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How to ski powder?

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pinklittlelamb
Posts: 161 - Karma: 7
I tired searchbar, unfortunately no luck. Anyways, I would have done this in trick-tip but i need some quick responses so i'd appreciate if you wouldn't shit on me for wanting some last minute instruction.

I really struggle to understand the fundamentals of skiing powder. Last time I skiied it i couldn't get much floatation and my skis kept catching in deeper snow when i tried sharp turns. I was learning really far back too and I couldn't get my skis to rise above the powder.. but I heard that I should have kept more of a neutral stance? How could i get floatation this way? I just need somebody to law down the basics here.

Thanks ns
Feb 14 2010 4:00PM
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kronickrew
Posts: 1013 - Karma: 32
it depends if you have rockerd skis or not if you do not have rocker skis you must lean back a tad when you have a low speed keep your hands up your knees bent and always look where you want to go
Feb 14 2010 4:02PM
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pinklittlelamb
Posts: 161 - Karma: 7
i have a symmetrical medium-flex ski if that helps at all
Feb 14 2010 4:02PM
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kronickrew
Posts: 1013 - Karma: 32
you might want to lean back a bit so you do not sink your tips
Feb 14 2010 4:04PM
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Piste.Off
Posts: 11586 - Karma: 1,860
no, if you lean back you won't be able to turn

keep your shins pressed against your tongues the whole time, while keeping your wait on your heels. so you have a forward and balanced stance. i guess theres more to it then that but please don't listen to the first guy
Feb 14 2010 4:16PM
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panojibber
Posts: 3382 - Karma: 216
Precisely. This allows you to push your tails down into the snow and keep your tips up, while still maintaining a good stance on your skis. This will be tougher if you've got center-mounted skis.
Feb 14 2010 4:20PM
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kronickrew
Posts: 1013 - Karma: 32
i didnt mean lean back alot ...
Feb 14 2010 4:21PM
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K_FRANK
Posts: 513 - Karma: 277
dont lean back lean forward into the turn and as you come through the turn you will sink into the snow this will slow you down considerably so try to carry some speed into a pow run. as you come out of the turn unweight harder than you would on hard pack this should pop ontop of the snow to give you enough time to transfer edges and initiate the next turn continue this pattern not much else to it if your a good enough skier you should be able to ski pow on anything fat skis just make it easier. im not hatin on fat skis because i ride some but i skied pow on skinny skis for a long time. have fun
Feb 14 2010 6:47PM
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TWoods
Posts: 10014 - Karma: 8,388
The biggest thing that will help with symmetrical skinnier skis in pow is keeping centered. Keep the weight even on both feet, think about moving though the snow down the fall line rather than carving like you would on a groomer. stay upright, a little forward (not back on your heals) and start moving straight down the hill, then start turning and figuring it out.

Stiffer center mounted symmetrical skis aren't easy to ski pow on, unless they are real fat. It's just a function of the mechanics of it. It will take some getting used to for sure.
Feb 14 2010 6:54PM
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
the main things that helped me learn to ski pow(on skinny skis)  is to go fast, like straighline the first 25-30 yards of the run to get your speed up, then keep it up, and to really try to keep even weight on both feet through the turn.   you can't skid your turns and throw your skis sideways, you just have to make mellow carvy turns. 
Feb 14 2010 6:59PM
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Drail
Posts: 14041 - Karma: 10,293
don't ask newschoolers how to ski powder, you'll get stupid answers like "lean back".

In all honesty, I don't really know how to explain the way I ski in powder. it's more full body skiing as opposed to just skiing on a groomer, even weight on both feet, stay as centered over your skis as possible.... and don't fight the snow.

the differences are subtle - like... when skiing on a groomer you are putting your weight on the balls of your feet and your toes, in the pow, you still have your weight over your skis, but depending on what you're trying to do, sometimes it's better to have your weight on your heels (THAT DOES NOT MEAN LEAN BACK!)


your best bet? trial and error till it feels smooth.
Feb 14 2010 7:08PM
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nickyp
Posts: 5673 - Karma: 215
Feb 14 2010 7:14PM
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ONTerriible
Posts: 1210 - Karma: 126

i find that when i ski powder the faster that i ski the easier it is, make sure you look well ahead of you while you're skiing thatway you can avoid anything that will come out in front of you. also keep your skis pointed down the hill this will enable your skis to cut through the now instead of pushing it if you're turning with your skis across the hill. if you find yourself going to fast do a quick slash and then get your skis pointing down the hill again

Feb 14 2010 7:29PM
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fezz
Posts: 542 - Karma: 28
go fast..seriously i have anthems and i find the only way to keep control whilst skiing pow is by keeping as much speed as possible while still carving it up
Feb 14 2010 7:31PM
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HappyTreez
Posts: 311 - Karma: 401

dont press your shins as hard against the front of the boots, but still try to keep your weight centered.  I find a good way to do this is to pull your toes up to the top of the toe box, this allows you to pull your weight back a little bit while keeping proper pressure in the front of your boots.

Feb 14 2010 11:17PM
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PaleCelery
Posts: 7228 - Karma: 609
lean forward
Feb 14 2010 11:19PM
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--ski--
Posts: 1670 - Karma: 817
its not that people on ns dont know what they're talking about but get lessons man, best way to learn.
Feb 15 2010 3:11AM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
It's been said, but first of all don't lean back, it'll make turning with your legs a lot harder and will make you look like a gaper. In order to stay centred and not go over the front of your skis you need core and leg tension. The biggest challenge when skiing deeper powder is the change is friction, if you are weak, as soon as you hit a deeper patch you legs will slow down and upper body will carry on, resulting in a crash. If however, you stay strong you will plough straight through it and get a mean face shot. I often get people to feel this tension by trying to pull their belly button back towards their spine, or just tensing their abs.

A narrower stance will aid you in maintaining a solid platform, it also helps to ski more two footed (equal weight distribution between feet.

In terms of turn shape, try to keep it round and smooth, sure a slash is fun every now and again, but it shouldn't be your main form of speed control. As powder is slower than groomed slopes, you will need to make a less finished more open turn, basically don't go across the hill so much, try and maintain some momentum.

At the start of the turn some people like to bounce, I prefer a retraction, whereby you suck your skis up to start the turn, allowing you upper body to stay stable.




Feb 15 2010 5:04AM
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unchyll
Posts: 4554 - Karma: 96
[URL=http://img121.imageshack.us/i/familyguysmokefamilyguy.jpg/]Click for larger image[/URL]
Feb 15 2010 5:34AM
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Shane_McWannabe
Posts: 1694 - Karma: 73
i would say that the best advice on how to learn to ski powder would be, pretend that you are on a monoski, move your skis as one unit together...also dont try to finesse it...use lots of power
Feb 15 2010 5:34AM
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pinklittlelamb
Posts: 161 - Karma: 7
thank you so much guys. i feel as though there is a huge misconception on how to ski powder on this site hahaha
Feb 15 2010 7:37AM
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smuggs
Posts: 6561 - Karma: 1,375
skiing powder is usually about making as many small rounded consecutive fall line turns as you can. i like to go as fast as anyone, but trust me. by the end of the day you will have gotten 10000 more face shots than the guys skiing powder fast. and u will be in much better shape.



Click for larger image



Feb 15 2010 9:08AM
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elesqudor
Posts: 107 - Karma: 15

lean back always be watching wat line your gunna take and mak kinda short round turns

Feb 15 2010 11:50AM
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I_Am_Mod
Posts: 13214 - Karma: 3,753
depending on snow conditions and your speed you NEED to lean back to prevent tip dive...

Just charge hard and your skis will float anyways...

also turn using your whole body stance(lean left - right) you can't use your edges so your stance determines where you go; use the stepping movement to change your angulation(push left-right leg to chage stance/direction)

for slashes just commit and throw your whole body into it.

for improved pow experience get some fat skis with tapered tips/tails, and reverse camber; its a world of difference !
(also, maybe this is personal but i prefer my pow skis around 10cm taller then me; im 180cm and ski 191 ...)
Feb 15 2010 11:57AM
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I_Am_Mod
Posts: 13214 - Karma: 3,753
before i get mad hate for suggesting the lean back thingy; leaning back is only required for when you use park skis or skinny planks; once you get some decent pow planks you should maintain the same stance you have on the groomers; body centered and upright, knees pressed forward above your toes....
you know....

also leaning back is tiring as fuck, so once you feel your tips float properly, try to regain that basic stance...
Feb 15 2010 12:02PM
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SuwakaFlocka
Posts: 447 - Karma: 1,472
arms in front like youre driving a car. upper body facing down hill. initialize the turns with your upper legs. skis together working parallel. and definitely dont lose those tips under the snow. have fun most of all youll progress exponentially. its the best type of skiing there is!
Feb 15 2010 12:06PM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,273
hands in front, hips forward...DO NOT lean back. instead, to gain flotation, ski with equal weight on both ski and ski on both skis as if they're one. if you're on decently fat skis and you build up speed, you can spread your legs apart and rip, but going slow on skinny skis is all about centered weight, equal distribution, and not not not leaning back

a helpful tip for turning is to try and jet your tips out of the snow, so at the bottom of your turn before the next one just sort of pop your tips out of the snow and move them into the next turn, but that's only for really skinny skis in really deep heavy snow
Feb 15 2010 12:13PM
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SuwakaFlocka
Posts: 447 - Karma: 1,472
this.

and get your pow slash on.
Feb 15 2010 12:26PM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,273
no no no no

NEVER turn using your whole body, that's going against the fundamentals of skiing

when you turn your shoulders and arms into the hill, you completely throw off your balance and send your body weight into the turn which makes it near impossible to completely switch directions and pull your weight into the next turn. after 5 turns you end up with your skis going one way and your body going the other and it feels terrible. that also leads to leaning back

always always keep your body going down the fall line, shoulders square with the horizon, hands in front. this keeps your body centered, your core heading the right way, and let your feet do the work. also focus on pole planting. it helps spring around your turn and keep your body in line
Feb 15 2010 12:41PM
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Zump.
Posts: 3338 - Karma: 305

we need a tech talk on this.

/thread

Feb 15 2010 12:44PM
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panojibber
Posts: 3382 - Karma: 216
YES.
Feb 15 2010 10:38PM
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.jesus.
Posts: 2288 - Karma: 22
judging by your name you live in the east coast are about 12-14 and ride through the park all day trying to look cool and also think that park is the only kind of skiing that's fun.

and so i shall now contribute keep your shins on the tongues of your boots and your weight on your heels
Feb 15 2010 11:26PM
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king.tubby
Posts: 2865 - Karma: 122
surf that shit. schmear around. have fun. ride the white wave with your own style.
Feb 16 2010 12:15AM
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FUUUCK
Posts: 18426 - Karma: 4,889
I hereby ban you from giving ski advice
Feb 16 2010 1:22AM
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henrytargett
Posts: 903 - Karma: 35
buy some fatties and lean back.




jk
Feb 16 2010 1:40AM
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pow314
Posts: 424 - Karma: 111
its all about leg extension and contraction- extending your legs at the middle/widest part of your turn and contracting them at the beginning of each turn-this keeps you centered over the ski. basically  good technique is more important when skiing powder than any other time. watch tanner hall ski power- notice the extreme leg extension and contraction he gets in every turn-or watch some racing and improve you technique. if you dont want to do that put 400 to 500 in a pair of really fat rockered skis. any idiot can ski pow on a pair of pontoons.....    
Feb 16 2010 3:25AM
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AKburns
Posts: 464 - Karma: 9
ski it like its the last line of your life

powder is the bees knees
Feb 16 2010 3:41AM
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Gnarwall
Posts: 1180 - Karma: 50
Your stance should be pretty narrow, with about 50/50 weight distribution on your skis. Get forward, and keep hands up in front to keep you from falling backseat. If your hands are up, skiing powder will be MUCH easier. You should be on your toes, centered over your skis. Afterbang is wrong. Tip dive is a load of crap, stay centered and it shouldn't happen.

Try to ski at a steady, medium pace. Slow wont get you anywhere except stuck, and fast can be a bit exhausting for people who don't really ski powder and it can fuck you over pretty quick. Turn for speed control, and really just try to get a rhythm going, after that you're golden.


Feb 16 2010 3:57AM
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Fischer-Addicted
Posts: 1064 - Karma: 30
bring your toes to the top of your boot, this will put pressure on your heel but bring your shins to the tongue while still sticking to the forward motion you should have when skiing. wait until your skis rise up and its almost but not quite like a hop to start your turn. if you dont wait until your skis start to float your going to be pushing a mound of snow the entire time and wondering why people live for this stuff.
Feb 16 2010 7:16AM
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Ride03
Posts: 46 - Karma: 10

first time i fell in powder, i was like 8 yrs old skiing lake louise bowls, IT SUCKED. It gets so annoying.

The way i learned was just to pretend like ur almost sitting in an imaginary chair, then just sit back and enjoy

Feb 16 2010 9:21AM
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elesqudor
Posts: 107 - Karma: 15
your right haha im fifteen tho
Feb 17 2010 4:01PM
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.jesus.
Posts: 2288 - Karma: 22
i like how you admitted that you think park is the only fun thing about skiing
Feb 17 2010 9:08PM
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