Author: bbooker99

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.

Diana – Macon, GA. Now that was good skiing for a southern girl! Once again no clouds, just amazing, two days in a row is unheard of, but take it! Getting rid of the ‘ride the rail’ (seems to be a theme, and so goes the L5 skier), tipping, side slips, hockey slides, open the hips to the outside of the turn (dang, how many times does that show up in these evening blogs), shaping and friction for speed control, don’t rush the transition, tip to release, let the tips drop into the fall line, stay off the high edge (it is not your brake), hockey slides, downhill slides, don’t panic when it gets steep (the hard edge on ice is not your friend). Thank you for the day, absolutely amazing you are out here on your own and taking lessons to improve!!

Kathy (Akron), Andy (Wisconsin), Lewis (NY), Brooke (NY), Beth (Boston). Sunny, not a cloud in the sky all day (seriously), comfortable temperature, think we have earned this day. Focus: getting rid of the wedge and reliance on riding the edge (not an easy thing to do), side slips, skids, hockey slides (groomed and bumps), releasing skis together, tipping before steering, guiding both skis in parallel, hands on knees, staying lower with flexed ankles/knees/hip, shaping turn with leg steering, using more of the bottom of the skis, friction and direction of travel for speed control, uphill arcs, counter (hips facing outside of turn), arms more in athletic position (getting ready for the pole plant, maybe that next lesson), patience at initiation, don’t be too twisty, turn shape more of a semi-circle. One ride up T-bar, Four O’clock, small bumps on Crescendo. A new mantra on what this ‘skiing’ is all about. Now for a few thousand turns to practice. Fun day – well done!!

Johanna & Ronia (Bullet) – Cambridge, MA. This was a good day, go high and find some ‘stuff’, Whales, Vertigo, Y Chutes, Imperial Ridge, some bumps, not many trees. Good flexion of the lower joints, counter with the hips (keep them open to the turn), hops during turns, one ski traverse, turns on inside ski (these are hard), side slip on uphill ski (these are hard also), arm position, pole plants, race course with no gates (why not, makes it a lot quicker), definitely some cut up snow, five double black runs. You guys crushed it!!! Have a great summer, see you next winter about this time. Cheers.

Will & Clark – Renton, VA. Another snowy day, maybe 8 inches new, and it was light, not too cold, but cold enough hot chocolate tasted good. Getting Clark out of the wedge the mission: hops, hop turns, hop in transition, hockey stops, shuffles, a few trees, taking turns leading, first day with poles (that attitude turned around by day’s end), staying more forward. Thank you for hanging with ‘Bob’, three years from now we will be skiing double blacks!!