Day 1 - SkiBlog-SkiBlog Heliskiing Video Blog Series

After arriving at the Crescent Spur lodge on Saturday evening, we were greeted with an incredibly friendly and welcoming staff and treated to a delicious dinner. The lodge, with all of the fixtures, doorframes, and woodwork homecrafted with British Columbian wood, provides a remarkably warm and amicable atmosphere to relax and enjoy the time here. I knew I was in for a luxury ski holiday.

Sunday - day 1 of heliskiing, proved to be much more than I was used to after growing up skiing on the east coast. I was not nearly prepared for the humbling conditions that awaited me in the Caribou mountain range. Crescent Spur has over 1,500 square miles of privately leased skiing area with only 20 skiers per week - if you don't get in some good turns here, you won't anywhere.

Tip 1 - Safety Orientation

Heliskiing presents a unique set of hazards you will not find anywhere else. It is very important to go over safety and emergency information to prepare for the worst. After warming up with a brief indoor presentation on safety fundamentals and learning about the types of dangers, we went outside for some on-snow training.

Tip 2 - Safety Equipment

Crescent Spur is a great organization when it comes to skier safety. All guests are provided with a two-way radio, a transponder beacon, a snow shovel, and a probe. These tools are invaluable, and the knowledge of how to use them correctly can make the difference between life and death.

Tip 3 - Feet together, skis weighted equally

Although I consider myself a fair skier on-piste, there are some essential adjustments to make when backcountry skiing. First, make sure you keep a narrower stance than normal to account for variable snow conditions. When your skis are closer together, it makes it more likely that your skis will go through the same snow condition. This also helps to keep your skis more equally weighted than you normally would on-piste. Carving doesn't exist when skiing powder. The forces interacting between your skis and the snow are substantially different in powder conditions than packed snow conditions. Basically, you want to think of your skis floating on the snow and banking against the snow througout turns. This is more of a passive turn - you are just using the snow as a bank to push your skis against than actively turning and edging your skis.

Tip 4 - Make sure your video camera is on video mode

Somehow my camera turned out to be on photo mode instead of video mode, so instead of four great videos I was expecting to find at the end of the day, I found four shoddy photographs. Hopefully the rest of this week will work out better.

SkiBlog-SkiBlog Heliskiing Video Blog Series - Intro

Yesterday I started a seven day journey to Crescent Spur, British Columbia for a trip with Crescent Spur Heliskiing.  This video is the first of a multi-part video blog series where I will bring you tips live from the mountains of British Columbia.  I welcome your comments on the videos and format!

The Doc's Tips: 3 Tips to Help Recover After a Day of Skiing

I recently got a chance to sit down with Dr. Julie Herman, M.D., an internal medicine physician at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. 

After a lengthy and exhausting day on the slopes, I was curious about what modern medicine says are the best strategies to recover.  Here is her advice:

1. Have a beer

You've worked hard today. You deserve a beer.

I knew I liked this doctor. But make sure that after your beer, you consume a generous amount of water. A sports drink with electrolytes also would be beneficial. Proper hydration after a skiing workout allows your muscles to rebuild properly and maintains circulation (bringing essential nutrients to your muscles and the body's other tissues). Multiple research studies have shown that when you are dehydrated, you are not able to exercise as strenuously and your muscles take longer to heal. So drink up!

2. Soak in a hot bath or hot tub

Taking a refreshing soak in a hot tub (or a hot bath if you are not staying in the chalets in Courchevel) relaxes your muscles and helps remove the lactic acid that builds up in your muscles following skiing.

The heat of the bath also increases peripheral circulation in your body (more blood flow to muscles, joints, and skin), which helps rebuild any strained tissues and cells in these areas. It's also thought to be beneficial to perform light muscle massages in the bath and to stretch after your soak. However, people with circulation/heart problems should consult their doctor first before taking hot baths or using hot tubs. Pregnant women should not take hot baths. But otherwise, enjoy and relax some hot water!

3. Eat protein

Eating foods with protein gives your body the fuel needed to rebuild glycogen (energy) stores that are lost from your muscles during exercise.

Protein consumption also increases the amount of amino acids available to the body for rebuilding and drives your metabolism to increase muscle buildup. Protein consumed through diet and food is usually more bioactive and effective than protein supplements. Foods high in protein consist of meats, milk and dairy, eggs, beans, nuts, and legumes.

How To: Recover Gracefully From a Ski Crash

Want to know how to get back up (gracefully) from falling while skiing?  Check out this instructional video made specially for SkiBlog-SkiBlog by Ryan and John of RAWfootyfilms.

Ski Training - Functional Style

by Lauren Bunney

Ski season is just around the corner if not already in full swing depending on where in the world you are living. But, the majority of the season is still ahead so it is not too late to get into shape in order to get the most out of your season.

Whether you are a skier or snowboarder or even a snow "Bunney" (pun intended), everyone can stand to get into better physical conditioning. If you caught the Resort Guide 2011 edition of Ski Magazine, they featured a few variations of functional training exercise methods that will help get you into ski shape.

Functional training is by definition exercising in proper biomechanical form using the same movements you do in your every day function of life. For example, you sit in a chair and stand up, you are doing a squat. You pick stuff up off the floor, you are doing a deadlift. In a more traditional form of training, you might find yourself on a leg extension circuit training machine but, in real life you never sit in a chair and kick a ball, right? That's what I mean by functional training.

Every day all day long, you are constantly moving your own body weight through space so, why not train for your favorite sports and activities by lifting your own body weight? Use your overall body weight as your resistance as opposed to putting a pin in a weight stack and setting it to 40lbs, when you are lifting way more than 40lbs all day long.

Enough said, I'm not trying to beat a dead horse and you should get my point by now.

While skiing and boarding, we are standing on our feet moving through space resisting the effects of gravity and unstable ground. We sit and stand in and out of the chairlifts as well as a bigger range of motion should we fall and have to pick ourselves up off the ground.

We need to use our body for our own exercise training resistance by changing the angles of our body with gravity, self adjusting, or scaling the intensity of the various exercises we are performing for our training program in a commercial or home gym.

Here are a few exercises and their variations of scaling to meet the various needs of each individual based on their age, medical history, and current fitness level.

Let's start with the Air Squat. The Air Squat is a basic movement we use to sit in a chair and stand back up moving our ankles, knees, and hips similar to the movement and absorption of skiing and boarding.

Once we have met proper form and range of motion of the air squat, we can increase the intensity by doing a Jumping Squat - jumping off the ground at the end of each rep trying to defy gravity just as you would through a mogul field or turning with the fall line of the slope.

We can then take the air squat and the jumping squat to the next level by using weighted resistance and doing an exercise such as a Thruster or Wall Ball.

You can even take the same concept as the air squat and apply it to a Lunge movement. Great for telemark skiing.

Then we have to look at upper body training that believe it or not has a lot to do with skiing and boarding. There is stability and balance you have to worry about if you actually want to enjoy your ski run and not fall. Your upper body also plays a role as the timing mechanism for a pole plant for skiers, hip rotation, balance, and upper body stability for boarders.

Using your body weight for resistance works your core and improves your stability. You don't have to do 100 crunches a day to work your abdominals. Your abs work every rep for your body weight movements. We'll get back to your core in just a bit.

Moving right along, or I should say upwards, double jointed pushing and pulling movements will work your entire upper body. Yes, I am talking about Pull Ups and Push Ups. Everyone can do push ups and pull ups. You heard me right, EVERYONE!! All you have to do is learn the scaling options of those exercises to learn how to do them at your level.

You can also perform Shoulder Depression exercises to build up strength in your upper body which in turn you will see a direct effect poling across the flats.

Now that you have done a pulling movement for your upper body, you have to do a pushing movement to balance it out, working both the front and back of your torso. I'm talking about a simple Push Up scaled to your level.

Okay, so I mentioned that you do not have to do 100 crunches in order to work your core. But, I know there are still plenty of people out there who will still insist on doing a traditional sit up or crunch. So, if you are going to do them, do Ab-Mat Sit Ups.

Cardio training - do it!! But there is a variety of ways to get your cardio in. Yes you can go for a run or a bike ride but, you can also get a bigger bang for your buck, or time, by doing CrossFit.


CrossFit by definition is high intensity functional training with varying modalities where you merge your cardio and strength all together and it is completely scalable for all levels.

So let's take the exercises I just gave to you and put them together in a CrossFit training program.

             AMRAP = As Many Rounds As Possible of

                        1 round =
                               5 pull ups
                               10 push ups
                               15 squats


Start with AMRAP for 8 minutes then build to 12, 15, then 20 minutes. Keep repeating the 5, 10, 15 rep scheme as fast as you can for as many times as possible in the designated time. Be sure to maintain proper form or don't count the rep. It's about quality and integrity for the best benefit.

There is a wide variety of exercises that you can expand on but, the few that I mentioned will give you a good jump start.

Get fit and enjoy your season!!

Think Snow!!


Lauren Bunney is co-owner of Arenal Fitness, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.  She is an instructor in mulitple CrossFit specialties, as well as a certified specialist in conditioning exercise, post-rehab exercise, and medical exercise.  She is also an instructor and Senior Level Ski Patroller with the National Ski Patrol.  To find out more about Lauren and Arenal Fitness, visit http://www.arenalfitness.com/.

Ski Egypt - Creating Slopes Other Than the Pyramids

Have you ever wanted to spend the holidays in Egypt, see the pyramids, bathe in political crises, and bake in the exhaustive sun? Me too, except the lack of skiing has always deterred me. However, this may soon be a possibility in a few years time...

The Majid Al Futtaim group, resposible for the creation of the revolutionary Ski Dubai, announced earlier this spring that it is looking to take it's indoor ski resort within-a-mega-mall idea and transplant it into the heart of Egypt, according to an article in the The National.

Indoor skiing? Yes, this incredibly cool new fashion has popped up all over the globe - in addition to Dubai, cities in the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Russia, Poland, and China among others, have opened indoor snow resorts, in which a special technology carpet is installed on a man-made slope. Usually, these ski areas also supplement the slopes with artificial snow, a common luxury in outdoor snow resorts where snow is not as naturally abundant as desired. These indoor ski areas have been quite a popular hit, especially where people see snow for the first time at these science-fiction filled fantasy worlds. Ski Dubai has been one of the most notable and successful indoor ski resorts, complete with a mountaintop lodge to warm up in.

What can you expect of the skiing? Reports have been that its surprisingly like natural snow skiing. Considering the base layer is carpet rather than snow, expect the riding to be a little bit slower, emphasizing the importance good balance. Additionally, since the artificial snow can create patches of snow, maintain a closer stance. This makes it more likely that both of your skis will travel through snow of the same consistency, decreasing any slips that occur from uneven frictional forces on your skis.

Lesson of the story: the next time you think of traveling to Africa, think of skiing in Africa. As if I had to tell you to think about skiing...

Avalanche Awareness and Kits

by White Blancmange - Alpine Experiences

A properly prepared avalanche kit could be the difference between life and death (and the life you save may well be your own). If you are thinking of heading off-piste, you need to know that you and everyone in your party are as safe as you can possibly be. This means hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. When taking the road less travelled you are inevitably at greater risk than you would be when staying on the beaten path, primarily because you are further away from other skiers and the established infrastructure for dealing with mountain emergencies. Off-piste adventures can be extremely rewarding, but being ready for the challenge is of the utmost importance. When you are on the other side of the mountain, far away from your VIP ski chalet, you have to know how to react if things go wrong.

Advances in modern technology have led to the development of all sorts of innovative safety gadgets, but topping the (low-tech) list of must-have off-piste accessories are the humble snow shovel and avalanche probe. Fortunately, advances have also been made in the field of ultra-portable manual snow moving tools. This means that your collapsible (or foldable) snow shovel will take up less space and add less weight to your gear than ever before. For gadgetry, the number one high-tech device you will want to take with you off-piste is a working set of avalanche transceivers.

Avalanche transceivers are your best hope of being found/finding someone after an avalanche occurs. You should make certain that every member of your group is wearing one before heading out onto the slopes. You should also check that the batteries are charged and that all devices are connected and functioning correctly with a standard dry-run test. When setting out, all transceivers should be set to “transmit” and left that way for the duration of an uneventful trip. If the trip becomes eventful (in the negative sense of the word) you will be glad you’re wearing your transceiver.

All transceivers need to be worn as close to the body as possible to avoid them being torn off should you find yourself taking a tumble. If an avalanche occurs, those not caught in the deluge are able to switch their transceivers to “receive”, giving the best possible chance of finding those trapped in time to save their lives. Because approximately 90% of people found within 15 minutes of being buried will be found alive, quick action is vital. To impress this upon you even further, only 25% of buried people are found alive after 45 minutes. (These figures apply to those trapped in snow only).

Snow shovels and avalanche probes are both incredibly important pieces of equipment, but it is even more important that you know how to use them. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that you don’t need them, because you may live to regret it. Modelled on turn of the century entrenching tools, modern collapsible snow shovels are light-weight and compact. Your probe is a long collapsible pole, not unlike the white sticks used by the visually impaired but extending to a length of around 2 ½ metres. Probes make it easier to determine a person’s exact location beneath the snow to better inform rescue efforts, and are also useful for creating air-holes to help them breathe.

Simply having this equipment is not enough, you must make sure you know how to use it and have a pre-planned response in mind should an emergency occur. There are a number of other items at varying levels of technological ingenuity (and financial expense) that are certainly worth considering, but the top three must have items are those listed on this page. Another necessary tool (which can’t be kept in your back pack) is training. Taking VIP ski lessons will help you prepare for the challenges you might have to face off-piste. Where ever your ski holiday is in the Alps, from Avoriaz to Zermatt, expert ski instructors will be on hand to help you advance to the off-piste level.


Based in the Alps at Chatel Portes Du Soleil, White Blancmange specialises in creating the ultimate Alpine experiences for corporate customers, private groups, couples and individuals during the ski season and throughout the rest of the year. Find out more at http://www.whiteblancmange.com.

Equipment Review - Columbia's Omni-Heat Powder Bowl Parka

Columbia Sportswear recently asked me to field test its newest line of technology - the Omni-Heat "silver dot" jacket. At first, I was critical. This highly advertised line of skiwear had interrupted my viewings of House time after time during my Hulu commercial breaks. While popular among the masses, Columbia products have never been seen flying in the high circles of skiwear that include The North Face, Patagonia, and Arc'teryx. But after this heavy advertising, I was eager to get to the bottom of the rabbit hole and see if the new Omni-Heat would hold up to the hype. So I buttoned up in a new two-shell Powder Bowl Parka, decided on one of those spontaneous last minute holidays, and made my way to the peak at Snowshoe Mountain, West Virginia ...

Visual Appeal

As a fashion-savvy ski professional, I was pleasantly surprised at the new school look to this old school brand. As you can see here, my jacket is best described as one that makes you hear whispers from the ski lift riders above (some sick skiing helps too). The in-your-face color and hip design tell others that you are seriously good-looking. At the same time, this jacket has a conservative enough look to not be seen as a young hipster and still be able to be worn among family and business ski trips. Better yet, the inside shell to the jacket is also a great fashion, consisting of a grey nearly-solid color that is great to wear in the warmer temperatures and out casually.

Performance

After I modeled at the fashion show in front of my mirror, it was time to hit the slopes and give the jacket its true test of character. The jacket provided a great deal of warmth in 20 degree Farenheit weather, and I was actually able to cut down one inner layer with this jacket. A well-designed hood helped keep my face out of the wind, and an adjustable waistline helped keep my warmth in my core. Unfortunately, it did provide some bulk, although it certainly was not movement restricting whatsoever. If you are looking for a shapely and cut jacket, this probably would not be your top choice, especially if you like to keep some extra materials in your jacket pockets. This jacket lived to the standard of all inner shell jackets - extra warmth with extra bulk. However, I was most impressed with its breathability. No matter where I was, it was almost impossible for me to get too hot with this jacket while skiing. As far as water-resistance, you cannot pick better. The rain drops from one day of skiing formed little sphere droplets on the sleeve and did not soak in at all (although this is to be expected of any modern ski jacket). I also do not know how it fares over time with regard to its water-resistance, as most jackets lose much water-resistance over time.

Construction

The high quality of materials is something that I was not expecting at all when I first put on the jacket. The outer zippers are all forged metal, meaning that there are no fabric straps attaching the zipper that easily come off, and all form waterproof seams. The outer fabric is a top-notch waterproof and tough layer that keeps rain at bay and does not tear easily. The usual 007 hidden James Bond pockets were all present, and a key clip was in the right hand outer pocket. The inner zippers that keep the two layers connected are easy to put together and take apart, and they are well-protected with softness on your chin during fully-zipped-to-the-top mode in cold temperatures. When I wore the jacket, I knew that real skiers designed this instead of foreign businessmen who have never even seen a mountain. It's the little things in this respect that make this jacket a keeper.

Versatility

All things considered, the thing I love most about this jacket is its versatility due to the inner shell. I have always hated two-shell jackets because of the bulk and clumsiness that come along with them, but this jacket turned me 180 degrees the other way. The inner shell by itself might be my favorite part. It is a conservative color to wear out to hit the nightlife scene after a long day on the mountain, or just something to wear out around the city. This inner layer also contains the Omni-Heat technology (the Omni-Heat silver dots are present on the inside of both layers). While it mimics the puffy look of a Patagonia Down Sweater, it is remarkably lighter than it looks and is extremely warm. Further, the outer shell can be worn by itself as a rain jacket or as a more waterproof layer on a warmer day of skiing. Overall, the most versatile jacket I have ever had.

Overall Rating

Four and a half stars

• Pros: versatile use, warmth, looks, materials, breathability



• Cons: bulky
  

3 Top Tips to Improve Your Off Piste Skiing

by Heli Ski Guide Roko

Note: This article was originally published by Pure Powder - the off piste and heli skiing specialists - on www.PurePowder.com in June 2010. Permission to reprint this article was obtained from Pure Powder.

You wake up, look out of the window, and there's a pristine blanket of fresh white snow covering everything in sight. To make the most of those unforgettable powder days, here are some top tips to help improve your off piste skiing techniques - pulled together with the help of one of CMH Heli-skiing most experienced guides, Roko Koell.


1. Rhythm is the heartbeat of powder skiing
Rhythmic up-and-down motions are the key to skiing powder. Begin with the ankles, knees and hips comfortably compact. Then extend upward, gradually flexing and extending the ankles, knees and hips, but stopping before the body is fully erect. Create a consistent up-and-down rhythm while moving only within this range, always keeping your hands forward. If you stand up too tall your body will hang back whilst your skis accelerate forward - causing the infamous backward lean and resultant burning thigh muscles.


Top tip: the more equal both skis are weighted, the easier it is to maintain balance and to link turns together harmoniously; the first turn is the most important turn, as it helps set your rhythm right; concentrating on proper pole plants will help you to maintain you rhythm and link your turns together.



2. Timing is everything: patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet
When skiing in the powder you need to exaggerate your movements, ski with longer turning movements and feel the sensation of skiing in slow motion. Patience and persistence are crucial factors when turning in deep snow. You need to push your feet gradually and continually against the snow in order to complete each turn. If you give up on your turning movement too soon, your skis will accelerate and run away from underneath you, resulting in an incomplete turn, the dreaded backward lean, and loss of control.


Top tip: to make nice round turns in the powder, count slowly to yourself "One, two, turn."; be patient when beginning the turn and assertive when completing it. Resist the urge to force your turns to happen too soon, as this causes you to over-rotate.


3. Remember - speed is your friend
Just as an airplane is able to lift off at a certain speed and a speedboat rides on top of the water, skis float up and out of the soft mass of snow when propelled by proper speed. Powder snow produces resistance against our skis, boots and lower legs, making balancing and turning a great challenge for the novice powder skier. The solution is reaching a proper skiing speed, which reduces resistance between skis and the soft mass of the snow.
This "up-floating" speed promotes turning and balance (equal weighting over both skis) and allows you to get a rhythm going.


Top tip: until the appropriate speed is established with confidence, all effort and exercise is hard work and physically exhausting - don't despair, have the confidence to get your speed up; think about skiing with a guide or instructor for a couple of hours to help build your confidence up and pull you out of your comfort zone.


Roko Koell is a CMH guide and founded CMH's Powder Introduction programme. Roko is a fully qualified U.I.A.G.M Mountain and Ski Guide, Level 4 Ski Instructor and Ski Racing Coach.

Check out Roko's CMH Heli-Skiing Powder Introduction film...

How to Adapt to Skiing Moguls

by Robert Stewart

Moguls are one of those challenges in skiing that can strike fear into all but the most expert of skiers. The thing is, moguls can be our friends. Yes really, they can!

If you are comfortable skiing down groomed slopes at varying gradients then you will have the ability to ski a mogul field. I’m not necessarily talking about high speed ‘ripping’ directly down the fall-line or performing aerial manoeuvres like the pros. But it is achievable to ski smoothly and graciously down through a mogul field performing short radius turns like you might on your favourite groomed run.

Skiing is all about adapting to the terrain that we are on at the time. When we drive a car we adapt to the type of road we are using. For example, on a small winding road you would drive more slowly, probably in a lower gear, than on a straight major highway. Many skiers become locked into a certain way of skiing which works fine on certain terrain, usually groomed runs, because that’s what we mostly do. But transfer that technique to other terrain, like moguls or powder, and it might not work as well.

I’m not saying you have to change the way you have learnt to ski, just make some tweaks which help the skis deal with what’s in front of them.

Modern ski technology has enabled skiers to ‘carve’ out smooth turns on groomed runs with relative ease. This is great news because carving out high speed turns can be great fun. But, without going to much into technical detail here, what we are doing in these turns is basically pressurising the inside edge of the turning ski and letting the ski do the work.

I have seen many good skiers head into the moguls and continue to apply the same technique. What tends to happen is that very quickly they gain speed and cannot handle the impact of the moguls. They quickly get thrown backwards even though they understand the principles of flexion and extension crucial to skiing moguls.

For me, the simple solution to skiing moguls at any level is ‘rotation’. This means that we separate the lower part of the body from the upper part. Our legs work independently from out torso. We are steering the skis with our legs and feet. We still use our edges and we still pressure the skis, but in a different cycle.

For example:

Pattern of turning on groomed run > Pressure ski – Edge ski – Skis turns

Pattern of turning on moguls > Turn ski – Pressure ski – Edge ski

One of the best ways to improve our rotational skills is to practice side slipping. It’s not an exiting prospect I know, but a little bit of training here and there will pay off in the long run.

Side slipping involves keeping the skis perpendicular to the slope and sliding down at a controlled speed. It is often something taught to beginners as a safety mechanism to get down steeper slopes. In reality, it is a tricky skill to master but teaches us a lot about edge control and rotation.

The key to this is to pick a fairly steep slope on a groomed run. First, practice your side slip facing one way, then stop and turn around 180 degrees and practice facing in the opposite direction.

Start in a stationary position with the skis at right angles to the slope and about hip width apart. Ensure that your skis are angles so that the inside edge of the lower ski and the uphill edge of the upper ski are holding you in position. Then slowly release both edges simultaneously until the ski flattens against the snow completely and then control your speed by applying more edge as required. More edge means less speed.

The key here, and this is really important, is to make sure you don’t ‘drift’ from the fall-line. In other words you must side slip in a perfectly straight line down the slope. Build up your side slipping practice and then start to change your direction from facing one way to the other as you are moving. This involves releasing the edges and fully rotating the skis 180 degrees underneath your upper body. Again the key here is to keep side slipping in a straight line down the hill, even when changing direction.

Do ten to fifteen minutes of this a day and within a week you will see a big improvement.

Hey, get a bunch of people together and go to a slope with a short tow lift. Take your ski poles and mark out a straight line course down the hill by laying 2 sets of poles about 4 meters apart. Practice your side slipping and stay within the channel of poles. Make the channel narrower as you improve!

What’s this got to do with skiing moguls!! Well, become a master of rotation and all those tips about skiing on top of the bumps and flexing and extending will all become much much easier to perform.

Robert Stewart is an ISIA certified ski instructor who has over 20 years of teaching experience with all levels of skiers. He was formerly a professional freestyle skier and competed in freestyle competitions across the globe. You can find out more about Rob on his own skiing blog at http://blog.themountaindepartment.com.

Skiing the Glades - Trees

So here you are, trying to feel like a young maverick skier going off the trails and into the trees - just hoping that someone passing overhead on the charlift will spot you and give out a loud "WHOOT" of approval and impressiveness (is that a word?).

And then, just before you are about to follow your all too expert friend off the side of a cliff with thick forests of trees that look like they could swallow you whole, you realize, "Wait, how the (insert favorite four-letter word here) am I supposed to do this?"

Fear not. I have your advice right here.

Call ski patrol.

And then before next time, read some of my advice here:

The Glades (The Ones Not in Florida)

The most basic and primary thing you want to do when skiing the trees is simple - look for the empty spaces.

As you have indubitably heard (nice vocabulary, right?) if you have taken a lesson with me is the idea of steering with your eyes. That is, your body will naturally follow and move in the direction you are looking. Have you ever been on the sidewalk, walking along and staring at the beautiful models...uhm...necklaces in the store windows? Next thing you know, you started walking off your line and drifting towards that direction. The same thing occurs in skiing. Whenever you look to the right, your body starts to turn to the right subconciously.

Now let's apply this to skiing in the trees. Let's say you are coming down to a large and intimidating 100 year old tree. You obviously want to ski around the tree - it is rather difficult to ski through it at this point in time - maybe in another 200 years. So, to ski around the tree, we are going to look around the tree. That's right - do not stare directly at it. Remember what we just said. You go where you look. So look for the spaces.

Once you get this idea down, tree skiing becomes almost like mogul skiing. You have to pick your line, look ahead, and plan out your turns.

A few things to look out for on tree skiing:

• Loose brush or inadequate snow cover
- The one thing about tree runs is that snow groomers cannot fit in the runs to groom the slopes. There also is rarely man-made snow here. Therefore, due to relying on natural snow and uncertain conditions, you never really know how deep the glade snow is or what is underneath. Look out for rocks, tree branches, large tree branches, and any exposed ground surface. Your skis are made to go on snow, not dirt.

• Start out on trails with thinner pockets of trees
- When first starting to ski glades, start out on ones that are not as thickly forested or not as extreme terrain. It is better to get comfortable on the easier glades before you move onto the ones with very narrow, untracked, powdery trails with 6 foot (2 meter) jumps. Otherwise, you will hate glade skiing forever.

• Wear a helmet
- Since you never know what you may get into, always wear a helmet. This is pretty self-explanatory, but some people will still resist. If you bite an edge on the groomers, you fall and hit the snow. If you bite an edge in the glades, you fall and hit a tree. Be smart, stay smart, wear a helmet.

• Know where you're going
- A lot of times tree runs will not be marked well on a map, or you may get off track due to the lack of a clear cut trail. Always know where you are going and have a general sense of where you are in relation to the major trails around you on the mountain.

• Use the buddy system
- Always ski with a partner in the glades. Stick together. It is a scary feeling to know that your friend is stuck in the woods and you have no idea where they are. Be smart, don't ski apart.

When you get comfortable, glade skiing can be the most fun type of skiing you will ever do. I did my fair share at Vail and Beaver Creek this past January. They have some awesome, awesome runs that I would recommend if you are seeking out the trees. Now get out there and do it (with my picture as inspiration, of course).

Winter Olympics 2010 - Team USA

As a brief interjection into the magical ski world, let me recommend a site to keep updated on the conquering of the Winter Olympics 2010 by the US Ski Team (I apologize to my French readers. But if it's any consolation, I am rooting for you to come in second place).



http://teamUSAnews.org

There are some great causes that you can support on this site as well. Don't be afraid to give! (On that note, feel free to also give to me. I accept cash, check, and money order. Contact me or leave a comment for where to send it to).

Stay Perpendicular to the Fall Line to Maintain Balance on the Steeps

Have I told you, lately, that I love you...uhh...err...excuse my inner Rod Stewart lyrical self.

What I really meant to say is: Have I told you... why is it harder to ski down steeper slopes, and why our own time-tested movements seem to do even worse on the more challenging terrain we tackle? Yes, that was the question.

Anyways, just as there is a difference in the slope itself, there is a resulting difference in the way we want to ski these slopes to maintain control while we ski, and look good doing it while skiing past the luxury catered ski chalets.

Making sure that your body remains over your base of support (a.k.a. your feet) is essential to maintaining an effective, balanced stance that will allow you to make efficient and controlled movements in your skiing.

I am going to let you in on my little trade secret - the perpendicular skier. Now I don't mean to bash your lack of geometry knowledge (I would much rather brag about mine), but the perpendicular skier is a great way to think of one's body position when skiing.

What is this "perpendicular skier?"

Basically, what you want to do is try and keep your torso perpendicular to the slope. (For those of you still struggling with the geometry concept, perpendicular means at 90 degree angles to one another).

And why do I bring up geometry at a time like this when we were trying to learn how to ski the steeps? Let me explain.

Whenever you start down the double black diamond cliff, your body position changes relative to the pitch of the slope. If you maintain the same body position on this pitch as the position you skied down the bunny slope, I can say with a percentage of accuracy that is higher than the 99.9% of germs that antibacterial hand sanitizer, that you will fall straight back on your behind. Let's look at the following figure for an example:

In this image (praise my revolutionary artistic abilities later), I took the skier in the first image and pasted his exact body and skis to the steeper slope in the second image. The key here lies in the angles between the skier's body (represented by the purple line) and the pitch of the slope (represented by the blue line).

You can see that as the pitch of the slope increases, the angle that the black arrow points to decreases markedly. You should also take note of the fact that the angle is now less than 90 degrees, meaning that the skier is now leaning backwards relative to the slope. Three guesses what happens next to this poor little skier man...

Therefore, the lesson here is, as you attack the steeps, make sure you lean more forward to maintain a perpendicular or slightly forward of perpendicular body position (See July 2009 article: "A Balance Tip That Is Slightly More Than 'Lean Forward'"). This gives you more balance and therefore control when skiing these steeps.

Now go out there and shred up those steeps, and a shout out to those of you on the US east coast - Washington D.C. received more than a foot and a half of snow last week I hear. I wonder which reader received the most...let us know via the comments. And for those metric-system-lovers out there, that is about 46 cm.

Skiing the Bumps - PSIA Video

I found an awesome video about skiing bumps and moguls that is done by Dave Lundberg of the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) Alpine Team. Dave is one of best alpine skiers in the world and skis with incredible style and grace (reminds me of myself). He is also an expert at describing and teaching skiing. He talks about some great tips, and the video provides great material for all you visual learners out there. Just follow the following link...

http://www.rsn.com/files/rsn-podcast/111509_RSN_PSIA__SM.mp4

Also, make sure to look at my own written post on skiing the bumps ("Skiing Those Things Called Moguls," 6 April 2009.)

It's already November. Think snow!

How to Win a Season in the Canadian Rockies and Become a Ski Instructor

I was asked to post this opportunity contest on the blog. I almost hesitated because I was going to enter hundred times myself, and figured the more people that read this, the less chance I have to win. But in the end, I folded to the pressures of authorship and sharing the mountain with others. Sometimes I kick myself in the gluteus maximus for being such a nice guy. But then again, that would impede my balance movements while skiing...

NONSTOP Ski & Snowboard is offering one lucky person the chance to win a place on its 11-week instructor training course in Fernie, including return flights with Air Canada, worth over £7,500 ($11,000 USD).

NONSTOP’s 11-week course is ideal for a career break, Gap Year or fast-track into the instructor industry.

Win this prize and you’ll be learning from some of Canada’s most respected instructors. During the course you can achieve internationally recognised level one and two Canadian ski or snowboard instructor qualifications that allow you to work as an instructor worldwide.

You’ll be staying in the NONSTOP Lodge, in downtown Fernie, which has fantastic facilities including ensuite twin bedrooms, swimming pool, hot tub, movie room and ski/board tuning room. And there’s also a bar and restaurant where you’ll enjoy healthy, hearty meals.

The prize includes practically all you need to spend a season in the Canadian mountains – flights with Air Canada, a season lift pass, weekly professional instruction, half-board accommodation, plus numerous extra activities like cat-skiing, snowmobiling, weekend trips to other resorts and an avalanche and first aid course. Full details available at www.nonstopski.com/win-a-season-in-canada.

NONSTTOP Ski & Snowboard have teamed up with metrosnow.co.uk to offer this amazing prize. To enter visit www.metrosnow.co.uk/competitions until April 6, 2010.

Stopping Power and Technique in Skiing

I received a question/comment (awesome in itself) from someone "over the water" (also awesome in itself) about stopping on the "How to Feel Less Fatigued When Skiing" post:

Very interesting, Skiblog. Let me pose a question from over the water. I am an ice skater who discovered skiing. In skating being able to stop is a high priority and learnt early in lessons. In skiing it seems to be well down the list, and some books seem to say that at certain speeds, there is no way of braking safely. Any thoughts, please. David

To Stop, or not to Stop...

Let me start off by saying, I can stop in mid-air...well, maybe not mid-air, but you get the idea.

This is actually a very good question, and a tough one at that. There is some debate among professionals about the appropriate teaching methodology when it comes to stopping (the reasons I will explain below), but ultimately there is a need for some practicality above all else.

Among beginner skiers, one of the main goals of the American Teaching System (which I believe very strongly in) is to develop new skiers directly into the most fluid, dynamic skiers possible from the start. In the past, ski schools have taught beginner students some skills that actually interfere with more advanced techniques further down the yellow brick road, specifically, the "wedge stop" or "pizza."

The wedge stop is a double sided axe. On one hand, it is needed to allow new skiers to stop themselves, which in itself I think is an obvious necessity. If you need further clarification, see the NY Times article about the skier who was unable to stop.

However, this wedge becomes a very comfortable safety valve for a frightened and inexperienced skier...too much so if not controlled, thus leading to what is infamously known as the "power wedge," a full-out wedge with skis spread twice as wide as the shoulder-width standard. This is a comfortable and safe-feeling position. However, it is very detrimental to the ski skill progression. Skiers often get too comfortable. Sooner or later, they find it very hard to break this large power wedge position, which makes it almost impossible to continue on to parallel skiing.

Therefore, many instructors will teach beginner lessons without any wedge, but instead teach a direct turn stop, that is, turning into the hill to stop. This would be similar to a ice-skate or "hockey" stop. However, it is also harder to stop in this way.

One could say, then, that it makes most practical sense to teach a wedge for convenience, but strongly enforce that no power wedge forms.

"...at certain speeds, there is no way of braking safely..."

Some will argue this is true. I (and others) will tell you that a fairly skilled skier with good balance can do so. I am sure there is an analagous dilemma in skating.

To conclude - yes, you can stop safely. And yes, stopping is important and is taught, but it must be taught judiciously. We want to teach our students in ways that will not only allow them to get up the slope and coast down the green lollipops, but also provide a foundation upon which they can easily improve to attack the blacks.

How to Feel Less Fatigued When Skiing

I came across the following question while reading online on Wellsphere:

I just returned from skiing with some buds who never train physically. We would walk up stairs and they would be winded while I could just keep going. Why then, do they just fly down the hills and I struggle??? I have been skiing for 10 years and have taken many a private lesson. I have completed 2 iron-man triathlons, train physically 3-4 times per week and noticed that while I am skiing, my feet are sore. Super sore the next day. This is not from my boots as they are custom Sure Foot boots, but more that my intrinsic foot muscles, calves and quads are just beat!... I am obviously over working myself as I ski and am getting frustrated. I have great balance and feel that I am just working too hard.

Does this sound like you? Well, how about some SkiBlog-SkiBlog advice...

Any time you feel fatigued, no matter what sport, the reason is due to the muscles. Your muscles are what you use to move. Your muscles get tired. Why? All the chemicals in your body that produce the muscle contractions come out of balance.

The answer....steroids. No just kidding (seriously). Actually, time and rest will put your body's chemicals back in equilibrium to make you feel less tired.

To prevent this problem, try standing up a little bit straighter when you ski. This puts more of your weight and external forces on your skeleton and bones, which are designed to support weight. When this happens, less of the force is supported by your muscles. When you lift weights, which is easier and makes you less tired - 100 pound weights or the 10 pounders? Same idea.

So, stand up straighter to last longer on the slopes. Additionally, make sure you are getting enough carbohydrates, sugar, electrolytes, and water (the body's chemicals) while on the slopes. Breaks in between runs or halfway through a run will help too. Ultimately, building these skiing muscles through actual skiing or training are the best long-term solution to skiing fatigue.

Oh, and you have sore feet? Welcome to skiing.

A Balance Tip That Is Slightly More Than "Lean Forward" (plus a Boot Adjustment Trick)

Chances are that if you have spent five minutes on a ski slope before, you have heard the amazingly overused and almost meaningless word in the skiing dictionary - the most given piece of unsought advice that exists in space and time - the ... oh, let's just cut to the chase ... LEAN FORWARD.

Lean forward. A simple term that seems to be your skiing buddy's answer for everything. It has come down a long line of useless friends teaching friends and is deeply rooted in everyone's skiing history.

The thing is...what does it mean? I will bet you a million and one dollars that you really weren't sure what to do when you were first told to lean forward, and I will bet you a million and two dollars that the person you are trying to teach doesn't know what this means either. Here's why...

Lean forward is an extremely ambiguous phrase. It seems straightforward to an experienced skier, but to someone new to this heavenly sport, lean forward could mean several different things. Should I tilt my head forward? Should I reach my hands forward? These skis are so hard to move on. Should I bend my shoulders forward? My hips? Did I mention it is hard to move while sliding on these stupid skis? And I wish that Alec the smart lass would stop shouting lean forward at me.

I think you get the point.

So instead of shouting the same, useless phrase over and over again, try using some of these more specific and helpful tips the next time you decide to give some unsought advice.

• Slide your feet underneath your hips or Bring your body over top of your feet - These pieces of advice reinforce vertical alignment of the body over the hips over the feet. They both are two ways to think of accomplishing the same thing. Often, adjusting the position of your feet (and therefore skis) is easier to focus on than moving your upper body. This also provides proper ankle flexion.
  


• Stand up straighter - Many people new to skiing believe that skiing should look like the racing pros on TV. This is almost always not the case, as we rarely get to the speeds where those kinds of extreme bending movements are needed to produce such high magnitude forces. When a skier bends over too much, the hips revert back and bring the weight of the skier into the "backseat," or too far behind the ideal central stance. Our weight should be over the center of our feet.
  


• Press the front of your shins against the front of your boots - Something that even many advanced skiers forget to remember is that our shins should be in contact with the fronts of our boots at all times. Often, when a skier falls back in his or her stance, he or she can easily fix the problem by putting the shins back in contact with the tongues of the boots. This flexes the knees and the ankles, ensuring a better balanced stance.
  

Equipment note: Here is a simple check to perform to make sure that your boots are better-fitted, giving you more balance while you ski. Put on and buckle your boots. When you stand up straight or flex your knees, your boots should be in contact with your legs all the way around the front and back of the legs. If there is wiggle room, tighten up your boots so that there is no more extra space.

Bob Shostek, PSIA Examiner and former PSIA-E President, recommends the following: Velcro your power strap, or booster strap, underneath the outer shell of the boot (the shell contains the buckles). The straps should be velcro-ed in between the soft part and shell part of the boot. Then, buckle your boot shell over top of the already connected power straps. This will give you a tighter "seal" around your leg by the boot, and you will notice more control in your skiing.

Additionally, you can place wedged pieces of a soft but sturdy material between your leg and the boot to eliminate some of the extra space. When there is less or no space between your leg and the boot, your own movements transfer easier, quicker, smoother, and with less effort.

When there is room for error, it takes large, gross movements to make a small difference in your skiing. This trick will result in more fine-tuned movements that are able to allow you to move while skiing without large, drastic, and visible movements of the lower leg.

So after you perform your boot test and adjust your power straps, head up the chairlift, and push your friends down the newly introduced mountain, give more specific advice than lean forward. Give them advice that they will actually understand, comprehend, and execute. And that's how memories are made.

"How It's Made" - Dynastar Skis

For all of those television experts out there, the Science Channel will be airing an television episode of "How It's Made" - "Dynastar Skis" on Friday, June 19th at 9:00 p.m. EST.

UPDATE:
This video is now available online at http://science.discovery.com/videos/how-its-made-alpine-skis.html.

This will be a first of its kind special where a manufacturer is revealing how indeed they make skis. This will give good insight on how they are put together, strengths of different types of skis, as well as how to maximize your own ski movement efficiency.

Note: I am not paid by the Science Channel, Discovery, or Dynastar to promote this television special. However, if you are an employee of the Science Channel, Discovery, or Dynastar and would like to pay me, please contact me at the given contact info from my profile.

Ski Towards the Corner to Improve Directional Movement

Here is a crazy cool little trick to help yourself gain more control over your directional movement in your skiing. But first, what do I mean by directional movement?

Directional Movement

The key to the sliding glass door of modern skiing is consistent and correct directional movement. You always want to move each part of your body towards the direction you want to go. This is extremely important.You always want to move each part of your body towards the direction you want to go. And in case you didn't catch it the first time (or the second): You always want to move each part of your body towards the direction you want to go. This equals efficiency.

What most people don't typically think about the is direction of a turn. When you turn right, you are not making a 90 degree turn measured by the protractor you still have from tenth grade geometry class. It would be an ugly turn, an uglier wipeout, and a sad, sad life story that you still have your protractor from tenth grade geometry class. You should think of moving your body on a diagonal - that is - both forward and right.

Let's take for instance, the feet. When you want to turn right, you are obviously going to move both your feet towards that direction. Similarly, you also want to move your inside knee forward and to the right, the tips of your skis forward and to the right, your leading toes forward and to the right, and you plant your pole forward and to the right. This is what establishes your turn.

If you want to make a shorter turn radius, you should move more forward and less to the right. If you are making a long radius turn, you will want to direct your movements more to the right and less forward.

So, we know what directional movements are - movements of specific body parts that are directed to your new turn orientation and shape.

Now, let's get to that cool trick... I gained this pearl of wisdom from Eric Anderson, PSIA Level III Instructor and Ski School Director at Wisp Resort in McHenry, Maryland.

The Trick

Stand in a flat area in the snow so that you are in a balanced stance with parallel skis. Take your poles and draw a box, or rectangle, in the snow that surrounds you and your skis. See the diagram for an illustration.

Imagine the turn you want to make is directed towards the front left or right corner of your box. The trick is to go through a progression of body movements that will reinforce making efficient movements towards this corner. So, look at your corner and...

• Roll your inside ankle and pressure your inside foot diagonally towards the corner.


• Touch your pole at the corner


• If necessary, direct your inside knee and possibly hip towards the corner

In summary, making sure that you move directionally instead of sideways makes your turns more efficient, makes you look like a much more radical and skillful skier, and in case that isn't enough, it also allows you to both finish and initiate your turns more successfully and evenly in both directions. So next time you take a turn, move towards the corner of your box, and leave the protractor at home.