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Skiing powder with skinny skis

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VragBikernes
Posts: 169 - Karma: 381
We just had a big snow here in VT and I really wanted to go to Killington to enjoy the brand new snow but I wasn't able to find the time, so I wanted to try going skiing in my backyard because I have a very large and steep hill free of trees. So I hiked up there and put on my skis, pointed them down and didn't go anywhere, I lifted up my ski to find snow caked all over the bottom. After clearing that snow I was able to ski down a little bit more and upon trying to turn, I was completely unable because: A. My ski was submerged 8 inches under powder and B. the semi-tall grass was trapping my skis under the snow. Maybe it's because I am not getting enough speed in order to effectively ski the powder or maybe I just have no clue how to ski this deep powder. I couldn't even attempt the bouncing technique because, well, I didn't have enough speed. Likewise, my friend is able to ski this to his heart's content because he has nice wide skis. Any tips and tricks on navigating these kinds of conditions are appreciated.
Dec 12 2017 7:53PM
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Casey
Posts: 7778 - Karma: 23,379
Snow should not be caking on to the bottom of your skis at all.
Dec 12 2017 8:01PM
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Dwayne
Posts: 92 - Karma: 308
Snow should not stick to your skis at all, something is definitely wrong. Probably could use some more speed and keep your tips up.
Dec 12 2017 8:12PM
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losh
Posts: 1126 - Karma: 4,691
It has nothing to do with how wide your skis are. You can honestly ski powder with basically anything, dont believe me? Watch anything from like before 2005, guys were skiing shit under 90 waist because fat skis didn't even exist.
The only time I've ever really had snow stick to my skis is when I somehow ended up in a little stream on a pow day, skis iced up instantly and the snow stuck to the wet ice. So yeah, get a wax job
Dec 12 2017 9:27PM
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Dwayne
Posts: 92 - Karma: 308
jlens05It has nothing to do with how wide your skis are. You can honestly ski powder with basically anything, dont believe me? Watch anything from like before 2005, guys were skiing shit under 90 waist because fat skis didn't even exist.
The only time I've ever really had snow stick to my skis is when I somehow ended up in a little stream on a pow day, skis iced up instantly and the snow stuck to the wet ice. So yeah, get a wax job
Agreed, you can ski powder on anything honeslty
Dec 12 2017 9:28PM
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losh
Posts: 1126 - Karma: 4,691
DwayneAgreed, you can ski powder on anything honeslty


It gets annoying hearing people think they can't ski powder on their skis when in reality they just don't know how to ski.

I know we aren't all Glen Plake, but I'd be surprised if these were even 90 underfoot.
Dec 12 2017 9:31PM
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Dwayne
Posts: 92 - Karma: 308
jlens05It gets annoying hearing people think they can't ski powder on their skis when in reality they just don't know how to ski.

I know we aren't all Glen Plake, but I'd be surprised if these were even 90 underfoot.

My skis arent wide at all but i ski powder just fine, takes more practice and skill but its do able
Dec 12 2017 9:32PM
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saskskier
Posts: 4772 - Karma: 9,984
Just remember that Pep's 180 cliff drop was done on Seth Pistol's, which were 95mm underfoot. Pocket Rockets (one of the first 'powder' twin tips) were 90mm underfoot. Most modern park skis are wider than either of these. If you can't ski powder on your modern skis (park or otherwise), you're doing something wrong.
Dec 12 2017 9:50PM
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MarkusFin
Posts: 366 - Karma: 2,616
jlens05It gets annoying hearing people think they can't ski powder on their skis when in reality they just don't know how to ski.

I know we aren't all Glen Plake, but I'd be surprised if these were even 90 underfoot.


Underfoot is less relevant, ski shape, rocker / camber type and flex pattern have so much more to do with how the ski skis in powder. Trying to ski powder on tiny twin tip skis made for park will make it really hard to initiate turns, but you can ski on a ski with the same waist and still do fine if the ski is built for all mountain.

**This post was edited on Dec 12th 2017 at 9:59:56pm
Dec 12 2017 9:59PM
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Casey
Posts: 7778 - Karma: 23,379
jlens05It gets annoying hearing people think they can't ski powder on their skis when in reality they just don't know how to ski.

I know we aren't all Glen Plake, but I'd be surprised if these were even 90 underfoot.


Avoiding gettIng stuck in flat areas is a powder skiing skill in itself.
Dec 12 2017 10:07PM
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VragBikernes
Posts: 169 - Karma: 381
Ok so it definitely seems like I should get a waxing for my skis, I thought that would be the case but I don't have a waxing iron (honestly I bet I can do it with a blowtorch or something). But yeah the sticking thing only happens during the day when the snow is a little bit more, well, sticky. During the night though I get little to no sticking at all but since I am admittedly awful at skiing powder I am still not really able to turn too well. I will be going to the alps in January and from what I've seen on the internet there is no shortage of powdered snow even on piste. I've been skiing the northeast all my life and I'm more used to icy/tracked conditions and I haven't really had an opportunity to ski deep powder.
Dec 12 2017 10:45PM
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Dwayne
Posts: 92 - Karma: 308
JT9DOk so it definitely seems like I should get a waxing for my skis, I thought that would be the case but I don't have a waxing iron (honestly I bet I can do it with a blowtorch or something). But yeah the sticking thing only happens during the day when the snow is a little bit more, well, sticky. During the night though I get little to no sticking at all but since I am admittedly awful at skiing powder I am still not really able to turn too well. I will be going to the alps in January and from what I've seen on the internet there is no shortage of powdered snow even on piste. I've been skiing the northeast all my life and I'm more used to icy/tracked conditions and I haven't really had an opportunity to ski deep powder.

Or you can just take your skis to a local shop and get them tuned up.......
Dec 12 2017 10:48PM
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Andbrer
Posts: 53 - Karma: 526
JT9DOk so it definitely seems like I should get a waxing for my skis, I thought that would be the case but I don't have a waxing iron (honestly I bet I can do it with a blowtorch or something). But yeah the sticking thing only happens during the day when the snow is a little bit more, well, sticky. During the night though I get little to no sticking at all but since I am admittedly awful at skiing powder I am still not really able to turn too well. I will be going to the alps in January and from what I've seen on the internet there is no shortage of powdered snow even on piste. I've been skiing the northeast all my life and I'm more used to icy/tracked conditions and I haven't really had an opportunity to ski deep powder.


so ur skis haven't been waxed and ur skiing in slush ok /thread
Dec 12 2017 10:57PM
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SofaKingSick
Posts: 8897 - Karma: 57,179
Is the hill that big/long? If it's not, it's going to be tough to do your first pow turns with no speed. When you do it on a real mtn you'll be able to gain some speed and learn the technique rather quickly-- you'll get a feel for the turns easily with some momentum. But just starting dead on a small hill and trying the turns you're used to is gonna be rough, you start a pow turn differently

The snow sticking to the bottom can happen in sticky situations but it also means you def need to get em waxed. That'll make them obviously faster and slicker but just as importantly (and not as obviously), waxing makes all your turns easier to initiate

Don't try it with a blow torch, you could drop the wax onto em that way I guess but you won't be able to spread it over them which is the point of the iron. Go get em waxed at a shop or buy a cheap wax iron (I found mine for like 25 bucks) and a bar of wax and a scraper and search this site for tutorial videos, it's mad easy
Dec 12 2017 11:08PM
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Lonely
Posts: 6596 - Karma: 59,624
If it's going to be deep, it has to be steep. Speed makes a big difference. I doubt your hill is as steep as you think.
Dec 12 2017 11:13PM
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ahshit
Posts: 1248 - Karma: 3,024
the ski doesn't matter, just get full tilts
Dec 12 2017 11:38PM
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Zypher
Posts: 2336 - Karma: 2,268
JT9DWe just had a big snow here in VT and I really wanted to go to Killington to enjoy the brand new snow but I wasn't able to find the time, so I wanted to try going skiing in my backyard because I have a very large and steep hill free of trees. So I hiked up there and put on my skis, pointed them down and didn't go anywhere, I lifted up my ski to find snow caked all over the bottom. After clearing that snow I was able to ski down a little bit more and upon trying to turn, I was completely unable because: A. My ski was submerged 8 inches under powder and B. the semi-tall grass was trapping my skis under the snow. Maybe it's because I am not getting enough speed in order to effectively ski the powder or maybe I just have no clue how to ski this deep powder. I couldn't even attempt the bouncing technique because, well, I didn't have enough speed. Likewise, my friend is able to ski this to his heart's content because he has nice wide skis. Any tips and tricks on navigating these kinds of conditions are appreciated.


WAX YOUR SKIS

/thread
Dec 12 2017 11:51PM
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VragBikernes
Posts: 169 - Karma: 381
Yeah I'd have to estimate my hill is on average maybe 25 or 30 degrees (I might be wrong). And I will definitely get to waxing my skis (without a blowtorch) And there's not really anywhere on the hill to gain a whole lot of speed to carry through the pow so I think it just comes down to needing to get the skis waxed and gaining speed into the pow.
Dec 13 2017 12:38AM
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HypeBeast
Posts: 9766 - Karma: 72,248
JT9DYeah I'd have to estimate my hill is on average maybe 25 or 30 degrees (I might be wrong). And I will definitely get to waxing my skis (without a blowtorch) And there's not really anywhere on the hill to gain a whole lot of speed to carry through the pow so I think it just comes down to needing to get the skis waxed and gaining speed into the pow.


lol yeah please don't use a blowtorch. Also there's no way you were stagnant in skis on a 25 or 30 degree slope regardless of slush and lack of waxing. I bet the grass did play a major factor in friction on your skis as well as unwaxed skis on heavy wet snow.
Dec 13 2017 1:14AM
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OregonDead
Posts: 6789 - Karma: 23,489
So if your snow is more like cement then it's going to be tough to ski if you sink in. This is where wide ass skis really make a huge difference. Out here I used to get stuck and hooked up all the freaking time with skinny skis. In real powder it doesn't make that much difference but submerge any ski in 8 inches of cement and you're not going anywhere fast.
Dec 13 2017 3:08PM
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K-Dot.
Posts: 3703 - Karma: 7,372
this is the most east coast thread i've seen in a hot minute

wax your skis bruh, i've gotten buck wild on cliffs at brighton and pc on some 83 underfoot park skis plenty of times
Dec 13 2017 6:04PM
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DirtYStylE
Posts: 3635 - Karma: 8,774
You will have to keep your tips above the snow. So you will need to lean way back, which makes for some really weird carving. You should like this
Dec 13 2017 6:13PM
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