Snow Skills

In the pursuit of better skiing and riding, it can be hard to self-assess which movements are keepers and which to toss away. There are many feedback methods (visual, audible, inner ear, etc.) that don’t leave a hard record for evaluation. Consider that animal tracks can speak volumes about the animal’s behavior, emotions, and activities. Your hunt for direct feedback in skiing and riding can end simply by observing the tracks you leave behind in the snow.

Get out on the hill early and find a groomed trail with untracked corduroy. Make some comfortable turns and then skate/walk back up so you can check out your tracks.

Are your turns J-shaped? If your track has a fairly straight arc at the turn’s top half and an obvious hook at the bottom, you’re applying too little edging at the beginning of the turn. You can improve those turns by using edging skills continuously through the turn, not just at the end. Focus on tipping your skis/board over to the new edge(s) promptly so that your edges are engaged before your tips/nose reach the point where they face directly down gravity.

That tipping motion will be most effective if you rely on your ankles initially to release the old set of edges. The subtle motion of your ankles will allow you to maintain good balance as you move off the old edge set. By supporting the ankle motions with more definitive knee motions, your legs will drive the skis/board to the new edge set with confidence.

Don’t be decoyed if J-shaped turns are comfortable on easier terrain; a lack of early edging in the turn will ‘bite back’ through a loss of control on steeper terrain and harder snow. Add more edging earlier in your turn, and the resulting C-shape in the snow will be good evidence that you’re edging effectively.