"Too much powder"...

[koreshot]

Kore, BC is a whole different animal. We're not talking about BC conditions. The comment was made at a ski resort. Rarely is there uncontrolled avalanche danger at a ski area.

As for tree wells, you get those without 3-4 feet of snow. 1-2 feet will do. Is that too much snow too? To me, falling in a tree well and blaming it on the snow is like hitting a tree and blaming it on too many trees.

I stand by my statement...idiotic comment.

The person that died in the 13 foot wind drift was not in BC as in Back Country but in British Columbia at a ski resort. There have also been a number of burrials this year alone in controlled in bounds avalanche areas out west. People have been burried, hurt and killed in bounds from "too much snow" even when avy control was done.

I have also had 3 separate ski weeks ruined in south america because of too much powder... in August 2002 time Las Lenas got 12 feet of snow over 4 days at the top of Marte lift (the only worthwhile lift at the resort). They were shut down for over a week before they dug the lift out and got it up and running again... everyone was talking "too much powder". Thousands of people looked at the snow and whined all day "when will it finally stop!".

August 2001, Portillo Chile gets 2 meters of snow in 5 days... 400 guests including myself sit inside the hotel for 4 days straight looking outside and wondering if the freaking snow will ever stop so that we can actually ski. Avalanches rip down the mountains all around us, you can hear them.

Consider yourself lucky for not witnessing the "too much snow" phenomenon... its the worst kind of torture for a skier.

 

[JimG.]

The person that died in the 13 foot wind drift was not in BC as in Back Country but in British Columbia at a ski resort. There have also been a number of burrials this year alone in controlled in bounds avalanche areas out west. People have been burried, hurt and killed in bounds from "too much snow" even when avy control was done.

I have also had 3 separate ski weeks ruined in south america because of too much powder... in August 2002 time Las Lenas got 12 feet of snow over 4 days at the top of Marte lift (the only worthwhile lift at the resort). They were shut down for over a week before they dug the lift out and got it up and running again... everyone was talking "too much powder". Thousands of people looked at the snow and whined all day "when will it finally stop!".

August 2001, Portillo Chile gets 2 meters of snow in 5 days... 400 guests including myself sit inside the hotel for 4 days straight looking outside and wondering if the freaking snow will ever stop so that we can actually ski. Avalanches rip down the mountains all around us, you can hear them.

Consider yourself lucky for not witnessing the "too much snow" phenomenon... its the worst kind of torture for a skier.

I've been to all the places you just mentioned. I've been stuck waiting out blizzards in hotels. I've been stuck waiting out blizzards to heliski. Been there. It never crossed my mind to think, "Dammit, I wish it would stop snowing". Never. There were other skiing options to be had. So I had them instead.

Thems the breaks; sometimes you get screwed by weather.

Yesterday's event, while impressive and certainly welcomed, was not a biblical event. Most places wound up with 24-30", some got up to 50".

I'll still stand by my comment...to go to a ski area after all the disappointment from the early season and complain that there is too much snow is idiotic.

 

[2knees]

i still think the beach is too sunny. thats why i wear googles at the beach.

 

[dmc]

Dude - i know what your saying..

 

[tekweezle]

ungroomed, knee deep snow on a green trail can be a pita to traverse ...but I;ll take it over exposed rocks and ice.

from what I gather, the real issue now is not too much snow, it;s the accompanying conditions that came with the storm-too much wind causing the lifts not to run. also sub zero degree temps seem to be making the roads unpassable due to ice.

 

[Jester]

Let's be real. TOO MUCH SNOW is never going to be our problem here in NE. We're going up a week from today ... save some will ya.

 

[riverc0il]

fwiw, there IS such a thing as too much powder when you get stuck in thigh deep powder on a 20 degree slope because there is "too much" of a good thing to get moving.

i used to hate powder because i didn't know how to ski it. i think it is fair for a ski area to provide one or two main groomed trails for the folks that have not bothered to learn powder skiing skills. obviously though, most slopes are brutally groomed everyday of the year, so ski areas with any street cred will obviously let the fish in the sea without the skills sink.

hey, here is an idea that is contrary to what most non-powder skiers think: if there is a recent big snow storm... you probably shouldn't go skiing that weekend because you will not like the conditions. it is very contradictory, many recreational skiers ONLY go skiing after a big dump. just not a smart idea if you can't ski powder.

 

[tekweezle]

sounds like just getting in and out of the parking lots would have been a challenge to most casual skiers after this blizzard. never mind skiing the the actual trails.

 

[KevinF]

skills to deal with powder-

go for the blue and black trails and avoid the flat green trails that haven;t been groomed. you need pitch and momentum to deal with the powder. after making 2-3 turns in a row and everything will turn easier.

don;t try to carve or put your skis on edge. stay centered on the flats of your skis(weight more on the center of the skis than on the head), skis moving together(not as independent as you might on groomed surfaces), hands outward and forward for balance, upper torso straight and ride the snow, occasionally kicking your skis outward(heel sliding?) to check your speed.

use a double pole plant if you have problems staying forward. because of the uneven surfaces, you will get thrown around a lot but that;s the fun and challenge of powder skiing!

oh yeah, get the skis waxed!

enjoy!

The advice of "occassionally kicking your skis outward" is some of the most bizarre technique advice I've ever heard. When I was in Snowbird / Alta, I happened to be there during a didn't-ever-stop-snowing type week. There is nobody skiing out there in the manner that you suggest. If you are attuned to the pressure building up underneath your skis, then a good solid perfectly normal turn works just fine in powder, whether you're in the bottomless variety or not. The physics of why your skis are turning is different on different surfaces, but if you can honestly get onto an early edge via an honest-to-goodness cross-over move -- it really does work everywhere.

 

[gores95]

Remember guys our "powder" in the NE is different from Western powder. Lots of times the complaining is because of our typical heavy, wet snow that I wouldn't classify as powder. I for one, do not complain about ANY fresh snow but I do know that skiing our heavier dumps is not as easy as say skiing fresh Alta/Snowbird champaign!!!! You DO get a good workout in most freshies in the East!

I would imagine with the low temps yesterday's storm produced more of a dry variety of snow however.

Just my .02......

 

[riverc0il]

I would imagine with the low temps yesterday's storm produced more of a dry variety of snow however.

interestingly enough, despite the temps, it was the densest powder i have ever skied.

 

[koreshot]

interestingly enough, despite the temps, it was the densest powder i have ever skied.

river, could you please explain in more detail? I am not sure I like the dense description. I was about to drive up to sugarbush, but i might reconsider if the powder is dense or un-west coast like.

 

[loafer89]

I sincerely hope that everyone is enjoying the powder at home. Here at Keystone we got 3-5" of snow last night with 4-8" forecast for today and 1-3" for tonight with up to 18" forecast for Vail/Beaver creek.

Have fun everyone.

 

[dmc]

river, could you please explain in more detail? I am not sure I like the dense description. I was about to drive up to sugarbush, but i might reconsider if the powder is dense or un-west coast like.

It was light down here either..
It was dense... not sloppy and sticky.. Small crystals...

 

[goldsbar]

The advice of "occassionally kicking your skis outward" is some of the most bizarre technique advice I've ever heard. When I was in Snowbird / Alta, I happened to be there during a didn't-ever-stop-snowing type week. There is nobody skiing out there in the manner that you suggest. If you are attuned to the pressure building up underneath your skis, then a good solid perfectly normal turn works just fine in powder, whether you're in the bottomless variety or not. The physics of why your skis are turning is different on different surfaces, but if you can honestly get onto an early edge via an honest-to-goodness cross-over move -- it really does work everywhere.

Yes, the skills are exactly the same. If you have a good short turn on groomers you can ski anything off-piste. There are some minor modifications, though. Skis close(r) for optimal flotation, hands very wide for balance. The little edge roll that will blast you to the side of a groomer leaving rr tracks needs more than just a little roll.

Kicking out the tails = windshield wiper turns /=/ expert skiing.

Whatever makes you have fun, of course...

 

[JohnGD33]

I was at skiing in northern PA and was having a great time 12+ and dumping the whole time. I saw a girl I new from high school. I asked her how she was and she did the same. I said just lovin the day and came in for a cold one and let my girlfriends gear dry out. She said she wanted to go home becaue she hated the snow. Everyone in the bar stopped what they were doing and looked at her. It was a funny moment. I guess some people just don't get it. :roll: My girl and I have a great valentine's day despite being stuck on the interstate for 2 1/2 hours. :grin:

 

[SIKSKIER]

I must say never in my 40 years of skiing have I seen "bottemless powder" in the east.If you think thats what you are skiing then you have never skied true bottemless powder.Maybe me being 6-2 and 230 pounds has something to do with that but you really need to go cat or heli skiing in British Columbia in untracked terrain where you are in 10 - 15 feet of untouched snow.It is a whole different powder skiing experience and technique.I skied Thursday in knee deep untracked and you still will feel the "bottom" albeit pretty soft.Most of the snow we are in in BC is so deep if you fall with your feet uphill you almost always need help getting up.There is really no bottom to push off of.Your turns are definately different in the true steep deep snow.You really just press your feet down to hold your speed and make very little turning or up and down motion.You owe it to yourself before you leave this earth to go there and ski untracked DEEP and STEEP snow EVERY run for the length of your stay.Sorry,I'm not cmplaining just missing the real deep stuff.

 

[from_the_NEK]

I think after this storm there may be some places in NEw England's back country where NOBODY has touched the snow yet this year that may yield bottomless turns. That is why I'm head into the back country on Monday. I just have to make sure I find steep enough shots. :grin:

 

[riverc0il]

river, could you please explain in more detail? I am not sure I like the dense description. I was about to drive up to sugarbush, but i might reconsider if the powder is dense or un-west coast like.

dmc explained it well. dude, what are you talking about not driving up here if the snow isn't west coast like?! the untracked is gone any ways, but the snow is of the highest quality i have skied in a long time once it has been packed down. the thing with blower powder is that type of snow doesn't last many runs. this snow quality is excellent when packed down, sweet silence when you turn... except for the hooting and hollering.

 

[dmc]

It's just another type of powder...

Dense... champagne... wet... old... chopped... windblown... manmade...

It's all good...