Month: February 2018

Elizabeth & Michael – Palo Alto. At last some warmer weather, at least lower on the mountain, the snow plums up high still raging. Technique: what to do with the hips, how they coordinate with the skis, foot pressure in the boot, how to generate ski pressure, what happens at transition, using energy stored in the turn to create ‘cross over’ of CM into the new turn, pole usage, turn shapes, how to use all this stuff in the bumps. T-bar, 6 chair. Amazing progress today guys, well done, now it’s time for lots of practice.

Paula, Kay, Dean, Donna, Scott, Maria, Don – another toe freezing day, relentless wind. Not a lot of teaching today, more miles … Inferno, Lower Boneyard, warm up, Windows #4 (kind of broke Donna in there), bumps on High A and Dukes. Maintaining ski pressure in the bumps (don’t tolerate loss of pressure, unacceptable), pivot turns and how to use in the bumps. A dandy ski day – is good to be in the house at computer and warm! One more week left, a fleeting winter.

Meow, Sophie, Brenda, Linda, Don – one of the coldest days of the year, two runs and a warm up (Linda never gets cold feet, what’s the deal). Outlaw, Brills (three times), Meadow, Solitude, bumps on Peak 8 and Peak 9, Lower Boneyard. Feel the float, ‘check’ at turn finish to set up the transition, tighter radius, bump side slip practice, rhythm and carrying energy, keeping both skis on snow, not squaring (such a hard nut to crack on steep terrain), ‘when are the hips not countered’?, being smooth with no quick movements. Terrific snow conditions – terrific cold conditions … we are a hardy lot!

Ernie, Elaine, Bob, Sohpie, Paul, Eileen, Terry, Terry – this was an up high day … Whales, Vertigo (twice), Brilles, Outlaw, Meadow, Dukes. Focus on several aspects: being smooth to stay in balance, hips to tips for grips, let the pole plant be meaningful, not being lazy, grip at the top of turn (just won’t happen at the bottom), more shape, staying flexed at transition, side slips over bumps. Delightful skiing day, everyone trying new things and showing moves of experts. Thanks for the lunch chocolate!!!

Olive, Laurel, Rebecca, Mitzi, Chongee, Paula, Jenny, Chris, Diane – full crew today! Focus of ‘hips to tips’, aligning the hips into a position of strength allowing ranges from pivoting to arcing. Lots of upper mountain skiing, all off piste, a few rocks just to keep us honest. Completing the last 10%, sometimes even turning uphill to ‘check’ speed. All skiing the best ever, truly all mountain skiers now – thank you for such dedication over the years, paying off in spades now.

Gene, Johanna, Ronia (aka, Bullet) – Cambridge, MA. A serious lot of turns, great day, windy, kind of cold, good snow. Stuff we worked on: body alignment (hips the important one here), lower flex during the transition, arm/hand/pole usage, softer edge to let the skis have more of a sliding/smearing component, jump turns, more patience with the fall line, race course (Johanna big winner with a bronze), big argument between father and daughter about who beat who, pole balance and hands on knees drill, first ride up T-bar, Upper 4 O’clock dandy good snow. Ronia – Bullet is a good fit for you, I like your spunk and how your skiing is progressing. Enjoy the vacation.

William (dad), Clark (son), VA. Focus on Clark to eliminate the braking wedge – and with much success. Rips Ride and chair 5, parallel skis on traverse, hops, thumpers, sliding while traversing, arms out front for balance, get low during the turn (this had the most impact), now a solid level 4. Some time spent on multiplication tables, you nailed it Clark, well done. Next year we start riding the Colorado lift and begin to explore Peak 9. Great picture!

The frat boys (Mike, Sam, Greg, Chuck, Chris, Brownie, Dave, I’m missing one) – this was a good day, a few tech words on hip rotation, arm position, flexion of ankles and knees – that about it … then just lots of mountain terrain. Imperial, Tbar, 6 chair, Vertigo, Debs, Y Chutes, Whales, Contest, Rustler, Crescendo, Volunteer, CJs. Once again, a great day guys, thank you for making me an honorary frat rat.