HELP - It's dumping and trying to decide on ski

[Ron]

Trish, you know i do baby! 

[midwif]

Perry
There are those of us who have not skied in 3 weeks. And are feeling a bit edgy. You know.....a bit shakey, anxious, sweating and looking around for a fix, any fix.
C'mon man. Pony up. Tell us about your trip. 

Lynn

[Perry]

Now I am not trying to get you to buy more skis, but one can make a strong case for you to add either a midfat, or a powder ski (or both!!) to your quiver. The difference in enjoyment and ease on the legs and body between skiing a true powder ski in deep fresh snow and skking a slalom carver is pretty big. Of course there are those with technique so pure that it hardly makes a difference. I am nowhere near that, so having powder boards makes a huge difference.

Lastly, no matter what skis you are on, your trip is already a huge success. Enjoy, it should be a blast!!

You can tempt me, just don't let Gloria know you are doing it

We had quite the trip.? I sent this email after checking the weather Wed night.? Came home and finished packing and really never had time to check out all your wonderful responses.? Then got to our hotel by the airport, went to bed and got up at 4:30.? Would have checked in at Silverthorne but the Days Inn did not have internet in the rooms. ? Got home Sunday and have been busy catching up.

SO - Arrived in Denver and it was snowing.....steady at first,? then hard, then whiteout.? 70 was closed in several places and we stopped at Wheat Ridge absolutely dead stop on the highway.? Thankfully a patrolman was able to tell me that the exit ramp was also disabled by a truck.? I turned the Four Runner around, went briefly the wrong way to a turn around, slogged over to the East lane and got off the highway to figure out what to do.? Ate at a Toco Bell and went to Motel where someone accessed the DOT website and was able to tell me that 70 was open further west.? We got some local knowledge to re-route and made it to Silverthorne at 4:30 - 6 hours after getting the car.?

Friday - up early and went to Vail.? They had received 4 feet of snow in the previous 3 days.? I had my Magnums.? We went up to the top and saw that Headwall on the second bowl over was groomed.? I figured that even though it was a black it could be a good warm up and would get us over to Blue Sky where I thought Bryce would have the most fun.? We are going on the cat track to get to the Groomed section and my son just launches into the powder, makes 3 or 4 very nice turns and then face plants into the powder pillow that was the backside of Vail.? Comes up with a white helmet and a bit discouraged. I was planning to warm up before jumping in since I am not an experience powder hound.? So, I move in tentatively to help him out.? ?? I have come to learn, and this comes under the heading of "I think I remember forgetting this before!" - that tentative and steep powder just don't mix well.
It really robbed me of my confidence.? I didn't fall but it was ugly and exhausting.? I ended up finishing on the groomed and decided to regroup later.?

We had great skiing but got chased from Blue Sky by the lines that ended up following us over.? We actually never waited more than 10 minutes and that was once.? But we would have waited 15-20 or longer if we had stayed at Blue Sky Basin.? It was too bad because as predicted, they were his favorite runs.? We went down an ungroomed Lone Star and he just crushed it.? I was still looking for my lost confidence......... ...as Austin Powers would say, "I lost my Mojo"

We went over to the front and my son announces at 12 that his legs are burned out!!!!!!? He was so excited that he didn't stop much on our morning runs.? I kept trying to tell him that the old man needed to stop occasionally but he was a kid in the candy shop.

We rested and did a couple of more runs and came down Riva Ridge to end the day.? Great snow and great skiing.

Sat ended up at Abasin thanks to some of y'alls advice.? I met a guy at the gas station who got us discount tickets.? We skied there for $48 total (1/4th the cost of Vail) I loved the terrain there, I loved the lodge, the people, the cars backed up to the slope with the barbecues going, the dogs brought along for the family outing.? This was my kind of place.? We had a blast.? Early in the day Bryce tells me he is going to the terrain park.? 1st jump he goes for is the biggest one, the kind with a flat spot that you have to clear to land it....he doesn't clear it...dusts himself off and heads for an identical jump.........crash and burn again.? He is lying upside down, arms out in an inverted crucifix and motionless position.? I ski over, "are you alright?"? Yea, I just got my wind knocked out!? Now as a parent what do you say? ? "Why the heck did you go for the biggest jumps first?? You could have gotten hurt!"? The great thing about skiing is that after 1/2 run, all is forgotten.? Now when I remember that incident I just smile with pride, the kid has Moxie.? We went over to Montezuma bowl and had a blast.? I started out hesitant but kicked myself and decided to go in confident, strong pole plant and just ski like I knew what I was doing.? Lo and behold, I looked like I knew what I was doing ? That was a great turn around!!? I will try to remember in the future.

Can't figure out how to insert pictures.? I have some nice ones of Abasin.

[Ron]

Perry, did you try to skii all that pow on SS Mags? Did you demo a powder ski?  Regardless, it sounds like you had fun with the family.

[Perry]

I stuck to the SS Mags .  It was a combination of not being prepared, having a son (and myself) with snow fever, and not trusting that there were powder boards left to rent.

[Perry]

so tue, skiing pow is a different skill set. Once you do get it, it's a very easy way to ski that can be used in chop, broken and other off-piste conditions.? Rockered tip ski's, flat and reverse camber (also rockered-type) are definitely here to stay and they do work very well, for a ski like a 10mm rocker tip, they don't require any modification in technique obviously, they aren't used on a race ski or a hard snow carver. The width underfoot is really not an issue, if you haven't ski a wide board, you should really give them a try. In general, they have nothing to do with skill level, anyone who can normally ski soft snow or off-piste terrain will just find it easier; less fatigue, able to ski more difficult terrain with more precision. More runs, more smiles per mile. Another advantage of a ski like a Hellbent or similar is that you can low angle powder where you can't with traditional skis. An example of this is green and blue runs where there is untracked powder because there's not enough pitch to normally ski on. The combo of the rocker and width allow the ski to plane up and maintain enough speed for those areas.

here's a strange japanese video of some dude skiing Helbents in-bounds in about a foot of powder,?



Here's a good example of someone skiing them on spring groomed snow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2CRUDGubwM&feature=related

Interesting vids.  I didn't see the Hellbents when I was out there.  If I had ordered these through the mail I would open them and say, "Oh hell, they're bent!"   Rocker technology eh.  Are they reverse cambered under foot?

These would have made my life much easier and more fun. 

[Ron]

OMG! no wonder you got so tired and Lost your mojo baby!!!

It's tough to know what to rent and when but next time the opportunity arises, grab a pair of something around 100 underfoot. Even in moderate amounts, a nice wide ski will give you the same sensation as skiing in much deeper powder with narrow skis. We all love powder because of the feeling and sensation of effortless, quiet gliding; that cool feeling against your feet and legs and lets not forget face shots! You don't need to go 122 like on a HB, but for guys 160-170 and above, go 100 underfoot. There are a lot of folks who havent' tried nice fat boards due to the misunderstanding that they are bulky, heavy unweildly (I made that word up), can't turn them and possible may eat your feet Think waters skiing or snowshoeing, narrow sinks, narrow is unstable and causes more work and effort.? You still need the skills but wide rides don't mean you don't have the skills either.

Reverse camber question: no, they are actually neutral underfoot and about 4' of running length, this is what makes them doable on the groomed (not that you want to ski groomers with them) but also makes them so turny and quick when mounted core center which is the center of the running length.

[Svend]

Perry, in case you hadn't picked up on this, Ron is the resident deep snow evangelist.? The Pontiff of Powder.? Just do as he says, go to confession regularly (as you are doing now), and all will be well.? ??

[Gary]

Hey Svend...I like it...the Pontiff of Powder....the Prognosticator of Puke.....the Pied Piper of Powder Pigs....

Yes Ron has skied quite a variety of powder boards and lives to get his snoot and tootsies back in that white fluffy stuff. Figure I stay close....I'll get seconds cause he's almost always jumping in my line.....Oink!!!!!

Keeing our fingers crossed for some white deep this coming week.

Hey Perry.....you can still get your Lob web fix and buy some fat skis.....Plenty of great deals out there right now.....tell your son to buy his own! You need to be gliding and smiling when you're skiing powder.....work is not a word that should be associated with sking powder...no no no.....

Ah yes......pow.....pu king.....pigs...... must get some!

G

[Ron]

Hey Svend...I like it...the Pontiff of Powder....the Prognosticator of Puke.....the Pied Piper of Powder Pigs....
Yes Ron has skied quite a variety of powder boards and lives to get his snoot and tootsies back in that white fluffy stuff. Figure I stay close....I'll get seconds cause he's almost always jumping in my line.....Oink!!!!!

Keeing our fingers crossed for some white deep this coming week.

Hey Perry.....you can still get your Lob web fix and buy some fat skis.....Plenty of great deals out there right now.....tell your son to buy his own! You need to be gliding and smiling when you're skiing powder.....work is not a word that should be associated with sking powder...no no no.....

Ah yes......pow.....pu king.....pigs...... must get some!

G

Awesome names, another would take encompass both issues, "powder pig"..... yes, I have stolen your line more than once.......

[Gary]

We live just to serve oh wise and masterful Pontiff! 

[Svend]

I'm sure donations (they call it tithing, don't they?) to Ron's altar would be most appreciated. ?There's a pair of Shaman's on the altar already (now, is that name just a coincidence?), but it just needs a little something more to round out the look and feel of the place. ?The Hellbents won't do, as they'd ruin the piousness of it all. ?Is there a fat ski called The Bishop? That would do nicely.

[Gary]

Hmmm..like the way you think Svend..the Bishop.....nice ring....

How's about the Nun......it would be back and white.....big and fat under the waist, fatter tail and and twin tips...yeah...it would ski righteous and be a difficult habit to break.

or maybe the Cardinal...yeah...r ed.....big and fat under foot, fatter tail and fatter tip with reverse camber and rockered...it would sing a sweet song on those big powder days.

and gesh...let's not forget the Pope.....gosh....de signated by God and the most powerful ski appointed and anointed by man. It's cosmetics would change colors with the religious seasons, reverse lift, antigravitational, fat everywhere capable of floating above the snow at speeds exceeding 3 miles per hours.

Now....you powder hounds....pick your favorite religious leader....and pray for powder!

G

[Ron]

Hmm Gary, how did you prepare those shrooms....   very creative indeed, especailly like the "hard habit to break" 

OK, names, can we be a little less catholic??  born and raised but can't deal with that now! John the Baptist works, baptism in deep powder instead of the river Jordan?

gary, eat another shroom and post......

[Perry]

I'll give this a try..........think of the guy from Saturday Night Live;

Ron, Ronnie, Pontif of powder, the powdermeister, Mr Dumpalicious, the Tzar of Powderboards, Powder hound, the hound of high altitude accumulation, the driftmeister, the presbyter of powder,and lastly, my favorite........... ................... ....... Sir face shot alot,