Member of the Month

abjectwoe
May, 2025

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

How safe are pow landings ??

profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
Some of yall know me already, but I’m an east coast born n raised park rat. So I’ve never skied pow. Completely new to the game. I’ll be heading to Tahoe (finally) to rip heavenly, Kirkwood n North Star.


It’s always been my dream to build a kicker, and send tricks that I wouldn't try on hard pack, (but can do on a trampoline) This February, I’ll finally be able to! So I’m wondering exactly How “safe” is pow like how “fool proof” is me trying these new tricks into deep soft snow. Lmk any advice/tips on shit I should be aware of. That way I don’t find out the hard way and destroy a knee or something on the other side of the country lol
6 months ago
14 0
profile picture
Rock_Inhabitant
Posts: 1547 - Karma: 16,792
Don’t leave the landing fully untouched, you gotta check for rocks and trees n stuff. Pow will save you from landing on your back but won’t save you from landing on your neck. Get a homie to be with you while so if you get cratered he can help you get out
6 months ago
16 1
profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
Rock_InhabitantDon’t leave the landing fully untouched, you gotta check for rocks and trees n stuff. Pow will save you from landing on your back but won’t save you from landing on your neck. Get a homie to be with you while so if you get cratered he can help you get out


Good call. I’ll have a pack of homies with me so we’ll have an eye on each other. I’m really worried in particular about phantom foot knee injury ever since I heard about it a week ago lol
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
Don_Kedic
Posts: 134 - Karma: 1,554
Julian carr does front flips off of 220 foot cliffs and just lands on his back and rides off. Pow is incredible
6 months ago
4 0
profile picture
SofaKingSick
Posts: 9742 - Karma: 65,782
i mean, there's no guarantee that there will be deep soft snow at the time you go. but you know that

anyway, assuming you get some... landing in pow can be a real fickle bitch. sometimes it's really really hard to tell where to have your balance for it until it's too late. and skiing pow is crazy different than skiing hardpack and can sometimes discourage people that are new to it

but in terms of safety when you land/fall into it... yeah it's pretty fuckin amazing. shit can still go wrong of course but majority of the time you can land in crazy irresponsible ways and be totally fine. there's a reason people can hot tub landings off massive cliffs and be all good. i can def vouch for you that going west and landing in soft snow when you're used to the consequences of east coast landings can be like a literal dream. use your judgment and try to land on your feet and you'll prob be fine
6 months ago
6 0
profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
SofaKingSicki mean, there's no guarantee that there will be deep soft snow at the time you go. but you know that

anyway, assuming you get some... landing in pow can be a real fickle bitch. sometimes it's really really hard to tell where to have your balance for it until it's too late. and skiing pow is crazy different than skiing hardpack and can sometimes discourage people that are new to it

but in terms of safety when you land/fall into it... yeah it's pretty fuckin amazing. shit can still go wrong of course but majority of the time you can land in crazy irresponsible ways and be totally fine. there's a reason people can hot tub landings off massive cliffs and be all good. i can def vouch for you that going west and landing in soft snow when you're used to the consequences of east coast landings can be like a literal dream. use your judgment and try to land on your feet and you'll prob be fine


Really? My boy lives out there n said we’d be good for building a jump w a soft landing. But I get that weather is unpredictable, I’ll be happy without it. Just trying to prepare myself. I don’t even care if I land them, I just need to send them off a lip with skis on so my first time isn’t on Mount Snow Bulletproof. Then I’ll feel more confident bringing it back to East coast
6 months ago
3 0
profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
Don_KedicJulian carr does front flips off of 220 foot cliffs and just lands on his back and rides off. Pow is incredible


I’m not sure I’ll be going as big, but I’m not sure I’ll be landing on my back. I’m worried about almost landing and fuckin tweaking my knee or some shit I didn’t see coming
6 months ago
0 0
profile picture
edai
Posts: 4995 - Karma: 4,705
KilaTsunamiReally? My boy lives out there n said we’d be good for building a jump w a soft landing. But I get that weather is unpredictable, I’ll be happy without it. Just trying to prepare myself. I don’t even care if I land them, I just need to send them off a lip with skis on so my first time isn’t on Mount Snow Bulletproof. Then I’ll feel more confident bringing it back to East coast


honestly man you might find even the "hardpack" park landings are good enough. I had this when I moved out west from mount snow, I didnt even care about falling because Keystone's worst day was mount snows best day. Mid-january 40 degrees and sun blasted does crazy things to even the hardest landing.
6 months ago
4 0
profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
edaihonestly man you might find even the "hardpack" park landings are good enough. I had this when I moved out west from mount snow, I didnt even care about falling because Keystone's worst day was mount snows best day. Mid-january 40 degrees and sun blasted does crazy things to even the hardest landing.


Ur not wrong, I spent a couple seasons at big bear in Cali when I lived in LA and was fearless over there w that kinda snow they get (not pow, but not quite slush) but that’s all I ever hit was big bear cuz it was so close
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
SofaKingSick
Posts: 9742 - Karma: 65,782
KilaTsunamiReally? My boy lives out there n said we’d be good for building a jump w a soft landing. But I get that weather is unpredictable, I’ll be happy without it. Just trying to prepare myself. I don’t even care if I land them, I just need to send them off a lip with skis on so my first time isn’t on Mount Snow Bulletproof. Then I’ll feel more confident bringing it back to East coast
KilaTsunamiI’m not sure I’ll be going as big, but I’m not sure I’ll be landing on my back. I’m worried about almost landing and fuckin tweaking my knee or some shit I didn’t see coming


yeah dude you're almost certainly gonna be hyped as hell. like the other dude said, even the average day will be softer than what you're accustomed to on the east coast

yeah sure you can land weird and still hurt yourself in powder but the odds are about 1000000x lower than on an east coast landing. even just generally getting your feet to hit first will mean you're fine in soft snow most of the time lmao. you're gonna be hyped as fuck.. hitting soft west coast landings as a person who's used to the east is a truly unreal experience... go git 'er
6 months ago
2 0
profile picture
ReturnToMonkey
Posts: 6448 - Karma: 70,207
It's awesome! I've attempted many tricks into pow and it's a big confidence booster to try on park jumps, even if I didn't land the powder tries. However, you do gotta be precise with the angle you take off. My buddy landed deep in the same spot 3 times and created a huge crater. On his final hit, he landed right in the same spot again and fractured his back.
6 months ago
4 0
profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
ReturnToMonkeyIt's awesome! I've attempted many tricks into pow and it's a big confidence booster to try on park jumps, even if I didn't land the powder tries. However, you do gotta be precise with the angle you take off. My buddy landed deep in the same spot 3 times and created a huge crater. On his final hit, he landed right in the same spot again and fractured his back.


Wow that’s a good point, can u fill that hole in or just aim in a different direction?
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
BallClapper
Posts: 3714 - Karma: 16,844
Aim for a different spot. Filling in is goofy.
KilaTsunamiWow that’s a good point, can u fill that hole in or just aim in a different direction?
6 months ago
8 0
profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
BallClapperAim for a different spot. Filling in is goofy.


Yea that seems logical. But trees might be too close to the run out… I’ve definitely learned my “tree too close to the landing” lesson 😂
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
Farmville420
Posts: 5168 - Karma: 67,205
Can't speak on the safety but landing tricks in the pow is so much harder than a park jump
6 months ago
11 0
profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
Farmville420Can't speak on the safety but landing tricks in the pow is so much harder than a park jump


Yea I’ve had a taste of deep and it’s definitely harder than normal skiing. I’m more just wondering how easy it is to land “wrong” not how easy it is to ride away
6 months ago
2 0
profile picture
ReturnToMonkey
Posts: 6448 - Karma: 70,207
Farmville420Can't speak on the safety but landing tricks in the pow is so much harder than a park jump


That's why I try to learn the set and trick aspects in pow and not worry about the landing so much. Then get the landing on a nice park jump later. But doing familiar tricks is quite fun to land in powder
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
ReturnToMonkey
Posts: 6448 - Karma: 70,207
KilaTsunamiWow that’s a good point, can u fill that hole in or just aim in a different direction?

Yea just try to aim differently. It's not the end of the world to land in the same spot, just don't do it over and over lol
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
partyandBS
Posts: 5916 - Karma: 92,030
idk if this was called out yet but theres gonna be drastic differences in fresh pow, 1 week old untouched pow, and 1 month old untouched. if your building a booter, yes it will be softer but also the longer that saturated sierra snow sits the thicker it gets and the harder to ski.
6 months ago
5 0
profile picture
Jibbcore
Posts: 444 - Karma: 848
Its more safe than ice landing
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
skiP.E.I.
Posts: 7967 - Karma: 23,236
One of the biggest risks is an avalanche. A good clear in run and landing are pretty much the perfect slope angle for an avalanche to happen, with no anchors.
6 months ago
0 0
profile picture
Biffbarf
Posts: 7443 - Karma: 79,820
Unless it's super light pow expect to sink your tips and tomahawk, you kinda gotta stomp stomp the landing to not go over the bars

Honestly a nice slushy spring day tops most pow days imo
6 months ago
4 0
profile picture
bennwithtwons
Posts: 1754 - Karma: 17,347
you are gonna love skiing pow out here if you've got the right skis. that being said, if you aren't confident enough to try a new trick on a well built park jump (and the jumps at northstar are very, very well built), you probably should just wait until you actually feel ready rather than indiscriminately hucking your meat into pow on a hope and a prayer. if you can visualize the trick fully and you are comfortable hitting jumps, a good park jump is really the best place to learn.

a buddy of mine slightly under-rotated a backflip into pow 2 seasons ago. when his tips caught, he pitched forward and went head-first into about 3 feet of new pow with only his boots sticking out. he was completely upside down and i had to swim back uphill to dig him out. i was only 30 feet away and it took me over a minute to get to him. when i pulled him out he was completely blue and purple and on the verge of passing out. if i had been even 100ft lower down the hill or had just continued to ride instead of stopping to watch him take that hit behind me, the outcome could have been much worse.

you might remember that clip of ahmet getting bucked on a backcountry hit and going into deep snow head first as well. he had to be saved by the crew while we listened to him struggling and freaking out on the video as he sunk in and was completely immobilized. that was pretty disturbing to watch.

another buddy of mine (a better skier than you or i will ever be, too) landed awkwardly in pow and couldn't get sorted out and ended up striking a tree, resulting in a fatal injury.

i'm not saying you're definitely gonna get hurt trying tricks into pow (odds are, you won't get hurt at all) but i'd honestly recommend just shredding pow for the fun of it. the feeling is amazing when coming from the east coast. i used to mount my pow skis close to center because i always though 'what if i wanna do a 5 into pow?!' - wanna know how many times i actually have? zero. i'm too busy laughing my face off getting face shots, slashing turns and popping off boulders doing fashion airs and cosacks

**This post was edited on Dec 5th 2024 at 10:13:37am
6 months ago
3 0
profile picture
ParkingLotPiss
Posts: 412 - Karma: 2,550
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1101536/trim-EFE08684-663D-4087-9C7E-8CE58FEDFA48-MOV


https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1101537/trim-95AF3238-12A4-4B22-820B-8E4499A5AC2F-MOV

Enjoy these clips of me and my friend trying some of our first backflips.

I grew up skiing park on the east coast in NS but moved out west for school in BC. I definitely ski less park now and more pow (still on my poachers). And even in like 8-12 inches of soft snow it’s so much harder to hurt yourself. Both of these clips of me and the homie could have easily been concussions or some other injury on hard snow. Neither of these were even remotely painful.

That being said it’s not impossible to get hurt, especially if you land on your head/neck.

Idk it basically boils down to: less painful falls and safer but never completely safe. Take every precaution you can.
6 months ago
5 0
profile picture
labubu-craze
Posts: 860 - Karma: 2,963
Make sure you have a probe with you :) You never know if there might be hardpack underneath that could ruin your day!
6 months ago
3 0
profile picture
cyphers
Posts: 1846 - Karma: 21,215
can’t quote for some reason but like others said above be super careful about immersion. i punched on a landing couple weeks ago and got buried upside down about 3 foot deep. couldn’t move or breathe for about a minute until our spotter dug me out. not fun
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
bennwithtwonsyou are gonna love skiing pow out here if you've got the right skis. that being said, if you aren't confident enough to try a new trick on a well built park jump (and the jumps at northstar are very, very well built), you probably should just wait until you actually feel ready rather than indiscriminately hucking your meat into pow on a hope and a prayer. if you can visualize the trick fully and you are comfortable hitting jumps, a good park jump is really the best place to learn.

a buddy of mine slightly under-rotated a backflip into pow 2 seasons ago. when his tips caught, he pitched forward and went head-first into about 3 feet of new pow with only his boots sticking out. he was completely upside down and i had to swim back uphill to dig him out. i was only 30 feet away and it took me over a minute to get to him. when i pulled him out he was completely blue and purple and on the verge of passing out. if i had been even 100ft lower down the hill or had just continued to ride instead of stopping to watch him take that hit behind me, the outcome could have been much worse.

you might remember that clip of ahmet getting bucked on a backcountry hit and going into deep snow head first as well. he had to be saved by the crew while we listened to him struggling and freaking out on the video as he sunk in and was completely immobilized. that was pretty disturbing to watch.

another buddy of mine (a better skier than you or i will ever be, too) landed awkwardly in pow and couldn't get sorted out and ended up striking a tree, resulting in a fatal injury.

i'm not saying you're definitely gonna get hurt trying tricks into pow (odds are, you won't get hurt at all) but i'd honestly recommend just shredding pow for the fun of it. the feeling is amazing when coming from the east coast. i used to mount my pow skis close to center because i always though 'what if i wanna do a 5 into pow?!' - wanna know how many times i actually have? zero. i'm too busy laughing my face off getting face shots, slashing turns and popping off boulders doing fashion airs and cosacks

**This post was edited on Dec 5th 2024 at 10:13:37am


Oh jeez dude. Sorry to hear that! Thankfully u were quick enough to get ur buddy out of the jam! But that’s great advice. My friends say they hit the spot all the time and that we’ll have plenty of ppl to dig out, and assist with whatever happens. I know I can do these tricks tho, I just don’t have the guts to try on hard pack. Not just any hard pack tho, like super hard pack. It’s terribly unforgiving.
6 months ago
0 0
profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
ParkingLotPisshttps://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1101536/trim-EFE08684-663D-4087-9C7E-8CE58FEDFA48-MOV


https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1101537/trim-95AF3238-12A4-4B22-820B-8E4499A5AC2F-MOV

Enjoy these clips of me and my friend trying some of our first backflips.

I grew up skiing park on the east coast in NS but moved out west for school in BC. I definitely ski less park now and more pow (still on my poachers). And even in like 8-12 inches of soft snow it’s so much harder to hurt yourself. Both of these clips of me and the homie could have easily been concussions or some other injury on hard snow. Neither of these were even remotely painful.

That being said it’s not impossible to get hurt, especially if you land on your head/neck.

Idk it basically boils down to: less painful falls and safer but never completely safe. Take every precaution you can.


Ha!! Looks like a blast. I’m sure mine will look similar!
6 months ago
2 0
profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
dubmasterskankaMake sure you have a probe with you :) You never know if there might be hardpack underneath that could ruin your day!


Goooood call brotha man I’ll add that to my list
6 months ago
2 0
profile picture
Lip_on
Posts: 509 - Karma: -1,965
Rock_InhabitantDon’t leave the landing fully untouched, you gotta check for rocks and trees n stuff. Pow will save you from landing on your back but won’t save you from landing on your neck. Get a homie to be with you while so if you get cratered he can help you get out


Nah
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1101541/IMG-2851-mov
6 months ago
3 2
profile picture
Rock_Inhabitant
Posts: 1547 - Karma: 16,792
Lip_onNah
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/1101541/IMG-2851-mov


lol is this peak 9 at breck?
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
BradFiAusNzCoCa
Posts: 7533 - Karma: 67,008
Yo dude. Used to live out in Tahoe. It gets heavy but it’s not bad to land in if it’s fresh. Sometimes it’s even good to wait overnight for it to dry out. Go up to rose highway and build a jump. The good news is that there is so much water content in Sierra snow that you’re more likely to float on it than just sink to the bottom like dry Colorado snow.
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
BradFiAusNzCoCaYo dude. Used to live out in Tahoe. It gets heavy but it’s not bad to land in if it’s fresh. Sometimes it’s even good to wait overnight for it to dry out. Go up to rose highway and build a jump. The good news is that there is so much water content in Sierra snow that you’re more likely to float on it than just sink to the bottom like dry Colorado snow.


Wow that’s interesting, thanks for the input. I’m really looking forward to forward to this trip !!
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
iDontHitRails
Posts: 292 - Karma: 2,822
Do your best to land with your feet together. I've found that sometimes if you land in pow with your feet apart one leg can get pulled in a different direction and put your knee in a vulnerable/sketchy position.
6 months ago
5 0
profile picture
Eli.braun98
Posts: 296 - Karma: 1,845
fuck ns is a pain when trying to upload a vid

**This post was edited on Dec 5th 2024 at 9:17:04pm
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
iDontHitRailsDo your best to land with your feet together. I've found that sometimes if you land in pow with your feet apart one leg can get pulled in a different direction and put your knee in a vulnerable/sketchy position.


This is actually my inspiration for the thread, thanks for the tip. I usually always got my shit super close together when sending/landing
6 months ago
2 0
profile picture
Lip_on
Posts: 509 - Karma: -1,965
Rock_Inhabitantlol is this peak 9 at breck?


No, this is why you can’t kfed. stop playing snow geoguesser on Newschoolers and actually hop on snow
6 months ago
2 1
profile picture
Rock_Inhabitant
Posts: 1547 - Karma: 16,792
Lip_onNo, this is why you can’t kfed. stop playing snow geoguesser on Newschoolers and actually hop on snow

Damn bro my bad that I was in school instead of skiing on a Thursday afternoon
6 months ago
2 0
profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
Lip_onNo, this is why you can’t kfed. stop playing snow geoguesser on Newschoolers and actually hop on snow


Play nice, u literally landed on your head. Also who cares about a kfed? Its 2024

**This post was edited on Dec 6th 2024 at 11:05:50pm
6 months ago
0 0
profile picture
Lubu159
Posts: 43 - Karma: 100
I know someone already said poke around in your landing but do it before you build your booter, nothing worse then digging and then probing for rocks and trees after.
If your gonna be sessioning the spot set your boot pack with the fam before hitting the jump the hike back up will be so much easier.
I'll put an extra pair of goggles or lenses in my bag cause odds of crashing are high on my end.
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
Lip_on
Posts: 509 - Karma: -1,965
Rock_InhabitantDamn bro my bad that I was in school instead of skiing on a Thursday afternoon


I skip all the time
6 months ago
0 2
profile picture
Rock_Inhabitant
Posts: 1547 - Karma: 16,792
Lip_onI skip all the time


wow! What a cool, edgy guy! I better stay out of his way…
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
Lip_on
Posts: 509 - Karma: -1,965
Rock_Inhabitantwow! What a cool, edgy guy! I better stay out of his way…


Yeah confront me, but I know you won’t
6 months ago
0 0
profile picture
Farmville420
Posts: 5168 - Karma: 67,205
KilaTsunamiYea I’ve had a taste of deep and it’s definitely harder than normal skiing. I’m more just wondering how easy it is to land “wrong” not how easy it is to ride away

https://www.instagram.com/share/reel/_sfA1OU48

This is relevant here, definitely check ur landing lol
6 months ago
1 0
profile picture
bennwithtwons
Posts: 1754 - Karma: 17,347



Lip_onYeah confront me, but I know you won’t
6 months ago
3 0
profile picture
KilaTsunami
Posts: 3346 - Karma: 32,216
Farmville420https://www.instagram.com/share/reel/_sfA1OU48

This is relevant here, definitely check ur landing lol


Is it just the fact that there is more cameras recording and were seeing it? or are more people getting hurt than ever? lol
6 months ago
0 0
profile picture
Farmville420
Posts: 5168 - Karma: 67,205
KilaTsunamiIs it just the fact that there is more cameras recording and were seeing it? or are more people getting hurt than ever? lol

More cameras and filming more frequently I think, also way easier to share videos. I think that coincides with kids chucking harder now than they used to but I don't have any actual evidence for that
6 months ago
2 0
All times are Eastern (-4); Currently it's 2:48AM