? They have one easy bump run, which is very good for working on form at a slow pace. It's Aggassiz. It's not always open, but when it is those are the bumps to perfect form on. You'll want to go when the Zephyr chair is running. Call ahead and confirm.

On the trail map there are images of trees indicating Aggassiz is a glade. In reality those trees are so far apart they don't even count. You can go super slow there and work on whatever you want; the run is long enough to give you time to do corrections before you get to the bottom. Bretton Woods also has very very easy glades, with even smaller more gentle bumps in them. They are great for taking a break between Aggassiz runs. Just a suggestion.

 

[MissySki]

@liquidfeet I normally ski at Sunday River. I haven't quite figured out what I'm doing this year, so it's all a bit up in the air. I have only been to Bretton Woods once and it was as a beginner, but I have wanted to get back there and explore the trees and such because it has such a great pitch I think for working on bumps and trees. Perhaps that is something I can aim to go do assuming we hopefully have good conditions to do so!

 

[bounceswoosh]

I was exposed to bumps in the worst way possible. I started skiing with my high school boyfriend, and his attitude toward any skiing was that you MUST NOT ever waste snow. He was an excellent skier and bopped down the bumps, but made it clear that if I so much as side slipped a few feet, I'd be ruining the snow for everyone. Possibly relevant: we mostly skied the mid Atlantic.

I didn't make much progress on bumps, but I did cry a whole lot ....

It was a revelation years later, when my husband and I took a lesson at A Basin. The instructor has us work on side slips, and I asked, "But ... but ... doesn't that ruin the snow for the next person?" He used the Doritos slogan at the time: "Crunch all you want - we'll make more!" Suddenly, I was able to work on bumps without feeling guilty!

Lots of lessons here. Don't take instruction from well-meaning s.o.'s who aren't instructors. Also, people who've been doing something their whole lives rarely have any idea how to progress someone who's just learning ... I'm sure when he started skiing bumps, he was 6 or 7 and just skied right down them fearlessly.

 

[marzNC]

@liquidfeet : what do you think of the bumps at Wachusett? I've only skied there a few days during late season. When it was warm enough to soften everything, the bumps I found were reasonable for practice. Was pretty entertaining watching the few people good enough to handle the bigger set of bumps when they were icy. Showed it could be done. But I wasn't about to try.

What about Berkshire East? I'm quite curious to check the Beast out some day. Especially when new terrain opening up. Stopped by to look at the base last fall. I liked the feel of the place.

 

[marzNC]

Another reason to get better at extension and absorption is for traverses. Given that Alta is my favorite place out west, that was the initial reason for practicing going across the bumps at Massanutten. Even when only 2-3 across, that's more than enough when the bumps are big. I traversed back and forth on Lower Rustler for several seasons when I wasn't good enough to want to work on making turns. Especially in the afternoon when I was tired. But would make the effort to finish on Lower Rustler for the last run. Even if that meant stopping several times. Of course, the nice part about that trail is that it's easy to bail to a groomer at any point if needed.

 

[liquidfeet]

@liquidfeet : what do you think of the bumps at Wachusett?

What about Berkshire East?

When I used to ski Wachusett weekly, there were no beginner bumps. There would sometimes be seeded bumps on the side of Hitchcock, but they were difficult (for me) back then as a bump beginner. The natural bumps on the 10th Mountain trail were always big and intimidating, but for some reason they were not as bad as those seeded bumps - a mystery. Both were always icy. Neither were good for beginners who could not go slow (me, back then).

I don't know about bumps at B'East.

Finding the right bumps to learn on is essential.

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

For other northeast beginning bump skiers, I like Ridge Run at Killington and also there is a section of Low Road where it cuts off from Bittersweet for smaller, low angle bumps. There are also a couple trails at Pico that are good for starting out-- I can't recall the names of them though but if you ski around you'll definitely see them (maybe Stampede?). Of course 90% of the time they are frozen solid like most bumps in our area, but when the conditions are good I find they are good practice runs--not steep so you don't have to worry about pitch, just focus on the bumps.
Mostly I try to work on them in the spring when conditions soften up or out west mid season where the snow typically stays softer. They definitely tell you where your weaknesses are. The frozen ones scare me though, cause when you slide on those, you really slide!

Funny story, last spring at Killington I decided to do my favorite Ridge Run--could not wait to do it and rushed over there without reading the signs the mountain was telling me (snow/ice hanging from the trees etc). That part of the mountain tends to stay cold and warms up later. Anyway, I started down the run and hear scraaaaape, scraaape, scraaaaaape, as I turn and can feel the vibration of the rock hard bumps. I had just had my skis tuned the night before so all I could think about was how I was probably ruining my brand new tune--I gave no thought to where I was turning ( usually I think too much). I got half way down the run before I realized how far down I had gotten without stopping or focusing on where to turn!
I will try to replicate that not thinking too much this year.

 

[SnowHot]

"It's not that you can't ski bumps. It's that you can't ski and the bumps just prove it."

That is a quote from Josh Matta. He's a Dev Team ski instructor out of Stowe who posts on Pugski regularly.

 

[nopoleskier]

^^ Typical Male Ego..to me that's very sad for a Dev Team member to say that, seems he's pretty closed minded - to say one can't ski because they don't ski bumps??!!
Not to "developmental" is he?? Hope I never have a clinic with him! Way too judgemental!

He discounts handicapped persons and those in sit chairs, others with knee issues or other physical disabilities or just old age now preventing one from going into the bumps. (especially here in the east) In his (I think) pea brain he thinks 'they can't ski' because they aren't in the bumps?? WOW! Maybe Karma will get him.. One day he'll be old and have tired knees/body and be that guy on the sidelines bragging "I used to be able to do that" and many will say Sure Josh but we all know since you're not in the bumps you don't know how to ski. This Why I avoid posting on Pugski very opinionated and too much Male Ego BS.

meanwhile We diva's continue to support each other and give ideas and trails/Mt's to go learn how too! Lots of good info ladies given here!

@SallyCat keep up what you're doing, you're skiing will continue to improve and with some bump lessons on 'nice" bumps (sadly rare in the east) you'll definitely get the hang of them.

I like Spring time after our legs/core are in great shape, to me spring is a wonderful time to learn bumps. they are nice and soft :-) Or here's to more trips out West.. bumps are a blast out west and I don't hesitate to
go play in them but here in the East I usually avoid them.. SO According to Mr. Matta I don't know how to ski --- yeah Right.. I"ll say it.. it he sounds like a jerk to say that?

 

[SnowHot]

^^ Typical Male Ego..to me that's very sad for a Dev Team member to say that, seems he's pretty closed minded - to say one can't ski because they don't ski bumps??!!
Not to "developmental" is he?? Hope I never have a clinic with him! Way too judgemental!

He discounts handicapped persons and those in sit chairs, others with knee issues or other physical disabilities or just old age now preventing one from going into the bumps. (especially here in the east) In his (I think) pea brain he thinks 'they can't ski' because they aren't in the bumps?? WOW! Maybe Karma will get him.. One day he'll be old and have tired knees/body and be that guy on the sidelines bragging "I used to be able to do that" and many will say Sure Josh but we all know since you're not in the bumps you don't know how to ski. This Why I avoid posting on Pugski very opinionated and too much Male Ego BS.

meanwhile We diva's continue to support each other and give ideas and trails/Mt's to go learn how too! Lots of good info ladies given here!

@SallyCat keep up what you're doing, you're skiing will continue to improve and with some bump lessons on 'nice" bumps (sadly rare in the east) you'll definitely get the hang of them.

I like Spring time after our legs/core are in great shape, to me spring is a wonderful time to learn bumps. they are nice and soft :-) Or here's to more trips out West.. bumps are a blast out west and I don't hesitate to
go play in them but here in the East I usually avoid them.. SO According to Mr. Matta I don't know how to ski --- yeah Right.. I"ll say it.. it he sounds like a jerk to say that?

First of all, he wasn't a dev team member when he made that Mark Twain-ish comment. He was a young growing ski instructor with a big ego, which is where many people have been at one time or another. It is a quote from a post of his on EpicSki roughly 10 years ago. If you were to have seen that quote in context you'd understand it and find that it was not all that you're making it out to be.
In the meantime, he's grown as an instructor and an individual, especially in the past few years because we, at Pugski continue to nurture and understand everyone, men and women alike, to help us all grow in the sport.

Evidently the quote resonated in a good way with SallyCat for her to have asked about it. Sad that its turned into trashing a perfectly nice guy who is unable to defend himself on this platform.

 

[Fluffy Kitty]

Not to "developmental" is he?? Hope I never have a clinic with him! Way too judgemental!

In the meantime, he's grown as an instructor and an individual, especially in the past few years because we, at Pugski continue to nurture and understand everyone, men and women alike, to help us all grow in the sport.

I love these both sides of the story discussions!

I wonder if someone could contact him and get his perspective on this. What he originally meant and how he would say it now.

 

[bounceswoosh]

Evidently the quote resonated in a good way with SallyCat for her to have asked about it. Sad that its turned into trashing a perfectly nice guy who is unable to defend himself on this platform.

It resonated with me, as I posted on, I think, the first page.

I wonder if someone could contact him and get his perspective on this. What he originally meant and how he would say it now.

Well, yeah. He's on pugski and FB. Go send him a PM.

 

[Obrules15]

What I find fascinating is how many different ways people are interpreting this out of context quote. Definitely all over the place. It never occurred to me to be offended because he doesn't know me, hasn't seen me ski, and I ski for me-not what other people think of me (thank goodness because if I cared I'd never ski again).

With that said I think we can choose the standpoint from which we evaluate the quote, and I choose to evaluate it in an empowering manner. For me it resonates as a rung on the skiing improvement ladder. I'll get to bumps when I'm ready to get to bumps & no sooner.

I have too many other things in my life which drive me mental..............

 

[SnowHot]

What I find fascinating is how many different ways people are interpreting this out of context quote. Definitely all over the place. It never occurred to me to be offended because he doesn't know me, hasn't seen me ski, and I ski for me-not what other people think of me (thank goodness because if I cared I'd never ski again).

With that said I think we can choose the standpoint from which we evaluate the quote, and I choose to evaluate it in an empowering manner. For me it resonates as a rung on the skiing improvement ladder. I'll get to bumps when I'm ready to get to bumps & no sooner.

I have too many other things in my life which drive me mental..............

Amen to that!

 

[nopoleskier]

@SnowHot you're the one that boasted"He's a Dev Team ski instructor out of Stowe who posts on Pugski regularl"

My reading your post seemed like his credentials somehow validated the post? Perhaps you should have clarified when/why he said it?

I didn't trash the guy.. I pointed out he's got some flaws in his thinking... (doesn't he?)

As an instructor "WE" have to be careful how we speak to the public. To discount someone's skiing because they don't ski bumps is closed minded for the reasons I mentioned. . IMHO. If I can have one???

 

[Obrules15]

@SnowHot you're the one that boasted"He's a Dev Team ski instructor out of Stowe who posts on Pugski regularl"

My reading your post seemed like his credentials somehow validated the post? Perhaps you should have clarified when/why he said it?

I didn't trash the guy.. I pointed out he's got some flaws in his thinking... (doesn't he?)

As an instructor "WE" have to be careful how we speak to the public. To discount someone's skiing because they don't ski bumps is closed minded for the reasons I mentioned. . IMHO. If I can have one???

This is where perspective comes in (I think). I believe the original quote had been aimed at a not so nice someone, who had the tendency to be less than flattering to other members of the forum when evaluating their skiing videos, and it was aimed specifically at their bump skiing technique.

Even if I'm wrong about the origin, currently the quote is used in the context of movement analysis and in discussions of videos of bump skiing and specific ski technique. It's not used to judge people who *don't* ski bumps.

 

[santacruz skier]

* It's not that you can't ski ice; it's that you can't ski, and the ice proves it

Guess i'm in trouble. I thought I could ski.

 

[santacruz skier]

I jumped the gun. I see I'm late to the party. Sorry @bounceswoosh this wasn't directed at you... It was more about me like oh man I've been skiing 40 years and while skiing in Europe I when I hit ice I was skidding a bit (not carving)......

 

[SallyCat]

What I find fascinating is how many different ways people are interpreting this out of context quote.

To contextualize my use of the it, I first saw the quotation as a member's "signature" on a local, Poconos ski forum. By my estimation, 98% of the participants on that forum delight in acting like offensive knuckleheads, so it didn't stand out as particularly outside the norm. But again, the bar was pretty low to begin with. I read it as hyperbole.

Maybe the brash, aggressive tone of the quotation is a good reminder of why it's so nice to have a women-only forum!