When skiing, who actually picks a particular turn point?

[Crank]

On plain old groomed runs with no "interest factor" I don't, but if there's stumps and rocks, you better bet I'm picking my turn point....

... So I'm pretty focused on survival, not line. I can't see much line sometimes.

On really challenging terrain I stop and look for a line. It could be challenging because it's steep and narrow, rocks, thin cover, large swatch of boilerplate ice... I know a few times I have coached my son or Robin down a sketchy section where they couldn't see a line. And there have also been times where I see a line and ski it easily where they just lack the confidence to turn where necessary even though I feel like they have the skills. Of course ,when I fall on ice and go sliding down the slop that might freak them out a bit. Pro tip - don't ski below me on an icy run.

Confidence - If I can see it I can ski it. Easier said than done I think. I do remember a time when I could see it but lacked the confidence to ski it. Visualization and confidence to realize that vision are both key IMO.

 

[Dakine]

Line...?
I have been on some bump runs where all you can see from the top is the first bump,
From there on, it is roll your own.
Taos and the top of Aspen Highlands comes to mind.

 

[Crank]

bumps, just go with the flow.

 

[tball]

bumps, just go with the flow.

By "go with the flow," do you mean the flow of water?

The path water flows is a specific path that is often chosen by high-level bump skiers. If you mean turn "wherever" than I respectfully disagree.

In early/late season bumps you also have to turn around rocks and shrubs. Those will limit your options for a path through the bumps and require even more precise turns.

 

[Crank]

Yes I guess it would be the path that water would flow. Kind of the same for some trafficked, tight, eastern trees ...which, because a lot of skiers have skied there, become sort of bump runs with large bumps, each with a tree sticking up the center. You might not be able to see the next turn, but experience shows you there there will be a flow you can follow. Either that or you may go straight into the next tree. Yes I have done that too. Mostly I have been able to sit on my ass and avoid impact. Hopefully it is a conifer with low branches and not a big hardwood trunk.

On any run with bare spots, rocks, logs or other hazards you had better be paying attention to where you turn! One can go with the flow and still be conscious of these things.

 

[karlo]

I pick my turn points, both rationally and for the fun. Skied Stein this Monday at Sugarbush. It had big elephants on it. Skiing up the sides of them and making turns back down was fun.

 

[SSSdave]

Interesting read of all the comments. Skiing down a slope visually is not that different than hiking down trails. If a trail is smooth one can just shuffle feet ahead with a zen rhythm daydreaming. The more irregular, the more one's eyes pay attention to what is in front for the next step. Down steep rocky trails one must look at each spot a boot will step down on. However only the most irregular trails requires much in the way of "thinking" as in I'm going to step there and there but rather as learned repetitive muscle movement, one does all this rather automatically as there is often little or no time to think even if one tried to and as an earth creature we learn as kids we don't need to.

Generally I can maintain the same speed whether on a smooth thru trail of down a moderately rocky irregular trail. In hiking, the most extreme would be moving quickly across small to moderate talus. To do so rapidly is rather dangerous yet I've done such occasionally for decades during summers and only taken one fall while making numbers of near falls only to recover much like someone dropping a Palisades chute at Squaw glancing off surfaces rapidly. My ankles and feet react to the pressure and angles of rock surfaces and especially edges along with one's full body sense of balance in ways I don't need to think at all about because again it is well ingrained repetitive muscle brain motions I've done myriad times.

When skiing easy groomers I might at a whim look at the snow surface in front of me or may not. I might just be skiing arcing rebounding turns paying little attention or visually playing with any texture and shapes I see. On winch cat steep groomers, I am always paying attention to the snow surface even though such might not dictate changing rhythm and timing. Am just sort of aware in case I need to be.

In fresh powder with tight trees am flowing through without looking at surfaces, feeling the bouncing rhythms. Out in the open its all a focus on smooth relaxed bouncing rhythms, enjoying the soft feeling of snow while playing with choices of most fun lines.

As moguls become more shaped I likewise tend to pay more visual attention and at a certain point am very very focused turn to turn if I want to be especially smooth. At other times in flat light light through packed powder bumps can barely see the mogul heads so just try and find a rhythm hitting the top sides of each one while just using a confident aggressive porpoise motion to flow down through. But in flat light down firm well shaped bumps have learned that is dangerous so avoid such moguls conditions or wisely go into semi survival mode.