Skiing softer snow on aggressive carving skis

[HateBoilerplate]

So I'm from Michigan, and as such I'm used to skiing on hard packed snow, and ice. I've just landed in Breckenridge for the week, and I brought my Head SuperShape i.Magnums with me, but I'm having a little trouble adapting my technique to softer snow - so I was hoping someone might have some pointers.

I feel like I'm getting my tails caught in little soft bogs when I need to slide a turn, and like the quantity of softer snow (even knowing there wasn't much of it today) is, for lack of a better way to put it, bullying my skis around a bit (like my tails aren't disengaging when I get off edge to turn the other way). I'm very confident in carving aggressively on these skis on hard packed midwest snow, but...I dunno, I guess I feel a bit sloppy on the snow here.

Anyone got any tips on adapting a hard snow/ice carving style, to the softer snow (even on the groomers) out west?

 

[crgildart]

Rent some wider skis. You can ski carvers in slush but gotta lay off them and surf then instead of pushing them. You'll get a much better experience if you rent something more condition appropriate though. If you're spending a lot of money to ski there, it's worth a few more bucks to have a ski that's more fun to ride.

 

[HateBoilerplate]

Rent some wider skis. You can ski carvers in slush but gotta lay off them and surf then instead of pushing them. You'll get a much better experience if you rent something more condition appropriate though. If you're spending a lot of money to ski there, it's worth a few more bucks to have a ski that's more fun to ride.

That's the plan in a couple days. I'm going to stop by RMU and demo some skis from them for a day. Tomorrow though, I'm still going to be on my Heads, because it's too late in the day to get over there and get that lined up. So, in the meantime, any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[Fuller]

I feel like I'm getting my tails caught in little soft bogs when I need to slide a turn

Sounds like you are relying on a rotary move when your tails should be following the tips. A wider ski without that square tail would let you slide the tails around but you don't have one. Stay in carve mode but slow down and reduce the input level and be more patient. You have a carving ski - carve!

 

[Mendieta]

So, in the meantime, any advice would be greatly appreciated

Here are some thoughts. I ski the slightly wider rallies in the west, and, this year, mostly off-piste. Sure, there are better skis for off-piste, but I have been trying to suck a little less and having a ski all over helps you in many ways. Anyway, I find that in softer, but particularly on heavy soft snow, I get challenged because the skis will stick to a turn like you said. One consideration could be moving the bindings forward 1 notch, it might help you be better centered and release the tails more easily.

The other is a little more technical. I think I need to be more proactive in being on top of the skis and flattening and unweighting to start the new turn. One of the things that helps is using little features to catch a little bit of air towards the end of the turn and simply turn in the air. FUN!

 

[HateBoilerplate]

I find that in softer, but particularly on heavy soft snow, I get challenged because the skis will stick to a turn like you said. One consideration could be moving the bindings forward 1 notch, it might help you be better centered and release the tails more easily.

The other is a little more technical. I think I need to be more proactive in being on top of the skis and flattening and unweighting to start the new turn. One of the things that helps is using little features to catch a little bit of air towards the end of the turn and simply turn in the air. FUN!

I'll try moving the bindings forward a notch a shot. I wasn't necessarily feeling like I was on my heels when things were going wrong, but it did feel a bit like the ski was getting ahead of me. Not sure how much it'll help, but it's easy enough to try...

I tried using the features on the left side of Claimjumper to help unweight, but at carving speeds, it was bit....more unweighting than I was comfortable with.

 

[François Pugh]

So I'm from Michigan, and as such I'm used to skiing on hard packed snow, and ice. I've just landed in Breckenridge for the week, and I brought my Head SuperShape i.Magnums with me, but I'm having a little trouble adapting my technique to softer snow - so I was hoping someone might have some pointers.

I feel like I'm getting my tails caught in little soft bogs when I need to slide a turn, and like the quantity of softer snow (even knowing there wasn't much of it today) is, for lack of a better way to put it, bullying my skis around a bit (like my tails aren't disengaging when I get off edge to turn the other way). I'm very confident in carving aggressively on these skis on hard packed midwest snow, but...I dunno, I guess I feel a bit sloppy on the snow here.

Anyone got any tips on adapting a hard snow/ice carving style, to the softer snow (even on the groomers) out west?

You don't need to slide a turn.

However, I find with slalom-ish skis in deep soft snow, the ski wants to carve a tighter turn when tipped than the tiny snow platform composed of unconsolidated snow under it can support and the ski goes sideways, making skiing aggressively difficult. My solution is to take out a pair of longer (190 cm) longer-radius skis (mid-20 meter radius) skis (my Machetes). Wider rockered slightly longer skis would work just as well, and be easier too. Horses for courses.

 

[Chris V.]

Don't slide, slarve! Master that, and you'll be way ahead of all the gapers on fat skis.

 

[Josh Matta]

dont...

There is no replacement for displacement on softer snow.

If you choose not take my advice above, learn to ski av round turn on less edge angle, with equal balance though both feet. IE carving and offensive skiing on less edged ski.

but again even the above advice works better on wider skis.

 

[Josh Matta]

Don't slide, slarve! Master that, and you'll be way ahead of all the gapers on fat skis.

so you can slavre carvers in soft snow?

 

[Marker]

Skiing my Hero Elite LT in manky snow, I found I had to concentrate on finishing the turns and not using any rotary pivot. This required some patience due their longer turn radius. I didn't realize how much I was using that as a crutch, so it turned out to be helpful.

 

[Chris V.]

so you can slavre carvers in soft snow?

Well, touche, there's soft snow, and then there's soft snow. The somewhat deep, sticky kind resists all lateral displacement, and not just sideways sliding.

But...that can be true even with fat skis.

 

[Josh Matta]

some fat skis...

and being locked in to a turn is ok on a groomer, but in off piste terrain its no good.

 

[slowrider]

I ski a 155cm SL in PNW snowpack. Sometimes it's hard pack sometimes it's 10" of wet new snow with a crust. I keep centered equal weight over my feet using flexing in transition and slice the snow.

 

[cantunamunch]

I'll try moving the bindings forward a notch a shot. I wasn't necessarily feeling like I was on my heels when things were going wrong, but it did feel a bit like the ski was getting ahead of me. Not sure how much it'll help, but it's easy enough to try...

Don't forget to keep your core muscles more active than you do on hardpack.

 

[Mike King]

@HateBoilerplate, one thing is certain -- your tails are not following the same line as your tips. This is likely an indication that you do not ski in a centered position and that your method of creating edge is to push the skis away from you. I'd suggest taking some lessons while you are in Breck to a) get a bit of feedback on your technique, b) find terrain that is best suited for you, and c) find the good snow!

Mike

 

[James]

You pretty much have to "carve" in the soft snow. In some ways I prefer it, but it has limitations and drawbacks. One is so much "snow" - corn/slush, can build up on the outside boot that the outside ski bogs down. Then your sort of doing a royal christy as your on the inside.
You also pretty much have to go the way the skis are pointed.

If you've learned to turn by pushing the right ski to go left, or you just lean in and rotate the skis, you're going to have a bad time. In other words, if you're technique relys on pushing to an edge, or a surface with low friction to lateral displacement, (hard snow and twisting the skis), it doesn't work well in 3-d snow.

 

[crgildart]

Don't slide, slarve! Master that, and you'll be way ahead of all the gapers on fat skis.

This is exactly what I meant by "surf" instead of push.. For future reference, you can usually rent higher performance skis or demos at the resort rental shop as well. You just have to ask for them, Most of the time they have something better than the beat to hell beginner gear most people get there.

 

[slowrider]

 

[Fuller]

Pretty much every skier has realized at some point that it's not the equipment so much as the operator. A year ago I was whining on Pugski that my 98mm Sky 7's weren't up to the task of navigating 30" of cut up snow at Grand Targhee. Yes, it would have been easier on a wider, stiffer ski but the right technique wins the day every time. That was my last day of the year and I was forced to contemplate my inadequacies for the next 10 months. I did much better in those 3D conditions the next year with the self knowledge of the concepts needed.