Sky King's 2006 Columns

SKIING THE SKY WAY - COLUMNS FROM 2006/2007

A Season in Review

(From April 6, 2007)

Well now... doesn't it seem like the ski season just started? Wasn't it just a week or two ago we were talking about getting our skis ready? And remember those rituals we were planning to appease the snow gods? Some of them must of worked! We did have some great natural snow this year! The fact that I was able to make plenty of runs in the woods this year is proof of that.

Well I'm looking back on a great ski season and as with any season there are always a few events that made it special. I made a lot of new friends and renewed friendships that have been going on for close to two decades.

From a family standpoint I was thrilled that my daughter Autumn was skiing black diamonds from the top of Cannon this year and my step-son Matthew actually blew out the edge of his ski jumping in the progression park (a right of passage I'm sure). I can remember how excited we were when these kids made their first independent run down the beginners slope. Now it feels like they will be passing me any day!

In the Ski Racing world the good old U.S.A. ranked third over all in world cup points this year. The countries ahead of us were Austria and Switzerland where skiing is a national sport. New Hampshire's Bode Miller won the Super "G" title and ranked forth over all! It is a wonderful feeling to know that Americans will always be contenders for the podium.

This year I was actually able to point out the trails for Loon Mountains expansion with the knowledge that we will be skiing there next season! I am really looking forward to "Rip-saw" which is supposed to one of the steepest if not "The" steepest lift serviced trail in the east! We have been waiting for this since 1987.

Yes and although it isn't quite over yet, I know I can look back at the season of '06-'07 and know that I had a lot of fun!

Now I was asked by a reader about some of the things you "Should" do at the end of the season and perhaps some activities to do during the summer to keep in ski shape. Well I always advise that you have your skis fully tuned at the end of the season, but of course it's probably a safe bet that mine will only receive a quick coat of wax before I store them for the summer. There are some shops that will tune and store you skis for the summer so they will be prime and ready when November rolls around. One trick I'm going to try this year is to put a dryer sheet in each boot to keep them fresh for next season. I'll let you know in November if it works.

As far as summer activities to stay in ski shape I must also admit that mine have been a bit lax over the last several years. There were days that we would set up cones on a hill and practice slalom runs on our rollerblades, a great summer ski activity. Hiking in our beloved White Mountains is also a great way to keep in ski shape. Hopping from boulder to boulder on the descent is a great way to keep up your acquaintance with gravity! Just don't push it to much, you don't want to twist an ankle up 2000 feet. Perhaps I will dust off by blades this summer and it has been far too long since I have been above tree line on any of our great peaks. As for now though I am going to make sure I get another handful of days in on the hill and enjoy some of that great spring corn snow.

One of the best things that happened to me this year was the increased readership that the North Country News, The Mountainside Guide and my column have received this past season. I want to give a heartfelt thanks to all of you folks for reading and making this column a success. I also want to thank Bryan and Sue and all of the staff at the North Country News for this wonderful opportunity. I hope you all have a wonderful summer!

Publisher’s Note:

Like Sky, Sue & I hate to see the ski season end. It may have started a bit late, but the skiing had been great since it kicked in.

We would like to thank Sky for yet another great season of “Skiing The Sky Way.” Not only is Sky a a true pro at skiing and teaching others his art on the slopes, but he is truly a wonderful writer and an asset to our publications. On top of it all, he’s a heck of a nice guy and we can’t wait to do some more “Skiing The Sky Way,” next season.... Thanks Sky!

But How Do I Ski Them?

(From March 23, 2007)

I did a piece last year on shape skis. I wrote about the technology, how the side cut was influenced by snowboard design. I reminisced about the first pair of shape skis I ever saw (Kniesel Aergo 1989). I also mentioned that this was a revolution in skiing. I was talking to a friend about this and they said "That's great but how do I ski them?" I guess when you take a ski lesson your top priority probably isn't a detailed history of ski design but a little background wouldn't hurt.

There is a reason shape skis were invented. They invented them for me. No really, I'm not trying to sound too presumptuous here, they really did invent them for me and lots of folks just like me. You see when I really went full time into skiing, I was a very inefficient skier. I worked real hard on the skills I needed to get better. These skills include balance, edge control, pressure control and a thing called rotary control or to put it simply steering your skis with your legs and feet. The balance, edge control and pressure control parts were skills I understood and I was able to get a handle on them. The rotary part or steering part always presented a problem to me and then along comes these shape skis and what do you know, the skis started doing a lot more of the turning for me.

If one was to take a look at the bottom of a traditional ski and a shape ski and sight along the edge you will see a curve that is much more pronounced. That curve is the turn that is built into your shaped ski. And with a host of other design changes, you may find that these skis are much heavier and more solid than our traditional skis, they also tend to run quite a bit shorter. Bindings for these skis have evolved into a one piece system that allows for a full true flex of the ski eliminating flat spots. And the myriad of other changes introduced over the past ten years or so have changed skiing and for the most part have made skiing a lot easier to learn .

You may be saying that's all well and fine but how do I ski them??? Well remember I said that these skis were invented for me? Here is one reason. As hard as I tried I was never able to ski with that super close stance with my ankles touching like Stein Eriksson and wouldn't you know, these skis are meant to be skied with an open stance. When skiing a shaped ski you should try to ski with your feet about shoulder width apart or a basic natural stance (We don't stand around our kitchen with our ankles touching) That allows us to make better use of the edges and the shape of the ski. So don't be afraid to let some daylight show between you knees.

The other real important factor is one that hasn't changed from the traditional skis. You need to be centered and flexed with you shins making contact with the front of the boot. With your skis apart and a good athletic stance we can now use the edge and that is where these skis really perform. Roll both your knees and ankles at the same time and get these skis up on edge and let them run! You see the ski wants to follow the curve of the edge and when you are standing properly over your ski and set it on edge.. Wa La! They almost turn automatically. Another sensation you will feel is the ski carving more and skidding less.

There are a few subtle differences I have found as well. Keeping more weight on my inside ski than I have before helps with steering both skis and makes the transition from turn to turn smoother. I also have learned not to be as "Countered" as I would with straight skis. We always want to have our upper body facing down the hill but with shape skis the sepration of upper and lower body is not quite as drastic.

As these skis continue to evolve I know the methods of skiing them will evolve as well, but for the time being I think of three simple points, stand centered, keep you feet apart and roll them up on the edge. It may only be my opinion but that's how you ski them.

The Whole Team

(From March 9, 2007)

Before I start my column this week, I'd like to say a special hello to an old friend Carol. Carol was one of my favorite "Cafeteria Ladies" at the mountain from days gone by and we all wish you well!

Thinking about Carol and other folks over the years it reminds me of just how many folks it takes to run a ski area. As an instructor I spend more time with our guests than anyone else would, an hour minimum, more often longer. In order for me to perform my job, I rely on a myriad of other folks performing their functions. As an employee that has filled many other jobs at the hill, I've seen first hand what many of these people do and feel the time is ripe to tell you a little about them and give them a proper pat on the back.

First of all lets go back to fall when the hill is still a pale shade of green. The guys from lift maintenance are very busy this time of year. There are safety checks to be done, there are gondola cars that need to be refitted. All of the engines both diesel and electric need to be gone over with a fine tooth comb. Once the ski season starts along with other duties these are the guys that will climb a lift pole in sub-zero temps and howling winds to repair any malfunction. It can be grueling duty and most often the skiing public never has an idea of how much work they do.

The snow makers are another crew that start well before the first skier descends the hill. Dealing with thousands of feet of hose and getting all the snow guns placed on the hill in anticipation of the first stretch of freezing weather is an arduous task. And with the ever-changing and unpredictable New England weather it is also very difficult for them to predict how many hours they will be working. When the cold finally does set in, there are crews going twenty four seven, insuring us a ski season.

And let us not forget the lift attendants (Recreational Aerial Transportation Technicians or R.A.T.T.s) Along with checking tickets and organizing the lines, these folks are also the ones who we as instructors look to for help getting our classes up the lift. If it is a persons first time on a lift or there is a large group of young children a good liftie is essential.

Ski Patrollers also perform many functions that are never noticed. Of course they are the ones who deal with injured skiers and the quick professional response can be accounted for actually saving lives over the years. What we don't see is the many hours spent dealing with rope and bamboo closing and opening trails marking obstacles etc. It is not uncommon to see a patroller heading down the slope with a chain saw to deal with fallen branches. They are the first ones on the hill and the last to leave making sure all is clear and ready for the groomers and snowmakers to take over throughout the night into the early morning hours.

And the list goes on and on, from those parking cars to the grounds crew clearing snow from the walk ways. There are busdrivers and ticket sellers, carpenters and electricians. We have folks that rent us skis and custodians keeping the resort clean. There are security people tracking down lost equipment and a host of administrative people dealing with the mountains of forms and paperwork. As you can imagine, before I can teach a ski lesson or before you can take that first run of the day, all these folks are working hard to insure that you can have a good time. And by the way...THANK YOU!

Of course I must mention again my friend Carol, who always asked about my family or how my day was going as I was getting a cup of coffee or lunch. That little bit of sincere consideration always makes me feel welcome and part of a team. Yes, in order for us all to enjoy a day of skiing or riding it takes a team, the whole team.

Dancing With The Mountain

(From February 23, 2007)

On a recent ski day I was riding up the lift over a trail that still had some snow making "Whales" and a field of moguls from our latest storm. As the whales were randomly set along the trail, the lines of the newly formed moguls were anything but uniform. There were a handful of skiers and boarders coming down demonstrating a handful of different techniques. Some of the more aggressive skiers were attacking the field, muscling their way through the uneven terrain. Others were being thrown out of their lines by the tricky topography. Then out of the blue came a telemark skier. It was a sight to behold, poetry in motion, to quote Thomas Dolby. The finesse and apparent lack of effort or strain had me spell bound. It was like I was watching a ballet, or more aptly, I was watching a dance between two perfect partners, the mountain leading and the telemarker matching every step in perfect succession.

Skiing is much like a dance. As we descend down the hill we should be trying to create a rhythm and flow in our movements from one turn to the next. And just like any dance the end of one move should be the beginning of another as we embrace the force of gravity that is allowing us to move down the hill without interruption.

I often deal with students at the intermediate level who feel that they are stuck in a rut. Most often the diagnosis and solution to this problem lies in the rhythm and flow of their transition from one turn to another. What we are able to observe is a skier making an abrupt, quick move to change direction and then a glide to the next turn which is more often than not a braking maneuver. It is the space and glide in between these turns where we pick up unwanted speed and seem to lose control requiring a sudden jerky motion to scrub the excess speed.

To correct this situation, the first thing we always want to think about is our stance. We always want to be on top of our skis with our shins making contact with the tongue of the boot. We also want to be able to start our turn by directing the tip of the ski with the front of our foot as opposed to swishing the tails around with our heels. It is also helpful to have a mindset of having all our movements being directed at flowing down the hill.

One exercise that I've used successfully over the years is what I call "Money" turns. Depending on the level of skier we are working with, we select some consistent terrain that continues straight for fifty or sixty yards. I then instruct my students to wait while I ski straight down without any turns, dragging both poles as I go. Then on my signal, The student will ski down making turns over the two lines I have drawn in the snow. The desired outcome is that their tracks create "S's" in the snow over the two lines which resemble a series of dollar signs($). A few things happen when we do this. First we get the skier to focus down the hill. Second we have a set point where we are to start and end our turns. Last but not least we start to feel a rhythm in the turns as they link together. You can use this exercise on your own by looking for a snowmobile track and trying to make consistent turns along it. Remember that it is very important to try and keep the turn on the left side of the track that same size and shape as the turn on the right side.

Following a good skier with a good rhythm is also a great way to improve you flow. Try to match the skier turn for turn mirroring their moves (this is also referred to as synchronized skiing) It is usually a good idea to know who you are following although I have often hopped into a line behind some one without their knowledge.

Another favorite exerscises of mine is the "Bicycle" move. As we are on slope of moderate pitch I have the skier stand across the hill with an opening of at least a foot between their skis. Then I ask them to imagine that they were on a bike. If they were, the uphill pedal would be up and the leg would be flexed (short) and the down hill pedal would be down and the leg would be extended (Long). As I go into a turn on my imaginary bike I would be lengthening the short leg and shortening the long leg, just as I do when I pedal a bike. You also want to keep the motion constant as when pedaling.

When you feel you are starting to actually ski with a rhythm and a flow, the best aid I've found is to get a song in your head with a nice beat a ski to that song. Sometimes silently singing a cadence like "One, two, three, one, two, three" will help in getting into the flow. Once you have the music and have master a few simple steps, it's time to get out on the floor and start dancing with the mountain.

Time for the Kids

(From February 9, 2007)

The thermometer is hovering at about 5 degrees Fahrenheit today with expected windchills in the double digits below zero. It is also Monday, the day a group of kids from my daughters school go to ski at Cannon Mountain. As a concerned parent, the frostbite potential and just over all cold has made me rethink whether or not we should hit the slopes today. On the other hand I am so impressed with my seven year olds resolve to ski no matter what. Conundrum!

As these present day concerns are pressing on my mind, I can't help but think back to her first day on skis. It was April of 2001 and upon the advice of a colleague, I decided to bring my then eighteen month old daughter out for a ski. With the smallest boots and skis we could find in the rental shop and a quick diaper check, we were headed up the gondola for her first run on a warm spring day. (This was also the day my wife decided to try skiing as well.. but that's a whole nutha story). I was advised that bringing Autumn out on a warm day would help introduce her to the whole activity on a warm day as apposed to waiting for the next year when she was two and risking a really cold day as her first experience. So with her standing between my legs we started our descent. ("I'm alright" my wife kept yelling from behind us after another fall, truly a trooper).

I'm also reminded of another young skier, Matthew, my step-son. We started him on skis when he was about six. His determination being his greatest asset, he was able to manage stopping and turning on his first day on skis. Matthew is now fifteen and able to set an edge and rip down the hill. Autumn at seven is also carving turns on both blue and some easy black terrain. Both of these kids have a completely different style and both learned in their own way, and they both won't let anything stand between them and a day on the hill.

As I recollect these times I'm reminded of a great quite from "Woody" Woodward, examiner extraordinaire.

"You cannot teach a person to ski, you only guide them through a positive learning experience" and I can vouch for the undeniable truth in this thinking. Matthew and Autumn learned on their own terms and they continue to progress in the same manner.

Perhaps you are thinking of introducing your children or grandchildren to this sport. I'd like to give you a little advice. First make sure it is something that they want to do. Then try some logical steps. A three or four year old can get a lot of experience with a pair of toy skis playing around in the back yard. As they slip and slide around, the will start to feel their balance points and get used to the sensation of sliding. This experience will also give you an idea if its an activity they will like.

When you have decided to bring you precious little gems to the ski slope do some advance planning. First of all, the nicer the day the more they will enjoy it. Starting a child on a day with howling winds and below zero windchills may sour the experience (A day like today for example). Putting your child into a ski school (snowsports) program is also a smart idea. Today most mountains have dedicated children's learning centers with magic carpets (a conveyor type of surface lift) and indoor facilities. As these programs are very popular it is a good idea to call in advance and make reservations. A private lesson is also a great option as your child will get individual attention. If you do go the private route, try go with one on one instruction. Putting a three year old and a four year old together in a private lesson, for example, greatly hinders the instructors ability to make progress with you little one.

If you want to try and teach your children on your own, there are a few little "Tools" that I find very valuable. The first being an "Edgy-wedgy" which is a small rubber hose with two clamps that attach to the tips of the skis. I also make use of a bamboo pole quite often holding it across so the child can ski beside me. These methods work if you remember that they are tools. For instance, the bamboo pole works great as long as you are continually turning, creating the sensation of turning in the child's legs. It is also key to remember that our goal is to get these youngsters skiing without such aids. The most important factor is to keep it fun and keep it safe, don't try to advance the child too quickly. Let them learn at their own pace and on their own terms as much as possible.

As far as today's frigid experience, a little careful planning by the coaches to stay in a relatively sheltered area and a few little "Secret" trails through the woods, well the kids had a great time. And as I was following these kids through the woods I could plainly see that today was a "Time for the Kids!"

Balance Challengers

(From January 26, 2007)

A good friend of ours was having a little bit of a frustrating day. She is one of those folks who seem to usually have a good line into the Universe and more often than not, things seem to fall into place for her. On this particular day however, a few events threatened to disrupt her usually smooth flow. Her comment to me was profound; "My balance is being challenged" and I suddenly knew that for some reason I was supposed to hear that quote and use it in a ski column.

If we think about it, balance is always a challenge in our daily lives. Balancing our check books, juggling our schedules, prioritizing our time between work and family are all balance challengers. And it is never so prevalent a challenge to our balance as when we step into our bindings and make our descent down a slope. Skiing is a sport of dynamic balance or balance in motion. We haves so many forces in the equation; gravity, friction and momentum just to name a few, that we need to be constantly adjusting and adapting to maintain our balance. And as we learn to adjust and adapt we also learn to push out of our comfort zone a little each time to actively challenge our balance.

I always love watching an experienced racer with their outside leg extended to the limit and their inside hip just centimeters from the surface of the snow. Here is the ultimate example of challenging your balance. A good racer knows the limit of their balance, a great racer will know that limit and always try to push a little beyond. Perhaps that is why Bodie tends to crash so much as I consider him to be the extreme balance challenger (By the way as of this writing he is #3 in over all World Cup points! Go Bodie!)

Now I know many of you may be thinking that this is all well and good but don't think you'll be in a World Cup race anytime soon as I know will not be either. But we do all deal with balance when we are skiing and we all face challenges at every turn. How do you know if you are in balance? Well for starters, if you are standing and moving at the same time you are within the zone of balance. To fine tune this balance I like to refer to some indicators. First of all think about the soles of your feet. If you feel more weight on the heel than on the front of the foot, you are most likely not balancing as well as you could be. Always try to shoot for having the most weight between the arch and ball of your foot. Another indicator is your lower leg, Feeling the shin making contact with the tongue of your boot is a good sign while having your calve pressing against the back of the boot is not. Your quads, the muscle group between your knees and hips are also a great indicator to good balance. If your quads are tight it may mean that you hips are too far back and that you are using too much muscle and not enough skeleton to achieve you balance. By being aware of these indicators and always refining and adjusting we will be more prepared for other balance challengers that come our way.

One of the greatest challenges to my balance while skiing is ice. One way I deal with ice is to substitute the word ice with some other less intimidating phrases such as "New England Hard Pack" or "Loud Powder". I am always trying out new techniques for dealing with the hard and loud stuff. One way is to try to be a little lighter and not try to seek too much purchase with my edges. Another technique is to always keep moving and turning with the small assurance the even though I am sliding sideways, I can still somewhat control the direction of my skis. Trying to keep my feet underneath me and keeping my hands out in front also helps me maintain my balance on ice. Now if we were those world cup racers just mentioned, we would be loving the ice as hard means fast!

On the other side of the coin we have the ever lovable condition called "Crud". This can mean many things such as dense wind blown snow or the real slushy stuff that we have in the spring. Keeping my balance in this stuff can be an even greater challenge than ice as sometimes my momentum can send me forward faster than anticipated especially if I encounter this stuff unexpectedly. By being conscious of steering both skis and trying to slice through the crud it is much easier to maintain ones balance. Again, the indicators in our soles, shins and calves will aid us in these conditions.

One major balance challenger that everyone is bound to encounter at some point is "Accidental Air", basically when you skis leave the ground when you did not intend them to. To be in good balance is to always be prepared for the unexpected and the inadvertent launch is the best example. The first thing to remember is to focus forward as to where you skis will contact the ground again. Keeping your hands way out in front will help immensely. Being able to absorb the landing is the most crucial, allowing your ankles and knees to act as a shock absorber upon landing.

All in all the more we keep refining our balancing skills, the better we will be able to meet the balance challengers that come our way. Oh and as far as our friend who was having the frustrating day, she informed me that the obstacles she faced that day ended up being a good thing as by dealing with them she realized she avoided some greater frustrations later on. It would seem that a well met challenge to our balance can be a good thing.

The Changes I've Seen

(From January 12, 2007)

I have heard David Bowie and Ozzy Osbourne sing about changes. My favorite high school teacher Mr. Lewis always told us that the only constant in life is change. Well that phrase was never so true as it is in the ski industry.

It is a common pleasure of mine to ski with folks in their sixties and seventies, and even some folks in their eighties now and again and I just love hearing their stories about the "Old Days" of skiing. The real old wooden skis that required precision waxing. Or how about putting a block between your skis when you store them so as not to lose the camber. My dad used to talk about cutting up old tire tubes for bindings. You hear tales of the days before grooming and snowmaking, or how much snow we used to get. Yes , I revel in any recounting of the days of yore just like a kid, which is why it was a little surprising to realize that every now and then I actually have a small audience that wants to hear some of my tales about "The Way Skiing Used to Be".

As I'm closing in on the end of my second decade as an instructor at a resort that is celebrating its fortieth season (That would be Loon Mountain) and more than twice that long skiing, I can actually look back and see quite a few changes, some subtle, some radical. The evolution of the sport and the entire lifestyle is in constant motion as are the folks that make up this diverse population of sliders. So if y'all would indulge me a bit, I'd like to share with you some of the many changes I've seen.

I now wear a helmet, mostly because it is more comfortable than a hat, warmer in cold weather, cooler when it gets warm. Most folks wear one these days and oh yeah... they make skiing just a bit safer! I grew up in an era when it was uncommon to see an NHL hockey player wearing a helmet let alone putting one on to ski.

My first skis were made of wood and the edges were screwed in. The bindings were a cable that went around leather lace up boots. I remember that is was highly recommended that I use safety straps to prevent run away skis. My first ski poles (which I still have) were made of bamboo and the pole tips would now be considered a weapon.

I remember when rear entry boots were all the rage as it was easy to get them on and off. It was also an unspoken fact that boots either provided performance or comfort, you couldn't have both (man am I glad that has changed!)

There was a time that it seemed everyone ALWAYS shouted "On your left" or "On your right" when passing a downhill skier, this is a practice that should be used more often and perhaps we should have little voice amplifiers to be heard above the I-pods.

A 200 cm ski was acceptable but going to a 205 cm showed that I was serious about my equipment. We would put an adult beginner on a 170 cm. My newest skis are a 165 cm.

Anything that even resembled a jump was blocked off with a bamboo "X" and if you were caught skiing too fast or jumping on a green slope you would have your pass pulled. Now days we see terrain parks and elements all over the mountain.

On a trip up to Sugarloaf in the mid eighties there were a bunch of us folks saying "What do you call that thing?" the answer was "It's called a snowboard!" Although I barely ever use it, I actually own a snowboard and as it is an asymmetrical race board from the late eighties it can actually be called a collectors item.(just for the record, I'm goofy)

$100 was what we would bring for a ski day when we had to rent skis, buy a lift ticket, fill the car with gas, buy coffee, stop for breakfast, buy lunch at the mountain, have a quick beer before driving home and going out for a pizza when we got home. I usually had $20 or so left the next day.

Teaching a class of the real little folks ages three and four was a huge chore as we spent most of our time picking them up and the kids had to side step up a piece of battered carpet that was often the scene of a human domino chain reaction, usually after you have just got all the kids standing up again. Now we have the "Magic Carpet" a conveyor belt type of lift that actually allows the children lots of sliding down and lets the instructors actually teach.

Although silver is still the most common color of choice, I'm real happy to see that duct tape can now be purchased in a wide variety of colors.

There was a time when standing at the summit of a mountain in the early morning when the sky was a robins egg blue, the temperature hovered at around twenty degrees Fahrenheit and a beautiful carpet of groomed untracked snow awaiting you was the closest thing to Heaven one could imagine. It's nice to know that some things never change.

My Turn

(From December 29, 2006)

It's my turn. It is not his turn, it is not her turn, it's my turn. My turn can vary immensely. My left turn is smoother than my right. There is always a bit of a skid even when I try to make a perfect carve. I still seem to have a little pop in between my left and right turn although over the years I've really toned it down a bit. My turn is always changing as I try new techniques or try to implement advice from my fellow coaches. My turn can change as the conditions change and the terrain varies. Regardless of all the many factors though, it is still my turn.

One of the greatest aspects of alpine skiing is the individuality factor. Everyone that puts on a pair of alpine skis or a snowboard or tele skis for that matter, will develop a signature turn, a style that is unique as their fingerprint. And this signature turn and style can be ever changing as we progress in our development of our particular discipline. The many factors that can influence our turn can include our body makeup, the length of our legs for instance affects how we turn. Our turns are also affected my our level of development and the particular equipment we use. But the most important determining factor, I believe, is our personal preference, what we want to feel like as we glide down the slope.

On a recent ski day I had the pleasure of taking a bunch of runs with some coaches that I rarely have the opportunity to ski with these days. At the top of one run, I decided to take off while the others were chatting at the top. When I arrived at the bottom I was able to look back up and watch these folks make their descent. It was a wonder to observe the different styles of these experienced coaches. Two of these guys in particular stood out to me, "Skinman" and Scotty "DH" Varin. Both were making incredibly beautiful turns but I was able to pick out what I saw to be very distinct differences. Skinmans tended to use his hips in a more aggressive manner and Scotty tended to utilize his ankles to create his carves. Both turning styles were magnificent to watch, both were extremely efficient, both were noticeably different (And both had huge grins when they reached the bottom.)

Another one of my ski heroes is legend of Loon, Ray Pawelka. Ray was skiing long before most of us were born and has seen all of the changes in equipment and techniques that have come and gone. "I still like to skid my turns" he will often tell us and watching Ray ski you will see a skid but the fact of the matter is that no matter how steep or icy a slope may be Ray will make the same turn regardless. The consistency and efficiency of his style leave little to be desired. Here is a skier who has spent many years perfecting "His Turn", and it is very obvious that he enjoys his turn very much.

So as you hit the slopes this winter, take heart that no matter how much you progress, no matter how much you may change you style and methods, you will always be able to claim your style as you own unique work of alpine art. Now it's your turn.

Seeking the Center

(From December 15, 2006)

"They are strange to me, they don't seem to know where the center of the universe is.."

(Quote from Chief Dan George as Old Lodge Skins in the movie Little Big Man commenting on the coming of the White Cavalry)

Center... it is a word we throw around quite a bit in our daily life. When we need to go shopping, we go to a shopping center. When a carpenter frames out a wall , they put their studs sixteen on center, in martial arts movements come from our center and when we descend a slope on skis, our goal should be to remain centered. But... what exactly does that mean?

Well it has many definitions in skiing but lets start with a fundamental. If we were on a hill walking down, we would be standing straight up just like a tree, the way gravity tells us to stand. We are centered over our feet, our skeleton is in line to enable us to functionally walk down a slope. When that same slope is covered with snow and we make our descent on skis, we enter momentum in to the equation and we need to make changes to accommodate this change. Instead of standing straight up and down (Like the trees) we have to become perpendicular to the slope. This requires that we move our center. In practical terms we can look to our navel to be the center of our body,the area encompassing the lower torso and our hips. This part of our body should be lined up over the center of our skis. We must remember that as our skis are moving our center is also moving. It is easier to say than to do because as mentioned before, our bodies are conditioned to stand on a hill in the same manner as a tree.

How do we know if we are centered? One major indicator would be the sole of the foot. If we feel most of the weight of our body in the heel (the most common problem in skiing) then we know we are too far back. If you feel your calve muscle pressing against the back of the boot you will also know that you are to far back. If we feel too much weight on our toes ( an extremely uncommon problem) we know we are too far forward.

There is another "Center" we should discuss which is the center of the turn , that middle part of a turn where our skis are on their highest edge and we are creating the most pressure against the ski. At this point not only should our bodies be centered over the middle of the ski, we should also be moving laterally towards the inside of the turn standing against the ski. A perfect example of this centering in motion is to watch a motor cycle racer going around a turn. The bike is tilted to the inside and the rider extends his/her center into the inside of the turn. This is what is referred to as dynamic balance or quite simply, balance in motion. Basically if that motor cycle racer were to employ that move while the bike was standing still or moving very slowly, they would fall over, likewise a skier needs to be in motion in order to move the center of their body to the center of a turn.

Another way that we can improve our centering is by just changing the way we think about our skiing. Often skiers feel that they need to follow their ski when in all actuality, our skis should be following our center. Likewise many folks feel they need to push their skis away from them when we should be actually pulling our skis through the turn.

A simple but effective exercise that you can use is to find a relatively gentle slope and while slowly gliding down or across, "Rock" back and forth from your ankle and foot. Feeling how the movement of you center affects your balance. As you get more comfortable with this exercise try it on a little steeper slope and at a little faster speed. Stepping through your turns is another great exercise to help maintain a centered stance. In a continuous motion, keep stepping all the way though two or three turns. It is helpful to make sure that as we step the tip of our ski is not higher than the tail of our ski.

All in all the more we are aware of all the "Centers" we deal with in skiing the better. Be aware of the center of our ski, the center of our body and the center of a turn and how our movements are related to each.

As far as finding the center of the universe, I'll leave that up to Old Lodge Skins for the time being.

Come on, Snow Already!

(From December 1, 2006)

Well here it is after Thanksgiving and we have yet another delay in the ski season start. I know there are plenty of folks like me just chompin' at the bit to make those first turns. Fear not though because of the ever advancing technology in snowmaking, I know that we are guaranteed a great season this year. At a start up meeting at Loon earlier this month we were all brought up to speed on the latest investments and up grades to an all ready state of the art snowmaking system. Last year was a perfect example as we had pretty much bare ground for most of the winter, the skiing was fabulous all season long. Loon will open Friday, Dec. 1st

The lack of natural snow does reek havoc with many other winter activities such as cross country skiing, snowmobiling and dog sledding not to mention those folks who rely on snowplowing to provide a good portion of their income. It also greatly diminishes the use of the glade trails which are for the most part all natural snow. Avid backcountry skiers also had a disappointing season last year. But as the famous author Mark Twain one said "Everybody complains about the weather but nobody does anything about it ! " Maybe there is something we can do...

I know that many skiers and outdoor winter enthusiasts have for years engaged in some corny rituals designed to appease the "Snow Gods". I was at a bonn fire one year where a GS suit of questionable fashion design, a pair of old Rossignol ski's and a pair of rear entry skiboots were "Sacrificed" to the Norse God Ulla for want of snow. Now days I'd have to question the environmental impact of such actions and to be honest I don't recall a massive snowfall directly after this episode ( Although I do seem to recollect a hangover).

Another ritual that comes to mind were the buttons and bumper stickers that said simply "Think Snow". I suppose this approach provides that if a collective consciousness is focused properly , the white frozen precipitation has no choice but to obey the will of the "Thinkers". For any one with the copy rights to that campaign , I'd say the time is right for their re-emergence, I'll buy one of each. I do seem to recall years ago that one Colorado resort hired a Ute Indian do sing a snow song and to the best of my recollection they were successful (I'm going to have to research that one for a later column). As far as I'm concerned, if you participate in any of these rituals, and as long as you aren't burning toxic materials... go for it, what can it hurt.

Taking a ride up to the resort of your choice and listening to the snow guns is a great preseason activity. There are some resorts that will let you hike up the mountain still this time of year which is also lots of fun, just use due caution and common sense especially where folks are making snow. Perhaps even a trip to a skating rink for some public skating will whet your appetite to slide and glide.

As for me, I going to read some ski magazines and maybe I'll rent an old Glen Plake movie. Perhaps I'll even get my ski's tuned up and go through my pack to make sure all is in order. I just have to have faith that as we were deprived of any substantial snowfall last season, that our dues have been paid and we are in for a great snowfall this year. I hope my wife doesn't think me too insane as I fall asleep muttering "I know it will snow, I know it will snow, I know it will snow...

If The Boot Fits...

(From November 17, 2006)

I see them on a daily basis, almost mocking me, standing vigil next to the door... waiting. They are my VR27 Dynamics, my R-11 Atomics and a pair of Atomic ski boots. I always recommend that folks get their skis tuned at the end of the season before they put them away. Did I? Of course not. There are many things that I vowed to get done before ski season that I haven't. I thought I would try to get in better shape (Well, round is a shape right?)I was going to build a small ski closet to store my tuned ski equipment, and I was going to get some heel replacements for my boots. Well I'm happy to say that the entire list is not a bust, I have two shinny new heel pieces on my boots. As I was in the process of replacing these heel pieces, I also had the liners out of the boots and pulled out my custom footbeds that I had made some thirteen years ago. My boots are in great shape but after a few seasons of full time skiing, the liners seem to compress a bit and I'm thinking that these old footbeds are in need of an upgrade. That's when I knew what I would be writing this article about, a proper fitting pair of boots, and with that in mind I decided to contact an old mentor and friend who is an expert in these areas.

Jim O'Donnell, who I've always referred to as "OD" was one of my first trainers when I was a rookie, he has been a ski teacher and race coach for thirty years. He is also part owner of "Racer Ready" a Masterfit Bootfitting company. One thing he has always stressed is a proper fitting boot. "If your boots hurt, your feet won't ski, Proper fitting boots are more important than sharp edges" OD says. And I can vouch for that, as when I first started teaching my boots were three sizes too big, I wore extra socks to take up some room, but hey they were a good deal right? WRONG! The first time I had a boot that fit close to my foot was the first time I actually felt a ski and it was a huge revelation. "Most people buy their boots too big" states OD. "After a summer in sneakers and sandals their first reaction is that the boot is too tight and they buy the next size up, which after the liners compress, makes for a sloppy fit".

Lets face it folks, if you make a commitment to ski more than four or five times a year, you should own your own boots and this investment should be made with much patience and research. Try on as many pairs of boots as you can and when you have it narrowed down to a few different pairs, insist on wearing them around the ski shop for a while, walk up and down stairs. You want them to stay "snug" for the entire time with no places that rub or hurt your feet or ankles.

Now if you are like me and plan to spend a considerable amount of time in your boots, perhaps ten plus days, I highly recommend a customized footbed. I had a pair made thirteen years ago and it was like adding power steering to my skis, and this was a rather inexpensive set. In my conversation with OD he explained in detail what footbeds are all about. "The footbeds that come stock in ski boots are usually made of cardboard, felt or cheap plastic. They're made to fit everybody's feet, you don't have everybody's feet, you have YOUR feet." OD went on further to explain that if it is possible they will help from the purchase process right up to the final fitting. Although "Racer Ready" specializes in footbeds if possible, they will also ski with a client to evaluate their skiing style and what needs they have in a boot. "We build Instaprint custom footbeds...made from medical grade thermoplastic.... with a tough cushion of EVA for long life and easy care".

Footbeds are also in use in many sports such as skating and cycling as well as running, golfing, soccer and tennis. Many folks such as nurses and those in manufacturing that are on their feet all day make use of these types of footbeds as well.

I liken a proper fitting boot to a steering wheel on a car or handle bars on a bicycle. If the steering is loose, it takes effort to get the car to turn. Likewise if your boot is loose it takes more effort to turn you ski. Also if is a real nice feeling to be able to ski all day without your feet hurting. In a nut shell a proper fitting boot and the addition of a custom footbed will give both performance and comfort, the best of both worlds.

Jim O'Donnell can be contacted at Racer Ready Ski Service and Supply LLC at 603-348-7032 or email racer_ready@att.net. Jim "OD" is a race coach at Loon Mountain in Lincoln NH.