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Rod9301

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There are a few Mogul camps at blackcomb in the summer.
I've been to a few and i feel that i improved a great deal on a week.
 

Ski&ride

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I have not taken the B4B. So I can only go by the video and the descriptions.

The OP had listed her current level and expectation.

I can’t help to get the impression she’s already at a higher level than the typical incoming “boomers” the class caters to. And probably in better physical conditions too.

Her aspirations are also beyond the typical “boomers” who are hoping to get out of the class. Hence my question of whether this is the best class for the OP.

On the other hand, I would expect Aspen’s ski school have a more varied curriculum to help a wide spectrum of incoming student levels, regardless of their age!

I think the OP will get a decent improvement out of the 4 days of clinic in the hand of Aspen’s ski school. Though as others suggest, she may be able to get even more improvement in a less expensive venue.
 

mister moose

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3. The most helpful piece of advice (for me): "Turn your head and look at your next turn before you start the one you are about to execute." This helped me keep my upper body oriented down the fall line.

4. The most encouraging (and therefore, the most helpful) assessment from an instructor: "You aren't as bad as you think you are."

I think it is the quickness required in "real" bumps that eludes me. I need to learn how to ski them s l o w l y. I know it can be done, b/c I've been with instructors who do it beautifully.

You describe an ability level that sounds to me like above the BFB intro session. Unfortunately, they seem to have a rigid policy of requiring phase 1 before phase 2.

I'm guessing your two focuses should be
1) Linking turns better, finishing each turn in a ready position from which the next turn can be made with no hesitation, at any point in the turn..
2) Achieving quickness on the groomed blues. Discover rebound and find the "phantom bump".

And a 3rd hunch is
3) Achieve true simultaneity in steering and edge change.

All of those are not likely to be rapid or simple, but they are all within your ability to discover given enough drive, mileage, and a good tour guide.
 

KingGrump

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That certainly is a good part of it, @KingGrump . My head gets in my way, particularly when bump runs get steep. Maybe I should briefly describe what my current skill set actually is and what I've done thus far to try and improve my bump skiing.

1. Drills: I can side slip on either side for as long as an instructor would like me to. I can pivot-slip all day (well, almost, but who would want to?). I can do pivot slips in a narrow corridor or not, depending on what is asked for. I can do falling leaf on both sides comfortably. I have done/can do separation drills e.g. garlands, hands on hips, hands over the head, poles behind the back, and a drill I think of as the "pole window pane" where the poles are held in a "frame" off the snow, in front, and down the fall line. I like to pick a tree or other immovable object to center inside the frame.

2. Bumps: I've done lessons (Taos) where we; (i) start from a stationary position on the spine of one bump, (ii) place the pole on the downhill side and slightly behind (to avoid turning into it), (iii) pivot on the spine of the bump, and (iv) flatten the skis and side slip around on the secondary fall line. I can do this for one bump, but linking is another matter. I usually end up traversing over the next bump and turning on the next. Rinse, repeat.

3. The most helpful piece of advice (for me): "Turn your head and look at your next turn before you start the one you are about to execute." This helped me keep my upper body oriented down the fall line.

4. The most encouraging (and therefore, the most helpful) assessment from an instructor: "You aren't as bad as you think you are."

5. Type of skiing I like but don't get to do very often: I know you can't tell much, if anything, from a profile pic, but this one was taken this year in Whitefish MT in side-country terrain. There was about a foot of tracked out powder. It was lumpy and choppy but it wasn't like a conventional "bump run." I had no problems negotiating those conditions and I had a blast doing it. I have no problem skiing bumps that are widely spaced out. Where I had difficulty was steeper tracked out terrain w/tight trees (e.g., Gray's Golf Course and The Back Nine). I would never have ventured there w/o an instructor.

I think it is the quickness required in "real" bumps that eludes me. I need to learn how to ski them s l o w l y. I know it can be done, b/c I've been with instructors who do it beautifully.

Given the above, do those of you that know B4B (or Clendenin) think that a structured clinic would be helpful to me, or should I perhaps try and design my own "clinic" with instructors I like? (E.g, numbers 3 and 4 above came from an instructor in Taos).

Sorry to belabor this, but the clinics are $$$ and I get great input from folks on this site.

Cheers.

From your earlier post, I get the feel that it is not your technical skill set that is holding you back. Your point #1 and first part of #5 confirm that.

Point #2 and #3 together tells me the issues are in your head. At the end of the bump turn, your body position is probably defensive and thus unable to initiate the next turn as required. Turning your head allows for more counter of the upper body and puts the upper body in a more upright position relatively to the fall line. Making turn initiation easier.

Point #4 – The instructor is just working hard for his tips on Friday. Just kidding. You appear to have a self- confidence issue. You under estimate your ability. I have seen a few of those in my time at Taos. Mostly women. Most guys in the higher level ski week groups have the opposite thing going for them. Too much testosterone. They may suck, but not in their own mind.

About the “quickness” required to ski bumps in a proficient manner. Ha, that boat have sailed and sunk long ago. Maybe if I could be 19 again. At 64, I have seen cadaver with faster reaction rate. At my age, bump skiing It’s all about timing, turn shape and line. I ski bumps with an offensive intent – SOFTLY.

From what I can see from the B4B videos, I think the program is a great confidence builder. It will up your confidence level so you can utilize your skill set fully. To me, it’s money well spent if it opens the mountain to you.

Alternate approach would be a Taos private ski week for about the same money. You can also bring a friend with similar skiing ability to split the cost. I know several instructors that would be a good fit for the head game thing.

And now a word from our sponsor – 2020 Pugski Taos mini-gathering.

Come join us at Taos in 2020. Take a ski week in the morning and ski with the Pugskiers of your choice in the afternoon. Guarantee fun and your bump skiing improvement with even impress you.
 

mister moose

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I think it is the quickness required in "real" bumps that eludes me. I need to learn how to ski them s l o w l y. I know it can be done, b/c I've been with instructors who do it beautifully.

About the “quickness” required to ski bumps in a proficient manner. Ha, that boat have sailed and sunk long ago. Maybe if I could be 19 again. At 64, I have seen cadaver with faster reaction rate. At my age, bump skiing It’s all about timing, turn shape and line. I ski bumps with an offensive intent – SOFTLY.
Sure, 19 year olds bring things to the table that 60 year olds do not. Look at any World Cup bump video to see that. But let's not limit ourselves.

When I read "quickness in bumps" I think 2 turns on one (decent sized) bump. That move eludes many emerging bump skiers, and can be done at age 60. If you can jump rope, do the bunny hop or take stairs 2 steps at a time, it likely is within your grasp. And news flash, when I ski bumps more slowly, 2 turns on a bump becomes more accessible.

On head issues, they exist. However the head knows what the body is not ready or positioned for. It's a blend.

Want to know how to ski bumps better? Persevere. Find a good mentor. Better yet, find several.
 
Thread Starter
TS
Suzski

Suzski

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Thanx all for such solid and thoughtful advice/observations.

upload_2019-3-22_9-33-4.png

That sounds like a good range of drills to me, but you have not mentioned any one footed balance drills, unless those side slips are one footed. Any thousand steps drill or starting one footed skiing, maybe traversing while alternating between lifting uphill and downhill ski?

Thanx @Corgski . I should've mentioned those. I do a lot of one-footed drills. Because I'm right-sided and, accordingly, less accustomed to bearing weight on my right leg, my left turn was always my "bad" turn. In my quest this year to fix that I've spent a lot of time skiing one-footed on my right leg. I've been doing javelin turns and left turns where I lift my inside ski completely off the snow. Whenever I'm heading in on a green run I try to ski the whole run on one leg - alternating the two, but more time spent on the right leg. I'm very comfortable skiing one footed on the left, and the right is gradually coming along. Oddly enough, I find it easier to ski one-footed at the end of a long day on the hill - maybe b/c I've been "balancing" all day already. I'm also working on the bosu ball at the gym doing one-legged squats.

Alternate approach would be a Taos private ski week for about the same money. You can also bring a friend with similar skiing ability to split the cost. I know several instructors that would be a good fit for the head game thing.

AHHH, confidence. You may have nailed it again @KingGrump . I'm going to use my time in BC/Vail next week to do as many easy bumps as I can to work on that and the fore/aft balance and "just say no to shopping" suggestions that others have made. I love Taos. That could be a plan in addition to a clinic or private/semi-private lessons since I often go on the Taos trip w/my club anyway. BTW, Teri Koss and Mary Killinger are the instructors out there who have given me what little confidence I do have!
 

Wilhelmson

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Have you tried some private lessons already? I'm not that knowledgeable but if you can ski a whole green on one foot it seems you should be able to handle bumps. Or if you can do a few one foot turns on blue or blacks bumps are sort of the same. Of course you'll get thrown off and maybe even fall but that's skiing, or trying to at least.
 

Nancy Hummel

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Have you tried some private lessons already? I'm not that knowledgeable but if you can ski a whole green on one foot it seems you should be able to handle bumps. Or if you can do a few one foot turns on blue or blacks bumps are sort of the same. Of course you'll get thrown off and maybe even fall but that's skiing, or trying to at least.


This is the crux of the issue. Many people, mostly women in my experience, have the skiing skills to ski bumps. I do and Suzi appears to as well. What we need is guidance on how to use these skills in the bumps.
Yes, I can hack my way down but does that help? Somewhat, yes. Does following an imstructor help? Somewhat, yes. Does breaking the skills down to the point of skiing one bump at a time help? Somewhat, yes.
Does putting all of the above together help? Yes.

I have now reached the point where I can put all of those together and now I need MILEAGE.

Could I have reached this point faster? Yes.

Does competent instruction help? Yes

Does incompetent instruction help? No.

Is the mental component equally important as the physical component? Yes

I have experimented with some of the above in lessons and I have taught people with mediocre groomer skills to ski in easy bumps.

What I have found is that most people use way too much edge which affects speed control and many people avoid going into bumps and have an unrealistic view of what they can do.
Women seem to be over critical of their abilities.
 

LiquidFeet

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@Suzski, below are the things you've said so far about your skiing (in black). You have the skills to ski bumps much better than you do, but some mysterious piece of the bump-skiing puzzle is missing. I think you know this, but you don't know what it is. My comments in red.

What you can do now.
side slip on either side (you can control edging without losing fore-aft balance)
pivot slips in a narrow corridor (you have separation; you can control fore-aft balance while pivoting the skis under a forward-facing upper body
falling leaf on both sides (you have versatility in manipulating fore-aft balance)
hands on hips, hands over the head, poles behind the back (you can stay centered without projecting hands forward)
pole window pane ... down the fall line ... a tree or other immovable object to center inside the frame (you have separation; you can maintain focus on a target downhill)
one-legged squats on the bosu ball, a lot of one-footed drills (you are athletic, and strong and enjoy balance challenges)


You are not a fearful skier.
a foot of tracked out powder ... had a blast doing it. (you are not a fearful skier!)
difficulty was steeper tracked out terrain w/tight trees (you are not a fearful skier if you go into tight trees with bumps)

Conclusion: Fear is probably not causing your issues. You are not a fearful skier. Given everything you can do, I'm thinking it isn't your head that's causing your issues; it's technical. Something is missing.

You can fix your issues with technique.
I think it is the quickness required in "real" bumps that eludes me. This can be solved with technique.
I need to learn how to ski them s l o w l y
. This can be solved with technique.
Turn your head and look at your next turn (most helpful piece of advice (for me) ... to keep my upper body oriented down the fall line. Sounds like you lose the down-the-fall-line orientation of your upper body. This can be solved with technique.
I can do [slow slipping through the bumps] for one bump Good! This is expected, given everything you can do.
linking is another matter; I usually end up traversing over the next bump and turning on the next. This can be solved with technique.
I have no problem skiing bumps that are widely spaced out What line do you take in these bumps?

===========================================

I think you can solve your issues with a technical approach. I am wondering if there's something simple you can work on that can help you keep your upper body facing downhill, help you eliminate those unexpected traverses when you miss the next bump, and ultimately get the quickness you seek.

I think there is. I looked up pole plants to see if anyone mentioned them in this thread, and can't find any mention. A strong focus on pole plants, combined with looking ahead, may offer a solution to your issues.

Linking turns, not shopping your turns
To eliminate those unwanted traverses when the linking doesn't work and you go "shopping," you need to go slow. One slow way down the bumps is to head straight down the hill, starting on the top of a bump, planting a pole, turning, and slipping down to the next bump top, stopping there or slowing to a crawl, planting a pole, side-slipping a turn down to the next bump. You've already described taking a lesson where you did this but missed your targeted bumps, so you've had partial success with pivot-slipping your way down the fall line.

You'll need several focuses as you do this to fix those things listed above. First, face straight downhill and keep both hands visible at the bottom of your field of vision. Second goal is look ahead over your hands, not down at your feet. Target a bump below you, plant a pole with a flick of your wrist, turn and side-slip down, stop on targeted bump below, stop. Keep hands visible. This means you can't swing your arms. Keep body facing downhill. Stop on each bump, and work up to slowing on each bump.

Flick wrists, don't swing arms. Keeping both hands visible all the time will let you know you're not swinging your arms.

If you're missing your targeted bumps, stopping and starting again allows your body to figure out what it's doing wrong; you're probably aft as you head down the previous bump. Repeating will take care of that, as long as you are stopping on each bump, or slowing to a crawl, and pushing the reset button with determination.

Speed/Quickness
When you are pretty good at stopping/slowing to a crawl on each targeted bump, and at keeping the upper body facing down the hill with both hands staying visible, and planting poles with a flick of the wrist, then it's time to ramp up the speed. Now you can work on getting that quickness that you've been missing. So how do you do this? Look farther ahead, three bumps or more ahead, while keeping both hands visible at the bottom of your visual screen. Now plant the poles a little faster, flicking your wrists. The speed of the pole-flicking will determine the tempo of your turns. Make the same turns you were making before, but speed them up slowly by speeding up the tempo of the pole plants. Stop on a bump top when you feel yourself losing some part of that pattern.

This pattern of skiing will magically give you extra time. Or, another way of saying this, time will seem to slow down. Looking ahead and trusting your feet to go in the right place will keep you from feeling rushed. I know this because it's been the big deal that's been holding back my own bump skiing.

I'm guessing that when you ski bumps now, you are looking down at one bump at a time, thus the lack of quickness. The oncoming bumps beyond the one you're looking at come at you too fast for you to look at them and figure out how to handle them. You lose your targets and head off in a traverse, necessitating the shopping you mention. And/or you are swinging your arms which messes up balance and causes you to miss your target. And/or you are getting aft as you slip down to the next bump.

Looking ahead, keeping both hands visible, and flicking poles with wrists, and keeping upper body facing downhill, will hopefully fix your issues. You'll be able to work up to heading faster down the hill with a sense of extra time and full control, as long as you've put in enough practice time slowing to a stop. It's technical.

Steep bumps
Do speed before steeps. When you get into steeps, slow down and make sure you don't miss your turns. Then speed up slowly.

Bumps for Boomers
Bumps for Boomers will not teach you to do this. That program teaches skiers to get down the bumps with the skills you are already using. B4B allows skiers to ski a meandering line, seeing and skiing one bump at a time allowing the body to follow the skis. Separation seems not to be required for skiing this line through Aspen bumps, which is evident when you look at the videos of participants taken on the last day. It sounds like you are aggressive in your skiing goals and ready for skiing a more direct line down the bumps with separation. I don't think that program will get you there.
 
Last edited:

James

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Yeah @Suzski , from what you've posted I'd say your beyond the B4B program. Certainly you could get something out of it, but at your level there might be better options. A small group of equalish skiers would be good because I think you can learn more when getting outside yourself and seeing others. It's easier to make connections with what's being said. That is if the group is motivated, gets along and shares stuff.

Creating a small group at Taos with a picked instructor could be really good. Special place. If you made your own ski week you'd likely have contact with Jean Mayer and Alan Veith. Some of the greats of the ski teaching world. Jean is probably in his 80's now.
 

jack97

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About the “quickness” required to ski bumps in a proficient manner. Ha, that boat have sailed and sunk long ago. Maybe if I could be 19 again. At 64, I have seen cadaver with faster reaction rate. At my age, bump skiing It’s all about timing, turn shape and line. I ski bumps with an offensive intent – SOFTLY.

I'll pile on to what others have mentioned, that quickness comes with technique I would add that using the proper gear helps. As long as you have good fore/aft and single leg balance, the technique is within reach
 

Johnny V.

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Fantastic summary @LiquidFeet !

We just got back from a month out west and spent a lot of time in the bumps.Like you posted,the four keys are-pole plants, hands in front, look ahead and face down the hill-all easier said than done! As you stated it's also very important to stop and recenter if you get out of control-it's easy to go charging into a mogul run and go holy s*#t!. Regroup and start over.

Yes, we're boomers (and older than @KingGrump!) But the mogul runs are where the people aren't and it's a real feeling of satisfaction to look up at a steep bump run and tell yourself you just skied it.
 

jack97

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Agree. That's from spending time on approaching the bump in different ways, Once you can feel and get comfortable in skiing at the different parts of the bump, that patience will come.
 

James

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"I can't give anyone a good reason to ski moguls. I think you've got to be kind of sick. I think it's the idea of being...like out of control a little bit, like you know you're going to be on the edge. Very quickly."
-Jonny Mosley

From:
 

KingGrump

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I'll pile on to what others have mentioned, that quickness comes with technique I would add that using the proper gear helps. As long as you have good fore/aft and single leg balance, the technique is within reach

Quickness wise. I have no issues with executing 2 or more turns on the same bump. If that is my intent from the outset. I much prefer flow in my line rather than hammering it. YMMV.

With regards to quickness, I find that a lot of inexperienced bump skiers are TOO quick. Being patient matters in the bumps too!

Exactly. Quick turns and turning quick are two different animals. Quick turns are done with offensive intent, good balance and technique. Turning quick as executed by most skiers is more akin to jerking the steering wheel hard over while in the midst of negotiating a curve on a country back road. Not a good thing.

@Suzski, below are the things you've said so far about your skiing (in black). You have the skills to ski bumps much better than you do, but some mysterious piece of the bump-skiing puzzle is missing. I think you know this, but you don't know what it is. My comments in red.

What you can do now.
side slip on either side (you can control edging without losing fore-aft balance)
pivot slips in a narrow corridor (you have separation; you can control fore-aft balance while pivoting the skis under a forward-facing upper body
falling leaf on both sides (you have versatility in manipulating fore-aft balance)
hands on hips, hands over the head, poles behind the back (you can stay centered without projecting hands forward)
pole window pane ... down the fall line ... a tree or other immovable object to center inside the frame (you have separation; you can maintain focus on a target downhill)
one-legged squats on the bosu ball, a lot of one-footed drills (you are athletic, and strong and enjoy balance challenges)

You are not a fearful skier.
a foot of tracked out powder ... had a blast doing it. (you are not a fearful skier!)
difficulty was steeper tracked out terrain w/tight trees (you are not a fearful skier if you go into tight trees with bumps)
Fear is probably not causing your issues. You are not a fearful skier. Given everything you can do, I'm thinking it isn't your head that's causing your issues; it's technical. Something is missing.

You can fix your issues with technique.
I think it is the quickness required in "real" bumps that eludes me. This can be solved with technique.
I need to learn how to ski them s l o w l y
. This can be solved with technique.
Turn your head and look at your next turn (most helpful piece of advice (for me) ... to keep my upper body oriented down the fall line. Sounds like you lose the down-the-fall-line orientation of your upper body. This can be solved with technique.
I can do [slow slipping through the bumps] for one bump Good! This is expected, given everything you can do.
linking is another matter; I usually end up traversing over the next bump and turning on the next. This can be solved with technique.
I have no problem skiing bumps that are widely spaced out What line do you take in these bumps?

===========================================

I think you can solve your issues with a technical approach. I am wondering if there's something simple you can work on that can help you keep your upper body facing downhill, help you eliminate those unexpected traverses when you miss the next bump, and ultimately get the quickness you seek.

I think there is. I looked up pole plants to see if anyone mentioned them in this thread, and can't find any mention. A strong focus on pole plants, combined with looking ahead, may offer a solution to your issues.

Linking turns, not shopping your turns
To eliminate those unwanted traverses when the linking doesn't work and you go "shopping," you need to go slow. One slow way down the bumps is to head straight down the hill, starting on the top of a bump, planting a pole, turning, and slipping down to the next bump top, stopping there or slowing to a crawl, planting a pole, side-slipping a turn down to the next bump. You've already described taking a lesson where you did this but missed your targeted bumps, so you've had partial success with pivot-slipping your way down the fall line.

You'll need several focuses as you do this to fix those things listed above. First, face straight downhill and keep both hands visible at the bottom of your field of vision. Second goal is look ahead over your hands, not down at your feet. Target a bump below you, plant a pole with a flick of your wrist, turn and side-slip down, stop on targeted bump below, stop. Keep hands visible. This means you can't swing your arms. Keep body facing downhill. Stop on each bump, and work up to slowing on each bump.

Flick wrists, don't swing arms. Keeping both hands visible all the time will let you know you're not swinging your arms.

If you're missing your targeted bumps, stopping and starting again allows your body to figure out what it's doing wrong; you're probably aft as you head down the previous bump. Repeating will take care of that, as long as you are stopping on each bump, or slowing to a crawl, and pushing the reset button with determination.

Speed/Quickness
When you are pretty good at stopping/slowing to a crawl on each targeted bump, and at keeping the upper body facing down the hill with both hands staying visible, and planting poles with a flick of the wrist, then it's time to ramp up the speed. Now you can work on getting that quickness that you've been missing. So how do you do this? Look farther ahead, three bumps or more ahead, while keeping both hands visible at the bottom of your visual screen. Now plant the poles a little faster, flicking your wrists. The speed of the pole-flicking will determine the tempo of your turns. Make the same turns you were making before, but speed them up slowly by speeding up the tempo of the pole plants. Stop on a bump top when you feel yourself losing some part of that pattern.

This pattern of skiing will magically give you extra time. Alternatively, time slows down. Looking ahead and trusting your feet to go in the right place will keep you from feeling rushed. I know this because it's been the big deal that's been holding back my own bump skiing.

I'm guessing that when you ski bumps now, you are looking down at one bump at a time, thus the lack of quickness. The oncoming bumps beyond the one you're looking at come at you too fast for you to look at them and figure out how to handle them. You lose your targets and head off in a traverse, necessitating the shopping you mention. And/or you are swinging your arms which messes up balance and causes you to miss your target. And/or you are getting aft as you slip down to the next bump.

Looking ahead, keeping both hands visible, and flicking poles with wrists, and keeping upper body facing downhill, will hopefully fix your issues. You'll be able to work up to heading faster down the hill with a sense of extra time and full control, as long as you've put in enough practice time slowing to a stop. It's technical.

Steep bumps
Do speed before steeps. When you get into steeps, slow down and make sure you don't miss your turns. Then speed up slowly.

Bumps for Boomers
Bumps for Boomers will not teach you to do this. That program teaches skiers to get down the bumps with the skills you are already using. It sounds like you are aggressive in your skiing goals and ready for skiing a more direct line down the bumps with separation. I don't think that program will get you there.

Great write up for an intro to bump skiing.
One of the moderators should post a cleaned up version as a sticky. Intro primer to bump skiing.

At Taos, the method stated will work on the bumps in Lone Star. Probably the only decent true blue bump run on the hill. Probably will work on both Papa Bear and Tell Glade. These two trails are the next step up in difficulty. The rest of the hill is littered with bump runs that rival or surpass Outer Limit in difficulty. Confidence (or lack of) and fear are real issues when skiing at Taos.

I have skied Taos regularly since 1989. Spent several seasons there. Participated in 30+ ski weeks over the years. I have seen quite a bit and understand the dynamic of the skiers that ski there. Taos is a very unforgiving mountain. IMO, Suzski’s issue is both fear and lack of confidence. It’s a vicious cycle. Some get over it by themselves. Some require external help.

If Suzski was in one of the higher lever groups. The terrains her group frequented will be chutes, steeps, bumps and trees off the ridge, upper and lower front. Kachina peak will probably be part of the terrains frequented if it is open. Following photo is the entrance to Upper Staufffy.

Stauffenburg.JPG

Upper Stauffy. Photo credit SBrown.


To put thing in perspective. Upper Stauffy is the easiest chute off the West Basin Ridge. Big and wide. The pitch of the chute is fairly consistent from entry to the bottom. About 800 vertical feet. A botched turn will get one a quick ride on the express elevator down 80 stories. Best part of it is it is over in a flash. The bad part - well, use your imagination.

Terrain like these are the reasons Slim has a full time job at the top of chair #2 all winter long.

Slim Slidell (2).jpg

Slim at his office at the top of chair #2.

Speed control via line is paramount for skiing these terrains. Facing downhill and flicking the poles forward will not cut it.



Yup, fear is real. Really real, but it can be overcome.

A interesting incident during the Big Sky gathering this year. Second run on the first day. I lead a group down the one of the steep and slightly bumped up sections under the Challenger chair. Mamie was in the middle herding cats and Andrew was sweeping. The rest of the group are fairly even in technical competence. The line down involved skiing through a rocky choke point. I picked my way through the choke and skied down to where the slope flattens. I turn and looked up hill at the group and I can immediately pick out the one skier that has not been to Taos. She wasn’t even moving. I can tell from the way she was clinging to the hill. Andrew saw it about the same time and skied down to her. He suggested for her to follow his line down through the choke. She followed Andrew down through the rocky choke and down to the flat area with no further issues. The rest of the group experience no issues.

@mdf talked about following an instructor down the bumps is much easier than finding a line by himself in another thread. Most overthink while skiing bumps and steeps. Reduce the thinking and there will be less fear.

At the bottom, I asked the rest of the group what they thought of the run. The purpose of the question was to assess whether to reduce the difficulty level or kick it up a notch. All wanted to kick it up a notch. They all felt if they didn’t die at Taos during the mini-gathering there. This little bit of steep at Big Sky won’t kill them.

What doesn't kill you will make you stronger.

The same women was rocking a pair of FIS SL down similar lines off the challenger chair by the end of the week. I believe she started the week on a pair of Black Pearl 98. She made real progress.



AHHH, confidence. You may have nailed it again @KingGrump . I'm going to use my time in BC/Vail next week to do as many easy bumps as I can to work on that and the fore/aft balance and "just say no to shopping" suggestions that others have made. I love Taos. That could be a plan in addition to a clinic or private/semi-private lessons since I often go on the Taos trip w/my club anyway. BTW, Teri Koss and Mary Killinger are the instructors out there who have given me what little confidence I do have!

@Suzski , A thought just came to me. you can narrow down your issue during your upcoming trip to Vail.
Full disclosure: I spent couple seasons at Vail a short while back.
After you get your ski legs back, go ski chair #10 at Vail. Warm up and flex out your legs on Blue Ox and then ski the bumps on Highline. The pitch on Highline is not very steep but the bumps are generally tighter.

Please allow me to apologize in advance for the long traverse out from chair #10.

If you can make it down Highline without much difficulty then you are way too advanced for B4B .
If you have no issues linking turns on Highline then your issue is in your head and not with your technique.

If you find yourself too advanced for B4B. A private ski week (or 2) with the right instructors can help with the head, confidence and technique.
I know both Terri and Mary. Both are long time Taos instructors.
I can PM you with a few instructor recs if you wish.


Good luck and have fun at Vail/Beaver Creek.
 
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Suzski

Suzski

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Thanx all, and thanx @KingGrump . I've returned to the flatlands, but had a great time at both Vail and BC. I'm only reading your post now, @KingGrump , but I ended up taking some of your advice even while in ignorance of it.

We started our first day at Vail doing a warmup on Cappucino and then laps on Blue Ox while we waited for some folks to join us. Then we went to Blue Sky Basin and had a blast in Big Rock Park and Grand Review (both blue groomers). We then, unintentionally, did Hornsilver (black, ungroomed). The bumps were soft since it was so warm that day, but the troughs looked like trenches. For the first time, I got down a run like that w/o falling. It wasn't smooth and it wasn't pretty and there was plenty of shopping and side-slipping going on, but I made it down w/o mishap and even made a decent link or two. Progress.

It was far too soupy even in the late morning to do Champagne Glade, but we did it anyway. It was slushy, grabby snow, but my Black Pearl 88's proved their worth. Something wider might have been better, but we skied it as well as we could've, I think, and had a good time doing it. Good thing I skied so much eastern slush this season - I now have fun in it.

We then moved on to China Bowl where the snow, somehow, had held up better. More fun was had by all. We finished the day by working our way back to Mid-Vail and the Mountaintop Express Chair to pick up Riva Ridge, which we skied top to bottom w/o stopping just to prove that 59 year old legs (and lungs) can still do it. It was four miles of a good time, but I was BEAT by the end and earned my wine. Thank heaven I was w/peeps who know Vail or I might still be up there somewhere. I'm having to look at the trail map to retrace my steps.

We went to Vail 2 more days and did essentially the same as the above w/o the Hornsilver element on day 2 (actually, I'm mixing up my days, but no matter). Day 3 was too windy and snowy and the back bowls were closed so we had fun on the front side doing groomed blacks and blues. I ran into an instructor friend on the chair - how likely is that??? so I skied w/her in the morning and had a mini-bump lesson. Plus, I demo'd the Santa Ana 100's. Not the ideal day since it was icy by western standards but they can perform on the hard stuff, which is good to know.

At Beaver Creek (3 days) we did the 3.5 hour mountain tour and then had lunch w/our guides. Great way to learn the mountain. Along the way, they pointed out some short, blue bump runs. These turned out to be fantastic practice, as was the Rose Bowl. I think we skied every section except Grouse Mountain during the 3 days.

I think the most fun I had all week was at Vail in the Game Creek area. Wide open, mildly bumped up blacks and blues. We did laps. It was fantastic.

I can't wait for next season!
 
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Jerez

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@Suzski, Alternatively, time slows down. Looking ahead and trusting your feet to go in the right place will keep you from feeling rushed. I know this because it's been the big deal that's been holding back my own bump skiing.

I'm guessing that when you ski bumps now, you are looking down at one bump at a time, thus the lack of quickness. The oncoming bumps beyond the one you're looking at come at you too fast for you to look at them and figure out how to handle them. You lose your targets and head off in a traverse, necessitating the shopping you mention. And/or you are swinging your arms which messes up balance and causes you to miss your target. And/or you are getting aft as you slip down to the next bump.

Looking ahead, keeping both hands visible, and flicking poles with wrists, and keeping upper body facing downhill, will hopefully fix your issues.
:golfclap:

This looking ahead business takes mental discipline and time to make into a habit, but it is IME the single most important and useful thing for bumps. Everyone says it, but it took me years to actually do it. And, when I do, it is like a magic pill that slows down time.

Have you ever had the experience of following a good skier through the bumps, finding it so much easier and then thinking it was because they can find the special line? But that's not why; it feels easier because by following them you are looking ahead. Ski the next bump, not the one you're on.

I practice this skill in summer while hiking too, to try to make it habitual. It's amazing how your subconscious mind retains the terrain and how you magically don't trip over every rock or root when looking ahead and not at your feet.
 

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