Skiing Powder

[Melissa]

I was talking to a friend about possibly doing a 4 day weekend to VT to ski somewhere--I'd really like to ski once out of PA before I retire from season-pass skiing. She mentioned that she'd be down for that but she needs to see if she can do a trip to CO first, which I would be invited on. I pointed out that I have no clue how to ski powder, so I'd be no good at that, but to lemme know if she wants to do VT. Kate pointed out that powder skiing only happens if the mountain gets snow, so it's really not that big of a deal if I don't know how to ski powder.

 

My question to yall is how hard is it to ski powder? I recognize that the waist size of the ski has a lot to do with that, but that aside, would it be hard to pick up? I think a trip to CO would be fun (esp. since I've never been there during the winter), but at the same time, I am apprehensive of my ability to appreciate a trip there.

 

I would appreciate your thoughts.

[toast21602]

it takes time, practice, and concentration. snow snakes love to live in powder and will bite you pretty quick if you arnet paying attention. what makes it harder to ski in is that we dont get it around here. 4 inches isnt going to teach you how to ski in powder, as much as you might think it will. you need a good dumping to understand how to make the turns and get that floating feeling. the only advice i could give to you is go out to wherever you may take a trip and hope for powder. its impossible to not enjoy it.

[Dan-]

I don't ski so i can only offer up one thing.

 

Speed is your friend.

[toast21602]

I don't ski so i can only offer up one thing.

 

Speed is your friend.

 

that too.

[nick malozzi]

Really unless we get DUMPED on, there are plenty of trails that would feel pretty similar to what you are used to back east. It does not take long to get used to the little bit of pow that lies on some of the trails.

 

Really don't powder let discourage you, you will have a blast out here no matter what. Guaranteed.

 

Edit: Another piece of advice. If you have really narrow skis just leave them at home. Some of the resorts out here will rent you some nice fatties. Plus it makes traveling easier and cheaper.

Edited January 9, 2009 by nick malozzi

[n0xidee]

I have never really skied a huge powder day but I can say that even if you stick to groomers CO would still be a lot of fun. You can still find long groomers out there if you don't enjoy the powder.

[Papasteeze]

It needs to be steep and deep in order to understand the whole powder thing. Don't concern yourself with skiing powder until after you have done it and decide that you want more. Chances are that you won't experience powder on any western trips other than a few inches of fresh while skiing, unless you are looking for it and venture into off trail black diamond stuff.

 

You can get your first feel for powder during a western trip just by venturing a little bit off a groomed trail after a new snowfall. Chances are you won't like it.

 

edit: Black runs here in the east are similar in pitch to blue runs out west.

Edited January 9, 2009 by Papasteeze

[Johnny Law]

GSS is right

 

Its much much easier than most people would have you believe. Go rent some fatty's 100+, point them in the direction you want to go and hold on.

 

Good deep pow is a dream come true, your not turning to hold down speed rather to change directions, additionally you can get rowdy in that steeper slopes are much much slower and you have a nice soft landing in the case of some sort of failure. Its really as close to zero work as you can do on skis.

 

Don't lean back as tail gunning only reduces your ability to turn and isn't necessary on a nice pair of fatty's. Watch stopping as you can go over the handlebars if you don't account for the deeper than usual snow.

 

Don't push the snow or get aggro on it, rather get a nice bounce rhythm going and feel the turn pattern. The mountain has a rhythm of turns it wants you to take, bad pow skiers can't see or feel it and waste lots of energy doing their thing.

 

Lastly have fun, pow skiing is the soul of the sport, no one lives in a van for four months of the year to ski groomers.

[phillycore]

Melissa....

 

Just go. It's something that you just need to do.

Skiing out west is different but it's still skiing.

Kind of like the difference between riding a BMX bike compared to a mountain bike.

You know how to ride the bike, but it's a little different...

If you don't go, that's where regret comes in later...

If you do go... you'll have fun....period..

[sexkitten]

We got a huge dump on our 2008 VT trip to Okemo and I really struggled with the powder. I can't say I liked it but I didn't hate it either. I've been told a million times that I should have rented fat skis and I'm sure that they would have helped but it was only two days and I just didn't want to be bothered. I would say to go out West, ski some powder and decide for yourself if you like it. A new experience at worst is at least that. If it helps I'm going to go in a year or so and see if those fat skis really would have helped or not.

[sibhusky]

As already suggested, leave your East Coast skis home. Then, demo each day and try different skis until you fall in love.

 

Powder does take some work at first. One important thing, don't put all your weight on one ski as you turn, it'll sink. Try to keep your weight roughly even and even think of your skis (plural) as a joined board, not as independent entities. In spite of the fact that you'll feel nervous on the powder, you do need to keep up your speed and you should go a bit steeper than you might think as well. Those thoughts never did me a BIT of good however, prior to moving here and getting the right skis on. I used to visit my brother in Colorado a lot and he'd always tell me these things, but since I had skis designed to hold on boiler plate back East, they were pretty horrendous out West.

 

That being said, resorts do tend to make sure the greens are groomed out for visitors. Start out on those and increase as needed. Speed IS your friend, and will be needed on the flatter slopes especially.

 

I bought new skis within weeks after moving here. My Vipers just couldn't handle it...they'd call runs "groomed" from being groomed the night before, but if it's dumping all day, "groomed" becomes meaningless with the wrong skis.

 

We got a huge dump on our 2008 VT trip to Okemo and I really struggled with the powder. I can't say I liked it but I didn't hate it either. I've been told a million times that I should have rented fat skis and I'm sure that they would have helped but it was only two days and I just didn't want to be bothered. I would say to go out West, ski some powder and decide for yourself if you like it. A new experience at worst is at least that. If it helps I'm going to go in a year or so and see if those fat skis really would have helped or not.

 

I can't emphasize enough that you need the right skis if you are getting dumped on, no matter what the hassle in renting. That is why I say, leave the skis home. That way you'll have to rent no matter if you get powder or not.

 

Don't accept anything less than 90mm under foot.

[Melissa]

Thanks all for the input and helpful tips. It's great to know that I could still go to CO and have fun even if I don't know how to ski powder. I'll keep everyone posted on what I end up doing this year!

[Glenn]

If you don't want to ski powder, Colorado is prime right now. It's honestly like riding in the east only more intense terrain. We need cold, snow, and the wind to stop eating all the snow.

 

I've been here for a month and haven't done anything cool on a snowboard outside of the park, which makes me a sad panda.

[First Grade Teacher]

Thanks all for the input and helpful tips. It's great to know that I could still go to CO and have fun even if I don't know how to ski powder. I'll keep everyone posted on what I end up doing this year!

I have the solution...................Take me with you, I'll teach you.

[snorovr]

Melissa,

 

GO HAVE AN AWESOME TIME SOMEWHERE OUT WEST. It is the equivalent of of a young kid going from the local carnival to Disney World. It just blows what you know out of the water. It is an experience you'll likely remember for the rest of your life. Have fun!

 

 

As for fat skis, the softer snow of the west during any time of the year just makes having something a little wider that much more fun. If you're going to take or rent something wider, as Sib said something 90mm in the waist is a good number to shoot for. Id recommend that you rent something in the 85-90mm range, because if you go too much bigger it might feel like a lot of ski as compared to what you are used to and could start to be a little to much to handle without more time to get used to it. Something a little bit wider than what you have will allow you to glide through the softer snow easier and keep your speed up.

Edited January 12, 2009 by T*Maki

[method9455]

The best piece of advice on a powder day:

 

Go early.

 

In the morning when the powder is fresh and untracked it is easy. As the day goes on and it gets more bumping, it gets to be a bit more work. I mean like 1st chair early. We waited in line for the first chair this week for a powder day, and it was well worth it.

 

That said, no matter how bad you are it is a blast. Crashing in powder is really fun and skiing through it is even better, as someone else said, it is the soul of the sport. Once you do it, you will never look back.

[Glenn]

Mark is a friend I met though work. He is spending his first season in Co this year, he's from Buck's county. Last week steamboat got an absurd amount of snow, around 3 feet in three days, and Mark happened to visit. It was Mark's first time riding deep snow. He told me it was surreal, like being in a another state of mind. "It's an experience everyone has to try at least once in life".

 

He's hooked.