Note: this technique is not applicable to inbound skiing, not applicable to "black diamond", or "steep" 25 degree runs, or carving. It works great outbound on 40+ degree slopes; please read the description.
A short tutorial to steep skiing for those who want to venture on a new terrain (and I mean not steeper, but really steep, 40 degrees and more), but are a bit intimidated. The skills that worked so nicely on moderate or moderately steep groomed runs suddenly are not working. E.g. carving becomes simply a dangerous one and angulation , counter rotation and anticipation although still important won't cut it alone. The goal is to make a full 180 degree turn, from full stop to full stop in full control as fast as possible without gaining speed. Try standing on what is perceived a vertical wall (and that is how anything steeper than 40 degrees feels), expand up, then try to rotate the ski - only to hit the slope behind you with the tails. Couple simple tips, specific only for steeps, are described in this vid. Those are primary and critical for steeps, but will be useless and counterproductive on moderate slopes.
P.S. I want to add some points, based on many Qs I have received over the last two years. Imagine you are standing on 45 degree slope, ski across of course. Like you just finished the turn, stopped and ready for the next one. Say you are extended, knees not bent, you are standing tall and proud. You will be standing on your upper foot. Your lower foot will be dangling in the air, just because of geometry. Start bending your upper knee, keeping your lower leg straight. If you bend it enough your lower foot will touch the snow. Bend a bit more and you can distribute a bit of weight on your lower foot as well. This is the starting point for your turn. In order to disconnect from the slope you need to extend, and the only way is to extend from your upper foot (because your lower foot is straight). The moment you extend it (while it is still in the snow) your lower leg becomes loose and you actually can start rotating it into the turn (if you want to, and I saw some good skiers recommending just this). You of course have to expand your upper leg completely in order to allow upper ski to rotate. And of course you have to expand it not vertically up but perpendicular to the slope (in order not to hit the slope behind you with your ski tails), but I talk about this extensively through the video. (Also, this is the difference from normal, not steep, slope - on flat slope you typically expand from your lower leg; and on super steep terrain you have only the option of expanding from your upper leg)
Disclaimer: I am not a coach, I am not associated with any school or resort, I am just a 63 years old skier, and most of my 45+ years skiing I was interested in fast carving on moderate terrain. Recently I had opened a backcountry, powder, ungroomed, mogul terrain for myself and had to adjust my technique. Hope the steep tips will be as useful for you as it was for me.
Influenced by wedeln, windshield wiper turn, pedal turn and Paul McG explanations. And of course greatest thanks go to Vadim for his cameraman work :)
11 май 2017
