Love skiing the steeps? Why?

[PamGoodley]

I'm an intermediate skier, with, at times, a bit of trepidation on what I'll call "dark" blue runs. I skied a few runs with a friend the other day. He commented how he loves the really steep runs.
For those of you who love steep, challenging terrain, why do you seek it out? Although I'm an older skier, my goal is to expand my territory (within reason - and with the help of an intense 22-session program next season).
I'd love to hear what draws you to the steeps. Thanks!

 

[Pequenita]

Because it's what challenges me right now and something I know I can accomplish eventually. If things falls apart on terrain that challenges me, I know it's time to go back to easier terrain to dial in what's not working.

 

[AJM]

I too love skiing steeps
For me its more fun, more of a sense of accomplishment and a heightened sense of dancing with gravity.xx

 

[Jilly]

Groomed steeps and not...the adrenaline rush.

 

[lisaski]

There are so many aspects to skiing steep off-piste terrain that attract me. Firstly is the adrenaline rush of standing at the top looking down. When I first started skiing steep terrain, I would get butterflies in my stomach and feel a bit of fear. Then, there is the feel of making tight turns along a steep fall line. In really good snow, the completion of each turn is like landing on pillows with a weightless feel in the turn transition. The challenge draws me as well. After skiing a steep narrow line, it provides a feeling of accomplishment. The accomplishment comes from making controlled turns and looking ahead for the next turn while trying to slow things down, defying gravity.

 

[echo_VT]

My number one reason is: Powder runs are so much more fun in steeper terrain. And I really ski or snowboard because it’s all about powder turns.

granted the other terrain surfaces are fun too. But I won’t always seek out steeper.

The steeper the terrain, the more wondrous powder runs are. It’s like floating or flying (or what I imagine that would be like) and there’s nothing like it.

 

[MissySki]

I prefer the ungroomed, and love the challenge and mental “puzzle” of it all.

There is also some part of my brain that feels rewarded (I don't know if that's the right word) when I get to do things and see things that a really large part of the population will never choose to do. It's a reminder not to take these things for granted, as the day will come when I won't want or be able to do it anymore either I'm sure. So while I'm physically and mentally able and willing to, I want to take advantage of doing and learning as much as I can skiing on the mountain without setting any particular limits for myself. Nor do I really set my sights on specific terrain that I must ski at any given location, I more seek to improve over time and naturally keep moving around to more and more challenges as my body and mind allow. Skiing with other Divas helps that cause along as well! Taos certainly had more steep and bumped terrain than I have ever skied at one mountain before for Diva West this year, and it was FABULOUS!!

 

[ouncible]

I wouldn't say that I ski steeps for steep's sake like my buddy, but I like being able to ski anywhere on the mountain. It lets me pick the snow and skier type and density - even the weather that suit me.

I love the feeling of dancing with the mountain. You can get some of that on any run, but the rhythms and the partnering are different.

I enjoy the accomplishment of pushing my skills.

I love the puzzle solving aspect of skiing off piste and the tactile qualities of ungroomed terrain. Sometimes that terrain is steep. Sometimes I just benefit from the additional techniques that I use to ski steep runs. Also, my brain is weird and feels safer in narrow bumpy runs than groomers ... which tends to mean skiing steeper.

My proprioception is not so great, so I value the ways that steep terrain rewards and punishes clean and sloppy skiing. The strong contrasts help me understand what I'm trying to accomplish when I'm skiing drills lower down.

I enjoy the views and resting for snack and water break with the world at my feet.

I enjoy the focus that skiing demanding terrain induces and requires.

I don't enjoy being afraid, but I appreciate the practice I get in handling fear in controlled conditions. On steeps, "I would rather not fall" is countered by "physics works - review the force diagrams, feel your balance and go." Every turn, even a lousy one, counts as a victory. Every clean turn self-rewards as its own little dance party, and the practice makes it easier for me to manage fear elsewhere on the mountain or at home.

Besides, steep runs are paradoxically easier to ski slowly (or at least moderately) :-)

 

[MissySki]

I wouldn't say that I ski steeps for steep's sake like my buddy, but I like being able to ski anywhere on the mountain. It lets me pick the snow and skier type and density - even the weather that suit me.

I love the feeling of dancing with the mountain. You can get some of that on any run, but the rhythms and the partnering are different.

I enjoy the accomplishment of pushing my skills.

I love the puzzle solving aspect of skiing off piste and the tactile qualities of ungroomed terrain. Sometimes that terrain is steep. Sometimes I just benefit from the additional techniques that I use to ski steep runs. Also, my brain is weird and feels safer in narrow bumpy runs than groomers ... which tends to mean skiing steeper.

My proprioception is not so great, so I value the ways that steep terrain rewards and punishes clean and sloppy skiing. The strong contrasts help me understand what I'm trying to accomplish when I'm skiing drills lower down.

I enjoy the views and resting for snack and water break with the world at my feet.

I enjoy the focus that skiing demanding terrain induces and requires.

I don't enjoy being afraid, but I appreciate the practice I get in handling fear in controlled conditions. On steeps, "I would rather not fall" is countered by "physics works - review the force diagrams, feel your balance and go." Every turn, even a lousy one, counts as a victory. Every clean turn self-rewards as its own little dance party, and the practice makes it easier for me to manage fear elsewhere on the mountain or at home.

Besides, steep runs are paradoxically easier to ski slowly (or at least moderately) :-)

Beautifully said!

 

[PamGoodley]

I too love skiing steeps
For me its more fun, more of a sense of accomplishment and a heightened sense of dancing with gravity.xx

"Dancing with gravity..." I hope I can experience that feeling!

 

[PamGoodley]

I wouldn't say that I ski steeps for steep's sake like my buddy, but I like being able to ski anywhere on the mountain. It lets me pick the snow and skier type and density - even the weather that suit me.

I love the feeling of dancing with the mountain. You can get some of that on any run, but the rhythms and the partnering are different.

I enjoy the accomplishment of pushing my skills.

I love the puzzle solving aspect of skiing off piste and the tactile qualities of ungroomed terrain. Sometimes that terrain is steep. Sometimes I just benefit from the additional techniques that I use to ski steep runs. Also, my brain is weird and feels safer in narrow bumpy runs than groomers ... which tends to mean skiing steeper.

My proprioception is not so great, so I value the ways that steep terrain rewards and punishes clean and sloppy skiing. The strong contrasts help me understand what I'm trying to accomplish when I'm skiing drills lower down.

I enjoy the views and resting for snack and water break with the world at my feet.

I enjoy the focus that skiing demanding terrain induces and requires.

I don't enjoy being afraid, but I appreciate the practice I get in handling fear in controlled conditions. On steeps, "I would rather not fall" is countered by "physics works - review the force diagrams, feel your balance and go." Every turn, even a lousy one, counts as a victory. Every clean turn self-rewards as its own little dance party, and the practice makes it easier for me to manage fear elsewhere on the mountain or at home.

Besides, steep runs are paradoxically easier to ski slowly (or at least moderately) :-)

Love your eloquent response! Thank you.

 

[Soujan]

As you evolve, so will your goals. When I first started, I said I would be happy to ski a blue proficiently and no further than that. That is no longer true and I find I keep trying to develop my skills and push my boundaries. I still have the same "trying not to die" mindset I had when I was a beginner. I find that never seems to go away.

 

[PamGoodley]

As you evolve, so will your goals. When I first started, I said I would be happy to ski a blue proficiently and no further than that. That is no longer true and I find I keep trying to develop my skills and push my boundaries. I still have the same "trying not to die" mindset I had when I was a beginner. I find that never seems to go away.

I have also felt like I'm fine with sticking to blue terrain. More recently I've also had a desire to gain the proficiency and especially confidence to ski a bit more advanced terrain for the challenge, views, and hopefully some fun. I think having the "trying not to die" mindset is a good thing. I'm okay with a certain level of risk, but also need to be sensible and minimize risk by improving skills.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

1. The specific challenge of skiing the big bumps in super steeps cleaner with each repetition
2. Less work, less pressure on joints
3. Sometimes less crowded, but chutes and couloirs are super sketchy when busy
4. Sometimes better snow, but not really where I ski
5. On rare occasions to shut up braggadocious males
6. Steeps often mean skiing a touch slower, which I prefer to going fast when it is busy
7. One of the few things I can still do that carries some level of technical challenge and respective skill, so it just feels good plain and simple
PS I won't ski super steeps when the bumps are refrozen and nasty

 

[PamGoodley]

I like your list, especially 5, 6 and 7! Thanls for the response.

 

[Olesya Chornoguz]

That is a great thread! I just noticed it.

I love skiing ungroomed steeps because I love the challenge and the sense of accomplishment afterwards. Especially if I was able to ski it well. It's also a great feeling that you can get down stuff and the whole mountain is open to you - it's a great feeling and makes me feel so alive after I ski something steep well. That has been happening more frequently in the last few years.

It requires to apply my skills more and that is fun too, overcoming the fear I feel for steeps is also very rewarding. Yes, the snow is usually better and less people on steeper terrain, but not always.

Bumps can be a mental puzzle somtimes and that can be fun too, with bumps and trees you get a lot of variety of lines that can be fun to decipher, also learning to read terrain and picking best line in steep bumps and trees can be really fun.