 Poster: A snowHead
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The event is often photographed, but the technique is rarely explained!
Pond-skimming - which is a late-season stunt, but no reason not to chat about it now - involves skiing at enough speed down a snow in-run to 'water ski' across a pond. It goes on when the snow thaws and forms natural (or artificially contained) pools.
Here's how to do it, with a good slide show, from Skiing magazine.
Anyone tried it?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Young James snowskisnow did it to good effect at EOSB2005
you can see the picture sequence here:
(the link will take you to the start of the sequence)
there's a video too, maybe it's up on snowMediaZone?
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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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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
The event is often photographed, but the technique is rarely explained!
Anyone tried it? |
yep, on serveral occasions.
very good fun, provided you are either drunk, or have a method of getting warm again soon after.
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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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We had to do it regularly in Whistler last season - during the rains it was the only technique you could use to ensure you kept up enough speed to reach the lifts across the flats 
The first time I tried it I nealy double-ejected out of my skis when they rapidly de-celerated upon hitting the water......
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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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Yes I've done it, excellent fun!!
Technique I used was crouch in a tuck to get up as much speed as possible, "pop" but don't jump too much as you launch, and then going across the water have weight completely even and slightly back, just like water skiing.
Make sure you have someone with a big towel and change of clothes standing nearby!
When I did it I only had one pair of boots with me and didn't want to soak the liners for the rest of my trip. So I put a bin liner between the shell and the liner, then taped it up with duck tape round my legs. Worked perfectly!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Duck tape in a pond - what a great application!
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Yes, I tried it a few years ago in Alp D'Huez on a snowboard... I would liken it to going into soft powder - weight onto the back foot and let the glide carry you through... Here's a video clip ....
http://www.snowandocean.co.uk/vid_clips/Richie_pool.ASF
Great fun, but took a bit of time to work up the courage to try it thou !
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Richie_S,
It's SO much easier on a snowboard... 
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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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I've also done it in Scotland (back corries in Nevis) when it's a slimy black peat bog you're splashing through, rather than a nice blue puddle! Same technique though 
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beanie1, yadda yadda yadda, I'm not listening..... 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I did see a guy do it on snow blades too - made it look easy !
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| beanie1 wrote: |
Richie_S,
It's SO much easier on a snowboard... |
funny how the boarders always get knocked out early in the comps though, usaully by round 2-3. they just can;t glide as fast on the ever decreasing run-up
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I guess the same principle applies to driving a snowmobile across a lake (as featured on a previous Top Gear). The important thing is to keep the revs and speed up, otherwise you're sunk (literally) 
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Quote: |
funny how the boarders always get knocked out early in the comps though, usaully by round 2-3. they just can;t glide as fast on the ever decreasing run-up
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Yup! When I did it the winner was on 2 squalls (spelling?). Those on touring skis did well too. Got to strike the right balance between surface area and need for speed!
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FAQ
