Given that most the demo clips on skiing techniques are given on "good" snow conditions, which makes "How to ski a bumpy and icy trail" the most overlooked and least talked about subjects among the 'net ski forums' discussions. I think it deserves a thread on its own.
I would have never figured that we would be into this record snow drought conditions; we are setting on record daytime high temperature zone. Nevertheless, for lacking natural snow, Heavenly does an excellent job to groom the trails and keep the area open.
Since the trails are groomed every night, trail skiing is quite decent in the morning; however, the grooms only last about half an hour and the smoothness of trails lasts for another hour； by the time noon comes around, the grooms are all gone but icy patches and the loose snow along the edges and the bottom icy patches, which make very inconsistent surface to ski on. Most of falls accur on losing control on the icy patches and crashing into the loose snow bumps. Local hospital reported 50+ a day brought in to emergency room on a busy day, they sure make good business. So, how do we ski the "bumpy and icy trails" without crashing all over the places? Pku has a good idea, stay on the bumps and let the loose snow to kill your speed. Yes, that's how I find my "bumps" and "powder" nowadays.
taichiskiing 寫:Given that most the demo clips on skiing techniques are given on "good" snow conditions, which makes "How to ski a bumpy and icy trail" the most overlooked and least talked about subjects among the 'net ski forums' discussions. I think it deserves a thread on its own.
I would have never figured that we would be into this record snow drought conditions; we are setting on record daytime high temperature zone. Nevertheless, for lacking natural snow, Heavenly does an excellent job to groom the trails and keep the area open.
Since the trails are groomed every night, trail skiing is quite decent in the morning; however, the grooms only last about half an hour and the smoothness of trails lasts for another hour； by the time noon comes around, the grooms are all gone but icy patches and the loose snow along the edges and the bottom icy patches, which make very inconsistent surface to ski on. Most of falls accur on losing control on the icy patches and crashing into the loose snow bumps. Local hospital reported 50+ a day brought in to emergency room on a busy day, they sure make good business. So, how do we ski the "bumpy and icy trails" without crashing all over the places? Pku has a good idea, stay on the bumps and let the loose snow to kill your speed. Yes, that's how I find my "bumps" and "powder" nowadays.
Your low end sking style is never bend and extend your feet. It made your feet usually under your centre of gravity so it's good for icy condition. The condition in your video may be hard pacthes but not icy. It doesn't look bumpy.
taichiskiing 寫:Given that most the demo clips on skiing techniques are given on "good" snow conditions, which makes "How to ski a bumpy and icy trail" the most overlooked and least talked about subjects among the 'net ski forums' discussions. I think it deserves a thread on its own.
I would have never figured that we would be into this record snow drought conditions; we are setting on record daytime high temperature zone. Nevertheless, for lacking natural snow, Heavenly does an excellent job to groom the trails and keep the area open.
Since the trails are groomed every night, trail skiing is quite decent in the morning; however, the grooms only last about half an hour and the smoothness of trails lasts for another hour； by the time noon comes around, the grooms are all gone but icy patches and the loose snow along the edges and the bottom icy patches, which make very inconsistent surface to ski on. Most of falls accur on losing control on the icy patches and crashing into the loose snow bumps. Local hospital reported 50+ a day brought in to emergency room on a busy day, they sure make good business. So, how do we ski the "bumpy and icy trails" without crashing all over the places? Pku has a good idea, stay on the bumps and let the loose snow to kill your speed. Yes, that's how I find my "bumps" and "powder" nowadays.
Thsi kind of condition happen a lot on the local mountains of Vancouver where I worked full time for 2 seasons more than 10 years ago. Those loose snow bump tends to separate the skis apart and the icy spot is slippery like hell. I couldn't handle it at all. Of course I can ski down but kind of everywhere.
I didn't ski much there any more and Whisler got that kind of condition sometimes around April on the bottom part. Since the bottom part is not steep so I can handle much better now.
pku 寫:Thsi kind of condition happen a lot on the local mountains of Vancouver where I worked full time for 2 seasons more than 10 years ago. Those loose snow bump tends to separate the skis apart and the icy spot is slippery like hell. I couldn't handle it at all. Of course I can ski down but kind of everywhere.
I didn't ski much there any more and Whisler got that kind of condition sometimes around April on the bottom part. Since the bottom part is not steep so I can handle much better now.
Yup, icy and bumpy are typical spring skiing conditions until they turn to slushes. Interesting thing here is we have a spring skiing condition in a pre-winter setting; i.e. warm during the days and cold at the nights, and the temperature drops significantly in the shadows so the snow doesn't have much chance to turn into slushes, remains hard and icy all afternoons. I sideslipping on ice patches and change to dynamic short turns to ski the loose snow, stay on it (don't turn off out of the loose snow) like you would ski a straight mogul line. It is quite do-able and its fun.
When the snow come on Heavenly?
Forcasted for midweek next week, but probably comes later in the next weekends. Anyhow, I think the snow will come before the end of this month, just hope that "extreme drought brings in the extreme wet/dump," and hopely, it is "snow," not rain! Stay tuned.