Do bumps make the man?

[WICKEDBUMPER]

.and spent the evening popping Advil and icing his back. So the claims of bodily stress are sometimes quite valid, even with what [appears to be] good technique.

I pretty much limp around with a bad back from dec to may every year, living on advil. I got used to it. its been like that for years. I never skied with a good bumper who didn't take an advil at lunch and in the car ride home.

 

[WICKEDBUMPER]

Finally, I'd also suggest that there are (or were; more recent trends in park vs. bump popularity may have changed this) bump skiers out there who can't turn for crap; I remember seeing skiers who could deflect-and-extend rather well but were completely, utterly unable to arc a turn. They may simply have not cared, but it's a little disturbing to watch someone on a pair of floppy-tipped mogul skis straightline a moderate-pitch groomer because he's trying to get to a terrain feature or another mogul field somewhere.

that is called saving your legs for where it matters. why waste energy doing something you dont want to do? I have no desire to ever carve a turn again. I purposely go out of my way to ski flats using as little energy as possible. when I am on the hill all that matters is getting to the bump run. flats to get to the bumps are pains in the arse. I could carve with the best of them, and I do if I have to, but I'd much rather save my legs for the line.

 

[NYDrew]

i don't use advil and I'm a bumper








I prefere naproxin.

 

[Marc]

I can't ski a "triple-kinked 872, Mctwinkie" jump either. Does that mean I'm not an "expert"?

I throw those down all the time at Wachusett. I'll teach you sometime.

 

[JimG.]

I think it's interesting to hear alot of this. I'll vouch for 2knees...when we were at Hunter, he didn't even want to check out the rest of the mountain once we had skied the bump course a few times. That's where he was the rest of the day. WICKEDBUMPER is his kindred spirit. 2knees doesn't care about carving or powder either.

I love bumps and spend alot of time skiing them. I think I'm a good bump skier. However, I love to carve on blue ice and I love powder and trees too. Hike for turns? Sure.

Great bump skiers are generally great skiers overall...the best bumpers I know enjoy carving and POW as much as the next guy. That's the group I hang with.

So, I guess I'm challenging the notion the bumps only is where it's at. And that being good at bumps only makes you an expert.

 

[2knees]

I think it's interesting to hear alot of this. I'll vouch for 2knees...when we were at Hunter, he didn't even want to check out the rest of the mountain once we had skied the bump course a few times. That's where he was the rest of the day. WICKEDBUMPER is his kindred spirit. 2knees doesn't care about carving or powder either.

I love bumps and spend alot of time skiing them. I think I'm a good bump skier. However, I love to carve on blue ice and I love powder and trees too. Hike for turns? Sure.

Great bump skiers are generally great skiers overall...the best bumpers I know enjoy carving and POW as much as the next guy. That's the group I hang with.

So, I guess I'm challenging the notion the bumps only is where it's at. And that being good at bumps only makes you an expert.

Spot on, but dont forget that i admit to being less than an expert at other aspects. I'm addicted to one discipline of skiing and admit to lacking in others. So to answer the question directly, personally i think being a great bump skier alone doesnt make one a great skier overall. Jim, you enjoy all areas and excel in each. It was apparent to me in a very short time.

You also give good advice!

 

[Greg]

I think it's interesting to hear alot of this. I'll vouch for 2knees...when we were at Hunter, he didn't even want to check out the rest of the mountain once we had skied the bump course a few times. That's where he was the rest of the day. WICKEDBUMPER is his kindred spirit. 2knees doesn't care about carving or powder either.

I love bumps and spend alot of time skiing them. I think I'm a good bump skier. However, I love to carve on blue ice and I love powder and trees too. Hike for turns? Sure.

Great bump skiers are generally great skiers overall...the best bumpers I know enjoy carving and POW as much as the next guy. That's the group I hang with.

So, I guess I'm challenging the notion the bumps only is where it's at. And that being good at bumps only makes you an expert.

I have an undeniable preference for bumps like 2knees. We had a blast just doing laps on the bump run at Sundown this season. I was content doing that and didn't feel like I was missing out on the rest of the mountain. I think the repitition definitely helped me improve. Extension was one of the items I struggled with until this season when it finally clicked. Put me on a good bump run and I have no problem skiing it all day, or at least until the legs quit.

With that said, my favorite terrain is a bumped natural trail. Next would likely be a seeded bump run. Skiing LGR or loose snow on the sides of a steep is my third preference. Cruising blues are okay for a warmup or ending the day, but that gets old for me. The only caveat here is if I'm skiing with others. I enjoy the comaraderie as well so I'll ski mellow stuff with folks I'm with if that's their thing. I guess if I can get 2/3 of my day on either bumps or uneven snow, I'm happy.

 

[Big Game]

I think it takes serious amount of delusion to call oneself an expert when that person can't ski or board the bumps. Or ski or board the woods. Or ski or board icy bumps.

And if you're in a park, you're wasting your time. But thank you for doing so, as you leave the real terrain park less crowded for me.

But serious, I like to think of myself as an expert boarder, until I tried to follow real experts. They were able to do everything. Woods, bumps and parks. Holy crap, put me to shame.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Spot on, but dont forget that i admit to being less than an expert at other aspects. I'm addicted to one discipline of skiing and admit to lacking in others. So to answer the question directly, personally i think being a great bump skier alone doesnt make one a great skier overall.

Interesting. My experiences and people I know make you kinda an anomaly (for me that is). I can’t think of a single person I know who is an expert bump skier who I wouldn't consider an all mountain expert.

 

[dmc]

Interesting. My experiences and people I know make you kinda an anomaly (for me that is). I can’t think of a single person I know who is an expert bump skier who I wouldn't consider an all mountain expert.

I can - some of the guys we ski with at Hunter compete every year at the BMMC and place high - they are also great skiers on big mountains...

 

[Greg]

Interesting. My experiences and people I know make you kinda an anomaly (for me that is). I can’t think of a single person I know who is an expert bump skier who I wouldn't consider an all mountain expert.

I think 2knees is an excellent all around skier. He has a very similar style as you HPD - the tight, narrow old school stance; obviously a by-product of skiing the bumps a lot with straights. I'm sure Pat can hold his own all over the mountain if he had to. Maybe not a big arching carver, but more of a short radius turning kind of guy which is a style I prefer as well although I have a wider stance. I've seen him throw down a twister or two as well so he's not afraid of air either...

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I can - some of the guys we ski with at Hunter compete every year at the BMMC and place high - they are also great skiers on big mountains...

When you wrote "I can" I thought you where disagreeing with me, but the rest sounds like you're agreeing.

 

[dmc]

When you wrote "I can" I thought you where disagreeing with me, but the rest sounds like you're agreeing.

My bad - missread your post - got a wierd resoultion on my laptop to prepare for a demo...

I agree with you..

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I think 2knees is an excellent all around skier. He has a very similar style as you HPD - the tight, narrow old school stance; obviously a by-product of skiing the bumps a lot with straights. I'm sure Pat can hold his own all over the mountain if he had to. Maybe not a big arching carver, but more of a short radius turning kind of guy which is a style I prefer as well although I have a wider stance. I've seen him throw down a twister or two as well so he's not afraid of air either...

I do try to open my stance up when curving groomed, but it's an old dog new trick type of thing for me. I keep working on it though.

I hope no one thought I was putting him down, I was just commenting on what he wrote. Just different ski life experiences.

 

[Greg]

I hope no one thought I was putting him down, I was just commenting on what he wrote. Just different ski life experiences.

I don't think anyone would take it the wrong way. As mentioned before most bumpers are highly self-critical. Again, I'm sure Pat could rip on other stuff if we could pull him away from the bumps...

 

[JimG.]

Spot on, but dont forget that i admit to being less than an expert at other aspects. I'm addicted to one discipline of skiing and admit to lacking in others. So to answer the question directly, personally i think being a great bump skier alone doesnt make one a great skier overall. Jim, you enjoy all areas and excel in each. It was apparent to me in a very short time.

You also give good advice!

Thanks Pat, appreciated coming from another good skier.

I also appreciate that you realize I'm NOT trashing your skiing. It's not that you can't carve, it's that you would rather ski bumps and don't take the time to perfect the carving skills. It's a matter of choice, not ability.

Nothing wrong with doing things you like.

 

[2knees]

I do try to open my stance up when curving groomed, but it's an old dog new trick type of thing for me. I keep working on it though.

I hope no one thought I was putting him down, I was just commenting on what he wrote. Just different ski life experiences.

no worries, i didnt take it that way. i always remember its the internet and some of us havent seen each other ski. I have things to learn and work on in the bumps and out. Just feel like i have more to learn out. My style on groomers wouldnt fit the form being taught today by any stretch. I cant think of anything i've come across at any resort inbounds that would scare me away. I'm sure there is plenty of stuff ob that would. I know for a fact i need more work in deep powder with no base. Cant do that very well but it isnt like you can just get up any day and decide to work on that aspect, unfortunately.

 

[skibum1321]

I do try to open my stance up when curving groomed, but it's an old dog new trick type of thing for me. I keep working on it though.

I hope no one thought I was putting him down, I was just commenting on what he wrote. Just different ski life experiences.

Opening up my stance is one of the big things I've been trying to work on this season. I think I've made pretty good progress.

 

[JimG.]

I know for a fact i need more work in deep powder with no base. Cant do that very well but it isnt like you can just get up any day and decide to work on that aspect, unfortunately.

Not here on the east coast anyway.

In comparison, skiers who live in Salt Lake City literally choke on all the powder they get to ski in. But alot of folks I know from out west don't like to ski bumps, or hardpack, or anything else we get here in the east. In fact, they rarely ski anything other than powder. And if it isn't enough for them, they stay home. It sickens me to hear a buddy from SLC call to tell me it only snowed 8" last night and their going to sleep in because it just isn't worth it to get up to ski in only 8". Sickening.

I love powder, but I'd go nuts if I ever got that spoiled.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Not here on the east coast anyway.
It sickens me to hear a buddy from SLC call to tell me it only snowed 8" last night and their going to sleep in because it just isn't worth it to get up to ski in only 8". Sickening.
.

No kidin, here in the East when there is 8 inches of fresh we call in sick to work.