 Poster: A snowHead
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I recently watched the film Steep, which I thought was great BTW, and reading Phil Ingle's report on snowheads of his first decent made me think about the technique for turning on very steep slopes say 45 deg+. Ignoring the considerable mental challenges of the first turn, what techniques do you use?
In the Anselme Baud off pise guide to Chamonix he illustrates his recommended method, which as far as I can make out, hops off the up hill ski while turning the downhill ski into the fall-line before the uphill ski has left the snow, in one of Phils photos on the Midi he seems to be doing the same. Personally I do a sort of modified stem turn hopping off the downhill ski, often using both poles.
Any thoughts?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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i quite like the "modified stem" as a way of starting the turn
pole plant v important but you need to concentrate to make sure you are over your skis and facing down the slope all the time. so you actually need to plant the pole more towards the tails of your skis rather than out in front of you
best thing i learnt recently was "using the suspension" as you go past the fall line to really absorb the downhill forces and help controlling your edges
of course, it's all a lot easier if you have boot deep powder rather than hardpack 
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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 know what you call it but last year with the steep stuff I went for a kind of semi snowplough turn but immediately putting all my weight onto the lower ski whilst swivelling my upper ski round parallel with it. A lot of weight on the centre and towards the heal of my lower foot to really dig the ski in, almost like you would if you were doing a tug of war. Oh, and a stance so wide you could have driven a piste basher between my legs! 
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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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2000overdrive, brilliant !
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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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I often use a sort of modified jump turn where I hardly jump upwards - 1 inch off the snow, or even releasing the pressure while maintaining light contact, is enough room to turn both skis around on a steep slope.
A guide in Cham though told me that I jump too much. He sort of butters his skis around. ("buttering the turn" to shed speed is a term that Eric Deslauriers used once - and then he disappeared down a very steep slope hardly making more than one or two turns).
I have to say I never managed to do that kick turn described by jbob in his first post. I can't even work out the mechanics of it.
Important things to focus on: lean with the upper body downhill not uphill (to help this, do the pole plant quite low down so you reach down). Someone recently said "after the pole plant, collapse the hand in front of your body to make sure that it doesn't pull you in the back seat".
Disclaimer: I ski reasonably well but I'm not an instructor. One may be along shortly and tell me I'm speaking dangly bits.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I should add that my micro-jumps are usually off both skis.
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I find it easier to keep skis on the snow and just use pivot slips which I guess is horizons buttering. To get round sharper I turn the upper body, plant where I want to end up and let the skis follow as the body kind of unwinds. Body leading in other circumstances is a bit of a no no, not sure if its OK on the steep or not but it works.
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Really it's a telemark type technique, without the free heel.
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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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Turns are for fags.
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20 Regal please.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'm a big fan of the windscreen wiper & pedal hop turns. The former is easier to learn the hang of but is a more tiring technique & will drop you further down the slope with each turn. It's essentially a modified stem christie/snowplow for steep terrrain. The later is where you tend to lift your outside ski instead of the usual inside ski, then pivot around your inside ski.
Interesting article here: http://straightchuter.com/2009/03/steep-skiing-101/ detailing some basic controlled steep techniques (is several pages long). Also has some great prose in it which makes it a more interesting read than the usual instructional jibberish.
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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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On a more serious note, pole plant precision is very important while skiing steeps. "Folding" the hand back down across yourself rather than the normal punching it through should clear your hands and poles and stop you from tripping yourself up...
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Anything thats really steep you need to be standing up off /launching off (however you want to say it) the uphill ski.
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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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My personnal favorite is
Straightchuter wrote
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Once you unweight, there is a brief moment when you are suspended above the snow, facing straight down the hill and completely airborne. This is the stuff that causes people to become terminal ski bums.
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Poster: A snowHead
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ok... all aboard for skiing 45 degrees plus... 
It doesn't really matter what you use... as long as it is bomber..
It needs to work in a variety of conditions and should be your banker turn
I favour a little hop from the pole plant... ...but once you let those tips go, you have to commit and if you pucker up at the wrong end, you probably shouldn't there...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Valium works for me!
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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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chris, only for flying
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