searched the forums, and a bit of googling on this, how do people deal with/build up to dropping off small stuff(say 2.5 foot-5 foot).and also, how do you deal with landings that are quite flat
I know ive jumped higher, and i realise when hitting a bump on a fast olympic red, I probably actually drop further than the drop off something like this.
but how do you deal with such a thing when you come up to it either at slow speed/or from a stand still.
can you just keep your weight back slightly and roll over the edge, then weight forward as soon as your boot is passed it. or do you stand side on and pivot into it, or stand side on and jump into it.
Its just something that seems quite daunting, when in fact you hit stuff bigger than that quite often.
just rather embarrassing when you break out of the trees above a ski road, with a 3-4 foot drop onto it. then have to slide down the drop on your back bottom.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Dropping onto cattracks is not that easy as its straight to hard flat, often better to ski the "face" obliquely (I'm a bit of a wuss).
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 dropped on to a cat track once. flat light , had no idea there was a good 10 foot drop
On to a nice flat and hard cat track.ouch,stretcher down, end of my season, one broken heel bone.
So don't ask me for advise I guess.
Hard and/or flat landings will not do your knees much good. Sometimes its much better to stop and slip down.
After all it is free
After all it is free
kev182, what clarky999, said!
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.
If you're knees are young enough 'Flat seems to be the new steep' for landings that is!
To avoid looking like a plum whilst skidding down into a heap on the path, Id suggest spending a bit more time looking for a good spot to drop onto the path. Better still scope it out before hand. A little traverse/side slip could work or you might even look for a small transition of bank of snow to aim for, anything to take the sting out of hitting flat piste.
For dropping cliffs to flat landings, my advice would be to wait for fresh snow and a nice soft landing. I've dropped big cliffs to flat before but only with a metre or more of fresh landing.
With bigger jumps and cliffs drops the landing should really catch you as you land, speed is your friend as is pop and being balanced in the air. Landing with flexed but strong legs and core will help you stay centred. Pitching back is super common and a better option than a face plant, with practice you'll be landing centred and riding away. Only then can you really claim it!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
skierchris, I've never claimed anything taller than myself Still trying though
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
No-one ever hurt themselves in the air... Just don't land!
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.
Same as on a bike... try never to land on something flat.
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
kev182, have to agree with skierchris, in my youth I used to drop some pretty big stuff but the old knees are not really up to it now
dropping back onto the piste or cat tracks and paths, is a matter of either an oblique traverse or a little side slip down the face, it all depends on the snow conditions. If your skiing is up to it put in a couple of good old short swing turns down the face and then when you get to the flat section you have a pretty good chance of just skiing away on it.
For bigger stuff and proper drops anything from 15 to 60 foot then its best to land on nice soft snow or a pretty steep angle run out, when I was freestyling then I aways found it easier to pull a trick in the air then land rather than just a straight drop. I think on the bigger stuff its not worth thinking to much in the air !!
My lad managed to ski of a small cliff last season by mistake, dropped about 70 foot, soft snow on landing so he sucked it up with a hip plant, popped straight back up and carried on skiing, just wish we had a vid of it to see the expression on his face, he thought it was just a 20 foot drop which he had done the day before
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Good old hip plant...got to love it! Just check for rocks first.
I was skiing with a mate one day in the Grands Montets Trees (Dream forest) it was pretty soft with 40cm's of fresh snow. We we're popping off a few little drops and lines and having a great time. On the run in to a small drop Ben managed to clip and small rock on the take-off, which span him around in the air...He then proceeded to land on another rock but this time with his back...ooouch..I hear you! The rest of the story goes, helicopter couldn't get into the tress so we had to blood cart him off and down to the hospital. Four days later he flew back to the UK with a huge bill and no insurance. He was back on the snow later that season so was super lucky. Just goes to show how a little rock can ruin your day if you're not to careful. I always kind of expect to hit rocks and stumps etc when skiing the trees, it pays to do so.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I used to take the odd drop in the trees, but now I stick to open country if I'm going to fall off anything. The submerged treestump that did for my ankle has still not been forgiven.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
thanks Elston, ordered that book, just in the hope it gives me a few more pointers on the kind of stuff i find myself doing more often now.
and shoogly, thats what got me thinking, I ride mountain bikes quite a lot, and was rather proficient on a trials bike back in the day, but used to have drouble dropping anything over about 3 foot the way i was taught(basically get the bike at the angle youd want to hit the floor, then ride forwards), till i found out about the technique of basically letting your front drop as far as possible, with the back wheel on the edge, then as your front wheel is dropping low (say 4 inches below level) give a lil kick on the pedals and push the back end down as quick as youd could. which meant over night i went from having jack jarring 3 foot drops to flat in the bag, to being able to drop smoothly 6 or so foot to flat, and was just wondering whether there was a hidden technique to it on skis(i could see there being one, but then thats why i asked).
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
A technique I occasionally find useful ( for example entering a narrow couloir where there is a cornice or broken cornice) is not much taught, I find, but should be.
You start pointing straight towards the fall line with tips over the edge. Now push off hard with your sticks, but as you go over the edge, swivel in the air, using one of your sticks as a pivot. You land with your skis across the slope but with no cross-slope movement - either stopping dead or skidding a bit in side-slip. If you fall into the slope it doesn't matter - just push yourself back upright as you land. It is surprisingly easy to do. Try it first on a tiny drop rather than when a fall might matter.
By the way, in answer to the OP's question, don't lean forwards or back as you go over an edge, just draw up your knees a little to take your weight off the skis, or pop (ie a small jump in the air more like a bounce) as you take off. It is important to land with your weight over your feet (perhaps a bit back if landing in deep snow since the snow may check you on landing). Not that I have ever been much into big air, I'm afraid.
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?
Not sure if my limited experience at the local freestyle sessions is valid but it might help..
When I've been taking small jumps, 2-3 foot I've found that moving just about fast enough to give a little pop with the knees and clear the lip of the ramp/drop and then keeping my head up, looking at horizon, really helps me retain balance for a smoother landing. Upon landing, its more comfortable to almost exaggerate the absorption of the impact with the legs allowing you to bounce out a bit and un-weight your skis to turn easily and shave off the speed you pick up (if its not a flat landing..)
This from Flaine 2010. Can't say we landed anything but fun to do. The first drop was about 7ft and achievable. The cliffs we attempted after the partial success of the first were about 40ft and it didn't go well (funny though).
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Still trying though 
