Skiing moguls for the first time.

[username]

Any advice? I've never skied moguls before due to a double knee surgery, but I'm looking to get into them this season.

 

[Angus]

How good a skier are you, what's your fitness and what area would you be starting at?

 

[Brad J]

Start slow , practice quick linked turns down the fall line with no moguls, start on small moguls ,keep you speed down ,hand always in front of you, have fun

 

[Savemeasammy]

Find the flattest mogul run you can. Go slow. Keep your hands in front of you (try to plant your poles by moving your wrists, not your whole arm!), try to keep your upper body as quiet as possible. Look at the next mogul - not the one you are on. Keep trying!!


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[Domeskier]

Maintain shin to tongue contact at all times. This is critical to controlling speed, maintaining contact with the snow and not getting into the back seat.

 

[username]

How good a skier are you, what's your fitness and what area would you be starting at?

I'm an intermediate, and I would most likely be starting off at Pats Peak (it's the closest hill)

 

[drjeff]

Step #1 - wait until the snow gets soft!

After that it gets much easier

 

[Euler]

Best tip I ever got that moved me up a level was to flatten my skis as I slid over and turned on the top of the moguls. I had been trying to carve and kept quickly accelerating to an out of control pace. Working on keeping the skis flat and using more rotary motion helped me slow it down a lot and begin to make a slow progression.

 

[mister moose]

A very common issue I see in intermediates is the inability to turn quickly, where you want, right now. Practice turning on the flats short linked turns, with a goal of turning every time you say "one thousand one".

There are three common things that will hold you back from doing this:

1) Not enough independent leg balance. You must be balanced in every phase of the turn to be ready for the next one at any time. If you ski with a "I'm not ready to turn quite yet" feeling on challenging terrain, you won't do well in the bumps. If so, you need to hone your stability and balance, ie your foundation must be good. Foundation counts. This is exemplified by the every 3 bump turner and traverser. You can't ski the fall line yet because you don't have the balance, the readiness.

2) Similar, but different is equal footing. You might turn well in one direction, but not the other. You need to work on your weak side until the weak leg is no longer the weak leg, and it can take the demands equally in the bumps.

3) Repetition. You simply must ski the bumps a lot once 1 & 2 is done. Muscle memory must be honed. Muscle tone and endurance must be conditioned. There is no easy or fast 10 minute answer. It is the EF Hutton of ski techniques.

For the knee recovery types, the bumps will offer a greater challenge - keep from doing more damage. The competitive style "thumpers" is not a style to emulate. Seek to ski the bumps fluidly, like water, not like a hammer.

 

[crank]

Look up Rob Butler ski tips on youtube. He is the man.

 

[dlague]

I'm an intermediate, and I would most likely be starting off at Pats Peak (it's the closest hill)

On FIS to skiers right just below the trees there is a mogul patch that is perfect for learning or getting back into it. Otherwise Hurricane seems to be the only option and if you have never done moguls then I would not recommend it. However, you could approach it from a proceed slowly perspective but if you are not having fun with it then it can be a challenge.

 

[dlague]

A very common issue I see in intermediates is the inability to turn quickly, where you want, right now. Practice turning on the flats short linked turns, with a goal of turning every time you say "one thousand one".

There are three common things that will hold you back from doing this:

1) Not enough independent leg balance. You must be balanced in every phase of the turn to be ready for the next one at any time. If you ski with a "I'm not ready to turn quite yet" feeling on challenging terrain, you won't do well in the bumps. If so, you need to hone your stability and balance, ie your foundation must be good. Foundation counts. This is exemplified by the every 3 bump turner and traverser. You can't ski the fall line yet because you don't have the balance, the readiness.

2) Similar, but different is equal footing. You might turn well in one direction, but not the other. You need to work on your weak side until the weak leg is no longer the weak leg, and it can take the demands equally in the bumps.

3) Repetition. You simply must ski the bumps a lot once 1 & 2 is done. Muscle memory must be honed. Muscle tone and endurance must be conditioned. There is no easy or fast 10 minute answer. It is the EF Hutton of ski techniques.

For the knee recovery types, the bumps will offer a greater challenge - keep from doing more damage. The competitive style "thumpers" is not a style to emulate. Seek to ski the bumps fluidly, like water, not like a hammer.

Well put! I tore my ACL a few years back and avoided bumps after that. Starting last spring I found myself enjoying the spring bumps until I skied Superstar in May when reality hit which is when I learned a lot. My first run that day was horrible. All other runs were much better. So from a recovery perspective, I am taking the take it slow approach to get back to it! I am just not as flexible as I was when I was 20. Damn aging!

 

[Savemeasammy]

I'm an intermediate, and I would most likely be starting off at Pats Peak (it's the closest hill)

As Dlauge pointed out, there were bumps starting out on the bottom of FIS. When was last there on Saturday, the bumps were not particularly well developed, and it didn't seem like the coverage was deep. They may get washed away! Your option will be Hurricane. There are some nice lines setting up this year, however Hurricane isn't the greatest bump run for learning. The top isn't too bad, but it definitely gets steeper... It's a shame that pats doesn't offer more low angle glades for people who want to learn!


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[C-Rex]

Carry a ton of speed into the mogul field, aiming for the biggest on on the first row. Use that to jump as many as possible. Aim to land in the trough and use the next mogul to jump again. Repeat until you are out of the field.

 

[hammer]

As Dlauge pointed out, there were bumps starting out on the bottom of FIS. When was last there on Saturday, the bumps were not particularly well developed, and it didn't seem like the coverage was deep. They may get washed away! Your option will be Hurricane. There are some nice lines setting up this year, however Hurricane isn't the greatest bump run for learning. The top isn't too bad, but it definitely gets steeper... It's a shame that pats doesn't offer more low angle glades for people who want to learn!


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I know the glades in the Valley area are flat but can't they be used for learning bumps?

Not sure why anyone would recommend Hurricane in any way, it's steep and it gets VW sized bumps which from this bump beginner's perspective are not good for learning.

If you were going to Ragged I'd recommend the Raggae Glades trail. Don't let the name fool you, it's an ungroomed mellow trail with maybe a few trees.

I'd also suggest Crotched...if they are doing the same as last season they leave sections of several trails ungroomed. Plenty of opportunities for the beginner to try them out.

Lastly, I think mister moose sums it up well from an ability perspective. I'm still working on short linked turns (never seem to get the mileage each season) and without them I'm still picking my way down the ungroomed. Still doing it with a smile on my face. :smile:

 

[Savemeasammy]

Carry a ton of speed into the mogul field, aiming for the biggest on on the first row. Use that to jump as many as possible. Aim to land in the trough and use the next mogul to jump again. Repeat until you are out of the field.

You may want a few cocktails before attempting this strategy


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[C-Rex]

Definitely. It's risky but if you do it right you are officially "The Man". Actually, my friend ruptured his spleen back in college trying to do that technique on a snowboard, so you probably don't want to listen to me.

 

[Blanton]

Spend whatever time it takes to build a solid foundation of mid- short radius flat turns. If you cannot make those on a slope of the same steepness as the moguls you intend to ski then it's not worth trying yet.

 

[4aprice]

Ride the river, feel the flow.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[Lazer]

Let us know how it goes!