Month: March 2019

Jeff & Cindy – Vernon Hills, IL. Last sunny day for awhile, snow tomorrow, some nice freeze/thaw this morning (now that is good for you snow), just about right by 10:30. How a ski turn transitions from old turn to new turn, engage early because it won’t engage later, turn shape (more circular), slow the upper body down (kill the twist), what does it feel like in the boot when in balance, setting up the arms for an eventual pole touch, pressuring the outside skit (which begs the question: what is the inside ski doing), getting rid

of the wedge (mission accomplished), shaping the turn with ski performance and active leg steering, alignment of knees/hips/shoulders/hands/eye, hip counter (show the zipper). Great morning, thank you … your minds are engaged in the loop, nothing but progress now.

S.J. and Ray – Parker, CO. Working on technique, getting S.J. back in the groove after a hard fall in December. Slow the top of turn, rounder shapes, hip counter, arms up and forward, ‘see the zipper’, balance and more pressure on the new outside ski, old downhill ski releases and seeks the fall line, less twisting and more edge changing at initiation, stabilizing the upper body, pole balance drill, completing the turn (hip counter is critical to make this happen), don’t rush ‘anything’ (just messes up the balance). Talk of riding Harleys in summer, that was fun, Delightful afternoon, hope you enjoyed as much as I.

Ben & Jennifer – Brooklyn, NY. Another killer day for good weather, north facing snow still winterish, sun, super warm (56 in Breckenridge). Upper 4 O’Clock, Rustler, White Crown, Crescendo and Dukes bumps. Making the commitment with CM on steeper terrain (got to do it, pressuring the new inside edge of the new outside ski is critical), keeping both skis on snow, arms, pole plants (helps bring the CM into the inside of the new turn), new inside ski leading the release, hip counter, flexion of joints, letting the tips drop into the trough in bumps (facilitates that early edge change), no twisting on top of bump, completing the turn, long leg/short leg … ok, that’s enough. Thank you for the morning, so fun.

Jessica – Ft. Lauderdale. Another sunny day, no wind (down low), too warm (52 in Breckenridge), snow now showing the heat. Mission – get out of the wedge: side slips on a berm, tipping, leg steering, let the new inside ski release first, balance on the new outside ski, more sliding and turn shape, how to release the inside ski when it’s ‘stuck’ in a wedge, steering the feet (skis) together, patience, larger radius turns. Rip’s Ride and Chair 5 (with some quality time on the Poma). You’ve almost got this Jessica, some good practice and you are headed toward the ‘blues’. Great day, thank you.

Tim, Mary, Anna, Jake, Ben – Loveland, OH. What a blue bird day, delightful, wind high but not cold, snow still winter snow, doesn’t get any better. Much mixed ability, but this family is hanging together – and that is most cool. Getting out of the wedge, learning how to slip with both skis (not easy is it), leg steering (turning the skis together), where is the balance on the feet, larger turns, rounder turns, patience turns, flatter skis (more friction, easier to steer), what are elements of speed control, body angles (ankles/knees/hip), as skiers we want to ‘go’ around the curve of the turn not spend each turn trying to stop. Enjoy the blue slopes and a few blacks … the the hot tub and pool! Our morning was fun, thank you.

Ron, Daniel, Jessica – Deerfield, IL. Spring weather, some sun, some almost rain, some snow, definitely warm. From Magic Carpet to Rips Ride to Poma with Jessica: gliding wedge, wedge direction change, matching in traverse, side slips, linking turns. Hectic hour with Ron and Daniel: how does a turn start/finish, CM crossing over feet, balance on inside edge of new outside ski, let new inside ski lead into turn, keeping both skis on snow, rounder turns, patience at the transition, what does long leg/short leg accomplish, where are factors in speed control – well, there’s a day’s worth in an hour. Nice meeting the three of you, have a great three days on the slopes.

Larry, Renee, Stephanie, Josh – Manhattan … second day in row skiers from New York City. Good weather except for around noon, sun on both ends of that. Everyone working on a little different focus but a common underlying thread. Get out of the wedge, learn to skid and slide and slip, early pressure to inside edge of new outside ski, let new inside ski ‘show’ the way, hop turn, find the maintain a balanced stance, more flexion in ankles/knees, a little hunch in the back, counter with the hips, early grip and pressure around the turn, more semi-circle turn shape, less early twist at initiation (ski never gets a good grip), soften the old outside ski and let the hips (center of mass) fall into the new turn, carry some energy from turn to turn, less of a traverse (not needed and kills energy). Some blue runs, some black runs, Peerless Trees, race course. Good (real good) progress for all !! Have a great vacation, see you next year and we’ll pick this up with maybe some mild bumps and a ride up the Imperial lift to top of Peak 8.

Nicole, Monica, Edith – Mexico, Peru, Manhattan. Serious sunny day, no wind, good snow, Spring Equinox. Focus: balance (that word could be here every night), early edge pressure on new outside ski, let the new inside ski be the guide, long leg/short leg, how to bring the hips over, less upper body rotation, turn shape more of a semi-circle, less pop up and twist at initiation, where does speed control come from … black runs off 6 chair and Falcon … all was going nicely – then Monica catches an edge and breaks fibula, aarrgg. Here’s to a speedy recovery! It still was a fun day, thank you.