Into the Deep

By Martin Olson

What are you waiting for? Perfecting your powder technique is practice anyone can enjoy

Who can remember when powder skiing was considered the last domain of expert skiers? A myth has grown that deserves to be exposed. The truth is that any skier with fair technical skills can enjoy powder. If you can carve a reasonable parallel turn, then the right skis and a bit of courage is all you need to take the plunge and enjoy the greatest sensation in skiing-and one of the greatest sensations in life! This issue has several tips to better surf the pow but the first step is to exorcise the Big Four common mistakes:

Common Mistake No. 1:
SITTING BACK
Skis will bend easily in powder and work better in the snow. Stand in the middle with a normal, balanced position. Turns will be easier, and your thighs will thank you, too.

Common Mistake No. 2:
MAKING ONE TURN AT A TIME
Powder needs rhythm. Think of the path as a serpentine track, not a left turn and then a right, then another left… Start with small turns and make them rounder as speed increases. Make up and down movements rhythmical as well, so you flow down the hill instead of zigzag.

Common Mistake No. 3:
FEET TOO FAR APART
A wide stance on eastern hardpack may increase stability, but in soft snow it can have the opposite effect. Although it sounds counter-intuitive, keeping your feet together helps keep your weight equally distributed and is a big boost to balance.

Common Mistake No. 4:
SKIING TOO SLOWLY
Point the skis downhill and let the power that comes with a bit of speed turn a struggle with the snow into controlled, effortless, swooping turns.

BONUS TRAINING TIP:
Have you noticed that you don't need powder to practice these pointers? Powder prep can be done on almost any skiable slope, so when you step out of the helicopter and Mike Wiegele says, "Follow me," or you're simply following your kid into the trees at your home hill after the dump of the season, you'll be first in line.