It’s the Prime Time! It took awhile to get here, but finally winter is shaking itself off the Northeast and leaving us in sunny skies and warm temps. We’ve been out skiing and riding, every day, and finally took a short break to leave this post; when Spring skiing, take your time!
Archive for the ‘Snow Conditions’ Category
Spring snow conditions change rapidly through the course of a day and can present a challenge in making good tactical decisions on where to ski/ride. Unlike mid-winter conditions, the variables of freeze to thaw to freeze cycles in Spring can create some unique situations. Here are some general thoughts for interpreting Spring snow conditions:
The most wonderful thing about Spring is that, just when it looks like it’s over, Mother Nature comes through in an awesome way! After weeks of little natural snow, the Western Maine mountains received 14 inches of the white stuff yesterday. Winter over? Heck no!
When hitting the slopes in powder conditions, a good tactical focus for skiing powder is to make turns that keeps the gear mostly facing downhill.
Conditions change by the hour when skiing and riding in the Spring; the mix of changing air temperatures, underlying snow temperature, sunshine, and warm air winds can create a broad range of conditions in the course of a day. Based on a general timeline, here are some tips on terrain selection for spring skiing.
In earlier post, fishing gloves were mentioned as an excellent choice for skiing in the rain. In response to a comment, the recommended gloves are specifically the Altas 490 GLOVE, PVC BLUE INSULATED and here’s a link to buy those gloves on-line.
Let’s face it, no one wakes up in the morning hoping for the opportunity to go out skiing and riding in the rain. Rain can actually create pretty good snow conditions, however, as it levels and softens the snow surface. The question is usually how long you can hang outside in the rain before becoming miserably wet. Solution? Don’t get miserably wet!
Winter always seems reluctant to release its grip , but when it finally does, its enthusiastic replacement is Spring’s awesome blue skies, sunshine, and soft snow. These conditions last for an all-too-brief time, so let’s focus on getting out and enjoying them. Here are 10 tips on skiing and riding in spring conditions:
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It’s the chicken or the egg question of skiing: do the hands time your turns or do your turns time the hands? In terrain and conditions such as moguls, steeps, trees, powder, and Spring snow, it really doesn’t matter which answer is right. Either way, a series of relatively short linked turns are best made by keeping the hands and legs working in concert. Key to those movements is the commitment to the turn that a good pole swing adds to your skiing.
Skiing in Sping conditions is a challenge because of the heavy effect of wetter snow on your skis. Keeping your balance can be tough when it feels like the mountain is pulling at your edges; you’re likely to fall backward and your stance will naturally splay outward. You’re in the “back seat” and have lost all athleticism; how can you keep from getting in this situation? While skiing in spring conditions, keep your balance by focusing on using a narrow stance.
Sunscreen protection is a must for those spring skiing days when the sun is high and bright. After a full winter of limited exposure, the strong spring sun can really do a number on your pale skin if you don’t take some precautions. Sunscreen is the #1 preventative and a personal favorite for sunscreen protection are products from the Bullfrog brand. Read the rest of this entry »