Clendenin camp report

[Perry]

There is really too much to say about what a wonderful experience I have had this had this week.? So I will make my first attempt by breaking it down into two sections.? 1)the relational experience and 2) the skiing

1) Wow!!! It always blows me away to see the majesty of the rocky mountains, the pines,aspens, snow.? To see the fingerprints of the Creator who made the mountains, the trees, animals ( I had a fox visit me while in the hot tub, he just hopped the fence and was scavenging without noticing me at first - it's bushy tail and almost cat like balance - awesome).? God also made the snow and gravity that we play with. He gave us capacity to invent skis, lifts, beer to drink at the end of a beautiful day, and to have the blessing of friendships.? To see Jim and Lynn again and ski with them yesterday was as the ad says; priceless.? To make new friends with Gary, Alice, Jack, Lola, and Ron was again fun, interesting, invigorating, and just a wonderful blessing.? I am humbled to be the recipient of so much blessing, esp. this week in the light of what is going on in Haiti...........I realize much of this is philosophical, and probably in part due to another great day of skiing and the 2 beers that follow..........but it really is the part that makes me smile the most and therefore the most important to me.? As I like to say; it is my personal, prejudiced, biased opinion.? If this makes sense, great, if it doesn't,....no biggie.? PS - my thanks to Gary for putting this together, you have my respect brother.

2)The clinic helped my skiing immensely.? I would say that I was a fairly good skier who at times let skiing fast cover up some of my weaknesses.? In fact, when I skied with my wife who like to go slow, it used to really tax my endurance.? It was just hard for me to do it efficiently.? I now realize that I was mostly a big toe skier despite having attended and really benefited from a Harold Harb camp.? I love what HH teaches, but at least for me, what John Clendenin teaches helped me tune into my LTE and use it effectively and efficiently in just two days.?

Prior to camp I was an ugly bump skier.? ?I could do them, but it took a lot of effort and I would often end up in the fast traverse that looked like the wild pony ride. In other words; they skied me more than I skied them.? To look at a black or double black run of any length at all just made me anxious to think about skiing them.? In terms of green light - very comfortable, yellow light - ok but got my attention and red light - very uncomfortable they for the most part were red.? Today going up a lift and looking at a long black run of bumps I actually said; "Those don't look too bad."? I don't know what else needs to be said!!!!!!!!!!!? For me that is huge.? As Brendan said in camp, "I came with big expectations and the camp far exceeded my expectations."? ?My speed control is really getting dialed in and I have a lot of concepts, tactics and skills to hone and perfect.? What more can one want.

That is enough for now.? The hot tub beckons.

Perry

[ToddW]

What a great experience, Perry!? The only thing that would've been more impressive is if your closing line were "That is enough for now.? The bumps beckon."? ?

I was putting a few more dings in my rock skis today (still some thin cover back East), so it makes me drool to hear you sing the praises of the Rockies.

[midwif]

Yes, the views were absolutely spectacular.
The weather mostly Bluebird.
Some fresh snow would have been greatly appreciated.

The Clendenin clinic was very interesting. For those of us who have done HH camps, one can see the over laps.

The emphasis on the "epiphany pad" aka LTE or little toe edge, was an excellent reminder  of how important that movement is.

The "love spot" or float/transition was.......full of innuendo. I have a raunchy sense of humor and unfortunately, the emphasis on the many permutations of this nomenclature brought out the worst in me.
Some of the instructors were great, some so-so. One who seemed to be a student of CSM was downright overbearing at times.

John is a fun guy and has obviously had a good time in many ways. All the allusions to that were too much and began to be out of place.

Being a student of PMTS, it was the differences between the two which were confusing. Up unweighting is involved. Counteracting non existent and counter balancing minimized. Hard for me to change what I have worked so hard to incorporate into my skiing. And I really did try to get a feel for what I was learning. I wanted to try and understand the method.

The movements are more subtle and just as hard to master as any new method.
The emphasis on "soft edges" is a good one. Being able to ski with a lot of tip, less tip and lesser tip is a skill I wish to have.
The question that began to form in my mind: with the minimal tipping used in CSM, why bother with skis with much of a sidecut? Why all the bother it if you are going to schmear most of your turns??
Also: my knees really hurt doing his stuff on the groomed. Not sure why. Felt better with PMTS type turns.

John and most of his staff look effortless and smooth. And I do think his method will work VERY well for those who attain proficiency in it.
After much thought, I will only work on PMTS on the rest of the mountain. I have found speed control thru free foot pull back, counteracting and counter balance. I have a long way to go though.

I will try to work on CSM in the bumps.

All in all, an interesting experience. Very thought provoking.

[southpac]

Hi,

I plan on doing one of the Clendenin camps next season (only discovered them after I'd booked my trips for this year), but I need to buy a pair of skis now.

Did they give you any indication on what skis you should be using for the camp?

Width under foot? etc.

Thanks.

[midwif]

Gary, who encouraged many of us to do the CSM clinic, recommended the narrower end of the ski range.
Instructors had no problem with those showing up with 84 underfoot though. Though they mostly had smaller waist width underfoot.

[Ron]

Perry, well said my friend!  Well done.  Thats why I love the mountains so much. I really feel the presence of God there. I really only saw you ski that last day and you were looking good!


Lyn, the love spot thing has to go! I told JC that last year.

I love to see that everyone seemed to take away something they could add to the tool box of skilll needed to take them to the next levels. Great stuff.

Best of all, I love to meet everyone that shares the passion for skiing.

[SnowHot]

Admittedly I wasn't in the Clendenin camp, but I was embraced by the Gary and Alice gang with open arms for the final few days of the journey.? It was truly a pleasure to meet you and get a few runs in with you all.

I would comment on the amazing skiing that came out of the clinic, but I was too busy taking in the amazing views and getting my Whoo Hooo's on, and I really wasn't paying attention to anyone else's stuff.
Good news tho, I didn't run into anyone while I wasn't paying attention.


Question:? Is the love spot where you find the snowgasms?
Just would like to know as I'm building my quiver.

[jim-ratliff]

Hi,

I plan on doing one of the Clendenin camps next season (only discovered them after I'd booked my trips for this year), but I need to buy a pair of skis now.

Did they give you any indication on what skis you should be using for the camp?

Width under foot? etc.

Thanks.

Southpac:  I had Head SuperShape Magnums (waist of 71) and Fischer Watea 84's with me.  Gary recommended that I use the SuperShapes for the clinic.  However, he also said that people sometimes have a problem drifting (letting go of the edges) on narrower slalom skis, so not sure what the recommendation would be if the choice were between a 66mm and an 84mm waist.

[jim-ratliff]

MY highlight of the Aspen week.

Lynn just LOVED the Fischer Muangas(pre-cursor of the Zeal) that I got last spring for $100.? So gratifying to get a good ski still in the wrapper for pennies.?

My almost lowlight.? Perry just loved my Fischer Watea 84's, it was all we could do to keep him from taking them into the trees and christening them as his own.

It was very nice to meet Gary's wife (Alice) and Snowhot, as well as Jack and Lola.  And, of course, it was good to see and ski with Ron and Perry again.

[SnowHot]

Jim, it was fun watching Perry on your Watea's.  Until I saw him upside down in the trees.....
I was particularly looking forward to meeting Midwif as she seems to have a beautiful presence here and it was fun to see her point them down hill with a bit of a whoop and big grins.

I mosdef have to meet up with your gang again!

[southpac]

Thanks guys.

I currently ski on Head SS (66mm) but wanted something a bit wider for some all-mountain versatility.

It sounds as if I stay under 85mm I should be right.

Maybe around high-70's would be ideal.

Thanks again.

[jim-ratliff]

Thanks guys.

I currently ski on Head SS (66mm) but wanted something a bit wider for some all-mountain versatility.

It sounds as if I stay under 85mm I should be right.

Maybe around high-70's would be ideal.

Thanks again.

Southpac:? That sounds like a good approach, but there are certainly even wider skis that handle bumps very well and skiers that wouldn't have any problem in a CSM camp with narrow carvers.? For example, I am sure that Gary (who is a pretty good skier) would not have a problem with either the Super Shapes he used to own or the current Fischer Progressors or his Icelantic Pilgrims.?

In hindsight I believe I would have been fine in the camp with the Watea 84's if that had been my only ski option.? I actually don't feel much difference between them and the Magnums (but that is a function of me the skier, not the skis), but I would not take SS's to camp.

I also heard that John Clendenin had said that the Head SS Magnums were his favorite bump ski, but this year he is skiing the Peak 78 (so width increases there as well). The Peak 78 (or the Kastle 78 or 84) would be options to consider.? just my humble opinion.

[Perry]

Jim, it was fun watching Perry on your Watea's.? Until I saw him upside down in the trees.....
I was particularly looking forward to meeting Midwif as she seems to have a beautiful presence here and it was fun to see her point them down hill with a bit of a whoop and big grins.

I mosdef have to meet up with your gang again!

Whoops, Trish, I left you out of my original post!!!!!!!!!

It was good to meet you.  You are quite the skier!  I will get there some day.

Perry

[southpac]

Thanks Jim.

I'll consider those skis.

Is JC a big guy?  I'm 5'10" and 180lbs (82kgs).  Would I be a similar size to John?

It seems that weight would be a big factor in choosing the amount of float you need.

Based on the RS Ski reviews, I was originally thinking of the Sultan 85's in 178, but I haven't noticed much love for them lately in the forums.

Would they be suitable or starting to get too big?

[Perry]

john is about 5"10" and north of 180

I tried to demo the Sultan 85 in 178 but they only had it in 172. I am 6'2" and 205.  From what I have read I think it could work ok, but you really should demo before you buy.

Brendan was doing quite well with Pilgrims under foot and they are 90mm under foot.  He is a pretty accomplished skier though.

Lisa, one of the instructors had the Dynastar 8000.  Her skiing was beautiful.."Smooth, like butter"

I hope this helps.  I have other things to say but work comes first.