Breakthroughs

[highpeaksdrifter]

Offer to help groom the course when you see them working on it and you might get invited.

True dat. Go up to anyone working on the course and ask if they would like you to slip it. More often then not they'll say yes.

 

[ctenidae]

I had an "Ah-ha!" moment at Jay last year when I actually managed to ski in trees without being completely afraid of wrappiing myself around a tree. It was liberating and wodnerful.

 

[Zand]

My first breakthrough was around New Years of the 03-04 season. I had skiied like 3 days at Wachusett in December and was skidding like usual. I went up to Sunapee and I was suddenly linking turns. I went back to Wachusett and never looked back to a week before when I was skidding down the mountain.

Another breakthrough was last year at Smuggs. I always had a big fear of hitting trees while in the woods and my first few runs were no different. It was a school trip and on the last day I took a few runs with a friend who is awesome in the trees. He just blows through carlessly like hes on a groomed slope with nothing to hit. I followed him through with speed and everything. The first few turns scared me, then I realized it really is no different, you just have to hit your marks. I skiied the same run all day after that. I almost killed myself last run as I was tired and probably going too fast, but it was all good and I look forward to getting into the trees more next year.

As far as moguls go, I've only felt comfortable in them once in my life actually. It was a nice March day on Sel's Choice and Plunge at Okemo... perfectly seeded bumps. I'm okay in natural powder bumps, but that's about it. I get no practice either as Wachusett's suck.

 

[riverc0il]

this is a great thread topic and a subject near and dear to my skier's heart. good idea 2knees. i would like to suggest the notion that most skiers have several breakthroughs followed by long plateaus, the breakthrough is a sudden spike. if you drew a skier's progression out as a chart, after obtaining a lower intermediate level, the graph would probably look like very widely spaced stairs.

i only recall my technique breakthroughs that seperated me from the terminal intermediate status and beyond. the first major breakthrough was my first season training with my college ski team at wildcat where i learned the fundamentals of good skiing technique: posture, shoulders, toe/knee/nose alignment, angulation, balance, etc. just through training over the course of one week, i progressed to the point i could ski any groomed slope, no matter how steep, with ease.

my senior year in college, i was standing at the top of lower catenary on the edge of the bumps off lower lynx, looking on with longing as someone else tore up the bumps. something i could not do at the time. i watched and studied people skiing the bumps, and then copied them. took a few runs down the old gondi line and just felt so much more comfortable in the bumps, to the point i could ski 2000 verts of them without major pain or needing to bail. it wasn't pretty, but a solid bump foundation breakthrough was made as i applied general ski technique basics to bump skiing. it wasn't pretty but it was a breakthrough that got me off the groomers.

i took it up a step on my first run down mittersill. by that time, i was handling bumps with ease but powder just wasn't for me. i hooked up with two guys and a gal heading up over the saddle and descended barrons scoring my first ever powder shot and took it up a step skiing bumps effortlessly and with massive joy. that day pushed me over the edge towards being a primary natural snow skier and generally shunning the groomers as early season only runs.

i can't remember my exact break through in the trees. probably somewhere abouts off the map at cannon a few years ago where everything just clicked. i knew no tree run, no run period, would ever hold me back again. to the point i'll ski anything and do it with the attitude of having good looking and pretty to watch technique regardless of conditions. i still have my ugly moments. i push towards my next desired breakthrough when making it feel good and look good become effortless... i think that one is a long way off.

 

[riverc0il]

Which is why I love seeded bumps. Some purists hate them...

i think hate is a strong word. i have never met a skier that enjoyed bumps that hates seeded bumps. i don't even think i have seen any post online about "hating" seeded bumps. there are certainly those of us that prefer them o' natural. but i would be surprised if anyone that enjoys skiing bumps would actually say they 'hated' seeded lines.

 

[Hawkshot99]

What is seeding bumps?

 

[AdironRider]

You use a groomer to push snow up and make "seeded" bumps.

My breakthrough came right at the end of my first season snowbaording. I had been laboring at Whiteface for a good 20 or days before the spring corn came. With the hero snow I just said fudgie it and tried to rock the best carves I could. Second run on my first day experiencing corn and it just clicked. I can rock either edge now, at any speed, in any conditions and its awesome. That all came together on that day.

Ive been riding for almost 4 years now, 30 - 40 times a season. That has been the biggest difference maker in my riding. I ride 1-2 times a week minimum from the day the mt opens to the day it closes, regardless of conditions Im there. Just staying on the mtn for a full season often leads to season by season breakthroughs if you ask me.

 

[Greg]

i think hate is a strong word. i have never met a skier that enjoyed bumps that hates seeded bumps. i don't even think i have seen any post online about "hating" seeded bumps. there are certainly those of us that prefer them o' natural. but i would be surprised if anyone that enjoys skiing bumps would actually say they 'hated' seeded lines.

You're arguing semantics here, Steve...

You use a groomer to push snow up and make "seeded" bumps.

That's the first step in the process. The bumps then need to be "skied in" by actual skiers. Essentially the groomers set up the location of the crest of each bump. A nice mogul run is only formed after some skier traffic is on it.

 

[riverc0il]

semantics? greg, hate implies strong dislike. any bump lover whether preference towards man made or natural would be hard pressed to make an arguement towards disliking any bump run except those that have been chewed up by traffic, weather, or snow condition... a situation that can befall both natural and seeded bump runs alike. i have never met a bump run i didn't like. well, maybe upper can am at jay (natural). if you meant to say that many bump skiers have a strong preference towards natural bumps, i agree completely. but there is a difference between arguing semantics and words not expressing correctly the nature of the statement.

 

[2knees]

That's the first step in the process. The bumps then need to be "skied in" by actual skiers. Essentially the groomers set up the location of the crest of each bump. A nice mogul run is only formed after some skier traffic is on it.

This is an accurate statement. Even at a little area in ct, i ducked the rope on a seeded run before it was broken in and it was messed up to say the least. It's like hitting a bunch of little brick walls at speed over and over again. No troughs, no line, just a bunch of cement fences. that is the best analogy i can give. They are broken in by side slipping and boot packing. I tend to overthink the process possibly.

 

[Greg]

This is an accurate statement. Even at a little area in ct, i ducked the rope on a seeded run before it was broken in and it was messed up to say the least. It's like hitting a bunch of little brick walls at speed over and over again. No troughs, no line, just a bunch of cement fences. that is the best analogy i can give. They are broken in by side slipping and boot packing. I tend to overthink the process possibly.

Where do we sign up to be a part of the Sundown "Ski In" Team?

 

[SkiDog]

Offer to help groom the course when you see them working on it and you might get invited.

Man I gotta ski...I cant be wasting time building bumps.....its not all that important..



M

 

[bvibert]

Where do we sign up to be a part of the Sundown "Ski In" Team?

You're the one with all the contacts, I think you know who to call...

 

[Greg]

You're the one with all the contacts, I think you know who to call...

I was kind of kidding, but maybe I will. It would be great to know when the bumps were going to be set up....

 

[bvibert]

I was kind of kidding, but maybe I will. It would be great to know when the bumps were going to be set up....

I figured you were kidding, I don't think it would be too hard to be part of the 'action' though if you really wanted to. They might ski them in during the day mid-week though.

 

[Greg]

I figured you were kidding, I don't think it would be too hard to be part of the 'action' though if you really wanted to. They might ski them in during the day mid-week though.

I Emailed Chris about this, just for giggles. He probably thinks I'm nuts.

 

[bvibert]

I Emailed Chris about this, just for giggles. He probably thinks I'm nuts.

Probably, but that's ok.

 

[JimG.]

Man I gotta ski...I cant be wasting time building bumps.....its not all that important..



M

Well I certainly understand that, but realize that this view is why they have the course roped off to begin with. They don't want folks skiing and trashing the course if they aren't going to also help maintain it.

You've got to give to get.

 

[SkiDog]

Well I certainly understand that, but realize that this view is why they have the course roped off to begin with. They don't want folks skiing and trashing the course if they aren't going to also help maintain it.

You've got to give to get.

I completely agree...thats why I dont ever duck that rope....but it is still tempting...I see a rope and its like a bull seeing red.. HA...

M

 

[Greg]

Bump