 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Someone who shall remain nameless has only suggested that I could do worse than spend a little time in a snow park - any thoughts, can doing stuff in the snow park, for example trying the half pipe, improve your skiing or would I just die horribly?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Megamum, anything that pushes your boundaries is going to improve your skiing. Doesn't have to be the park though, it's not for everyone. Natural terrain features (jumps at the side of the piste), steeps, deeps, gates etc... that's my preference - the park just scares me!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Megamum, Did they say why, and what it's going to do for you ? Parks are good fun, but I suspect that if you intend to improve your general skiing there the other options as beanie1 mentions. However, if you intend to throw sick 1080's with a couple of inverts, the park is the place (or better, a ramp. and water splash .. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Megamum, Most parks have a little series of beginners jumps. Very small and they do give you so much confidence when you hit a bump and take off.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You won't want to try a half-pipe. They're bloody scary! There's a snowpark above Arc 1600 which has a fun little skier cross course - great for the family - as well as jumps of various sizes, colour coded green, red and black. Start off with the green ones would be my advice... 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
rob@rar, That sounds the sort of place the kids would like, maybe we'll look that one out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Megamum, do it you will have a riot, I prefer it later in the season when it is a bit softer but on small jumps you will be fine. If there are a few of you I would highly recommend hiring an instructor for an hour and learning how to pop, it's not all about getting six feet out of the pipe, you don't have to take air in the pipe to have fun and even on small hits if you go six inches up in the air it will feel like 6 feet to you!! Personally I think it makes you a more complete skier if you can hold your own in the park as well - go for it! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
The kids came back from their last ski lesson of the week in VT last year with huge grins on their faces - both instructors had taken them to the park for their last lesson of the week!! I don't know if I was so impressed with the idea when they then added that one boy had been stretchered down the mountain after landing awkwardly on his back 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Megamum, If you do the baby jumps - a series of 12" to 18" that you could even just roll off.... you can learn in safety with predictable snow. Then moving onto natural features you have the body movement hardwired. Also... terrain unweighting is a fantastic way to change edges... especially with fat skis
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Scarpa, The thing is would an adult be laughed off the baby jumps?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Megamum, I did it last year. And I've seen adults bottling them and going round. It only means that you are new to jumps.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Each park usually has them rated like the pistes... green though to black. Just throw your arms forward as you go off and you don't even notice that there was a brief moment when you glided 10 inches above the snow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
BMF_Skier, But with time dilation they will then be 10 years ahead of you
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
If we were to take the kids and not fancy trying the 'obstacles' would there be a route through the park that missed them so the kids could go and play and we could just hover until they were done?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Megamum, yes, although if you can hover I think the park is just the right place for you
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Megamum, totaly pointless. You will end up jarring your back, knees or worse. Do some bumps and jumps at the edge of the pistes rather than getting in the way in da park.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Frosty the Snowman wrote: |
| Megamum, totaly pointless. You will end up jarring your back, knees or worse. Do some bumps and jumps at the edge of the pistes rather than getting in the way in da park. |
I have to say I thoroughly disagree with this, your not going to get in the way of any of the more hard core park users if you stick to the green/easy stuff, and although it is fun to play on the stuff at the edge of the piste often the landing area is none too smooth, and theres other obstacles/people close!
Just my thoughts..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You have just as much right to go in the park as anyone so I would never be bothered about getting in the way of anyone and saying you will end up jarring your back knees or worse is a pretty lame attitude, it's about having fun..
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SkiG, Gsyfreerider, my opinion is based on the fact that I have skied with the OP more than once and just think da park holds little for her. That said, she has made huge leaps in ger skiing.
Coat please 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Frosty the Snowman, No worries, I just love seeing people try something new that perhaps they wouldn't normally ever entertain doing and it's easy to dismiss the park and think that you are too old for it or there's no way you can do it. I love skiing powder but I also like playing in the park, I am 40 next month and when I come back from injury next year I think its likely that my park days will be over but certainly not by choice! I took some forty something year old friends to Verbier a couple of years back and one of them had a hip replacement but I took him in the park and he was flying off everything - everyone loved it, they were intermediate skiers and if you told them before that weekend they would be skiing powder and taking air in the park they would have laughed in your face!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As PART of an over all skill building program, sure, it could provide some benefit. Frosty the Snowman, I'll bet you could take Megamum into the park and find suitable terrain challenges that could enhance balance,edging, flexion/extension skills, etc. But Megamum, your time in there needs to be structured properly to really benefit from it. Venturing in on your own would likely offer limited value. And,,, the more you build your skills on the groomers, the better you'll be able to enhance those skills when you do get in the park, and the more terrain features you'll be able to enjoy there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
What exactly is "da park" in this context? Taking air off jumps? - fair enough Megamum could fly a bit and enjoy it. Half pipe? - not sure if she'd actually get to the rims but nevertheless could learn a lot about "rotary" skills if she doesn't get mown down by impatient "droppers in" in the process. Rails? - putting lumps of hard metal in snow is a crazy idea imo and is more likely to result in maximum pain than improvement of useful skiing skills. Are there any other bits that we should know about?
edit - written whilst Fastman was posting
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Frosty the Snowman, no problem, I think that FastMan is quite right, the park can be a useful tool if used in the right way, but people probably need some guidance, and its not going to be for everyone!
Have to say as well that it is important that people feel that they can come and have a go in the park. I have only been going for a play there the last couple of years and at first found it really quite an intimidating atmosphere!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FastMan, Yoda, These were the sorts of comments that I was actually more interested in. Let me start by saying that I have no idea of taking my branding spanking new Christmas skis any where near a rail or other similarly solid obstacle designed to wreck my bases (and I shan't be encouraging the kids near such obstacles either).
When I considered taking the kids to the park and it was suggested to me that I might find it beneficial too, I then wondered would learning to things like riding the half pipe up a short way and turning, or being sufficiently balanced that I could do a minimal take off and land could actually function to improve skiing skills on a uniform and predictable surface. A bit like working apparatus in a gym to learn physical skills. Does a snow park have a purpose beyond fun - are those using the park developing as a by product skills that enhance their overall skiing performance.?
Frosty the Snowman, Your concern for my well being is greatly appreciated - no need for your coat - stay and chat. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Megamum, I was taught to jump and it did help my balance. I was taught to jump and land on the flat before ever going near a jump, and taught on small kickers on the side of pistes & off piste in gentle terrain before ever being stuck in the 'park' . My first park experience was border cross berms, with entrance and exit carefully selected by my instructors (it ran on edge of an off-piste run and could be accessed from there with care) Next was a series of rollers that I was allowed to roll over and practise small unweight/pop movements on, then jumping etc...
Like FastMan, says you need structured time... I've also seen folks get pretty mangled in the park with little effort (broken ankles from rails put one female out of work for quite a while)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
For our regular Wednesday evening Masters (as in old, not good) coaching session, during the autumn as change from carving we brought a freestyle coach in for two evenings to do some stuff in the (snowflex) funpark. Most of us were pretty apprehensive, but everyone had a really great time, even those timid enough so their skis barely left the ground over the jump. After a total of 3 hours nearly everyone was doing controlled jumps and landings, and into the quarter pipe, a rio, and skiing back out. So I would say go for it - but start with instruction so you do it right
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
I always tend to land a little heavy and "slap" my feet back down, land badly and it quite hurts my feet more than anything else.
That said, it's great fun to take off a little bit, and it's slightly more controlled than doing the same on a natural feature somewhere - ie. there's a run off area where people aren't lingering, and you can be quite sure the surface you land on will be quite smooth.
You can't beat riding down and taking off natural features as you go - all part of the thrill, the park element will give a bit of practice. I might add, I've done only a little bit on the small jumps. My brother was taken down with his instructor last year, going off the side of some of the jumps to get a little practice of taking off.
Half pipe - I've skiied down one, and believe me - once you're in it it looks far bigger, higher, icier etc etc than it looks from skiing past and watching others. I skiied up a little bit but didn't quite have the nerve to do so at speed to get anywhere near the top. Granted, it was only my second trip so I might fare better now, but I can't see much benefit of playing in that unless you want to do it specifically for fun
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
If I were to find myself going over an obstacle and taking off slightly (either inadvertently or on purpose), how am I aiming to land: Tips first, tails first or flat on the skis. From horse riding my natural instinct on 'taking a jump' would be weight forward. A horse would then land on its front legs and I would still have weight forward until landing when I would recover a neutral position. Does the same follow should I suddenly find myself in the air on skis? Assuming I am still the correct way up and in control of doing something about the situation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Megamum, Weight forward to avoid landing on your ass. If you hit a bump or kicker just throw your hands forwards and it keeps you in balance. Straighten legs and let them bend as you land. It's actually very easy if you relax. I dither and crap myself waiting to jump... I need courage.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
If you are neutral the jump tends to throw you back, raise your tips too much and you land on your tails or ass... one leads to loss of control... the other bruises and difficulty in sitting down
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
If you find you enjoy it - great! If you don't, then stop 
Luckily we met up with another 
with a son of a similar age who joined her instead. Having said that I've tried a few small jumps, the half pipe and skiier cross.
