Holy powder, Batgirl

[SnowGlider]

I guess Western Divas want to know how to ski ice. I can answer that: don't.

Today I skied on powder for the first time in my life. (Definition of powder: 4" deep soft stuff strewn all over in a disorderly fashion. Possibly groomed the night before but it snowed after grooming and everything was a mess by 10 a.m.). I hated the first run so much that I retreated to the lodge with a harrumpf.

On my next try I attacked the snow much more aggressively: more power, more speed, smaller turns. That seemed to work much better than my previous huge, slow turns.

Is that how you ski powder???

I'm sort of missing my heavy, stiff Head Lightning skis. Not sure if my new Fischer Vision 70s have enough oompf for powder.

Not that I'll ever encounter powder again in my lifetime . . .

Eastern hardpack is so much more predictable than powder.

 

[Lilgeorg]

I guess you were not at Okemo today. We had mile after mile of freshly groomed snow. It was wonderful!!

 

[abc]

I haven't had much luck with eastern "powder" so far, even though this is my "home turf". Either I show up the day AND HALF after, they've all been groomed. Or they're just one HEAVY MESS!

I've seen REAL powder out in the Rockie and in Europe. The REAL powder is fluffy with little resistance. You need a lot of balance and a bit of speed for anything to happen. Eastern "powder" doesn't ski the same AT ALL.

What I DO like about eastern storm is more of the softer snow ONCE THEY GOT GROOMED. Places like Stratton (and Okemo) did better job at grooming. So you end up with soft carpet of snow to slide on, which is great. Not powder per se, just consistant snow you can carve to your hearts content!

Unless you go into the trees and/or hit the slope WHILE it's still snowing, the snow settle fast and get heavy. I don't think that stuff qualify as "powder".

 

[ski diva]

You should have been with us Divas over St. Patrick's Day weekend at Jay! 40 inches of the best powder I've skied anywhere, anytime. Doesn't happen often, but once in a while you get lucky.

As for skis in powder, fat is definitely where it's at!

 

[SnowGlider]

So my questionn is still, how do you ski in it?

abc makes a good point about the type of powder I'm talking about---not the light fluffy stuffy, but messy piles of heavier stuff.

 

[persee]

Indeed. That is the type of stuff we had at BV on the ungroomed trail we ventured down 2 days after the massive feb storm... I struggled down, but I got down on my skis so I was happy and simply avoided that trail thereafter.

 

[abc]

Actually, the way to ski those heavy, messy stuff is, you figured it out on your second time out!

On my next try I attacked the snow much more aggressively: more power, more speed, smaller turns. That seemed to work much better than my previous huge, slow turns.

Is that how you ski powder???

The turn size (big/small) doesn't really matter that much. Turn shape does though: in the heavy stuff, sharp, z-shape turns don't work well. Nice round turns is STILL your goal. Only you need more speed because the loose snow piles are slowing you down.

And because the snow is not consistant like the flat, groomed surface, you're going to get knocked around. So, being balance is more critical. So, be more aggresive. You'll be in better balance.

Not sure if my new Fischer Vision 70s have enough oompf for powder.

Personally, I doubt wider ski means much in these kind of stuff. Stiff tips would help cut through the stuff once they settled. But when they're soft, it's really just SLOW.

Not that I'll ever encounter powder again in my lifetime . . .

Eastern hardpack is so much more predictable than powder.

Since you're likely to encounter THAT kind of stuff again. Learn to ski it well will make you skiing days more enjoyable.

Yes, hardpack, for those of us who learn on it, it so much more predictable! ;)

 

[lil mountain girl]

ah, powder . . .
it's the sacred word whispered by the elusive snow god

as for skiing in it . . .
can be a bit tricksy, especially to start with.

yes, omph can help (but don't "fight" it).
since powder is variable, you kind of have to "feel out" the snow more . . . i think after a while it becomes more intuitive.
my first season of powder and backcountry skiing, i felt like i had to relearn how to ski . . . everyday :o

you still want to make regular turns; the trick is not to lean forward. stay centred on your feet.
also, the deeper the snow, the easier it is to ski steeper terrain -- and conversely, powder makes flatter and more gentle terrain more difficult (can be "grabby) and balancy.

though some skies are better than others, i don't know any ski that is 'bad' in the soft stuff.

personally when i first started learning to ski powder, i was on 180 skinny, stiff racing planks -- not ideal :o -- but i still learned and had fun just the same!!

it's also important to have good lower body strength (go thighs go!) and centre of balance (ie: core strength!)

hope this helps!

who knows, it may come in handy someday . . . :D