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Making snow hardpack?

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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
Last year I kept running into this problem where my kicker would keep collapsing every time I skied over it. This is after I even added like a bucket of water to each layer on the kicker as I built it.

What else can I do this season to keep the kicker stable and solid? This is really irritating me because last season I built this whole setup just to run into the same problem every time.

For reference, I'm on the east coast, where the snow is relatively wet.
Dec 26 2012 5:01PM
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jcc03skis
Posts: 1002 - Karma: 1,020
You're just going to have to leave it overnight, but make sure you dump a thin layer of water around night time. Anyways just keeping adding snow to the kicker and packing it down, like smashing the snow with the shovel.

The biggest tip I have is leave it for awhile(1-2 days). Keep on repeating the progress. You could also get a small sheet of plywood to level and pack it down.
Dec 26 2012 5:26PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
Thanks a ton dude. Since the weather fluctuates a lot here, especially recently, I may not have 3 days to work with; would building it one day (and adding water to every layer), and then adding water overnight be good enough for using it the next day?

Also, around how much water do you usually add when you're layering it & adding it overnight?
Dec 26 2012 5:33PM
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jcc03skis
Posts: 1002 - Karma: 1,020
It should be good with 1 day if it's cold enough(Here in Minnesota it's been 0 or below overnight). The biggest trick is to keep packing down the snow(as you're building it). I usually use about 1 1/2 liters of water depending upon how big it is.
Dec 26 2012 5:58PM
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jcc03skis
Posts: 1002 - Karma: 1,020
Plywood helps a ton with pack. Just set it down on the kicker and jump or walk all over it. No matter how tempting it is to try it out, don't wait overnight.
Dec 26 2012 6:01PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
Nice, I'll keep in mind to keep packing it down. Also, I forgot to mention that my kicker is made entirely of snow, so hopefully your plan still works.
Dec 26 2012 6:09PM
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jcc03skis
Posts: 1002 - Karma: 1,020
Make sure you support it, so don't forget about the sides and back.
Dec 26 2012 6:25PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
Yeah I know, thanks again dude, you helped a bunch. Right now I'm just praying for cold temperatures following this snow stormbecause you just never know what the weather will be in NJ lol.

One last thing, someone recommended that I should use slush from the sides of the roads to build the kicker. Do you know if this actually works?
Dec 26 2012 6:44PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
Holy shit, the plywood helped so much today. I spent like 3 hours building it today, only to find out that there's not enough snow for the tranny and kicker :(
Dec 29 2012 5:32PM
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ejm
Posts: 794 - Karma: 196
what i have always done is pack a bunch of snow into recycling bins/garbage pails etc. Then bring them into your laundry room or heated garage if you have one. let it sit for a few hours/until it turns to really wet packing snow. Build your jump or w/e then wait at least a few hours for it to harden up.
Jan 2 2013 12:17PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
Not enough containers to do this :/ Sounds like a good idea though, thanks and +k
Jan 2 2013 3:16PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51261 - Karma: 157,422
Really easy especially on skis. As you build it, walk up and down the kicker side ways. This will pack it down. It will still be a little bit soft but if you pack it down well it will be hittable.


The problem is that light snow isn't compressed, when you hit it you go right through it. Back it down well and leave it overnight and you'll be golden.

Jan 3 2013 5:26PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
Oh nice, this is a pretty good and simple idea; I'll have to try it along with the plywood idea. Thanks a bunch
Jan 3 2013 6:49PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51261 - Karma: 157,422
If it's a flat surface you don't really need plywood. Just build it and cut off the excess after its packs down. I mean you can use it but it's not a big deal. Def can be helpful when trying to build a takeoff to a rail on a pitch on firm groomed snow when the snow wants to roll/slide down.


Also great for building the corners back on larger kickers. FUCK the corners of big jumps.
Jan 3 2013 7:04PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
Yeah, I mean, it may not be necessary, but I want to go overboard considering I only have the opportunity 1-2 times a year, and I already screwed it up once this year, and the only time it snowed last year lol.
Jan 3 2013 8:39PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51261 - Karma: 157,422
Well when you build with plywood it's just like using a forum to poor concrete. When the concrete sets you remove the plywood. if you're building a small jump there's really no need for it. If you want to use it go for it but you can just build it, and chop the excess off, add to the corners if needed and you're golden.
Jan 3 2013 8:48PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
I see, and if I followed your original idea, would I need to pack it down after every few shovel-loads, or could I just do 1-2 huge pack downs? Also, is spraying water between layers necessary, or should I just be spraying the final product (after it's all packed down), because I'm wasting a bunch of water in my method.

I'm not sure if either of those make a difference.
Jan 3 2013 9:17PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51261 - Karma: 157,422
You really don't even need the water. YOu can sort of build a pile about the size of the jump you want and pack it down with the shovels then walk sideways from the base of the takeoff to the lip and back down and back up. Make sure to get your sks together and just stomp it up and down. Don't be forceful and try and kick the shit out of it. But just go up and down and your wait will back it. Then you can add more snow as needed. If you want your kicker to freeze into a block of ice ad some water or salt. If you're trying to freeze it make sure you get it nice and smooth the way you want it. Best way is to throw a very small bit of fresh powder on it, that the perfect way to smooth the canvas. You it will fill all the holes and problem areas. Get it nice and smooth and let it sit over night. In the morning you'll have a nice solid jump.

If you don't freeze it itll still be solid. but it wyou freeze it itll def hold up for a while.


If you freeze it or it freezes on it's own at some point, you can take some fresh snow, rake it across the surface and back it down. Especially in a backyard without a ton of people hitting it. it should hold up fine.



good luck.
Jan 3 2013 9:26PM
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Rossberger
Posts: 768 - Karma: 168
This is exactly the advice I was looking for, thanks a ton again.
Jan 3 2013 9:56PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51261 - Karma: 157,422
No problem. good luck and let me know if there's anything else I can do for ya.
Jan 4 2013 1:10PM
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