What's the real reason some skiers hate moguls?

[trailertrash]

I saw a bump comp from the chair Sunday, it was empty. Not even the parents where watching. In the 80's it would have been mobbed. Nobody cares anymore. Bumps were a fad that seems to be dieing. Bump runs are always empty and a waste of realestate.

:flamen!

 

[2knees]

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.

see my post a few back for an explanation.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

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

What shortcuts are there in other aspects of skiing?

 

[Greg]

I saw a bump comp from the chair Sunday, it was empty. Not even the parents where watching. In the 80's it would have been mobbed. Nobody cares anymore. Bumps were a fad that seems to be dieing. Bump runs are always empty and a waste of realestate.

:flamen!

You might be right. But I think there's a shift happening.

 

[trailertrash]

You might be right. But I think there's a shift happening.

A shift towards or away?

 

[Greg]

What shortcuts are there in other aspects of skiing?

Well, for one, there is specific equipment that makes other aspects of skiing a bit easier. Shaped skis, for example make carving much easier. Fat skis make powder skiing easier. Bump skis don't really make bump skiing all that much easier, at least early on. It's also easier to fake it on the groomers which might lead to a bit of a delusion as to what one's skiing proficiency is. There is a reason people learn to ski on groomers. They're easier.

A lot of people claim powder skiing is extremely difficult. Personally, I don't have that much trouble with it, but I haven't skied anything deeper than probably 18" of fresh so perhaps I'm not qualified to speak on it. However, within 2 or 3 turns you can plainly see whether someone can hack it in the bumps or not. Steep and tight trees are similar, but it's my guess that anyone that can ski trees well, also probably skis bumps pretty well too.

 

[tjf67]

You might be right. But I think there's a shift happening.

I agree but I think it is temporary. Once you get good a the bumps you will become bored and start looking around. I usually sniff everything out and ski it. Then after i leave sloppy seconds around I head to the bumps in the afternoon to finishthe day. BTW. You screw up in the bumps and you can wreck a knee. Groomers are much more mistake friendly. Also I notice my hips end up hurting more than my knees. Knees are only going up and down, my hips seem to absorb the impact when I am checking speed.

 

[Greg]

A shift towards or away?

Towards. I'm hearing about bump runs being set up a lot more than they used to be 3 or 5 years ago.

 

[Greg]

I agree but I think it is temporary. Once you get good a the bumps you will become bored and start looking around. I usually sniff everything out and ski it.

I don't think I'll ever be happy with my bump skiing so I don't expect to be bored. I'm 35 and figure I have 10, maybe 15 years left of hard ripping before I need to start dialing it back. Bump skiing in SNE for me is really just practice. About half my days are in NNE and when up there I'm not really concerned with bumps most of the time, but rather just skiing natural interesting terrain. Bump skiing skills translate well all over the mountain, at least for me.

 

[2knees]

but rather just skiing natural interesting terrain.

would that be legit intense terrain?

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Well, for one, there is specific equipment that makes other aspects of skiing a bit easier. Shaped skis, for example make carving much easier. Fat skis make powder skiing easier. Bump skis don't really make bump skiing all that much easier, at least early on. It's also easier to fake it on the groomers which might lead to a bit of a delusion as to what one's skiing proficiency is. There is a reason people learn to ski on groomers. They're easier.

.

You cannot fake technique. Not in powder, bumps or groomers. It’s easy to spot who skis well and who doesn’t.

Don’t you feel it’s a little self serving to write that fat skis help in powder, shaped skis help carving, but bump skis don’t really help that much at least in the beginning?

 

[dmc]

What shortcuts are there in other aspects of skiing?

Buying good skis and gear... Reading books and watching movies... Talking the talk to make people think you are better then you are...

But not doing "time on slopes"... Cause thats what make someone good...

 

[Greg]

You cannot fake technique. Not in powder, bumps or groomers. It’s easy to spot who skis well and who doesn’t.

It's my opinion that skiing bumps well is more difficult than skiing groomers and powder well. If you feel otherwise, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Don’t you feel it’s a little self serving to write that fat skis help in powder, shaped skis help carving, but bump skis don’t really help that much at least in the beginning?

No, I dont.

 

[trailertrash]

It's my opinion that skiing bumps well is more interesting than skiing groomers and powder well. If you feel otherwise, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

fixed it for ya.

try actually carving a groomer. by carving i mean actually controlling your speed by carving your skis. puting a ski on edge and letting it run its own sidecut isnt exactly carving. now try really carving a steep groomer, again controlling your speed. i see few skiers that think they are carving are actually carving.

 

[wa-loaf]

I think we all need some snow!

 

[dmc]

I think we all need some snow!

Headed out for turns now... Staying out of the bumps...

 

[cbcbd]

For some reason I don't think skiers tend to "hate" moguls. I'd call it more of a frustration and unknown to them, a lack of understanding.

For me, when I was a developing intermediate I would throw myself into the moguls and just like most developing skiers, completely fail. Why?

I think that because mogul technique is mostly particular to moguls, unless you learn that technique you might just be going into it completely wrong and to me that was just a waste of frustrating time.

I'm sure that if willing aspiring-expert skiers spent a couple hours with someone who knows moguls it would completely change their perspective about them.

 

[dmc]

It's my opinion that skiing bumps well is more difficult than skiing groomers and powder well. If you feel otherwise, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Wow - i thought you were learning bumps!!!?!?!?! Who sent you to the front of the line..?

 

[Greg]

try actually carving a groomer. by carving i mean actually controlling your speed by carving your skis. puting a ski on edge and letting it run its own sidecut isnt exactly carving. now try really carving a steep groomer, again controlling your speed. i see few skiers that think they are carving are actually carving.

Come on. Everyone knows bump skiers have no idea how to carve...

Wow - i thought you were learning bumps!!!?!?!?! Who sent you to the front of the line..?

I am learning. Still struggling so maybe that's why I feel they are more difficult. Or I just suck. :razz:

 

[billski]

For some subset of folks, it's the old "fear of falling" syndrome. It looks and sometimes is, more bruising to fall in a bump run.

I can't tell you the number of people I have met that concentrate more on "not falling" then on "learning to ski/board". They don't want to get hurt.