Waist-high moguls (exaggerating)

[Fluffy Kitty]

And I've been in steep tree trails were there were rocks and cliff bands running through and I've had to do a lot of sideslipping and side jumps

Yikes! I'm not there, yet, obviously. Trees... Cliffs... Hmmm...

Basically I think of it as contacting the uphill end of the mogul, turning around the mogul on the side of it (somewhere between the top edge and the trough, depending on the condition of the mogul), and then kind of sliding off the corner of it to cross the trough to the uphill end of the next one.

That does make sense. That was kinda' what I was fantasizing about in the last illustration.

I've been playing with going up and down the walls along cat tracks, and finding it surprisingly easy. Who knew that's actually a useful skill?

Sometimes instructors will have you pivot your skis at the top of the bump, but I've never liked that. Probably because I can't control my skis well enough for that. I actually tend to turn just *before* the top of the bump.

I used to prefer to turn before the peak, but now I tend to turn right after the peak; the peak releases the edge and unweighs me, and I'm free to pivot, but I might be getting tossed into the trough. Not always, but at least sometimes on steeper walls. I'll need to look at this, and also try to be more flexible.

It's almost like if you pictured the bumps as the base layer and the ski lines as a layer on top of that, you could just slide the ski lines up a little.

OK. I think that's another way of describing @Ringrat's technique. It's getting clearer to me now. Yes!

 

[BethL]

I worked on bumps for a couple of hours by myself today - somewhat soft (no snow for the past few days) bumps at Mary Jane. I've been trying to link several bumps together without stopping or traversing. I find that it's easier if I do not think about it too much. The advice of looking a few bumps ahead is good, something I have to keep reminding myself to do.

Speaking of bumps, is anyone planning to do the bump clinic at Mary Jane on Fri, Jan 15? If work allows, I'm planning to do it. I'll know for sure by Jan 15.

 

[Kimmyt]

Yikes! I'm not there, yet, obviously. Trees... Cliffs... Hmmm...

Well, maybe, but if you think about it all the stuff you're working on now in the moguls can be applied later on in other situations as well. Ringrat's picture nicely summed up what I was trying to show with my pink line on the first picture, thats the line I would ski as well, or I would try to ski anyway.

 

[santacruz skier]

I worked on bumps the last couple of days as well after reading all the helpful suggestions... got a bid intimidated when the bumps got bigger and I was under a lift..... have to admit. Plus I was wearing red plaid pants so quite noticeable. And maybe not in a good way.

 

[BethL]

I worked on bumps the last couple of days as well after reading all the helpful suggestions... got a bid intimidated when the bumps got bigger and I was under a lift..... have to admit. Plus I was wearing red plaid pants so quite noticeable. And maybe not in a good way.

I also do not like skiing bumps under a lift. I do like watching people ski bumps when I'm on the lift.

 

[Fluffy Kitty]

Ringrat's picture nicely summed up what I was trying to show with my pink line on the first picture, thats the line I would ski as well, or I would try to ski anyway.

Now I get it! Yeah. OK. Cool.

 

[santacruz skier]

I also do not like skiing bumps under a lift. I do like watching people ski bumps when I'm on the lift.

And it's so easy to identify what skiers are doing right or wrong while watching them ski bumps. So why can't I just do the same?

 

[BethL]

And it's so easy to identify what skiers are doing right or wrong while watching them ski bumps. So why can't I just do the same?

Some people make bumps look so easy?

 

[bounceswoosh]

And it's so easy to identify what skiers are doing right or wrong while watching them ski bumps. So why can't I just do the same?

Also, the line is incredibly obvious.

 

[Fluffy Kitty]

What I'd love to see are some bumps on green slopes, or even bunny hills. Help us work our way up, rather than start with blue or liftlines that are challenging even when groomed.

 

[Ringrat]

I also do not like skiing bumps under a lift. I do like watching people ski bumps when I'm on the lift.

I don't like skiing them under the lift either. Though I have a lovely memory of accidentally doing a 360 followed by a barrel roll and landing back on my skis in the bumps under a lift. Quite impressive...that it didn't turn into a yardsale!

 

[Bluestsky]

Sounds like a good time to revisit that drill we were doing last winter...poles crossed in our elbows!

Can you pls elaborate?

 

[Ringrat]

Can you pls elaborate?

I will try... @bounceswoosh might have to fill in a few details. Technical details in skiing are hard for me to describe, since I haven't taken much for lessons.

It was a drill to help us keep hands up and torsos facing downhill, with our hands like headlights. So, hands up in front, holding the pole handles. But then the poles themselves crossed back over the crease of the opposite elbow. Just resting there. And then ski the moguls. Might be easier to explain with a picture...

 

[bounceswoosh]

Can you pls elaborate?

I will try... @bounceswoosh might have to fill in a few details. Technical details in skiing are hard for me to describe, since I haven't taken much for lessons.

It was a drill to help us keep hands up and torsos facing downhill, with our hands like headlights. So, hands up in front, holding the pole handles. But then the poles themselves crossed back over the crease of the opposite elbow. Just resting there. And then ski the moguls. Might be easier to explain with a picture...

I think the key is the visual of an X. You hold the handles, and the tips of the poles go against your elbows, and your arms are kind of set up to hold a cafeteria tray. Obviously you wouldn't ski this statically - but it's a good drill to keep your arms out and your body facing forward.

 

[LadyCaladium]

I hate them, but I can get down a slope if they're there. They make my knees/back hurt, so I avoid them if I can. I'll often ski the side of the trail and they do seem less cut up. Plus, I feel like I'm out of the way.

I was thinking of taking a lesson this season to try and work on this issue. What do you all think? Would a lesson be helpful as far as less knee/back pain from the moguls?

 

[bounceswoosh]

I was thinking of taking a lesson this season to try and work on this issue. What do you all think? Would a lesson be helpful as far as less knee/back pain from the moguls?

YES. There are smooth ways to ski bumps.

 

[LadyCaladium]

The next Nozawa trip I'll probably do a two hour private morning lesson. Being a broken skier isn't always fun, but if I can find a way to make the moguls less painful, I'm in!

Here is seems like they just appear on all of the more difficult slopes. I can't figure out if that's planned or just the difference between east coast icy snow and Japanese powder snow.

 

[LadyCaladium]

I just sent in my info to book a private lesson in Nozawa on the morning of the 15th. I mentioned moguls being something I'm looking to work on. I completely understand if they are like - you need to work on x,y, and z so that moguls will be easier.

 

[Fluffy Kitty]

Well, I returned to the "scene of the crime" today. There was about 2-4" of medium-wet freshie on the ground, and visibility was poor, with freezing fog gumming up the goggles. Bad condition for high-speed carving, so I decided--foolishly--to work on the moguls. Three times.

The conditions were similar to my original experience, with poor visibility and a thick layer of Cascade Concrete making turns unpredictable, but the moguls were not as extreme. Most of the worst bits were boot-high, with a couple of knee-highs here and there. Very few untraversables. In two of the four stretches, in fact, I could just carve, pivot, and/or absorb. (The whole trail, according to Hillmap, is about 1/2 mile, which means each of the four segments is about 200 yards long.)

I was able to absorb my way to the top of the mounds more, as @Kimmyt suggested. I couldn't do the sidling thing that @Ringrat suggested, but, on easier bits, I did manage a few turns that were more zipper-line-ish.

I did a couple of runs on crudded-up steeps afterwards, and I could manage them better than I ever had! Wrestling the moguls had definitely improved my confidence on regular crud.

Two revelations. 1) Visibility makes a huge difference! By the third run, I was getting down as quickly as I get down plain-old powder-crud, quickly recovering from missteps, and not panicking. Line choices were better. Part of this was confidence and familiarity, but most of it was the fact that the fog had cleared by then.

2) Something's going on with my left leg. It could be the hip pain, but my right turns were quite lousy, and I kept drifting toward the left side of the trail, because of hesitations with right turns. During the right turns, I am not holding the edge as well; I am standing stiff, almost leaning uphill, instead of absorbing; and I am more hesitant. Big contrast to left turns, where I am much more able to execute difficult turns. Having noticed this on moguls, I checked it out on regular crud, and that was still the case. I was not carving the right turns much, and was skidding or pivoting instead; I thought I had fixed this. My left leg is weaker, but it could also be that I'm trying to protect my right knee, which was a bit off today.

Still, all in all, I'm definitely improving!

 

[Blondeinabmw]

SKInet had this video linked in my feed today. Interesting technique that I haven't heard before. Maybe its just because I would never intentionally seek out waist-high monsters, but it might be worth a peek. And, Mr. Moseley is always super cute...
https://www.skinet.com/warrenmiller/skiing-bumps-with-jonny-moseley?src=email&dom=wme