Had an awesome day at Cairngorms and as I've decided to add a new run each time I visit (until I've done them all) I thought I'd take the new pisted route to the lower carpark. I took the Ciste Gully which I've done many times before, but this time it was unpisted (only the carprk route has been groomed). It's an average red I guess with a big gunbarrel shape. The snow was a mix of bumps with big blocks of crusted snow, then scoured bits then wind-blown powder. I've not really done much unpisted skiing, so the technique I used was: try to avoid the bumps, turn, crash through a crud lump, traverse, try to see a bit of route, do some quick skid/jumps, catch an edge, skid like a duck, stop in a pile of powder, admire the view.
And so on.
It was in fact good fun, but it wasn't pretty skiing!!
Any advice for coping with the mixed bag on a red?!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Sofia,
You've just discovered off piste skiing- albeit on piste.
Champagne powder on a bluebird day is rare. Even that requires some mileage to nail.
The fun is making the best of what's around. Groomed pistes become a bit predictable.
As you learn to read the snow, aspect of slope, effect of wind, temperature etc you'll enjoy it more but you sound as if you're getting into it. Pretty skiing in all terrains and conditions is what makes skiing so addictive- you will always feel you could have done a bit better..
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?
Sofia wrote:
It was in fact good fun, but it wasn't pretty skiing!!
Any advice for coping with the mixed bag on a red?!
Hi Mate
That sounds like me last week in Courchevel...fortunately I had an excellent instructor with me
What she advised was......
Treat the Crud/Chop like it was powder, in as much.....
1:Don't try to avoid anything, adopt a strong stance, engage your core muscles, keep your skis an even distance apart.
2:Make wide calm sweeping turns with your weight concentrated on the downhill ski, trust skis to cut through the chop.
3:Don't traverse between turns, commit to the next turn early, make wide S linked turns.
I ate lots of snow! lol in the end she got me to actually snow plow through it with 90% of my weight on the downhill ski.
We made wide turns half on on the piste continuing off the edge and through the crud in order to maintain the calm sweeping turn through the stuff, instead of starting in the stuff and getting confused by the variability.
Hope this helps. I am a novice skier (5wks) so take it all with a pinch of salt. I may well stand corrected by one of the many Professional Instructors on here
I hope ya get to practice it this year, chopped powder is likely to become rare in the Northern Hemisphere just about now!
Thanks franzClammer, and Jonathan Bell,
I will go back and try it again and (wo)man up a bit. You're right about the crud which I've got to learn to just go through, but there were also some rolling bumps which I also need to try and bring into my path down the hill. Taking it low and hopefully turning on the bump should help. Thanks
Fast ski the bumps and crud but aim for bits that look flatter and plan your turns there. Keep your knees bent and flexed over the centre balance point only moving forward to initiate turns. That way should anything 'grab', you have some 'flex and bend' room to absorb and correct without edging immediately. If you want to see an extreme of the technique look at competition 'bumps' skiiers.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
RattytheSnowRat, I tried it again the other day and did a thing where I aimed for the bump and turned using the curve. I also did the scrunching right down and riding over the ones I didn't want to turn on. It did seem to work but was tiring, and I was definitely bouncing between turns which was scary. I think I'll try your method next time and see if I can do it in a more calm manner. Interesting thing about not moving forward too early - I have a habit of pulling myself right down the slope.
Will check out the bump guys....
After all it is free
After all it is free
RattytheSnowRat, the competition bump (technical moguls?) skiers have a very front on, static upper body style. You recommend?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Sofia, for bumps then yes you do stand taller to allow room for your legs to move up and not whack your chest!!
Rather than flying down at speed, bouncing and scaring your self, I'd advocate slowing down. Ski one or two bumps in a traverse, using your leg as shock aborbers, absorb the bump with your legs, then point/push your legs down into the troughs. You should aim to keep your skis on the snow whilst doing this. Then progress to turning on one bump, controlling your speed, skidding down the back of it to control your speed, whilst remembering to still use your legs as shock absorbers...
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Poster: A snowHead
I learnt a great deal from some of these Vids 