Number 3 in the Skiing and Snowboarding Responsibility Code for skiing and riding is “You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above“.
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Archive for the ‘Telemark’ Category
The second item of the Your Responsibility Code for skiing and riding is “People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them“.
Telemark skiing demands a high degree of balance for any terrain, weather, and conditions. The use of the hands can be like the summer intern: they can either be very helpful or sort of just always be in the way. The hand position that will help your tele skiing the most is to keep your hands as low as possible.
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According to the National Ski Patrol, here is your responsibility code when skiing and riding:
- Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.
- People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
- You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above.
- Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
- Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
- Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
- Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.
The use of ski poles in skiing can add important timing, balance, and flow to your skiing movements by acting as a starting motion for a new turn. Just what is that motion called, anyhow? Thirty years ago, ski instructors taught “pole plants”. Welcome to the new Millenium, where that move is more commonly called “pole swings”.
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Here’s an off-hill exercise that will produce excellent results in your skiing. Leg lifts are way better than a home gym. Cheaper, too.
Cheers and hello to fellow Sugarloafers Jano and Crusher who are vacationing out in British Columbia. These two hard-corps free-heelers are driving cross-country in their camper for an extended vacation now that the snow’s leaving us here in the Northeast. Here’s a telemark tip for all of us, with them in mind: Read the rest of this entry »
As the snow melts away in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s time to put the gear away for the summer. Your boots are an important part of your skiing and riding skills and require some extra attention to allow you to slide into them next year with comfort. Here are some tips for storing downhill, telemark, and snowboarding boots for the summer: Read the rest of this entry »
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.