Getting air

[millerm277]

For me, for whatever reason, I just have a real dislike of parks, and never go for big air...In the woods, I'll hit almost any drop or jump I can find, however...

 

[mattchuck2]

No offense, but this thread sounds like a bunch of old people talking about "getting air". I KNOW you guys aren't that old (I've seen the pictures to prove it, and even met some of you in person). If you showed yourself this thread 10 years ago, would you be happy about what you're writing?

C'mon, you wusses. The only way to do it is to do it. Start small, and work up to it. You can even start on your precious bump runs - instead of zipper lining straight down, try launching of the front side of one bump and landing on the backside of another. Do this enough, and you'll develop a feeling for the "pop" that you need when you hit jumps of a greater caliber. Once you have that down, hit some smaller tabletops, and then some larger ones . . . you'll be dropping telemark 3s off of cornices in Squaw Valley in no time:

 

[gorgonzola]

its really helpful to have someone lead off ahead of you to guage speed - a major problem is not having enough speed and coming up short on a landing - knees no likey! last weekend i hit the first 2 booters in the park at blue, two of the biggest i've ever hit - maybe 25+', and hit/landed both cleanly cuz i was following someone and matching their speed. if i was doing it alone i would have never approached that fast and came up waaaay short! like just about anything progression is key...

 

[Greg]

No offense, but this thread sounds like a bunch of old people talking about "getting air". I KNOW you guys aren't that old (I've seen the pictures to prove it, and even met some of you in person). If you showed yourself this thread 10 years ago, would you be happy about what you're writing?

Easy to say if you've been skiing all or much of your life. I started skiing at age 20 so I didn't have the benefit of fearless youth when learning to ski.

 

[2knees]

No offense, but this thread sounds like a bunch of old people talking about "getting air". I KNOW you guys aren't that old (I've seen the pictures to prove it, and even met some of you in person). If you showed yourself this thread 10 years ago, would you be happy about what you're writing?

C'mon, you wusses. The only way to do it is to do it. Start small, and work up to it. You can even start on your precious bump runs - instead of zipper lining straight down, try launching of the front side of one bump and landing on the backside of another. Do this enough, and you'll develop a feeling for the "pop" that you need when you hit jumps of a greater caliber. Once you have that down, hit some smaller tabletops, and then some larger ones . . . you'll be dropping telemark 3s off of cornices in Squaw Valley in no time:

for me, i made the decision to stop going big years ago. blowing a knee out throwing a daffy on 205cm skis and having to go through a 2nd acl reconstruction made me change things up. I wanted to keep skiing, and keep skiing bumps, so i decided to limit the injury risk in other aspects.

before alpinezone, the internet and al gore, all of my ski buddies and i did was ski bumps and huck ourselves into oblivion. there werent perfectly manicured terrain parks with their baby ass smooth landings and pretty table tops. no, we earned our airs the hard way. and we did it with wooden skis and leather boots too. and we took our horse and buggy with no heat to the mountain in brutal snowstorms and sub zero temps. it was before global warming too.

but no, if i read this 10 years ago, i wouldnt give a shit. things change. i dont really give a crap about air time anymore.

 

[bvibert]

No offense, but this thread sounds like a bunch of old people talking about "getting air". I KNOW you guys aren't that old (I've seen the pictures to prove it, and even met some of you in person). If you showed yourself this thread 10 years ago, would you be happy about what you're writing?

C'mon, you wusses. The only way to do it is to do it. Start small, and work up to it. You can even start on your precious bump runs - instead of zipper lining straight down, try launching of the front side of one bump and landing on the backside of another. Do this enough, and you'll develop a feeling for the "pop" that you need when you hit jumps of a greater caliber. Once you have that down, hit some smaller tabletops, and then some larger ones . . . you'll be dropping telemark 3s off of cornices in Squaw Valley in no time:

Hey man, I am old...

If I saw this thread 10 years ago I'd be stoked that I was talking about skiing at all since 10 years ago I hadn't skied in several years and I wouldn't get out again for several more. I'd also be impressed that I was talking about getting air at all since I've always been a wuss when it came to 'getting air' in all aspects of my life.

 

[drjeff]

I used to be a bit "air phobic" but I will admit that this season in particular with what Mount Snow has done to Carinthia and all the hits they have there now, that my air comfort level has SLOWLY been increasing. And if anyone ever sees me doing anything other than a straight air, it's safe to assume that the chances of a good crash in the following seconds are atleast 50/50

On a good powder day, I will say that the size of the air that I'll consider seeking does get larger

 

[Chris I]

If you are scared, go about 40% faster to the takeoff than you feel comfortable doing and you'll probably clear it/

As someone said before, i'll hit anything in the backcountry (almost) but parks scare me, especially now that I'm older and have 2 bad knees (21 yrs puts a killing on you)

I've been getting better this season, Mt Snow's parks early in the season got me excited about park after not hitting any good jump in lonnnggg time (Gore pass)

Also all the kids I'm living with like the park... ie- Today knee deep stashes EVERYWHERE. "Hey chris lets just hang out in the park today" They did... alone. Or maybe it was me alone slashing the goods all morning.

But again with other advice already given, just hang out with people who aren't scared. Drop from the "designated" drop in after watching all the 'good kids' go and follow their speed check lines/speeds.

 

[Grassi21]

Somebody has to make you look better...

I thought that was the reason you guys put up with me. :lol:

 

[bvibert]

I thought that was the reason you guys put up with me. :lol:

That's the reason that I put up with you...

 

[awf170]

Hey Greg (and other CLIT followers), come up to MRG with me sometime and we'll do all sorts of fun hucking and jumps. MRG has so many 5-10ft drops and sweet airs it will be the perfect spot for it. Plus you'll get to see me eat it at least a couple of times. Though that may not help with the whole trying to gain confidence thing. :lol:

 

[riverc0il]

The only way to do it is to do it.

Damn straight.

 

[mondeo]

Though that may not help with the whole trying to gain confidence thing. :lol:

At that point, I don't think it matters. Definitely worth it.

 

[JD]

I've always been really shy about getting air. I'm talking about hits and jumps more than drops, although I assume a lot of the same rules apply. I just can't get past a mental block of letting myself go bigger, a lack of balls really. Any suggestions? I know it's important to stayed balanced and I usually pole plant at the crest of a hit in order to try to stay forward. Still I usually end up back seat. Not looking to hit giant booters or tabletops, but would like to just get a bit more hang time. I think I really need to "pop" more off a jump rather than riding up it. I know one suggestion will be to hit the park more, but I struggle with burning a run to navigate around park rats. I guess you have to though. Any other quick tips?

Be more aggressive. Go to the terrain park. Watch how fast they hit the first jump. Commit to hitting it at the same speed. Pump the take off. Look for the landing. When you land the first one solid a few times, start taking the run in to the second hit, watch people hit it, commit..soon you'll have all the jumps figured out and you'll be more comfy in the air.
That's what I did. I actually feel like it totally translated to the bike, and the spring after I started hitting the park we started Dirt Jumping and making big MTB jumps. Wee.

 

[SIKSKIER]

Get out of the damn mogul fields.You can only huck so far without harpooning another bump unless you are Plake.Explore other other types of terrain and you'll start to get comfy in that whole new world of skiing something other than bumps.Just to be fair,the same could be said about me in reverse.

 

[Greg]

Get out of the damn mogul fields.You can only huck so far without harpooning another bump unless you are Plake.Explore other other types of terrain and you'll start to get comfy in that whole new world of skiing something other than bumps.Just to be fair,the same could be said about me in reverse.

I love it how everyone thinks all I ski is moguls. :lol:

 

[St. Bear]

I must say that to a newbie poster like myself, it does seem that 80% of the people on this board only ski moguls at Sundown Mt.

 

[Greg]

I must say that to a newbie poster like myself, it does seem that 80% of the people on this board only ski moguls at Sundown Mt.

I agree that the Sundown bump contingent probably is one of the larger and more vocal groups here. I don't agree that most people feel that 80% of the people here only ski bumps at Sundown though. Those of us that do are very fanatical about it, and perhaps it is annoying to those that don't, but it's extremely easy to simply skip Sundown threads.

It's Ski Sundown, BTW, not Sundown Mt.... :razz:

 

[downhill04]

I love it how everyone thinks all I ski is moguls. :lol:

You ski non bump runs?

 

[Greg]

You ski non bump runs?

Not always. I think it's safe to say I prefer "ungroomed" terrain, but it doesn't have to be all moguls, all the time. 2knees on the other hand...