Powder "Blues"

[haylmom]

First of all, don't get me wrong....I LOVE the new snow....but I needed somewhere to vent about my frustrating morning! So for my first season back to skiing I thought I was doing quite well! Until I made it out this morning, in ungroomed powder. I ski on a small maritimes mountain so I'm used to groomed trails, and I could NOT ski for the life of me in this new powder! Am I just totally sucky because I couldn't do it at all? There were a bunch of ridges from other skiiers as the day went on and I kept getting stuck in them, and my skis were slowing/abruptly stopping... I even had my first wipeout of the year! (although it was really quite fun, my skis crossed and I skidded on my face/chest quite a few feet with my skis up in the air behind me! Thankfully wasn't going fast enough to be hurt at all)

Thanks for letting me vent!

 

[ski now work later]

I can totally relate. I went to ESA Stowe 2 weeks ago and it snowed hard on 2 of the 3 days that I skied. I had taken a powder lesson in Montana last February, and that was it for my powder experience. I did find that a shorter, fatter ski that was freshly waxed helped me immensely. That and the coaching I received to start with the skis pointing downhill, to turn more gently, to keep moving downhill as much as possible, and to stand up more and keep my movements gentle. I still have a way to go, but I don't think I'll ever feel as lost in those conditions again and I can't wait to try it again soon. The truth is that when it's crowded, you get 1% powder skiing and the rest is in tracked powder, soft crud, bumps, whatever you call it. So be kind to yourself and next time take a lesson in it and try it with some fat skis! Just make sure they're not too heavy or long to manage. And give yourself a pat on the back for giving it a try -- strong work~

 

[SueNJ]

I've never skied on anything resembling powder. The closest I've come is skiing when it snowed hard the night before and the snow got all piled up in places. I was pretty sucky, too. I'm nervous about my upcoming trip to Utah in March, because it's not uncommon to have fresh powder there and I have absolutely no idea how I'll do. I now have what I hope are good skis for those conditions--my Queen Attivas--and I'll be trying them out on New Years Eve day in a ski area that's supposed to get 4 to 6 inches overnight on Sunday night.

Maybe a lesson will be first thing to do when I go to Utah.

Like ski now work later suggests, don't be rough on yourself. It's a first for you, and you can only get better at it! Oh, and I love that you are able to laugh at yourself with your wipeout (and am glad you weren't hurt)! I've had some pretty funny ones myself.

 

[abc]

I'm not that good at real "powder". But I'm actually pretty experienced when it comes to... "SLUSH", "mash patato", "wet cement"... a.k.a. "east coast powder"!

Rule number 1: DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT changing directions abruptly!
Rule number 2: When in doubt, refer to rule number 1!


Actually, the above works reasonably well even in soft powder. But I digressed...

As ski now work later observed, start by pointing the ski downhill!

Remember when we use to be beginers? We made big rounded turns, not quick snappy turns. Try that first, slowly.

But what if you feel you're going a little fast and need to slow down? RESIST, I repeat, RESIST throwing your ski side ways! That's a recipe for a wipeout... :(

What happened? First, your ski refused to change direction AT ALL. So you keep trying, harder! Then it does it all in a sudden, probably all the way sideways and STOPPED completely! While your body continue down the hill AHEAD of the ski...

How do I know? Been there, done that. Too many times! But slowly, I learned...

If you do need to control speed, turn SLOWLY cross the fall line. But don't turn too far up the hill, because if you do, you would then have to make a really big turn to go down the hill again. Remember, no big change of direction?

It helps to maintain some momentum down the hill, make nice round turns, in smooth lines.

Just remember, do everything slowly and smoothly. Try to feel the resistance of the heavy snow. And kind of "brace" your ski on the snow as you turn. You should feel pretty stable even at higher speed.

 

[Sheena]

I can totally relate. I have not skied powder much in my life at all. The most I had experienced until this year is maybe 6 inches or so.

A couple of weeks ago I had my first attempt at real powder. It was DEEP - 39 inches. I fell, got up, got stuck, fell again, and lost a ski. I struggled for a good 45 minutes to get myself down the slope.

In the past few days I have had a few more opportunities to ski some powder. Today there was about 15 inches of fresh snow so I went out and tried again today - this time armed with some fatter, lighter skis. For the first time in my life I actually skied powder. I spent the rest of the day dipping into the soft deep-ish powder on the sides of the trails.

The good thing about falling in powder is that it does not really hurt!

I am still learning, and am finally starting to get used to how the softer snow feels and how my skis react to it. It is a learning process, but is great fun!

 

[ski now work later]

It seems like the lighter, fatter skis are very helpful at the "learning to ski powder and crud" stage. Advanced and expert skiers can often ski a myriad of conditions in a single ski, but I found my Solomon Scarlets a huge help in the deep snow that I experienced at Stowe. I purchased them on sale at the end of last season with the intent of using them in Montana this February. Never in a million years did I think I would use them (and need them) on 2 days in mid-December in Vermont!

 

[abc]

Now that you've "done the powder thing" on a fat ski, you can bring out your skinny ski the next time you got any "east coat powder". They ski the same way. It's just the fat skis are more forgiving when you're firast trying to get the feel of it.

I'm by no means expert skiers and may only be marginally be called advanced. But I've skied long enough to come across a lot of that stuff in the east. If you ski late enough at the tail end of the season, you'll get a lot of those sloppy mash patato kind of snow by afternoon. Instead of calling it a day, use that as a pratice for skiing heavy snow. East coast simply don't get the light fluffy stuff.

 

[haylmom]

Thanks everyone, even though I need the practice, I hope they've groomed the trails since yesterday so I can go out and feel good again

abc, I totally get what you're saying about going sideways and that IS exactly what happened to me! I just couldn't figure out what was going on! I'm definately not experienced enough, and I ski by myself 99% of the time so I don't really have anyone else to ask this stuff to!

 

[abc]

haylmom, think of moving your body in the direction of the ski TIP! (One instructor told me to imaging the hip trying to catch the tip...) That way, you lessen the chance of you falling over the side of the ski. Plus, it keeps your weight forward on the ski, giving you chance to control where it's heading.

I feel heavy powder is already a bit easier than soft powder becaue you can still FEEL the ressistance of snow on your ski. So if it refuse to turn as sharply as you like, you'll just have to ride it out (while GENTLY pressure it in whatever direction you want). I have much more problem with really fluffy snow because there's much less feedback. If I swing the ski side ways, the ski WILL turn and I ended up falling down the hill. :(

 

[amskicos]

haylmom, think of moving your body in the direction of the ski TIP! (One instructor told me to imaging the hip trying to catch the tip...) That way, you lessen the chance of you falling over the side of the ski. Plus, it keeps your weight forward on the ski, giving you chance to control where it's heading. :(

I love this advice. NW skiers are intense about their powder skiing and I am actually struggling a lot this year because the dumps in the NW are incredible the past two weeks - 23in. past two days! - and everyone I go with expects me to know what I am doing. I love going up early but sometimes the powder is overwhelming. I am going to use this advice and let you know how it works!

 

[haylmom]

Thanks so much for the great advice ladies!!! I went back to the hill today and they left half the hill ungroomed, so I decided to give it another try. I must admit, if I practiced more (A LOT more) it would probably work!!! lol It was definately a better feeling than it was yesterday when I had no clue what I was doing.... I just kept thinking, 'resist going sideways, and point tips down the hill". Now my legs are sore. lol

 

[Sheena]

Should have linked this earlier, but there is quite a good bit of advice here.....

https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2206

 

[skigrl27]

Hold the phone!! I think you just said you hoped they groomed overnight!! NO...pray for more snow & just get out there in it as much as possible. You will be damning the groomers in no time. My first true powder days were this season in 29" of powder at Aspen. I skied like a complete idiot and fell all over the place. I was where you were at - but it only took 1 day like that & now I'm skiing the powder like a champ. Lean back in your boots, stay back and keep going down.

The POW is where its at! Demo some fatties if you find yourself at the mountain w/ tons of snow. It'll be a great day.

 

[Kano]

Y'know, skigirl, if it were only as simple as "lean back" -- I'd be a powder queen!

'course, maybe it's related to fighting the straight down the hill thing?

Oh well, I keep trying!

Kano

 

[skigrl27]

"Oh well, I keep trying!"

Yeah...that's pretty much it right there. I had my doubts on day 1 in powder....like, I really sucked pretty bad. But once you link a few turns in it, it's cake from then on.

Throw everything you knew about skiing out the window on a powder day, it's like learning all over again. But those are the 2 best tips I got: Lean back a bit, go down. No quick turns is also a biggie.

 

[abc]

I believe the "lean back" part is controversal. See the other thread provided by Sheena.

Also, for east coast powder, which is think and heavy, leaning back is a recipe to loose control. You can't control the ski from the back seat. Instead, keep your hands up front and drive your hip forward, "chase the tip".

I personally found the advice of "flex your ankle to keep the tip up" work better instead, in BOTH heavy AND light powder.

 

[lil mountain girl]

ok, i think i've figured it out . . .

to describe skiing powder --whether superlight or mashedpotato-cement-- is this:

you're in a commited and caring relationship with your skis much like a relationship with a significant other . . . :p

the more you try to force your skis this way or that or "control" them using brute force, the more you'll get your butt kicked!

you have to "ease" your skis into turns --think gentle, but dynamic . . .
it's kinda like dancing with another person . . . when you're intuitive and focused on your technique, balance, and partner, you're having a blast!!!

and when you're not . . . at least the landing is soft !!!

 

[Mary Tee]

This site is so validating!. When I was in Montana last year, there was all this great powder, and everyone (except me) seemed to be having a great time sking it. DH (who is usually great when I get frustrated with my skiing) just kept saying I would get used to it. I did not. I thought there was really something wrong with me. My whole life I've heard about powder skiing and how great it was, and here I was, hating it! Being fom the east coast, I never experienced anything like deep powder. No one ever said anything about not making the same kind of turn I make on groomers. All they said was that it was harder on the legs...duh...what a keen sense of the obvious! Anyway, we are headed to Montana again at the end of January, and I am hoping for powder so I can try all the great advice the Divas have given here.

 

[SueNJ]

Definitely report on your progress when you return, Mary Tee! I'm heading to Utah in March and am hoping to encounter some of the Western powder I keep hearing about. I'm loading my arsenal of powder skiing tips to make sure I have lots of things to try when I start drowning in powder.

 

[Kimmyt]

Also, consider taking a powder lesson Mary Tee! I know some resorts have inexpensive 1-2 hour powder lessons you can get on a powder day. I have never had one, because i've had less than a handful of powder days, but i think if I was at a decent sized resort and it was going to be snowy for a few days, it would be a good investment...

K.