Month: February 2017

Mike, Sam, Chris, Brownie – from all over the planet. Once again, time for the annual reunion, catch up on life, live some of the glory, make some turns, drink some scotch. Stay in balance! Hands on knees, use that position as a reset when needed, alignment, not collapsing the arms and hands, stay open through turn finish, finish the turns for speed control on steeper terrain, a few basics on bump skiing. One of the best days guys, thank you.

Lee … you just might be a better skier than Mike some day … never to sell short again! The ‘window’, staying more open to down the mountain, alignment of lower and upper body, pole balance, pole touch ‘on the line’, less rotation at initiation and more early edge. Sorry I broke your nose (well, not really), I’m sure Laurel will let me have it on that one. You are a good student, thank you!

Elizabeth -Richmond, VA. Now she is off and running … skied chair #5 and Colorado Super Chair … a level 5 skier. Lots of skidding and shaping, speed control with shorter radius turns, carrying energy from turn to turn, dealing with more skiers on the mountain, upper body and arms more open to the downhill. You crushed it lady, good job!

Elizabeth & Jess – VA. What a great day, warm again with no wind, take it while we can get it. Gliding wedges, turning wedges, wedge change-ups, Rips Ride, Poma, turning wedges, matching by keeping the inside ski flatter and turning with outside ski, thumpers with inside ski when it gets hung up, speed control with turn shape, sliding with both skis on uphill edges (this is a big one, essential skill), sliding and shaping to finish turn. Like your (both of you) sense of humor, what is life without it. Delightful day, good job!

Chris, Paula, Kay, Catharine – went high and stayed high, still winter snow, bowls never skied better. Not a lot of teaching today, more just skiing and having fun … everyone has something in their head that is a focus – playing with that focus on more challenging terrain. And, it was not cold … and, there was no wind!

Sophie, Brenda, Linda, Meow, Nick, Elaine, Charmane, Catharine – grey, windy and crunchy in the morning, by 2:00pm a delightful snow with the wind starting to lay (of course the visibility was zip – but come on, we are Breckenridge skiers). Started out working with poles and touch/plants, how and where to swing, what it does for us … ended up the day with more of an edge change focus and how to pressure the new outside ski right at the top of the new turn to maintain shape and speed control. Good skiing dudes, the steeps were fun this afternoon.

Ernie, Paul, Terry, Violeta, Sohpie, Charmane, Elaine, Linda – winds continue to howl, upper mountain closed again, down low not so bad, actually pleasant. All about how the edges engage, CM crossing over inside the new turn, tipping from the femurs, pressuring the inside edge of the new outside ski right away, the new edges can be soft, old inside leg extends/old outside leg flexes – this crosses the CM over the feet, down the mountain and to the inside of the new turn. You ‘guys’ are starting to get this!

Laurel, Jenny, Rebecca, Mitzi, Olive, Chongie -and the wind continues to howl – but … it loads some real good stuff. Lots of technique today: less up and more lateral, let the energy of one turn flow into the transition to move the CM lateral and effect edge change, wider arms, how to swing the pole at transition, get a rhythm to prevent the ‘flat spot’, more edge angle on the inside ski (show the tattoo) while that leg becomes more flexed, being upside down at transition. Good day ladies, thanks for the chocolate!