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Why Bump?

tcharron

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Never really understood the draw. Can someone explain it to me?
My analogy would be bumps are like the MTB trails in NJ. Fun and challenging because they are so played out and eroded. Once I realized what singletrack could be, I never really wanted to go ride the eroded mess. when I see a trail all bumped, or a tree run for that matter, I think...that's hammered, time to move on...what's the draw?

Some people just don't like their knees, so, they punish them! :-D
 

Marc

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Never done it. Is skinning all day more demanding that bashing staircases all day?

Depends how aggressive a skin track you take and whether or not you have an established track or are laying down a track through fresh snow :D

Indeed, and as far as skinning goes, one has more control over the level of exertion skinning than one does skiing bumps. That being said, I could ski bumps at an average rate for longer than I could skin.

However, I submit that either not enough people care about this or if they do it's better left to a separate thread. Continue with the subject at hand.
 

BushMogulMaster

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Some people just don't like their knees, so, they punish them! :-D

Common misconception. Proper technique = very very very little knee impact. In fact, properly carving a GS turn is probably more stress on your knees than properly executing a WC mogul turn. Ankle, knee, and hip angulation + A&E = easy on the knees. The reason some modern bump skiers have knee problems is bad landings from kickers. Mogul turns are no longer hard on the knees.


Why ski bumps? For me, it's almost a way of life. Honestly, I probably wouldn't ski if there weren't bumps. Well... I'd ski real powder days (foot+). I get deathly bored skiing groomers if I'm not drilling bump technique. Yeah, I can carve. I can rip GS turns. I can ski like that. But I don't like to. I get such a euphoric rush from ripping a bump line. It's an indescribable feeling.

To truly appreciate what mogul skiing is, you must be willing to devote the time and effort to learning proper technique. Just surviving your way down through bumps is no fun at all. But skiing bumps is one of the greatest experiences known to man.

Wow... that was almost philosophical :wink:
 

Greg

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To truly appreciate what mogul skiing is, you must be willing to devote the time and effort to learning proper technique.

Indeed. I may never get there, but the journey is fun!
 

tree_skier

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Never done it. Is skinning all day more demanding that bashing staircases all day?

It depends on what type of animal you are skinning. You need a lot of squirels to be skiining them all day long. Also it has never taken me all day to bash a staircase to bits.
 

BushMogulMaster

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Indeed. I may never get there, but the journey is fun!

You've got the right mindset, though. You're already well on your way. I'm certain you'll be there sooner than you'd expect. Especially if you can get to a camp or two over the next few years.
 

tcharron

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Common misconception. Proper technique = very very very little knee impact. In fact, properly carving a GS turn is probably more stress on your knees than properly executing a WC mogul turn. Ankle, knee, and hip angulation + A&E = easy on the knees. The reason some modern bump skiers have knee problems is bad landings from kickers. Mogul turns are no longer hard on the knees.


Why ski bumps? For me, it's almost a way of life. Honestly, I probably wouldn't ski if there weren't bumps. Well... I'd ski real powder days (foot+). I get deathly bored skiing groomers if I'm not drilling bump technique. Yeah, I can carve. I can rip GS turns. I can ski like that. But I don't like to. I get such a euphoric rush from ripping a bump line. It's an indescribable feeling.

To truly appreciate what mogul skiing is, you must be willing to devote the time and effort to learning proper technique. Just surviving your way down through bumps is no fun at all. But skiing bumps is one of the greatest experiences known to man.

Wow... that was almost philosophical :wink:

My comment was partially tounge in cheek. :-D I think it's much easier to hurt yourself on bumps if your not working on actually working bumps. Personally, if their crusty, I'm staying away from them for exactly this reason. Part of this is simply fear, honestly. If their not, I'm having fun, but I'm not going very fast. Perhaps one day without the kids I'll work on it, but until I feel totally comfortable, I tend to shy away from those long bump fields.

Granted, I'm not at the same level as many of you guys. :-D Maybe fear isn't a factor. lol
 
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I like to ski bumps because it's fun and also due to the challenge. As Greg has said many times..the seeded bump run at Sundown makes a little 600 vert mountain exciting. I love getting mad steezy speed on the groomers and blasting through crud and Poe...but bumps are a whole nother animal and even the best bump skiers get tips and advice because bumps are impossible to 100 percent master..
 

2knees

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One thing about bump skiing, for me anyway, is that i can ski the same run, hell the same line, all day and not get bored. I cant say that about any other type of skiing. I can be at a place like killington or sugarbush with many trail options, yet i'll literally pitch a tent on the first run i find with a nice line.
 

awf170

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Never done it. Is skinning all day more demanding that bashing staircases all day?


IMO, yes. After skiing a ton of bumps at Mt. Snow last Monday, I felt perfectly fine the next day. After skinning the both days this weekend I could barely do a flight of stairs yesterday without being in pain.
 

Greg

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IMO, yes. After skiing a ton of bumps at Mt. Snow last Monday, I felt perfectly fine the next day. After skinning the both days this weekend I could barely do a flight of stairs yesterday without being in pain.

Your approach to skiing bumps that day was more like a flat rock skimming along a calm mountain lake. You won't be able to do it that way forever. I also would consider those irregular bumplets, not steep and deep zippers.
 

Marc

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IMO, yes. After skiing a ton of bumps at Mt. Snow last Monday, I felt perfectly fine the next day. After skinning the both days this weekend I could barely do a flight of stairs yesterday without being in pain.

I'm glad you're in pain. I'd be worried if you weren't. I didn't feel too bad... I'm glad I didn't do a second day.
 

2knees

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Your approach to skiing bumps that day was more like a flat rock skimming along a calm mountain lake. You won't be able to do it that way forever. I also would consider those irregular bumplets, not steep and deep zippers.

there were a couple of lines in there, they just didnt last very long. I find that kind of stuff to be harder sometimes than deeper more defined lines. Harder in the sense that you find yourself wavering back and forth looking for the next setup.
 

madskier6

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I like to ski bumps because most of the more challenging runs in the East all have bumps on them in one way, shape or form. There are exceptions of course. For me, most of the more interesting runs have bumps on them & so its important to be able to master them so I can ski the best terrain the mountain has to offer.

I'm not a complete bump head like some on this board are (Greg, 2knees, BMM, to name a few) but I enjoy a good bump run for the challenge & thrill it gives me. I can't ski the same bump run over & over again because I like variety. I like to mix in a bump run with a groomer zoomer with a powder run through the trees. But eventually even the glades bump after a few days & so you'd better be able to handle them in some fashion IMHO.
 

BeanoNYC

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I can't ski them for shit, I try...I fail...I try...I fail...I try...I fail...I try...I fail...I try...I fail...I try...I fail...I try...I fail...I try...I fail...I try...I fail...one day I'll get it and it will all be worth it.
 
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