Struggling with the Pomas at Glenshee

A snowHead

Hi new to here,

Been snowboarding for 5 years but had a run of almost 3 years where I only went to indoor slopes like once per year. I recently went back for some refresher lessons to get myself back on the slopes. I went up to Aviemore two wknds ago and had a great time using the funicular railway and boarding down the intermediate runs. I recently went to Glenshee and struggled with the pomas there. I tried 3 different ones and only managed up one of the pomas...2 of them each time I fell off and bruised my knees a belter. The guys at the lifts told me to keep trying so I did but I eventually was in the wrong mind set and gave up. I got a bit higher each time but even once I was past the initial fast jolt I was still falling off.....now I have scarred my confidence of using pomas and not sure how to try again , or at worst try again and fail again! Now each time a trip up to the mountains is planned i feel the dread and its kinda ruining it for me. I also feel like I am left behind s all my friends manage to use them fine.

Any advise/ tips?

A snowHead

Lessons? I think there's something basic not working if you're having trouble riding lifts, if you see what I mean. Even the ones which catapult you into the air, if you're standing correctly they're not difficult. I can see the "mind set" thing. But I think a one hour lesson should easily get you riding any lift you can come across; avoiding them seems like avoiding the issue.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I did a day course in our local fridge when I first started boarding and did okay...then went on hols, having group lessons, kept falling off.

Not happy with the instructor, I had a private lesson a couple of days later. After getting halfway up the lift and bailing, he had me coming down on my heel edge and told me that was the stance I needed on the lift. Then the 3 magic words - lift your toes.

Got to the top every time after that.

Sometimes just a little reminder is all it takes!

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I know this is no help to you ! But on Thursday we were at glenshee I'm a skier broadly speaking !and the boy I was with is a boarder and he had an absolute nightmare on the pomas , he's been on 2 ski holidays (boarding ) in Austria never had a problem , but just couldn't get to grips with the glenshee pomas !

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@Snowswan, Poma track particularly rutted or changing direction much? Are you staying in both bindings or one only?

I try to stay on an edge when it gets a bit sketchy, doing a gentle weave from one edge to the other but one Poma at Tignes even my accomplished boarder friends couldn't cope with, but it was VERY badly rutted.

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I ride goofy and in one binding on the poma. I really don't know what the problem was. The only difference from other pomas is the speed of the thing. I just fell of every time i tried. I am able to use edges to control the board on slower pomas. The liftie spent a lot of time with me trying to help me but I was so fed up with it I walked up the slope in a rage! He said it was me letting go of the poma but i felt my back foot sliding of the board then I would loose balance during the inital jolt. I am possibly going tmrw (weather looks a bit crap)but dreading the dam pomas!

After all it is free

@Snowswan, If your back foot is sliding off the board do you have a nice grippy stomp pad. If not then fitting one will definitely help.

Glenshee pomas are brutal

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Strap both feet in, ride normally! If not comfortable with that try skiing!

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It's mostly about having a good stance and position on the board. If you're not "stacked and centred", you're more likely to have trouble.

A little scoot to start can help too, so that you're moving a little and not getting yanked from a standing start.

Generally, I'd disagree with @jocrad and say you should keep the base flat (and yourself centred over it) but that does depend on the track and its camber. If it's cambered at all, then you will have to lift the appropriate edge to stop yourself drifting.

I do sympathise - some pomas (and Scottish ones in particular) can be brutal and it's a tough learning curve. Look at it as a form of natural selection - only the fittest get to the top / get the goods...

Stevo (Snowboard Instructor and veteran of drag-lifts from Scotland to the NZ club fields....)

You know it makes sense.

@Snowswan, not really any springy-type pomas at Glencoe.

Main lifts are the Cliffhanger (one man chair!) and the Main Basin tow, Rannoch tow & Wall tow, all of which are rope-type tows, not spring/pole types.

The only pole type tow is the Plateau tow, which I don't remember as being especially fast/springy (and you generally only use it once per day unless you're a newbie lapping the plateau).

Same goes for Nevis, although Nevis does have some of the longest, steepest, camberiest tows around (Goose T-bar, I'm looking at you....)

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I found it easier to strap back foot in but never had to ride any brutal Glenshee pomas, only easy French ones. And if I did fall off I found it far easier to just hoick the board over my head and get out of the track, too, and with less chance of the board digging in and twisting the front knee. Flow bindings make that easier, of course.

A snowHead

@stevomcd, base was flat, it was just making sure my toes didn't dig in. Hard concept to master as a beginner going from skis to board, where never had any issues on skis.

A snowHead

As others have said it's about being stacked, keeping your shoulders square with the snowboard, bend your knees and suck it up buttercup, I always flatbase for the takeoff and I tend to let my rear foot overhang the front of the board slightly. Having lessons on an indoor poma is pointless they run them so slowly that if you can't ride one of those you're in trouble. I had one many years ago in La Rosiere that I fell off 10 odd times in a row but with persistence you'll get the hang of it.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Hey, Just saw this post so thought I would fire in a comment. I've been teaching snowboarding in Glenshee for 4 years. The best POMA you can go to to master it is up on Clay Bokie, that is where I take any riders I'm teaching to learn poma's. If you are nice to the lifty thats there, usually Tam, tell him it's your first time on a POMA and ask him to put it on slow speed, as this POMA actually has 3 speeds. It's usually always on Setting 2 or 3, as it's usually busy, but when it's quiet he is happy to slow it right down so you don't get ripped off your board.
Many POMA's are set up for REG riders at glenshee, only a few are easier for the goofy riders. I'm goofy and I always have my back foot slightly infront of my toe edge as this gives an easier angle to get the POMA in between my legs. You have to pull it and hold it against the bar at the top and after a couple of seconds you will hear it click and it will spring. Brace against it the pull with your back foot right up against the inside of your back binding, hold a solid stacked posture on your board and keep your back arm out over your tail, as it keeps the shoulders in line with your board and stops your board rotating under your feet. Sometimes you will actually catch up with the poma, usually on the sunnyside ones, when this happens, just take the poma out form your legs hold it slightly in front of you and once you feel it pulling again pop it back in. NEVER HOLD ON WITH TWO HANDS, it doesn't work, and even if it does, you are making things much harder for yourself.
Sorry bit of a long post but hope this helps people.
Any questions, or if interested in going riding/ having a lesson, get in touch info@thenorthernmovement.com
or fire over to my website www.thenorthernmovement.com

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Strap both feet in. Some lifties will also help you . I always keep both bindings on even on the chairs and never had a problem, just be careful not to snag your high backs. If you have a rucksack take it off. Dangling from a chair by the shoulder straps may be funny but it's not cool. I only did that once.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Hey Thanks for the tips. I am going to head up to Glencoe this Sunday hopefully and give the lifts/tows a shot there!

I am still trying to get the courage to go back to glenshee, the knee brusies have only just gone Laughing

Help!!

Struggling with the Pomas at Glenshee

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