Snow Skills

Frozen granular, hardpack, scraped off, and bulletproof are just a few of the terms I’ve heard used for hard snow conditions. For the sake of brevity, let’s cut through it all and agree that ICE is a pretty good word for conditions on those days where the snow just doesn’t have much ‘give’ to it. There can be some great skiing in those conditions; it just takes a little more effort physically and mentally to adapt and make effective turns.

You should ski on ice conditions like you’re robbing a bank: “No sudden moves and don’t stand in one place too long”. Physically you need to develop skiing movements that are methodical and patient, relying more on subtlety and than force to generate the turn. Neither your leg steering nor your edging can be abrupt or hard; you’ll want to apply these skills in increments of small doses to keep all your movements as smooth and even as possible.

Mentally you’ll want to try to condition yourself to accept that there just isn’t going to be a lot of grip on the hardest snow. With that acceptance, you can convince yourself that there’s some softer snow somewhere on the trail, but not where you are at the moment. So, why would you stay at that point and try to find a grip? The better method is to move off of the shiny spot you’ve found by making the most balanced turn you can and seek softer snow for your next turn. Accept that there’s just going to be some slip in your turn shape and you’ll probably discover that a little bit of grip is enough on ice.

As you move off the ice in search of softer snow, keep an eye out for the whitest-colored snow you can find. The whiter the snow, the softer it will be. With steady, unforced moves and some mental toughness, you can build the confidence to have a great day of skiing when the conditions may not be great.

And don’t forget that “it ain’t ice unless you can see a beer can two feet down.”