Hey people! I've been curious to try this off-piste business, the idea of skiing thick powder interests me, but one thing I don't really understand...
How do you prepare for it, your first time? It isn't exactly something you can practice/get lessons in at the Braehead Xscape. What's the technique behind powder skiing? Is it really difficult? Maybe someone can explain to me their first time trying it?
Thanks for any input!
Learning Off-Piste?
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Off-piste and powder quite often don't go together :mrgreen: Powder is the ultimate high :D
You are right though, the 1st time is a bit of a pig really, probably easier on a board. On skis, there are different ways of approaching the challenge of not getting a faceful.
Some folks will suggest skiing as you normally do.
Some will say start off by having your weight evenly between your skis.
Some will suggest having your feet closer together.
Some will suggest pointing down the hill to start, and going faster than normal.
Some will suggest making lazy turns, big C's or S shapes.
My 1st time was pretty frustrating, I dug a big trench with one ski and the other sat on the surface of the snow, until I fell over. So I had a private lesson or 2 in powder...Nothing changed :(
It didn't "happen" for me until I got some of the earliest Freeride skis. At the time they seemed fat and short, these days my folks just giggle. For no apparent reason I just started to float, and I was hooked.
One of the major problems for European skiers, is that we just don't get enough practice in the fluffy stuff, so we are not relaxed enough. We can't see our feet anymore, and we don't know what's under the snow...oooh er!
Each winter, I feel I'm learning all over again, but these days I can hang a couple of turns together (though probably only a decent couple)...apparently :lol:
If you get powder days, do up all your pockets, collars and cuffs :mrgreen: and go and have a dabble somewhere close to a piste...having 1st checked that you are insured for going off the edge!
Being off-piste, means that you ski what you find on the day. It might be powder, ice, frozen lumps of avalanche debris, or breakable crust. It's not a managed environment, so you have to make the decision to leave the resort's groomed slopes, where they have ironed out all the nasties on your behalf.
Adapting to cope with what you find is part of developing your skiing skills :D
a bit mild there Ross :lol: it's not inefficient, it won't work :lol:
oh yes, we like big, fast turns :D more grin per metre of descent, scientifically proven :D along with more powderey goodness per turn on the standard international scale :D
As a general point, there's no such thing as a little off piste sadly, someone died here over the holiday period only a few metres from the piste in an avalanche and less than 5 metres from the drag lift.
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Started by Baillie353 in Ski Chatter 13-Jan-2009 - 13 Replies
Baillie353 posted Jan-2009
Skiing: the art of catching cold and going broke while rapidly heading nowhere at great personal risk.
Tony_H
reply to 'Learning Off-Piste?' posted Jan-2009
Well its kind of the opposite of everything you have been taught on piste!
I never got any coaching for off piste, and my first experience was with a tour guide in MontGenevre in 2007. I managed to do it without falling over, but it was totally different. Leaning back more, backs of the boots not the fronts, lifting the higher leg to initiate a turn, and getting quite warm in the process....probably doing it all wrong, but you can have some fun in the process.
Of course, there is fun off piste, and then there is avalanche dangerous off piste, which I am sure Ise will be able to give you the technical run down on.
Basically, if you are a competent skier, go with a group of friends and give it a go, but be careful....dont go for anything to steep or difficult, try the deep stuff between a couple of pistes, and see how you get on.
Remember to check out your insurance coverage in case you hurt yourself or someone else.
I never got any coaching for off piste, and my first experience was with a tour guide in MontGenevre in 2007. I managed to do it without falling over, but it was totally different. Leaning back more, backs of the boots not the fronts, lifting the higher leg to initiate a turn, and getting quite warm in the process....probably doing it all wrong, but you can have some fun in the process.
Of course, there is fun off piste, and then there is avalanche dangerous off piste, which I am sure Ise will be able to give you the technical run down on.
Basically, if you are a competent skier, go with a group of friends and give it a go, but be careful....dont go for anything to steep or difficult, try the deep stuff between a couple of pistes, and see how you get on.
Remember to check out your insurance coverage in case you hurt yourself or someone else.
www
New and improved me
Bandit
reply to 'Learning Off-Piste?' posted Jan-2009
baillie353 wrote:Hey people! I've been curious to try this off-piste business, the idea of skiing thick powder interests me, but one thing I don't really understand...
How do you prepare for it, your first time? It isn't exactly something you can practice/get lessons in at the Braehead Xscape. What's the technique behind powder skiing? Is it really difficult? Maybe someone can explain to me their first time trying it?
Thanks for any input!
Off-piste and powder quite often don't go together :mrgreen: Powder is the ultimate high :D
You are right though, the 1st time is a bit of a pig really, probably easier on a board. On skis, there are different ways of approaching the challenge of not getting a faceful.
Some folks will suggest skiing as you normally do.
Some will say start off by having your weight evenly between your skis.
Some will suggest having your feet closer together.
Some will suggest pointing down the hill to start, and going faster than normal.
Some will suggest making lazy turns, big C's or S shapes.
My 1st time was pretty frustrating, I dug a big trench with one ski and the other sat on the surface of the snow, until I fell over. So I had a private lesson or 2 in powder...Nothing changed :(
It didn't "happen" for me until I got some of the earliest Freeride skis. At the time they seemed fat and short, these days my folks just giggle. For no apparent reason I just started to float, and I was hooked.
One of the major problems for European skiers, is that we just don't get enough practice in the fluffy stuff, so we are not relaxed enough. We can't see our feet anymore, and we don't know what's under the snow...oooh er!
Each winter, I feel I'm learning all over again, but these days I can hang a couple of turns together (though probably only a decent couple)...apparently :lol:
If you get powder days, do up all your pockets, collars and cuffs :mrgreen: and go and have a dabble somewhere close to a piste...having 1st checked that you are insured for going off the edge!
RossF
reply to 'Learning Off-Piste?' posted Jan-2009
Whilst the natural reaction is to 'lean back' or get on the back of the boots skiing powder it is pretty inefficient IMO. It is still very important to drive the tips of your skis and remain pretty centred but I guess that is something a bit more complicated for another day.
If your skiing on the rest of the mountain is up to scratch off piste (read powder) is pretty easy, the best thing to do would be to have an instructor introduce it to you first time out.
Does your college do a ski trip, baillie?
If your skiing on the rest of the mountain is up to scratch off piste (read powder) is pretty easy, the best thing to do would be to have an instructor introduce it to you first time out.
Does your college do a ski trip, baillie?
Baillie353
reply to 'Learning Off-Piste?' posted Jan-2009
Whoa, great replies guys, thanks for all the advice!
RossF, my college does do skiing trips, however I find they over-charge way too much so I refuse to go with them, especially at the huge rates I can do a DIY for :D
I'm really keen to try some off-piste (I thought off-piste and powder were the same?) But if they're different, I wish to try them both!
I've got some good intention to become a decent/good all-mountain skier - give myself a lot of variation.
RossF, my college does do skiing trips, however I find they over-charge way too much so I refuse to go with them, especially at the huge rates I can do a DIY for :D
I'm really keen to try some off-piste (I thought off-piste and powder were the same?) But if they're different, I wish to try them both!
I've got some good intention to become a decent/good all-mountain skier - give myself a lot of variation.
Skiing: the art of catching cold and going broke while rapidly heading nowhere at great personal risk.
Bandit
reply to 'Learning Off-Piste?' posted Jan-2009
baillie353 wrote:
I'm really keen to try some off-piste (I thought off-piste and powder were the same?) But if they're different, I wish to try them both!
I've got some good intention to become a decent/good all-mountain skier - give myself a lot of variation.
Being off-piste, means that you ski what you find on the day. It might be powder, ice, frozen lumps of avalanche debris, or breakable crust. It's not a managed environment, so you have to make the decision to leave the resort's groomed slopes, where they have ironed out all the nasties on your behalf.
Adapting to cope with what you find is part of developing your skiing skills :D
RossF
reply to 'Learning Off-Piste?' posted Jan-2009
Unless you are in the Rockies between January and March and it is always powder. :wink:
Ise
reply to 'Learning Off-Piste?' posted Jan-2009
RossF wrote:Whilst the natural reaction is to 'lean back' or get on the back of the boots skiing powder it is pretty inefficient IMO.
a bit mild there Ross :lol: it's not inefficient, it won't work :lol:
bandit wrote:Some will suggest making lazy turns, big C's or S shapes.
oh yes, we like big, fast turns :D more grin per metre of descent, scientifically proven :D along with more powderey goodness per turn on the standard international scale :D
As a general point, there's no such thing as a little off piste sadly, someone died here over the holiday period only a few metres from the piste in an avalanche and less than 5 metres from the drag lift.
Edited 1 time. Last update at 13-Jan-2009
Topic last updated on 14-January-2009 at 13:39