Left, right or center?

[Severine]

I like your theory. Makes sense to me (though again, I can't remember which turns are stronger at the moment... but given the fact that I have a weak left side, it's probably those turns). I have funky side dominance, too, because while my left leg is weaker and I'm right-handed, I hear better out of my left ear and do certain things better with my left hand, too.

 

[snowbunny1976]

Theory sounds good. However, I defy that; My stronger leg is my left, so I favor my right turns. BUT, all conditions being equal, I feel safer, more confident on the right side of the trail. Not to say your theory isn't merited; I would bet I'm just screwed up and probably have weird childhood issues which cause me to fall out of the norm. Any psychologists in the house??? LOL!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Nice!

Now, dear MSL, can we also apply your theory to trails with a double fall line? If I make stronger right hand turns, do I enjoy skiing Obsession, or Escapade more?
.

I'm hardly impartial here! Prefer Ob myself, skier's left (as always), though there is that funky spot off the first headwall where one can veer off to Cascades (has a name, as if it's an actual run, forgot) - kind of an intersection/danger spot. After that, I'm skier's left on Obsession, all the way. Final vert on Obsession skier's left is always soooo nice... Escapade's real nice too, but I love the solitude over at the far east end of the River.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Theory sounds good. However, I defy that; My stronger leg is my left, so I favor my right turns. BUT, all conditions being equal, I feel safer, more confident on the right side of the trail. Not to say your theory isn't merited; I would bet I'm just screwed up and probably have weird childhood issues which cause me to fall out of the norm. Any psychologists in the house??? LOL!

Could be that your transition on your left leg to being the uphill ski is tighter and smoother, therefore making it your more confident edge change. No psychologists required, just something to discuss; this is probably less of a theory and more a hypothesis?? I fixate on my weaker turn, guess I have for tooooo long...

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I like your theory. Makes sense to me (though again, I can't remember which turns are stronger at the moment... but given the fact that I have a weak left side, it's probably those turns). I have funky side dominance, too, because while my left leg is weaker and I'm right-handed, I hear better out of my left ear and do certain things better with my left hand, too.

Another cross-dominant, confused diva - welcome to my club!! Ditto the left ear hearing, and my left hand's stronger even though I'm technically right handed - And now with not one but TWO injured knees, I'm a real basket case. Hang in there, let's talk knees. Atlantiqueen can join in. Hers happened 2 days after mine. I'll be out a min of 2 weeks also

 

[Sheena]

hmmm, I almost always ski straight down the center.

 

[jaydog]

I wonder if, for those of us North American divas, the mindset of driving on the right side of the road has anything to do with it.

 

[CMCM]

Hmmm, well, let's see....I tend to like the sides of runs because the snow is better (chopped up in the center where most people like to ski). But I definitely turn to the right better in terms of initiating a turn, but I can ski on my right ski (turning left) better in terms of skiing on one leg whereas turning right I don't ski as well on one ski (yet I always do a right turn better!!!). Odd. I remember when I did gymnastic stuff I always had to take off on my left leg....for example, I simply could NOT do a cartwheel leading with my right leg. I'm right handed, so I always found that a bit odd. All in all, I've always sort of felt left dominant despite being right handed. Jeesh, who can figure any of this out?!!!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

but I can ski on my right ski (turning left) better in terms of skiing on one leg

Therefore you gravitate to skier's right on a run.

Indeed, the edges almost always provide the best skiing experience for finding better snow. I was trying to remove that variable in my scenario by saying "it's all good."

And to Sheena-in-the-middle ( ), try the edges out, both sides. See if one side of the run is more inherently comfortable for you. It will tell you something about your "preferred" turn direction.

 

[vanhoskier]

That theory totally makes sense. What about cantilevered trails? (i.e. runs that tilt noticeably to the right or left).......I always have trouble skiing those, no matter which way they're cantilevered. I feel I can't make even turns on these runs. It's like I can't find the fall line.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

That theory totally makes sense. What about cantilevered trails? (i.e. runs that tilt noticeably to the right or left).......I always have trouble skiing those, no matter which way they're cantilevered. I feel I can't make even turns on these runs. It's like I can't find the fall line.

Indeed. Throws an interesting variable into the equation, for sure. I think the tendency will be to hit the familiar side and switch only if it's not working. But I agree that the fall line evades, and the quarter- or half-pipe shaped runs are equally interesting, with one turn direction producing far more momentum than the other.

 

[num]

Honestly, if no one's on the run I'm all over the place. Where I ski is generally dictated by where the others are, and I go right, left and center weaving myself a path. If no one's out there I tend to play with turn shapes and sizes and go center a bit, right a bit, left a bit, reveling in the fact that I can.

 

[MaryLou]

I'll test your theory this weekend. I'm also a left on Obsession skiier, except that top, although once you get over the icy headwall, there are always some nice bumps on the left at the bottom. Sometimes I'll cruise to the right to see if it's any better, but usually not. It's like changing what you order to eat at your favorite restaurant - you know you should try something else once in a while...but then end up never liking it and wishing you had your usual...lol

 

[Severine]

It's like changing what you order to eat at your favorite restaurant - you know you should try something else once in a while...but then end up never liking it and wishing you had your usual...lol

Great analogy!

I will say that I do have a preferred line on each trail I ski at the local hill, even with traffic on the slopes. And again, it's usually the left, unless there's something there as a deterrent (like the day I sprained my knee, the skiercross course was set up on the left and I had to ski the chute on the right to get through the top of the trail to merge with my desired trail).

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I'll test your theory this weekend. I'm also a left on Obsession skiier, except that top, although once you get over the icy headwall, there are always some nice bumps on the left at the bottom. Sometimes I'll cruise to the right to see if it's any better, but usually not. It's like changing what you order to eat at your favorite restaurant - you know you should try something else once in a while...but then end up never liking it and wishing you had your usual...lol

Let me know how it works for you! Cool. The only issue I have with skier's left/Obsession is the feed-in with Salvation and the veer-off to (right name?) Heats Off (to Cascades). I generally give that intersection a wider berth. Scares me. (They all do.) Others where I'm constantly left are Risky and AmEx (what a creature of habit ). However, I do have one notable exception: Lower Sunday Punch. Hang right. Always. Tight. Until the Rocking Chair cut-off. Then, by virtue of intersection/traffic, I'm center.

 

[MaryLou]

Let me know how it works for you! Cool. The only issue I have with skier's left/Obsession is the feed-in with Salvation and the veer-off to (right name?) Heats Off (to Cascades). I generally give that intersection a wider berth. Scares me. (They all do.) Others where I'm constantly left are Risky and AmEx (what a creature of habit ). However, I do have one notable exception: Lower Sunday Punch. Hang right. Always. Tight. Until the Rocking Chair cut-off. Then, by virtue of intersection/traffic, I'm center.

I think Risky is my overall favorite trail at SR, and yup...I spend about 90% of my time on the left...always. Not a fan of Amex though...not sure why. The Monday of Feb vacation, after the rain I hit SR solo...so warm and soft, like April...and noticed the right side of Risky was bumped up - so I broke my habit and found an awesome line of perfectly sized and softned moguls before the joint with Lazy River...it was an unexpected surprise. The next day they were frozen lumps lol...I love ME weather!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I think (once I'm back out skiing, whenever that might be) I'll start working on this where my own skiing is concerned. Hitting the opposite side from my natural inclination. No matter which run, I'm heading to the right. And then I'm going to break down the mechanics of that weaker turn. Once and for all. Provided I can still ski....this couple of weeks of prescribed inactivity is torture. My muscles are screaming, "GET OUT AND MOVE!!!"

 

[pinto]

I've been thinking about this for a little bit, and I'm pretty sure that the answer is that I don't have a tendency. If the slope is wide open, I'll ski the whole thing, side to side. Or I'll chase the better snow, or avoid the crowd. But I don't choose a side without a reason like that.

 

[skiwishes]

Interesting idea. I had never thought of it in this perspective, but thinking of trails I know, I usually go skier's left.

 

[skiwishes]

I ski Escapade on the left, unless I am leading someone down the gully on the steep slope on the right. I used to ski it on the right. Obsession I vary at the top: start on the right, might veer to the left if there are bumps there, back to the right towards the corner, either side around the corner. I prefer the right for the rest of the way, especially if there are bumps, but will take the middle if it is really yukky on the right.

There goes my 'always on the left' theory.