Is Powder Your Favorite Condition?

[highpeaksdrifter]

Sounds like a no brainier, but it’s not everybody’s top choice. Many struggle in it. It burns your quads if you’re not in shape. Lot’s of mogul fans here. No one will admit to liking groomers, even those that ski them pretty much all the time.

It is mine. I still can’t believe how much untracked I was able to bag at Whiteface yesterday morning this early in the season.

 

[andyzee]

Sounds like a no brainier, but it’s not everybody’s top choice. Many struggle in it. It burns your quads if you’re not in shape. Lot’s of mogul fans here. No one will admit to liking groomers, even those that ski them pretty much all the time.

It is mine. I still can’t believe how much untracked I was able to bag at Whiteface yesterday morning this early in the season.

Honestly, I thought it was a trick question. Yes, I like to mix it up, but if pressed to choose, nothing like nice fresh talcum. And for when the quads have had it, well groomers gets them back in shape real nice.

So, Whiteface looking good, huh?

 

[thetrailboss]

If my legs are strong enough, and I am in shape, yes.

 

[BushMogulMaster]

Only when it's on bumps!

I love powder. But I like bumps better.

 

[MarkC]

The only thing better than powder is more powder.

 

[campgottagopee]

Whatcha mean no one will admut to liking groomers---I like them---theres alot of fun ripin down a steep trail w/ fresh cord on it. BUT, I like powder more, nothing really like it. I will admit that I can't hang with it all day anymore simply from not having the ski legs I used to. It sure was sweet yesterday and I'm off tomorrow so I'll let you no about that later.

 

[bobbutts]

as long as it's steep enough
powder is terrible on the flats and uphills

 

[campgottagopee]

as long as it's steep enough
powder is terrible on the flats and uphills

Yeah, I hate trying to ski all that POW uphill:razz:

 

[reefer]

Yes!

 

[Zand]

It's mine mainly because it is extremely rare for me to get to ski in it. It took me 6 years of skiing just to get my first powder day at Waterville in 2006. Last year I was a little more lucky and got a few, including St. Patricks at Stowe. Otherwise, besides a few "mini" powder days of just a few inches, I've never had any. My lifetime count at this point is 5.

 

[andyzee]

Only when it's on bumps!

I love powder. But I like bumps better.

Solitude after 13", the best of both worlds

 

[millerm277]

Always has been, even when I was younger and fell every 20ft when skiing in it.

 

[skibum9995]

I love skiing powder, but I enjoy ripping down the groomers just as much.

 

[bobbutts]

Yeah, I hate trying to ski all that POW uphill:razz:

I made a wrong turn one time at heavenly and had to walk out a pretty decent distance on a bluebird day through several feet of Sierra Cement. By the end of it I was soaked in sweat and about as exhausted as I've ever been. It wasn't dire because I knew where I was and how to get out, but it did remind me what not to do on a big powder day.

I remember going to wawa after an unbelievable dump in the spring and it was simply not steep enough except for the small steep section. Powder down an intermediate run is cool and everything but the very best sensation is deep powder and steeps.. that effortless slow motion float. It's dreamy.

 

[Greg]

I actually posed the somewhat rhetorical question once whether powder was overrated or not. I don't believe it is, but I don't consume myself with landing first tracks either. It's mostly a matter of being geographically challenged. I also don't have the luxury of disregarding all responsibilities to score a powder day. Given that, I'm more than content enjoying the leftovers of tracked out powder and crud. In a sense, it makes those rare instances of untracked snow that much more enjoyable.

Regarding the groomers. Not my favorite, but I can appreciate cord and a smooth groomer first thing in the am. I don't necessarily get a thrill out of mid-to-late day hard pack that often is the result of grooming. In those conditions, I'll stick to the LSGR on the trail sides, popping up and over the groomer lip, or looking for little hits and whatnot at trail merges. But if there are good bumps, that's where I'll be. Chatting with dmc on the lift last week, he said it perfect; he likes "interesting terrain." Little terrain variations, or skier push piles, etc. I have a lot more fun on a less steep trail that has these features over a steep flat trail.

 

[riverc0il]

Sounds like a no brainier, but it’s not everybody’s top choice. Many struggle in it. It burns your quads if you’re not in shape. Lot’s of mogul fans here. No one will admit to liking groomers, even those that ski them pretty much all the time.

I used to hate powder if you can imagine that. Absolutely my favorite condition. As a former racer, I love to rip groomers when the conditions are nice and there is no powder to be found. I no longer enjoy challenging myself on hard pack, scraped or icy conditions unlike my racing days. I only enjoy carving and groomers when conditions are true packed powder. That said, I will almost always choose groomers last when there are other terrain options available. Powder is number one and I buy my season pass and plan my ski days with that being the most important thing. Yes, more important than terrain or else I would ski MRG way more often than I do.

 

[riverc0il]

Solitude after 13", the best of both worlds

Ugh, powder bumps, no thank you. Hard to determine weighting due to hidden irregularities under the snow. Lots of surprises. Smooth surface powder all the way, then trees, then bumped trees, then bumps, and powder bumps after that right before groomers.

 

[Warp Daddy]

I like pow but running hard on the cord is VERY cool

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Ugh, powder bumps, no thank you. Hard to determine weighting due to hidden irregularities under the snow. Lots of surprises..

Right on bro, I know that's Utah, but if I saw those in the East I'd ski them very carefully. Lots of times they're rock hard under the powder and that ain't much fun.

 

[BushMogulMaster]

Solitude after 13", the best of both worlds

:drooldrippingonkeyboard:


Riv... you gotta place some faith in those skis. Look downhill about 5 bumps, point 'em downill, and relax them knees. You'll learn to love pow bumps! If you fall in them, it's probably because you're being timid. Don't worry about what's underneath... ski confident, ski aggressive, have fun