Powder days...are you worthy?

[Greg]

Skiing pow is supposed to be hard? :roll:

Agreed! I've never found powder to be all that difficult and I don't have a ton of experience with it. Let them run and take bigger round turns. It takes me an hour or so to adjust to not taking short turns and then I'm fine.

 

[hardline]

for whatever reason, I've found the conditions you're talking about to be a bit rare in the east. In my years it seems that the best powder days I've had have occurred skiing the day of the storm when it's dumping hard, not the day after an evening of heavy snow. The big evening snowfall followed by bluebird day seems to occur much more often out west.

guess it's just semantics really though. 8" of fresh snow does wonders for a mogul field no matter whether your skiing through the storm or the day after

you know i never really thought about it but i would guess 95% of my powder days are storm skiing on the east coast. which is why trees are so popular on the east coast. nothing like being above tree line in a storm and having no idea where you are. when i was in CO i really missed my storm sessions in the east.

 

[Euler]

I floudered a LOT last year, partly because was I a newbie to powder, I was also on really short (160) carving skis. This year, between having more practice in varied conditions and having 180 skis, still carving skis though, I've felt much more comfortable on powder days. Problem is, while I love powder, my wife hates it, so it does breed a bit of tension.

 

[hammer]

I will take a shot at that question. Groomer skiers are sick and tired of skiing frozen groomer tracks... the prospect of groomed "packed" powder is an extremely alluring proposition. Which is why at most "resorts" you are likely to see at least 50% grooming even on a powder day. Even at "skier's mountains", at least 1/3 grooming is very typical, even on a powder day.

I actually agree with this approach, as long as they limit the grooming to the novice (and maybe a few intermediate) trails.

My first experience with a "powder day" was at Pats Peak last season...there was very little untracked on the trails, but there were plenty of powder bumps to play around in. The skiing was actually quite frustrating, but it did leave we wanting to go out again...

I'm fine with people who go on a powder day with limited powder skills who know that it could be an "adjustment" to ski in. I think that the average recreational skier, however, would have a much better time if he/she waited for a few days of grooming after a storm.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

The recent storm discussion has me thinking...why is it that so many people flock to ski areas after a dump only to realize that they can't ski in powder?

I don't have any real powder skills, but at least I know before I head out on a powder day that it will be tougher (and maybe even more frustrating) to ski.

For me skiing powder is like riding a bike..once you become competent in powder you always are..and it seems like on east coast powder days, alot of people ski right down the middlle of the trails where it's skied off..I'm all about finding the tight nooks and crannies.

 

[JD]

Powder!!!!!

 

[frozencorn]

Powder!!!!!

This is the most accurate statement in this thread.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

The recent storm discussion has me thinking...why is it that so many people flock to ski areas after a dump only to realize that they can't ski in powder?

Good observation. I think it's a "That's what the cool kids do" thing.

Plus, people hear good things about it and they want to learn how so they can enjoy it too.

At first it's a quads burning sweat dripping experience. Once you get it it's all worth it.

Fat is where it's at to get there faster.

 

[ta&idaho]

pow in the east is heavier wetter- more dense- tuf stuff, aint western champaign. Plus the areas are smaller then out west so it gets tracked out fast- so the virgin pow disapears quick- so your goin from virgin to tracks to virgin & back again- a balancin act. Them westerners are spoiled by there sissy snow- i'd like to see em come try to ski some catskill crud. that bein said- 2 sundays ago we got first tracks in boot deep pow rippin through it & leavin a cloud behind- felt like a spoiled westerner. Not gonna add to the good advice alredy here exept to say i keep my toes up & go fast i keep my toes up & go fast

wetter/heavier snow is a weak excuse unless you're talking about multiple feet of truly wet, sierra/pnw cement

that said, i'm happy to oblige if you're really interested in watching a "sissy" westerner "try" to ski some of your so-called "catskill crud" ;-)

 

[bigbog]

...

.....I'm all about finding the tight nooks and crannies.

Agreed, and one can keep on going in most any direction once it attains some depth = no need to arc bigtime. Instead go with the flow.
Just head for the openings.
Euler, grab something wider and maybe a little longer = float.

$.01

 

[campgottagopee]

I wouldn't consider those who would rather ski groomed than fresh pow real skiers.

Easy there big fella--I know of a few dudes in their 70's who ARE awesome skiers just don't like the POW because it shortens their day on the slopes.

 

[RootDKJ]

Are we really going to get into the who's a real skier crap again? :roll: Do we need to take the rulers out, too? :roll:

I almost took the bait, but decided to take the high road.

 

[JD]

Anyone who skis is a real skier. And yes, we are all worthy of pow days.

 

[cbcbd]

I second JD...

Powder!!!

Powder + Trees!!!

Easy there big fella--I know of a few dudes in their 70's who ARE awesome skiers just don't like the POW because it shortens their day on the slopes.

Shortens? How could you want to leave the slopes on a powder day?

 

[bvibert]

Shortens? How could you want to leave the slopes on a powder day?

Something tells me that once you get into your 70's it's more a matter of needing to leave than wanting to leave.

 

[campgottagopee]

I second JD...

Powder!!!

Powder + Trees!!!



Shortens? How could you want to leave the slopes on a powder day?

I'm sure when your 75 you'll figure it out too

 

[icedtea]

1 run in fresh pow beats 5 runs on groomed IMO

 

[cbcbd]

I'm sure when your 75 you'll figure it out too

Of course I get that we all get old and body parts don't work like they used to, yada yada yada...

But, I find that I use a lot more leg strength and also feel a lot more impact on my joints when I'm skiing through crud, groomers, bumps, etc. In non-powder I find that I have to adjust to the terrain a lot more with my legs with constant compression... throw in some chattery icy conditions and now you're jackhammering your legs. That gets tiring.

In the powder I'm still using lots of leg (probably too because I go into the trees and that requires lots of turning), but I can scrub speed a lot easier and with less effort. Powder skiing is just easier on the body.

So... no, I don't get how you can ski a longer day on crud vs powder.

Now... are these 75 year olds trying to ski powder on 210 skinnies?

 

[tjf67]

Of course I get that we all get old and body parts don't work like they used to, yada yada yada...

But, I find that I use a lot more leg strength and also feel a lot more impact on my joints when I'm skiing through crud, groomers, bumps, etc. In non-powder I find that I have to adjust to the terrain a lot more with my legs with constant compression... throw in some chattery icy conditions and now you're jackhammering your legs. That gets tiring.

In the powder I'm still using lots of leg (probably too because I go into the trees and that requires lots of turning), but I can scrub speed a lot easier and with less effort. Powder skiing is just easier on the body.

So... no, I don't get how you can ski a longer day on crud vs powder.

Now... are these 75 year olds trying to ski powder on 210 skinnies?

You are out of your chicken. Not that I know what powder skiing is like. We never see powder at whiteface mountain

 

[deadheadskier]

So... no, I don't get how you can ski a longer day on crud vs powder.

That's debateable for sure

I definitely think you can ski a longer day on groomers than powder though. Far less tiring as you can slack off more on groomers than you can in pow.