Skiing Serious Powder: Technique AND Strategy

I was talking to a ski instructor who specializes in teaching skiers to ski in those "special powder days " You know the +60 cm , soft soft feather type powder on wide opens slopes! That powder which comes up to your chest !

We both concluded that what is often stopping great skiers to reach that "heavenly powder " plateau in skiing is a change in strategy. A change in mental attitude while powder skiing.

You can have all the technique, those technical skills to ski effectively but if your attitude, your mind set is still in the groomed slopes, then you will not enjoy skiing powder.

Here is a great hint he gave me, which he uses on his students. These are all intermediate /expert level skiers who are new to "champagne white " !

First he picks a moderate long easy slope . Thus slope is steep enough to allow constant speed yet not too steep to cause mental panic. Most skiers in powder tend to avoid going too fast, thus begin to turn (often on their edges), or sit back (thus the famous burning thighs) !

The idea is to ski with ease going straight ( fall line) and making soft easy long gliding turns,,very much like a glider! The goal is to create an attitude of assurance. To create a feeling of never jamming edges, making tight fast hard turns! The soaring glider or seagull image is constantly mentioned!

The strategy is to pick a 3 m wide lane and always ski down in the fall line within this lane. Skier must make soft long easy turns down this lane!

Never go outside this 3 m. lane!

To reinforce this "lane skiing", my ski instructor places his class in parallel lanes with one or 2 meters delay. Thus each skier is skiing behind another but 4 meters to side. If a skier goes within the other skier's lane,,,,well he/she must pay a beer to group!

You can see what is happening! Skiers now focus on NOT turning hard and across the slope ( as most groomer skiers would do) ! Rather they focus on going down the their lane !

They are thinking of that lane ( very much like a bowling lane) and not the speed. That is determined by the instructor who is the first down! The model.

Try this "strategy" with your group ! It is fun. It will create much discussion at the bar and it will illustrate what skiers will do for a free beer or two!

If you practice hard and long,,, the perhaps you can enter in a few years the famous "figure 8's" contest held every year in Alaska!

Down the 3 meter lane two skiers in perfect sync making "perfect 8s " all the way down !

Perfection !

That is how to ski powder!

Hope this helps some of you !

Good advice Pavel. I am inexperienced when it comes to skiing powder or off piste, but I like to have a go, and definitely one problem was trying to force a turn too hard or quickly, so I'll bear this in mind next time. Hopefully I'll find some soft snow to ski in the season ahead.

Heres praying for an epic season in terms of snow!

Tony,
If you can, get a friend or guide who has experience in this type of conditions to "lead you" ! Thus all you have to worry about is keeping that lane just 3-5 meters behind him/her ! Do not even think of the speed. If the fellow in front can do it,,so can you ! Trust your abilities and when you feel that heart beat IN your throat then you are getting there! Soaring !

Soon you will discover that all skiers have a preferred side. That is,,,, they turn better on left or right!
Go to their weak side in powder skiing as you follow them!

Why ?

As they turn on their weak side they make less "spray", less powder clouds which blinds you if you follow too closely !

That is why you will see a natural "pecking order " created in powder skiing. The better powder skier will want that "virgin" snow and will pick the best fast lines! In powder skiing there is no waiting for friends at top, no gathering at lip to select lines. Good skiers get that first line !

Great excitement is waiting for you!

Pavel

From a safety viewpoint, I would not consider following someone down a powder field or any off piste slope 3-5 metres behind, unless they were a local Mountain Guide and conditions dictated it.

bandit wrote:From a safety viewpoint, I would not consider following someone down a powder field or any off piste slope 3-5 metres behind, unless they were a local Mountain Guide and conditions dictated it.

Yes, unless it is a shallow and wide slope, with easy bail-out. Having said that, I have been this close on race training. Just not a good general plan, on or off piste.

Bandit is correct.
For beginner powder skiers they should not ski behind a "leader" so close!
Please forgive this "error" !

My point was to allow the beginner not to consider the slope or the speed by focussing on the leader. The assumption was that the leader was a guide, instructor, thus would not fall or lead skier in a "dangerous" section.
I was wrong is suggesting such close distance.

Bandit thank you for the correction !

Pavel