Sunday River So Far

[machski]

Well that completely stinks about Jordan. Any idea if they'll have to replace the panel? If they do it sounds expensive. They announced today that they expect to have Jordan up and running by midweek, so hopefully it isn't that bad.

I forgot they hadn't blown anything off the top of Oz.

No idea, I was working this weekend and was not there. It at least sounds like it'll be up and running shortly.

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[machski]

Southridge is back up at noon today. No idea on Jordan, Aurora west is windhold anyway. Skiing is great with the fresh 2-3 last night. Hope Jordan is a go first thing tomorrow, woods over there should be nice.

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[machski]

No Jordan til the weekend is the pronouncement from the afternoon report. Oh well, skins be getting some use tomorrow.

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[Keelhauled]

Also chondola and SRX backup engine pumps froze. One was permanently broken.

Water pumps in the diesels? They live outdoors, you'd think they could get the right blend of coolant in them to not freeze.

 

[machski]

No Jordan til the weekend is the pronouncement from the afternoon report. Oh well, skins be getting some use tomorrow.

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Well, they beat their timeline. Jordan reopened today just after noon (and right around when I got to the top of Ruby on skins up Kansas). Did get first tracks with patrol on Tin Woods though. Carumba was sweeeet!! Rogue had huge whales, so now the three primary trails in Jordan have all been made.

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[Dickc]

Bob, Are you angulating or just leaning the whole body to the side. Try skiing and keeping your coat zipper straight up and down to the extent possible. This will greatly improve the down force on your edges. I find that since I have been practicing this I grip stuff others seem to slide on.

 

[Dickc]

I have skied with Maine adaptive for a few seasons and early in the season you must take a principles of skiing clinic. I picked up on how to angulate at one of these clinics. The easiest way is to try and bend at the waist while turning like you must keep that jacket zipper vertical. You will not really be able to, but by trying you will find yourself bending at the waist. Adaptive is fun helping the handicapped and you do learn how to ski better.

http://www.yourskicoach.com/glossary/SkiGlossary/Angulation.html

 

[Edd]

I have skied with Maine adaptive for a few seasons and early in the season you must take a principles of skiing clinic. I picked up on how to angulate at one of these clinics. The easiest way is to try and bend at the waist while turning like you must keep that jacket zipper vertical. You will not really be able to, but by trying you will find yourself bending at the waist. Adaptive is fun helping the handicapped and you do learn how to ski better.

http://www.yourskicoach.com/glossary/SkiGlossary/Angulation.html

How’s it go with lifting, like helping folks in one of those carts onto a chair? I’m in decent shape but my shoulders have issues. I’d like to volunteer some season and see how I like it.

 

[Dickc]

How’s it go with lifting, like helping folks in one of those carts onto a chair? I’m in decent shape but my shoulders have issues. I’d like to volunteer some season and see how I like it.

When working with a client in one of the sit skis, you have TWO volunteers to get them up onto the lift. The sit skis are spring loaded so they go up without needing too much brute force. I will not lift them because of my back, so I go along to ski behind them to kind of advertise to the skiing public to beware of the group (usually two do this, one angled back and to the left, the other back and to the right). My job when they are loading the chair is to be on the chair behind them and at loading, make sure they get fully loaded by getting right behind that chair and pulling the sit ski all the way back. We also have other clients that ski standing up. Some on sliders that assist them in standing, others are blind and you ski with them telling them when to turn. I've skied with an older former ski instructor who has early Alzheimer's and the job was one in front for him to follow, and one behind to holler out if he starts to wander. He could not otherwise ski as he would get lost. His wife would come along in the afternoons.

Take a stop in the Handicapped building on Sundance and meet some of the people there. They will show you around the place, introduce you to some of the equipment and they can most likely walk over to the assignment board and tell you what each skiers disability is that day. We usually sign up in the fall. You need to take new volunteer orientation, Principles of skiing, and one other training class. The principals of skiing is required every fall, and its a great opportunity to learn how to ski better (think a small group lesson with a very good instructor). The actual volunteer days start after January one and go through to the end of March. People who volunteer in year two for ten or more days can get a discounted pass. If you do not have a pass, but ski with day tickets, they provide the day ticket for you on the volunteer days.

If you want to see organized mayhem, stop in on a Sunday morning about 9AM as they are getting ready to go out. Its impressive how madness breaks up into organized ski lessons!

 

[catherine]

Folks, I only spent a couple hours at the River today. I'm a little under the weather, so bear that in mind with today's observations, please. The rain did some damage to the trails. Last week, I saw some 106 trails open, today, 76. Agony, for example was pretty well covered up, but today, it is about half grass and rocks, and the ledges are basically big ice flows. Can't help what mother nature provides....

I did most of my skiing at little white cap today, just wanted to stretch my legs and work on technique, though I did venture over to North Peak for a couple runs. What I found was basically dust on crust. The groomers made it look real nice, but there simply isn't a whole lot to work with. I had sharpened my edges up last night in anticipation, but I just couldn't edge into this stuff. Either the snow was too thin to carve into or just enough that it prevented me from grabbing on the hard packed base. It was plenty cold, so the ice was pretty hard. (I'm sure there was a good portion of operator error thrown in there as well!!!:wink

I'm still trying to improve my balance over my skis. A couple weeks ago, a friend pointed out that if the back of my skis washed out from under me, I have too much weight back. So today, I was paying attention to that. When my skis washed out, they washed out fro the entire length of them. I just couldn't seem to grab a good edge into this snow today.

Crowds this MLK day were not too bad, all things considered. I'll give her another shot tomorrow!

Thanks for the report. Heading to SR Thurs. would love to hear your perspective on what you find tomorrow. Hope it’s better than today. Hope you’re feeling better.

 

[catherine]

Thanks. It can’t be bad, “snowing like crazy”.

 

[nanjil]

Folks, I only spent a couple hours at the River today. I'm a little under the weather, so bear that in mind with today's observations, please. The rain did some damage to the trails. Last week, I saw some 106 trails open, today, 76. Agony, for example was pretty well covered up, but today, it is about half grass and rocks, and the ledges are basically big ice flows. Can't help what mother nature provides....

I did most of my skiing at little white cap today, just wanted to stretch my legs and work on technique, though I did venture over to North Peak for a couple runs. What I found was basically dust on crust. The groomers made it look real nice, but there simply isn't a whole lot to work with. I had sharpened my edges up last night in anticipation, but I just couldn't edge into this stuff. Either the snow was too thin to carve into or just enough that it prevented me from grabbing on the hard packed base. It was plenty cold, so the ice was pretty hard. (I'm sure there was a good portion of operator error thrown in there as well!!!:wink

I'm still trying to improve my balance over my skis. A couple weeks ago, a friend pointed out that if the back of my skis washed out from under me, I have too much weight back. So today, I was paying attention to that. When my skis washed out, they washed out fro the entire length of them. I just couldn't seem to grab a good edge into this snow today.

Crowds this MLK day were not too bad, all things considered. I'll give her another shot tomorrow!

Spruce was edgable and better than elsewhere

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[Dickc]

Catherine, the snowing like crazy amounted to only a dusting... but they are blowing all kinds of maintenance snow to cover up the thin areas. Kudos to the river!

Dick, I asked one of my ski buddies how to work the angulation, and worked on it most of today's skiing on Dream maker, Escapade and Grand Rapids, Where there are a ton of whales to play on! Does that work well!!!! I can see myself making a habit of this real fast. I only have 20 years of old habit to break though!!!

I also went and signed up for Adaptive skiing today. Looks like I am in, after a background check, of course. Maybe I'll see you there, I have made myself available mondays and Fridays for the rest of the season.

Right now I am not in the volunteer pool as I have a back problem that severely limits my skiing. I am only up on weekends right now, but once the grandkids get a little older I will return to some weekdays. I really want to get to the bottom of my back problem right now. You CAN volunteer for a Sunday or two and they will supply the lift ticket for you. My son gets a lesson this Sunday provided he shakes the bad cold he just picked up.

Happy to hear you signed up for adaptive. I am sure you will enjoy it. I am also glad you got the angulation idea underway. It really does shove that edge right down solidly! You can learn to make most trails ski like they have well groomed snow.

 

[Dickc]

Catherine, the snowing like crazy amounted to only a dusting... but they are blowing all kinds of maintenance snow to cover up the thin areas. Kudos to the river!

Dick, I asked one of my ski buddies how to work the angulation, and worked on it most of today's skiing on Dream maker, Escapade and Grand Rapids, Where there are a ton of whales to play on! Does that work well!!!! I can see myself making a habit of this real fast. I only have 20 years of old habit to break though!!!

I also went and signed up for Adaptive skiing today. Looks like I am in, after a background check, of course. Maybe I'll see you there, I have made myself available mondays and Fridays for the rest of the season.

Right now I am not in the volunteer pool as I have a back problem that severely limits my skiing. I am only up on weekends right now, but once the grandkids get a little older I will return to some weekdays. I really want to get to the bottom of my back problem right now. You CAN volunteer for a Sunday or two and they will supply the lift ticket for you. My son gets a lesson this Sunday provided he shakes the bad cold he just picked up.

Happy to hear you signed up for adaptive. I am sure you will enjoy it. I am also glad you got the angulation idea underway. It really does shove that edge right down solidly! You can learn to make most trails ski like they have well groomed snow.

 

[catherine]

Catherine, the snowing like crazy amounted to only a dusting... but they are blowing all kinds of maintenance snow to cover up the thin areas. Kudos to the river!

Dick, I asked one of my ski buddies how to work the angulation, and worked on it most of today's skiing on Dream maker, Escapade and Grand Rapids, Where there are a ton of whales to play on! Does that work well!!!! I can see myself making a habit of this real fast. I only have 20 years of old habit to break though!!!

I also went and signed up for Adaptive skiing today. Looks like I am in, after a background check, of course. Maybe I'll see you there, I have made myself available mondays and Fridays for the rest of the season.

You have me intrigued. Got to look up angulation. Thanks for the info on the snow.

 

[Dickc]

You have me intrigued. Got to look up angulation. Thanks for the info on the snow.

I have skied with Maine adaptive for a few seasons and early in the season you must take a principles of skiing clinic. I picked up on how to angulate at one of these clinics. The easiest way is to try and bend at the waist while turning like you must keep that jacket zipper vertical. You will not really be able to, but by trying you will find yourself bending at the waist. Adaptive is fun helping the handicapped and you do learn how to ski better.

http://www.yourskicoach.com/glossary/SkiGlossary/Angulation.html

Look at this link and you will get some idea. Watch the Gould kids and how they bend at the waist.

 

[catherine]

Look at this link and you will get some idea. Watch the Gould kids and how they bend at the waist.

Thanks. Where can I find the Gould Kids?

 

[Dickc]

Thanks. Where can I find the Gould Kids?

They usually practice on Monday Mourning at Sunday River. If you ski on the weekend, take the Locke lift and watch from the chair. On weekdays they will often go over on Jungle road and you have a poor chance of seeing them. When they have spare time they do ski other trails in the Barker pod. You can pick them out by their style, and they do ski fast! You will note they edge really well and leave ski marks that are very thin as the edge cuts through the snow. They are impressive to watch!

 

[catherine]

They usually practice on Monday Mourning at Sunday River. If you ski on the weekend, take the Locke lift and watch from the chair. On weekdays they will often go over on Jungle road and you have a poor chance of seeing them. When they have spare time they do ski other trails in the Barker pod. You can pick them out by their style, and they do ski fast! You will note they edge really well and leave ski marks that are very thin as the edge cuts through the snow. They are impressive to watch!

Will be on the lookout for them. I love watching from the chair, there are some incredible skiers out there!

 

[SkiFanE]

Essentially, when I practice angulation (trying to make it a habit) I think that I have to put my skis on edge to dig into the ice, then I need to put my weight (body) back over the skis. I used to just lean to dig in the edges, but really had no weight on the skis, so they'd pop loose all too easy. But if I try to lean my ankles (You can't really, but do that motion), you'll push your hips uphill of the skis and the uphill edges into the surface. Lean your body back down the hill to get the weight over the skis. I know, it sounds like I am asking you to do something that sounds like it will tumble you downhill when you are trying to get safe on ice, but it really does work. Practice on dream maker first, obviously.

Today at the River, was somewhat promising. They continue to blow snow and cover up up thin areas, though not quite at the frenetic pace I seem to remember in the past. Crowds were small today and skiing lasted quite a while before things started getting scraped off, notably at the bottom of American Express where it approaches the Spruce triple and Lazy River crosses it. Jordan was on wind hold most all day I was there. The river is rebuilding from before the rain. They were blowing on southpaw like they want to open it now!

From one of my kids perfect turn coaches a few years back I learned the following drill. Hold poles out front so that the bottom of the trail is between them and don't lose site of it as you ski. Forces your upper body to stay in one position pointing down the hill And when I learned it was after a long stretch of dust on crust skiing. I turned into a skidder after 2 months of that crap - got down on myself for skiing so bad. But couldn't figure out how to get out of that habit. I came upon my kid and her group and did the drill with them and voila - back to carving.

That being said - I have a hard time committing to a good carve with ice - I still skid (i.e. That cluster area you talk about lol). But I've used that drill a few times to get my groove back. I was carving full speed GS turns once down cascades and lost edge on tiny patch of ice- flew pretty far and landed on my hip and into a race net (odd they had a cascades race then). I was actually rushing to catch my kids race at bottoms of MM - so picked myself up quick - continued down and then realized how hard I landed. Been a scaredy cat ever since lol.