Who has the best tips to help an intermediate/advanced skier with their first time in the powder?

Question

There is no powder in Lake Tahoe now, but I know it will come.

Answer 1

There are quite a few things to keep in mind when trying to learn to ski powder. Just be patient with me and I will try to give you some tools you can work with.

First things first whatever anybody says DO NOT LEAN BACK!!! Remember that all your moves in skiing come from being dynamically balanced on top of your skis. Knees and ankles flexed, hands and poles in front of your body, legs slightly apart in your best athletic stance.

When you are in powder, whether shin deep, knee deep or chest deep, the most important thing to try and do is maintain an equal weight distribution on both of your skis. 50% on the uphill ski, 50% on the downhill ski. You are going to want both skis to work together as you go from turn to turn. This is a change in mindset from what we normally do while skiing.

On the groomers and hard pack, as we enter a turn, we naturally see our weight become more distributed over the downhill ski. This allows our body to maintain a strong position in relation to the inclination of the hill and the forces acting against the skis. Commonly we think of a 90/10 relationship, with 90% of your weight on the downhill ski and 10% on the uphill ski by the end of the turn. We think and feel the downhill ski is doing most of the work.

Now the most common mistake people make in the powder is that while turning they will try to put their weight on the outside ski. The main reason why we move our weight to the downhill ski on groomed runs is to help the ski to bend under our foot, making the ski come around in the turn. You may be familiar with FLEXION and EXTENSION. We Extend our knees at the start of the turn and then we Flex thru the turn. Great on the groomers, not so good in the powder. When you shift more weight onto one ski, that ski will tend to "submarine" under the snow while the lighter ski stays on top, eventually leading to a spectacular crash. Sound familiar?

Try this:

Start out by traversing a slope and trying to maintain equal weight on both your feet. You may find some little hops will help you find your balance point. Once you get a feel for the equal weight, strongly turn both your legs (now I say “legs” not “feet” because in skiing we steer the skis with our legs not just our feet, besides as you twist your femur inside your hip socket, your feet will turn too) into the fall line. Go straight in the fall line, feeling your balance point then twist your legs again out of the fall line to a stop. This may seem intimidating at first because you may feel you will get going too fast. Don’t worry. Unlike groomed snow, in powder because you are in it, the snow is going to provide more resistance, i.e.: friction against your body. Practice traversing, steering into the fall line and then steering out all the while trying to maintain a 50/50 weight distribution over both skis.

Right about now some people would tell you to start your turn with a hop to get out of the snow and then turn. This works - until you are so tired you spend the rest of your day drinking Irish coffees in front of the fire. Instead try this next:

The Fireman’s Turn.

Visualize a fire house. In order to save time and be more efficient, firemen set the pants to their suit down on the floor scrunched down to the feet and open at the top. When the alarm sounds they bend down and set both feet together into the pants, then they straighten both legs and pull the suspenders over their shoulders. Faster than one leg at a time.

The key thing to take away from this and how it relates to skiing in powder is that they FLEX down and then they EXTEND up. FLEXION and EXTENSION.

As you are traversing across the run ready to start your turn, actively FLEX your knees and ankles to “suck” your legs up to your upper body. As you steer both your legs into the turn, actively EXTEND your knees and ankles allowing your legs to become “long” thru the turn. The FLEXION of your knees and ankles at the start of the turn, sucking your legs up to your body, accomplishes the same thing as a hop, but more effective because it leaves the skis in contact with the snow and is less tiring. The EXTENSION of your knees and ankles thru the turn creating a “long” legs effect helps you to steer and guide the skis.

Now as you go thru these exercises you may find that “C” shaped turns are not giving you enough speed to complete the turn. Again this is the resistance of the snow against you. Do not be afraid to open the turn up a little. You need some speed in the powder to get a rhythm and flow going from turn to turn. Turns with a little less shape, say like “)” allow to you to keep moving without feeling like every turn is your first.

Lastly a couple of extra things. First, a good pole plant is essential to good powder skiing. Your pole plant gives you your rhythm at keeps you moving from turn to turn. Second, keep your upper body QUIET. Aside from your wrist swinging the pole, the upper body is out of the picture. Steer with your legs and feet, not by swinging and twisting your body around. It might help to think about flexing your stomach muscles as you are skiing. Tension in those muscles makes it harder for you to twist your core and cheat in to a turn. Imagining a “six pack” at your waist will also help keep you standing tall and not bending over.

If you can, go and rent a pair of “Powder” skis for a day. They will help you float in the snow and allow you to develop some good skills to use when you return to your skis. Most of all, be patient. Skiing powder takes time and a couple of spectacular crashes. But it is worth it. For many of us, one good powder day makes an entire season.

Have fun and make some turns for me!

Answer 2

I think the secret to skiing powder is to lean back a bit on your skis and kind of bounce through the powder. You will be steering the skis more from the tails rather than the front of the skis. The key is to keep the front of the skis up out of the powder. Don't fight it and go with the flow of the mountain. Good luck and enjoy. I am sure you will see some good powder in Tahoe.

Answer 3

Keep a rhythm going. Weight centred front to back, and even on both skis. Stay in the fall line more than you normally would. Sometimes exaggerating the poll plant helps. Bounce. Sing. Smile. Enjoy.

Also. Breathe in for the first third of the turn and out for the last two thirds. It will help with rhythm and extension and retraction.

And have a couple of lessons.

Answer 4

Spend $50 and take a powder class with an instructor.

If you don't want to do that, then just remember to keep your weight in the middle to slightly back on your skis, don't lean forward or you'll bury your tips. Feet should be shoulder width apart, and use your pole plant to help you shift weight from side to side. It's easier demonstrated then explained. :)

Answer 5

The above answers are good...although on a good pow day it is impossible NOT to notice!

Don't fight it. The pow will contain your speed. Point them down hill and enjoy face shots!

Caution: dust on crust isn't powder! If it was rock hard for a few days, and then you get a few inches of snow...don't treat that as powder! Ski like you are in a minefield...you never know what you might hit under there.

Answer 6

Just pretend its not there. Keep your feet hip width apart and keep your weight balanced.

Answer 7

dont lean forward