Powder days are overrated

[BMC]

I love powder. I have one ski which exists pretty much solely to be skied in deep powder, and another which is for those less deep powder days, or mixed conditions (amongst other skis).

But I also agree we can over venerate powder. I enjoy skiing, full stop. I enjoy a well executed series of carve turns almost as much as a good powder runl I enjoy skiing a bump run well and in control nearly as much as skiing powder. If I “had” to ski nice groomers and bumps and trees with no powder for the rest of my life (“don’t ever say that again BMC”) I’d still be super happy. It sure beats working!

 

[EricG]

Eric, you're mixing up OP hull with forever ski. FS is the one with the BPs.

woops. I better go grab a pint and call it a night.

 

[ForeverSki]

Nah, it's not the arrow.
A bigger arrow will only exasperate the existing condition with the skier in question.

Full disclosure: I've skied with @ForeverSki .

LOL - that is surely true.
@KingGrump : “Today we’re doing slow skiing.”
30 seconds later, me: “Where did everybody go?”
But I did start singing “I’ll be home for Christmas” ever since.

 

[Jim Kenney]

 

[Tony S]

LOL - that is surely true.
@KingGrump : “Today we’re doing slow skiing.”
30 seconds later, me: “Where did everybody go?”
But I did start singing “I’ll be home for Christmas” ever since.

Everything with him has an asterisk next to it.

 

[Rod9301]

@Rod9301 Is 159 really that short for a small woman? Are you assuming the poster is a man?

Yeah, 159 is pretty short for anyone

 

[slowrider]

Yeah, 159 is pretty short for anyone

I must be doing it wrong.
5 ft 10 in @ 200# on 151 sl in 2 ft of pnw snow.

 

[KingGrump]

Yeah, 159 is pretty short for anyone

I've skied with many on this forum. Mostly on skis rather on the keyboard. I think most would say I'm OK on skis.
Mrs. Grumps' powder board is a pair of SR95 159. She seems to be pretty happy on them. Many here who have skied with her can also confirm that.

I don't make assumptions about a skier unless I have seen them ski or a preponderance of evidences all pointing n the same direction. That usually included tons of reading between the lines stuff.
Assumption is basically a exercise in dart throwing without darts.

Length of the ski is just a number. Much like the width underfoot. I can fully subscribe to that concept after being run down in a 18" dump at the Bird by a #220 dude on a 65x158 FIS SL while I was riding a pair of 108x186 rocker ski without camber. I'm 5''/6", #165. Skillz matter more.

All here that have attended a gathering or two and have meet @Near Nyquist will agree to the excessive noise pollution emanate from the nonstop chatter box. Occasionally a pearl of wisdom does roll forward and astound even a jaded old man like me. One of more memorable one is “Men buy cars as an extension of their ‘you know what’ as an act of compensation. I guess that applies to ski also.

 

[Vinnie]

The Volant Chubb was an incredible powder ski when that came out...and it was....wait for it....88mm underfoot! And to make a blanket statement without knowing how short (or tall) someone is, really doesn't help other readers make a choice.

K2 Xplorers the mid- fat of the day at 74mm

 

[raytseng]

Skillz matter more.

Isn't that the point though of the OP's situation and the prior quoted thread? What if you don't have the skillz?
Then you can at least buy a turn with fat powder skis.

 

[KingGrump]

Isn't that the point though of the OP's situation and the prior quoted thread? What if you don't have the skillz?
Then you can at least buy a turn with fat powder skis.

Yes, a bad turn.

 

[raytseng]

Yes, a bad turn.

but at least a fun turn? instead of digging yourself out every 5minutes then quitting and heading to the lodge?

 

[Rod9301]

I must be doing it wrong.
5 ft 10 in @ 200# on 151 sl in 2 ft of pnw snow.
View attachment 96785

Well, you are. You will have a lot more fun in a different ski.

Way back, i skied powder on gs and slalom skis and i when i went to volkl snow ranger, i never skied the narrow ones on powder again

 

[KingGrump]

but at least a fun turn?

I am pretty good at reading body language and facial expressions on the slope. From what I can see, many are actually screaming "I am gonna die" - quietly of course.

 

[Tony S]

Isn't that the point though of the OP's situation and the prior quoted thread? What if you don't have the skillz?
Then you can at least buy a turn with fat powder skis.

Yeah, I agree with both you and Grump. There are at least two conversations going on here. You're dutifully trying to stay on topic, for which I'm sure the OP thanks you.

Grump and I are just grumping.

 

[Johnny V.]

It's gonna be a looonnngg offseason.......................................especially with the frustration caused by skius interuptus...............

OK @Tony S...........how's that for thread drift?

 

[slowrider]

This little resort I work at isn't closing yet. Sooo 1 more day and I ain't going in the lodge.

 

[slowrider]

Well, you are. You will have a lot more fun in a different ski.

Way back, i skied powder on gs and slalom skis and i when i went to volkl snow ranger, i never skied the narrow ones on powder again

Depends on what you call fun. I like to ski in the snow and can bet they dive to the base. Way better fun than smearing through just a few inches. IMO ;-)

 

[jseeski]

but at least a fun turn? instead of digging yourself out every 5minutes then quitting and heading to the lodge?

Back when I was at Winter Park, I used to get a kick out of what happened on powder days. WP is a destination resort, with lots of skiers from Iowa, Florida, Chicago, etc. They would be there on vacation, and the dream would happen. They got lucky. 10 or 15 inches of fresh snow overnight. They would be out standing in line an hour before the lift opened to get the fabled "first tracks." They would be in the lodge by 10:30 complaining about the lack of grooming.

Skills are a Biggus Dealus, even on fat skis. With more skill, it really is more fun. But fat skis do make it easier for those (and there are many) who drive the powder from the back seat or think they have to get the skis up out of the snow to turn them in powder.

Still, even with fatties, few who lack the skill are comfortable with a combination of deep snow, trees and pitch. So there are always stashes for those with the skills. Swooping through trees that look nearly impenetrable to those without sufficient skill at a moderate speed (I'm old, after all) is sublime, and available for hours or even days after a storm (in some places, anyway).

And then there is the high speed back seat crowd: "Oh, I'm a Big Mountain skier. I have Big Skis. I only make Big Turns in Big Bowls on Big Mountains. I only ski Fast. I can straight-line anything. I am an Expert Powder Skier."

OK. Good for you.

 

[Henry]

I started skiing powder snow back when the "powder skis" were Miller Softs or the soft version of Head Standards. It's not about the width, it's about the flex. The wider skis make it easier, but a wide ski for a really big skier will be too stiff and not flex well for a light skier. It's about the flex.

And, it's about the technique. If one's ski technique is to swing the tails to one side or the other, well, that can't happen in deep snow. The work around is to jump up enough above the snow to clear the tails and allow them to swing around. Whew. Hard work. Or, learn to tip both skis on edge and let them turn themselves. Then relax both legs, the skis will flatten and rise, then tip them the other way. Extend during the turn and relax and flex the legs at the release. This includes crud skiing--the skis on edge will cut through the lumpy bumpy crud vs. trying to jam the skis sideways in the lumps. Here's a trick for finding the balance point on the skis in deep snow---make an easy straight run. Push the skis a couple of inches ahead, then pull them a couple of inches back. Feel when the skis are happiest in the deep snow. Note the feeling against the front of your boots at this good point. Returning to that tongue pressure is how to return to the balance point where your skis work best for you.

When I saw that the poster was from the great Pacific Northwet I though of how seldom they get powder and how often they claim they get powder. Granted, Mission can get fine dry snow. The west side...if you can make a snowball it ain't powder. If you can squeeze water out of that snowball, it really ain't powder. If it sifts between your fingers when you try to make that snowball...that's powder.

Yes, rent easy flexing wide skis for that rare powder day. This year I have 31 days of skiing so far and only 3 days on my powder skis. That includes skiing in Idaho and Utah.