I Just Took My First Bump Lesson ... This Is Why You Should, Too

[jack97]

View attachment 64501 Here is a picture from Squaw, from last spring. Siberia bowl. There are both natural bumps all over the place, and a thin strip in the center of seeded bumps. A youth team with USST jackets if I remember correctly was training there. Unbelievable, seeing them come down with perfect rhythm, full speed, down the steepest part of the bowl.

Needless to say, none of these are "beginner bumps", but I thought it would be fun to compare natural occurring and seed bumps, side by side.

Seeing competitive and former competitive mogul skiers live and skiing a steep and narrow course is an eye opening experience. Given the criteria of the sport is to ski down a narrow corridor, it's amazing what can be done and more importantly, they show that it can be done.

 

[tball]

Here's a little beginner bump stoke.

This is the Little Burn run at Copper Mountain. It's a moderate pitch blue run where they allow natural bumps to form, and is one of the better beginner bumps runs around. You have to be willing to ski under the lift and take a few jeers, though.


(Sorry for the crummy video, my helmet cam isn't working so I'm holding my phone.)

So, this weekend was our son's (7 yrs) first time skiing Little Burn. We've been looking at it for a while from the lift while skiing other blues, some of which they leave bumps on the side where we have been practicing.

Little Burn is a bit intimidating not just because it's under the lift, but it's also relatively long, and there's no exit once you are on the run. I was concerned it could be a disaster but finally relented as he's been wanting to ski it for weeks.

He had a blast and skied it fantastically! We ended up skiing FIVE (!) Little Burn laps at his insistence the first day, and after he said he loves skiing bumps!

 

[LiquidFeet]

It's wonderful to see the little ones doing this so easily! Thanks for posting that.

 

[Mike King]

I’m sure you’re happy about that!

 

[tball]

But here is something I just realized, that I have been doing lately, and is another BIG advantage of learning bumps. Staying safe. I know @KingGrump has been saying this forever. But bump runs and natural snow are much safer, despite what many (most) people think, simply because the idiots who bomb down groomed runs irresponsibly, are unable to ski natural snow, or un-groomed runs. My biggest fear when skiing, is being taken out by some lunatic. So, when I am at a place that gets crowded, I am definitely going to be in open bowls or bump runs, in relative solitude. The contrast between the 'zoo' in the groomed runs and the beauty of an empty bowl of natural snow all for myself is just stunning.

I forgot to emphasize this point in my post a couple back with the video of my son.

You'll notice on the video there is almost nobody on that bump run. Little Burn is on the intermediate, more crowded side of Copper Mountain. That was taken about noon on a busy Saturday. The run is directly under a high-speed quad, and the new high-speed six-pack also dumps off above the run. They were both running at capacity with lines.

So, Copper is crowded, yet that run is empty, and it's the easiest bump run on the mountain. At the same time, the groomers next door are packed. It was like that all day.

People avoid bump runs, so in addition to folks needing to go slower on bumps, they don't even go there in the first place. So much safer!

 

[Mike King]

True in general, but you should read @Tricia's post...https://www.pugski.com/threads/skiing-hit-n-run-at-breck.13376/page-12#post-324395

 

[Wilhelmson]

Here's a little beginner bump stoke.

This is the Little Burn run at Copper Mountain. It's a moderate pitch blue run where they allow natural bumps to form, and is one of the better beginner bumps runs around. You have to be willing to ski under the lift and take a few jeers, though.


(Sorry for the crummy video, my helmet cam isn't working so I'm holding my phone.)

So, this weekend was our son's (7 yrs) first time skiing Little Burn. We've been looking at it for a while from the lift while skiing other blues, some of which they leave bumps on the side where we have been practicing.

Little Burn is a bit intimidating not just because it's under the lift, but it's also relatively long, and there's no exit once you are on the run. I was concerned it could be a disaster but finally relented as he's been wanting to ski it for weeks.

He had a blast and skied it fantastically! We ended up skiing FIVE (!) Little Burn laps at his insistence the first day, and after he said he loves skiing bumps!

Just wait a few more years. When it's safe to do so my kid and I race down moguls its stupid crazy fun going all out to beat your kid.

 

[tball]

True in general, but you should read @Tricia's post...https://www.pugski.com/threads/skiing-hit-n-run-at-breck.13376/page-12#post-324395

Yes, I saw her post. Is this your concern:" This is a clear case where the parents wanted to ski "bigger stuff" and over terrained their child"?

No doubt I'm over terraining my child a bit, but in my mind, this is different (of course!). I'm doing so because I deemed the appropriate terrain less safe given the speeds and crowds on the blue runs that are the logical next progression. So, straight to bumps!

I don't believe he's in any way dangerous to himself or others. I could see how some may disagree based on the video, but that was his first run out of five on Little Burn, and he only got better. Most of the time he was also following me, going slower and in more control as I picked the line. I was just behind him there to shoot the video.

I understand over terraining him might not be best for his skiing. I don't really care as the first priority is to keep him safe. Our kiddos will be doing the seasonal lesson program in March, and that has me worried about their safety more than anything!

 

[Josh Matta]

@tball take the kids ski away on the carpet and get him parallel.

 

[jack97]

Yes, I saw her post. Is this your concern:" This is a clear case where the parents wanted to ski "bigger stuff" and over terrained their child"?

No doubt I'm over terraining my child a bit, but in my mind, this is different (of course!). I'm doing so because I deemed the appropriate terrain less safe given the speeds and crowds on the blue runs that are the logical next progression. So, straight to bumps!

I don't believe he's in any way dangerous to himself or others. I could see how some may disagree based on the video, but that was his first run out of five on Little Burn, and he only got better. Most of the time he was also following me, going slower and in more control as I picked the line. I was just behind him there to shoot the video.

I understand over terraining him might not be best for his skiing. I don't really care as the first priority is to keep him safe. Our kiddos will be doing the seasonal lesson program in March, and that has me worried about their safety more than anything!

Based on the vid, I don't think you were "over terraining", I have seen worse. We use to take our daughter on bumps runs at that age in similar pitches and she was having a blast. If it means anything, what turned her off from skiing is she became a fair weather skier and the bumps got too hard for her when she grew to longer skis.

 

[Mendieta]

Folks, let's keep it light. Not everyone who posts a family member is asking for MA. I would go a little further, and say that most people are sharing to spread the stoke. I hope we don't turn people away from sharing those precious moments. @tball , your little one rocks. Send him a high five from me

 

[LiquidFeet]

^ ditto.

 

[LuliTheYounger]

@tball Northstar has a similar run called Magic Moguls that I remember as the first "big kid" run that the instructors would let us do when I was around your kiddo's age. They'd take a whole posse of us down it and we were all so small that we'd disappear behind some of the bigger bumps. We used to absolutely riot if an instructor tried to send us home without a trip to the moguls - I barely remember any of the other runs we'd do, but the fun we had on that run stuck with me!

 

[Mike King]

Based on the vid, I don't think you were "over terraining", I have seen worse. We use to take our daughter on bumps runs at that age in similar pitches and she was having a blast. If it means anything, what turned her off from skiing is she became a fair weather skier and the bumps got too hard for her when she grew to longer skis.

No, it was that there are unguided missiles on bump runs as well.. just not as many.

 

[Coach13]

^^^^ that pic looks sweet.

There's several ways to seed a bump run. Below is how Sunnapee (NH) does it for their freestyle team. By some people's opinion, they went overboard and went almost across the width of the trail. I beg to differ.

Damn and all this time I just thought bumps were groups of snowed over boarders.

 

[tball]

Folks, let's keep it light. Not everyone who posts a family member is asking for MA. I would go a little further, and say that most people are sharing to spread the stoke. I hope we don't turn people away from sharing those precious moments. @tball , your little one rocks. Send him a high five from me

Thanks, and no worries! I very much appreciate all the comments and ideas. The topics have all been on my mind.

I think the discussion around when to start skiing bumps is an interesting one and I believe it fits well with your OP and applies to both kids and adults. I don't know what's considered best practice, but it seems to me many skiers wait too long, adding to the psychological hurdle and possibly making it so large they never get over it.

@Josh Matta I love your suggestion of skiing the carpet with one ski, thanks. Fun and good for dad too!

@Mike King, also unguided missiles can't go too fast on bump runs, and you usually hear them coming!

 

[Tricia]

@tball Northstar has a similar run called Magic Moguls that I remember as the first "big kid" run that the instructors would let us do when I was around your kiddo's age. They'd take a whole posse of us down it and we were all so small that we'd disappear behind some of the bigger bumps. We used to absolutely riot if an instructor tried to send us home without a trip to the moguls - I barely remember any of the other runs we'd do, but the fun we had on that run stuck with me!

I love the Magic Moguls. They also have a banked course in that same area that goes off to skiers right and merges with the progression park. Its appropriate that those two sections are in an area called the Playground in honor of Warren Miller.

I know one instructor who took his kids in that are to teach them extension and flexion.

 

[jack97]

No, it was that there are unguided missiles on bump runs as well.. just not as many.

For those out control, you can hear those missile coming. For those in control, the missiles occur at the run outs, one goes from using the bumps to control speed to just flat terrain. I give extra space at these spots when I see bumpers who can carry speed. Also, if the run outs merges with another trail, I will wait to make sure that section is clear.

 

[jack97]

Hmm... maybe I have been doing this too long. Come President's week, the places that will seed a bump will do it a day or two before the week. Wachusetts claim it form their snow report and Mount Snow just seeded a run. The one on Mount Snow is on a tame pitch and only gets tricky when the troughs gets deep..

https://forums.alpinezone.com/showt...-2-14-2019?s=4fb9170715ebd19a5751cca60a47dec5

 

[skinavy]

Race coach/instructor friend of mine commented on his Jr Dev group as he sent them down a bump run at our local hill:
"To them, they're ALL groomers- their skis are so short they just hang in the troughs and it's a flat run to them. The bumps are just signs to tell them when to turn!"

Traffic stops in amazement to watch a gaggle of 8yo kids work down a black bump run- especially when some of them can rip it! It's pretty cool , sort of like a not-so-organized flock of birds.