I had the most enjoyable skiing in the trees at Snowmass with some fellow chalet guests.The snow was fresh and thick and the slope gentle so going at a controlled pace was not difficult.
Previously I have been wary of tree skiing as you have to make route decisions awfully quickly and iy hurts if you get it wrong. I never know how to slow down if there is no room to edge. Any tips ?
Watching the video, no way would I have made the direction choices he took. I guess he no fear or liked the taste of bark.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I think the key on the decent was the 16" of fresh. With good cover all the nasties should have big pillows of snow and the snow will control the speed. That said those trees looked close together and the drop offs were steep, all in all he must be a bit of a nutter
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?
Look at the gaps, not the trees.
If there is no room to edge your skis you should probably be twisting/rotating them.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I can steer but if you path is suddenly blocked, how do you put the breaks on. I tried grabbing a branch but that puts you flat on your back. Straddling the tree stops you quickly but hurts.
After all it is free
After all it is free
rob@rar wrote:
Look at the gaps, not the trees.
If there is no room to edge your skis you should probably be twisting/rotating them.
Good advice try and focus two to three turns in advance, and keep the speed down. This used to be one of my biggest faults in trees. Theres often a natural path through trees and plenty of larger spaces where you can stop to re-evaluate.
You will often find that NA resorts tend to glade or thin their trees a little to make skiing them easier too.
Was it FrogPond Glades by any chance - hand mucho fun there when we were at Snowmass last I love sking trees
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Lechbob, vid didn't look tight at all. Nice line.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
under a new name wrote:
Lechbob, vid didn't look tight at all. Nice line.
I don't know how much he edited out. I wouldn't dare take some of those lines without knowing what was coming or was under the snow, fallen trees, rocks, saplings - sooner or later you will get injured. I think when you go for a narrow gap you are comitted to your decision, I don't see how you can stop.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Nice. Wish I was there.
As jbob, says 16" of fresh is going to slow things down a lot, and make it much easier to handle. Tree's are soo much easier after a big powder day.
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.
Lechbob, he probably lived there, and besides the hucks that line is mellow. He even said it was too shallow for the depth of snow to keep going. You just turn in the gaps and turn back up hill to slow down - trying to stop dead isn't that easy or a good idea in pow anyway.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Lechbob, in 16" of fresh, you'd be fine. And none of it looked that bad, really. Pretty nice in fact.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Lechbob wrote:
I can steer but if you path is suddenly blocked, how do you put the breaks on. I tried grabbing a branch but that puts you flat on your back. Straddling the tree stops you quickly but hurts.
If your path is suddenly blocked you're skiing the wrong line. Tree density does vary and too dense (which is a personal measure) makes things less a pleasure than a chore. Its highly advisable to not try skiing trees too long after a storm as boilerplate and moguls plus trees isn't exactly pleasure skiing.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Follow someone who knows what he/she is doing. Your job is just to stay glued to their tail, takes away all the potential indecision with line choice and gives you something to focus on. Over time if your leader skis further and further ahead you will eventually find that you can start to vary from their line and will be more comfortable.
If too much speed is an issue try and get off the edges, weight the skis a tad more evenly and use surface area of both bases to 'butter' round the turns. Works a treat although with deep snow in the vid too much speed shouldn't be too much of an issue.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
SkiTigger wrote:
If too much speed is an issue try and get off the edges, weight the skis a tad more evenly and use surface area of both bases to 'butter' round the turns. Works a treat although with deep snow in the vid too much speed shouldn't be too much of an issue.
Bingo IME carving is an inappropriate skill in trees, pivoting is the order of the day with enough skurf (see skimottaret glossary) to snatch powder pockets that the less brave have missed.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I've seen quite a few people who've had such a strong emphasis placed on using the edges that trying to get them to use the base of the ski can be tricky. Once taught a chap who despite appearing initially to be a decent skier couldn't do a an effective sideslip to save his life when I asked him.
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?
SkiTigger, last year I had a crusty old ESF instructor, complete with ubiquitous fag in mouth, who wouldn't let me use edges for the full three-hour lesson. He had me skiing all types of terrain using just the bases. It definitely improved the way I manoeuvred the skis - gave me ski dexterity, for want of a better description.
Follow someone who knows what he/she is doing. Your job is just to stay glued to their tail, takes away all the potential indecision with line choice and gives you something to focus on.
Works very well but only if you're confident and /or your lead skier isn't a speed freak. First time I tried it with a guide, I bailed out when he took a high-speed turn into terrain hidden from view, and whacked my knee on a tree. More recently, with an increase in confidence and technique, I've been able to follow the same guide like a bat out of hell. (He still leaves me trailing after the first 20 turns or so if he steps on the gas, but at least I can pick a safe stopping area).
Follow someone who knows what he/she is doing. Your job is just to stay glued to their tail, takes away all the potential indecision with line choice and gives you something to focus on.
Works very well but only if you're confident and /or your lead skier isn't a speed freak.
Unfortunately I was not confident and followed a speed freak, "Fast Eddie" who gave me the gee up, next thing he smacked staight into a tree !
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Lechbob, did you see my video from last winter? It includes a couple of tree crashes...
Just watched it. That was fun, high without chemicals. I think face planting without pain in soft snow is halarious.
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.
horizon, Thanks for that, loved watching it again
Think having a backview is sometimes better than a front view. Would be good to see one through the trees
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
horizon, Such a good video, one on put a smile on your face. loved the bits where people are bailing at the very end of the last run, done that so many times!!
100% agree that if you're going to follow somone through trees then the leader has to be very switched onto the other skiers ability and confidence level. Need to challenge the follower without frightening/killing them. I once ended up in a tree well at Revelstoke when following a canadian LV4, never been so knackered in my life when I emerged.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
horizon, utterly superb - thank you!
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.
horizon, tip number 4: both skis! I cried with laughter
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
There's no magic solution to the problem - just lots of practice. Start with some flatter trees so you have time to think; only move on to the steeper stuff once you're confident on the gentle stuff. If even flattish gladed runs are freaking you, try beginning with a scrubby trail that has lots of undergrowth that you can see over.
Once you've mastered the flat runs, try some steeper trees. The key is to know the slope well. First time down, follow the most well-travelled path and stop regularly. Keep your speed down by skidding your turns, using the uphill edge of moguls to scrub off momentum, and seeking some powder pockets. Try to memorise the most interesting bits - I look for tight stands that I can see a sneaky path between, low branches that I can duck under, steep sections that lead to a safe runout, overlooked powder stashes, opportunities for jumps and the like. If there's a suitable lift, I take the opportunity to plan my route (including the most difficult turns) while I'm ascending.
At my - not very advanced - level, I only go fast through the trees if I know exactly where I'm heading. That's why I find tree runs are more fun once I've skied them 3-4 times.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Lechbob wrote:
I can steer but if you path is suddenly blocked, how do you put the breaks on. I tried grabbing a branch but that puts you flat on your back. Straddling the tree stops you quickly but hurts.
Two approaches:
1) Look a couple of turns ahead of you so you don't end up finding "you path is suddenly blocked"
2) When you don't see a clear path ahead (but still have time to make a couple turns), turn up hill to lose speed.
Trees are basically moguls which you can't just ride over the top of. Once you have confidence to ski a certain gradian of mogul field in a prescribed line, you can do the same in the trees of similar gradien.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
abc wrote:
Trees are basically moguls which you can't just ride over the top of.
...but I can use the front face of a mogul to aid my turn & slow. In trees, I think you need to control speed where you can and commit to the narrow bits like a cliff jump there's no changing you mind.
I was skiing in the trees at Snowmass, I saw one our group out of the corner of my eye, a lovely lady entangled under a bush. I felt obliged to be chivalrous and turned my head to ask if she was O.K..I hit a mini-kicker and ended in the air hugging a tree...I judged by her laughter that she was O.K. The moral is don't have you head turned by the fair sex when tree skiing.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
try and focus two to three turns in advance, and keep the speed down. This used to be one of my biggest faults in trees. Theres often a natural path through trees and plenty of larger spaces where you can stop to re-evaluate.
