 Poster: A snowHead
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I have a great tip for this one - pointed out to me by a ski instructor when we were traversing a field of fairly steep really heavy /crusted / sun effected snow off piste to get to a shady gulley. Although that is different to a rutted bumpy traverse it presents the same basic problem - it is quite awkward to pivot your skis to shed speed.
He suggested just flexing more /sinking lower when you want to lose speed. On a traverse this has the side effect of tipping the skis / increasing the edge angle which smoothly carves you up the hill a bit and uses gravity. Because it is a powerful but gradual move without pivoting, it's easy to ski into the the snow above the ruts without risking catching an edge or crossing / diverging tips. Although I first used it untracked crusty cement I now use it a lot on rutted traverse lines too.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Is it considered bad form to just make a new track?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I don't think so BUT:
Once you're off the track you often seem to need to point down the hill more in order to maintain forward momentum. It's possibly something to do with you being on older, slower, snow than the first skier. Before long you've lost a lot of height which you may need later on.
Often as not, you can't see your intended destination. You know where you're going but you can't see the lie of the land so you don't know what obstacles you're going to encounter. Height is always a good thing. There's always a fair chance that the first person down has been before and already knows the best route.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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altis, and an equally fair chance that they were lost.... 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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It does seem improbable to me that the first person to do the traverse after new snow should know enough to take the absolute perfect route, at the perfect height. That's what defines the traverse - after that, others simply follow in the first person's tracks, assuming it takes them roughly where they want to go. So no, I don't think there's anything sacrosanct about that rutted traverse that everyone follows, and if I can plough my own furrow and get where I want to go, I'm happy to do so. Always ready to be corrected on the etiquette front, though!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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snowyowl, no, not really.
If you're not sure of the route then there's a big resistance to putting in the first tracks. Many will be put off.
If you do go then you'll likely put in a very conservative, high track and it won't be long before someone who knows better puts in an easier one that most others will follow.
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the first person has the benefit of the fresh snow slowing them down, so as it's gets more compact, the traverse get's faster....I try and make a higher line if I'm going to fast, then it's easy to drop down into the lower one if more speed is needed
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I am just back from a week in Engelberg where a mountain guide taught our group the following simple technique for the conditions the OP describes. It is particularly useful when the slope you are traversing is very steep and where pointing the skis uphill to scrub of speed by side-slipping risks catching the point of a ski on the uphill slope, resulting in a nasty fall.
The technique is this. Maintaining your weight on the centre of the skis, slide the downhill ski forwards so that it is in-line with, or even slightly in front of, the uphill ski. Keep both elbows and hands in front of you, and do not allow either shoulder to drop back, so that your body faces the direction of travel. This ensures that the uphill ski is weighted and brings both uphill edges into play to control speed. It is best practised on-piste first to get the hang of the rather counter-intuitive stance. The further forward you slide the downhill ski, the more you slow down.
Sliding the downhill ski forwards also helps to complete a turn and drive the skis uphill to take off speed. This transformed my ability to use a snowplough to turn on steep windblown crust without skidding away out of control.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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To help you understand the leaning back/leaning forward effect, practise side-slipping on a steepish piste (difficult blue or easy red). You're sideslipping directly down the gradient... lean forward and you will sideslip backwards... lean backwards and you will sideslip forwards. This is a jolly thing to practise in itself - my instructor spent a lot of time on sideslipping and I love the control and confidence it has given me. I tend to do the same as you on traverses - catch up too quickly with the next person - but I have learnt to leave lots of space and commit forwards as well as focussing my upper body slightly downwards.
The best advice I've ever had is "Embrace ze down'ill!" - it works even when traversing. You are either travelling downhill or engaging with it in some way to retain traction, balance, motion...
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