Month: February 2020

Saturday Club: Meow, Nick, Don, Sophie, Gina. Won’t see this day again for four more years, wonder where we all will be in four years?? Some probably still in Breck, some in the tropics, some in the orient, some who knows where … wonder what the odds that exactly four years from now I type the same five names, my guess low odds. Good day, sunny, normal wind on the T-bar, ground school for an hour before going out, drills for most of the morning. Focus: tip – pressure the new outside ski – steer … keep the ankle closed to pressure the ski and keep from popping up at transition. T-bar, 6 chair, Imperial, Brill’s, Rustler, Imperial Bowl, Dukes bumps. So good to see the sun … so good to see what is becoming of your (plural) skiing.

Friday Club: Ernie, Phil, Bob, Terry, Terry, Paul, Gina, Sophie. Not a cloud in the ski, something big orange and bright hanging up in the blue … we bought this day. Two drills: hockey slides and stops, inside ski tip on snow drill while turning on outside ski (this one kind of challenging). Tip – pressure – steer, what it feels like to commit the CM across the feet at transition, hips go with the pole plant hand, open the knees at transition to come forward, loading up the front part of ski, more direct line. Dukes, Southern Cross, Inferno, Brill’s, Outlaw, King. Lots of chocolate at lunch (a necessary occurrence with Club) … strong skiing to all, we are becoming all mountain skiers!

Thursday Club: Laurel, Rebecca, Mitzi, Diane, Olive, Deb, Vicki, Chongie. Today was about steeps: Southern Cross, Inferno, Devil’s Crotch, Mine Shaft, Lulu, Brill’s, Outlaw, High A, Peerless trees. Edge change and balance, pressuring the new outside ski at edge change, sweet spot of the foot (and ski), hockey slides, strong steering and counter, skiing a more narrow corridor, opening the knee at transition to bring the body more lateral and pressure the forward part of ski, always working on pole touches. We were all kind of low energy this morning, one run through the trees and ‘game on’. Great day, all skiing to high level, well done!

P.S. No picture, I forgot.

Michael & Elizabeth – Menlo Park. Another serious winter day, gust front storm passed through about 9:00, 40 kt wind, heavy snow, 20 meter visibility … now that’s Breckenridge storm skiing! Toilet Bowl, Mach 1, Inferno, Southern Cross, Peerless Trees – what a great day. Stronger leg rotation, less edging in power and steeps, more rotary, at transition tip then steer, lower, hockey-ish movements more down the fall line, strong hip counter, don’t rush the transition even when it’s steep, ankle and knee flexion (you guys getting good at this), let the down hill arm/hand be ‘down the hill’ ready for that pole plant … that should be enough to keep you busy for another year. Thank you for a great day, hope you enjoyed as much as I.

Ellie (Trinidad), Marina (FL), Kathleen (NJ), Kaitlin (KY), Hampton (?), Blair (Wisconsin). What a day, solid 12 inches new snow and it wasn’t light, fell after the night packers so nothing groomed … now for L3s working on matching that was a challenge. Straight run in the powder working on balance, shin/boot pressure, hands forward, flex at ankles and knees (not so much at the waist), matching while traversing, tip & turn the new inside ski, more pressure on outside ski while turning, 60/40 while traversing, now matching earlier, now tipping turning at initiation, less edge and introduce some skid, bigger radius turns helps, speed control from ski/snow friction and direction of travel (turns). Way to hang in there group, was a challenging day, very good for learning balance and matching.

Russel and Danielle – Houston. Nice sunny warm morning (almost too warm if such a thing can happen. Russel: standing taller, learning to come off the hard edge and slide the skis, using more of ski base for friction, rounder turns, rhythm to carry energy from turn to turn, using the hockey type slide for control, less straight down hill leg, ‘bend zee knees’. Danielle: hockey slides, shaping the turn with leg steering, hips more open to the turn, body position for strength, ski pole drill, pole plant (you amazed me with this one, well done), once up the T-bar, skied Upper 4 O’clock. Was a good morning for change, maybe you found some hot chocolate and Baileys before days end. Thank you for being learning students!

Julian, Jannet, Clarissa, Bushra & Amber – all from Houston (I think). L1, beginning at the beginning. How to wedge, sliding on one then two skis, wedge slides, wedge change-ups, wedge stops, wedge changing direction, stayed on carpet all afternoon, chocolate break. Next time it’s wedge turns and riding Rip’s Ride chairlift. Julian – don’t go too fast too soon, ok. Enjoy the vacation!

Russel & Danielle – Houston. Blue sky and warm, snow good, crowds but not that large by Breckenridge standards. Russel: more skidding, less high edge angles, wider turns, patience at the transition, let the turns be more ‘hockey slidey kind of shaping, no lazy arms, ok. Danielle: shaping with leg steering, hockey slides, how to get strong with body alignment, open the hips to the outside of the turn, more direct line using less width of the run, holding pole drill, pole plant (you amazed me with this one, well done), T-bar and Upper 4 O’clock. Much fun morning, good progress, see you next year! Be safe.