Hmmmm....high edge angle and the hips....
Now for me...In my mind and photo's taken...I can create ski angles where you can read the bottom of the skis doing slow drills....."cause I'm special"....ha
My hips were not 12" off the ground during those drills. Of course "high" maybe only relative to that degree of skiing those turns in those conditions at those speeds and not necessary to describe the actual degree of fixed edge angle. I am also a very centered skier meaning I don't use a lot of upper body movement to engage my tips...shin pressure and tipping seem to do the trick. I am for sure more agressive on hard now than soft snow.
Max...I remember doing the "banana" drill with Harold, skiing across the fall line leaving a single track...his ski carried a high edge angle to do so...his hips were not 12" above the ground. I've also skied one ski length behind him rippin turns and his butt wasn't 12" off the ground yet his ski edge angles where tipped up pretty darn high. Honestly, I think edge angle is the ability to maximize the steel edge of the ski efficiently enough to create the necessary turn shape based on the snow condtions and speed we ski in.I know it's more complicated than that...but that's all I could come up with in this momment.
As to butt closeness to mother earth....
I have however had the hips closer to the ground making long sweeping turns on steep terrain, legs extended long and skis at high edge angle....which yes...is varying depending on where I am in the turn. Sweet fun.....For two years I skied on carving skis, Harts 99mm, with no poles just working on being able to hang myself out there as far and as long as possible and bit it good a couple of times. A great experience indeed.
Touchy feely....
Now, the sensation I experience is as if both skis are locked into rails, the body counter is fighting the will of gravity to push me down, pulling hard on the free foot to keep it under me, then the moment the pole plant is touched, the edge is released the float and transition when my body moves down the mountain with no thought to my feet following, the total feeling of exhiliaration.
I use none of that skiing pow where soft low edge angles, skiing much more on the bottom of the skis and not the edges... seem to be just right...don't need to drive the shovels any more. Much more relaxed body...... and now I feel at peace, floating, nothing hard or held...total awsomeness! oh yea....
Mike, holding high edge angle turns for sure can be stressful on knees if they're sore ones to begin with. Knowing yourself and what ski best suits your physical strengths and weakness is important. Also know what kind of turn and the use of what degree of edge angle as opposed to more brushed or drifted turns is the most effective way of sustaining your longevity on skis.
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