What's the real reason some skiers hate moguls?

[wa-loaf]

The make me sweaty. ;-)

Actually I like most bumps, but I'll pass on the icy ones.

 

[mister moose]

Excellent point. It really is intimidating for someone learning to just jump into them. I've been waiting for the Ex bumps at Sundown...none yet. No way I'm just going to jump onto Temptor (a trail I have some issues with when it's not bumped up) to have a go at them.

Sort of.

I don't know of any mountain that has good consistent learning bumps as pretty much all green and most blue terrain gets mowed if bumps form. However, you can certainly try them out as they grow towards the end of the day. There are some exceptions, ie at Killington natural snow blue trails like Vagabond and West Glade aka Ridge Run have some good learning bumps frequently.

Like all skiing, skiing in the bumps takes many skills. Practice some of these skills where just a bump or two exists. You can learn absorbtion balance and technique on just one bump, and we know you can find at least one bump on an easy blue run. Practice making very fast linked turns on the flat. Learn how to keep your upper body still while skiing over uneven terrain - look out ahead and the picture shouldn't move if your head is staying steady. It should feel like your body is at rest and your legs move under you.

You need to walk before you run, and just "jumping in" isn't going to get you where you want to go.

 

[Greg]

Sort of.

I don't know of any mountain that has good consistent learning bumps as pretty much all green and most blue terrain gets mowed if bumps form. However, you can certainly try them out as they grow towards the end of the day.

Sort of. The seeded Ex bumps at Sundown that severine mentioned are extremely low angle...almost ridiculously so. Perfect for newbs to bump skiing though.

Like all skiing, skiing in the bumps takes many skills. Practice some of these skills where just a bump or two exists. You can learn absorbtion balance and technique on just one bump, and we know you can find at least one bump on an easy blue run. Practice making very fast linked turns on the flat. Learn how to keep your upper body still while skiing over uneven terrain - look out ahead and the picture shouldn't move if your head is staying steady. It should feel like your body is at rest and your legs move under you.

You need to walk before you run, and just "jumping in" isn't going to get you where you want to go.

Good points. If you can't at least make quick short turns on an intermediate groomer, you're going to struggle doing so in even the flattest of bumps.

 

[mister moose]

Sort of. The seeded Ex bumps at Sundown that severine mentioned are extremely low angle...almost ridiculously so. Perfect for newbs to bump skiing though.

I have my gear with me in CT from a road trip, and was planning on hitting Sundown this Wednesday night to see what you folks are skiing on, but with the forecast the way it is, I just might have to go up to VT instead.....

 

[Greg]

I have my gear with me in CT from a road trip, and was planning on hitting Sundown this Wednesday night to see what you folks are skiing on, but with the forecast the way it is, I just might have to go up to VT instead.....

Save it for another time. The bumps are in rough shape right now (they lost a snowmaking pipe). Keep an eye out here though. It's not like there is any shortage of Sundown bump reports. We'd be happy to rock some piles with ya!
:beer:

 

[snoseek]

You didn't just say that!!!:razz:
You need to remember lines like this to ridicule your kids some day when they are teens

 

[Greg]

You didn't just say that!!!:razz:
You need to remember lines like this to ridicule your kids some day when they are teens

:lol:

I still say "rad", remember...?

 

[ta&idaho]

western perspective: you can be a sick (western) skier and *suck* at bumps...that breeds resentment

 

[ERJ-145CA]

'Cause I suck at them. I must admit I have no hatred of them though.

 

[2knees]

western perspective: you can be a sick (western) skier and *suck* at bumps...that breeds resentment

reality perspective. (this goes for snoseek too, though i've always felt he knows it)

it rains here regularly. something so simple yet so destructive.

translation: i dont think any of us would be bump freaks if we spent a large amount of time out west. but in the east, trapped in the urban centers, bump skiing is an outlet and a skiing thrill that can be counted on.

 

[KevinF]

I don't get the various comments about carving vs. bumping being harder on the knees. Carving doesn't bother my knees in the least. Seriously. I can lay 'em over on groomers all day and my knees won't hurt. If I get slammed by a bump, then my knees feel it, but other then that, not really.

If my knees were hurting, I'd be taking that as a pretty good sign that I'm doing something really really wrong. Maybe I'm just blessed with genetically good knees?

 

[deadheadskier]

I don't get the various comments about carving vs. bumping being harder on the knees. Carving doesn't bother my knees in the least. Seriously. I can lay 'em over on groomers all day and my knees won't hurt. If I get slammed by a bump, then my knees feel it, but other then that, not really.

If my knees were hurting, I'd be taking that as a pretty good sign that I'm doing something really really wrong. Maybe I'm just blessed with genetically good knees?

perhaps you are right. I was more meaning that I think you put yourself at far greater risk for serious knee injury while carving than when you are bumping. Carving involves more lateral movement of the knee than bump skiing which is more an up and down motion. Putting too much pressure on the knee in a lateral direction is what most often causes ligaments to snap.

 

[Warp Daddy]

I don't get the various comments about carving vs. bumping being harder on the knees. Carving doesn't bother my knees in the least. Seriously. I can lay 'em over on groomers all day and my knees won't hurt. If I get slammed by a bump, then my knees feel it, but other then that, not really.

If my knees were hurting, I'd be taking that as a pretty good sign that I'm doing something really really wrong. Maybe I'm just blessed with genetically good knees?

I agree with Kevin and with all due respect DHS i too can carve all day long with very little impact on my knees , occasionally i might get a twinge in one area just above one particular knee but that;s it !

I admire good bump skiing , wish i could do it, but the risk reward ratio @ 65 is NOT in my favor

 

[KingM]

For me it's the knees, and I'm sure this has to do with the fact that I suck at the bumps as much as anything. But I used to play basketball and run a lot when I was younger and my knees aren't the greatest anyway. Late in the season last year I spent some more time working on bumps and felt like I was making progress, but it took me until late summer before my knees weren't aching a bit every time I went up and down the stairs.

 

[drjeff]

I agree with Kevin and with all due respect DHS i too can carve all day long with very little impact on my knees , occasionally i might get a twinge in one area just above one particular knee but that;s it !

I admire good bump skiing , wish i could do it, but the risk reward ratio @ 65 is NOT in my favor

+1

There are DEFINATELY days when I'm a firm believer in one of Warren Miller's classic lines (paraphrasing here) - Your knees only have so many moguls in their lifetime.

I skied my fair share of bumps in my teens/20's, so nowadays I generally choose to save the remaining bumps left in my knees for times like soft powder bumps(after the main trails and trees are tracked out) and spring bumps.

Personally though I think that many people hate bumps is because plain and simple there are way more bad bumps out there than good bumps, and for the average skier out there, that's not a fun thing

 

[dmc]

As Greg said.. They can't jump to the front of the line... "Type A's" that can't get a pass - tend to hate what they can't get good at - quickly...

Intermediate skiers are great for that... "Well I can't ski that - so it must suck" Even though experts are all over it like fur on a weasel...

 

[2knees]

reality perspective. (this goes for snoseek too, though i've always felt he knows it)

it rains here regularly. something so simple yet so destructive.

translation: i dont think any of us would be bump freaks if we spent a large amount of time out west. but in the east, trapped in the urban centers, bump skiing is an outlet and a skiing thrill that can be counted on.

what the hell does this mean?

lol, i guess i was more buzzed then i thought last night.

 

[severine]

what the hell does this mean?

lol, i guess i was more buzzed then i thought last night.

Geez, and I just thought you were showing an intellectual side rarely seen.

 

[Greg]

As Greg said.. They can't jump to the front of the line... "Type A's" that can't get a pass - tend to hate what they can't get good at - quickly...

Intermediate skiers are great for that... "Well I can't ski that - so it must suck" Even though experts are all over it like fur on a weasel...

There's a bit of sting to this post. Also, a lot of truth. No shortcuts!

 

[mister moose]

it rains here regularly. something so simple yet so destructive.

translation: i dont think any of us would be bump freaks if we spent a large amount of time out west. but in the east, trapped in the urban centers, bump skiing is an outlet and a skiing thrill that can be counted on.

I followed you the first time, I think. You're saying that the snow and powder is so good out west, you wouldn't have time or interest in the bumps if you lived there. Not true, by the way.

western perspective: you can be a sick (western) skier and *suck* at bumps...that breeds resentment

Just because you can ski deep powder that doesn't make you a good well rounded (sick) skier until you can ski bumps, no matter what state you ski in.

Same rules apply. Western bumps are better for the same reason 2knees thinks eastern skiers are bigger bump fans: It doesn't rain in paradise. This does not mean that out west there is no good bump skiing, or no good bump skiers, or no good bumps to be skied.

Mach One at Breckenridge is one of the most famous bump runs in the state. The left side of Copper has some great soft bumps that always have great shape. And because they are soft, its a blast. We should all be so lucky as to be bump skiers in Colorado.