Author: bbooker99

Jon – Nebraska … winter solstice, it’s all warmer from here (don’t think so). Balance (shin and heel pressure), hip counter (let the arms and shoulders follow the hips into counter, too much is as detrimental as too little), arms up and wide, leg steering (might be easier to think of ‘feet’ steering), steer with pressure (pressure equals ‘ski grip’ and this is a must right from the top of the turn), speed control with turn shape (shorter radius as it gets steeper). Something to study:

Josh Foster Ski Tips https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5FDFNKpfm8

Don, Kay, Tina, Annette – not a cloud in the sky, no wind, warm – not sure this was Breckenridge … take it when we get it. Pivot skips to start, steering the feet, holding a line, hunching the back (pick up a penny), keeping the downhill hand from driving forward, short radius turns (especially the first couple turns on steep terrain), early tip engagement, balance on the feet, holding poles in hands and ski through the window, circles of steering/edging/balance and how they interact.

Meow, Nick, Ernie, Brenda, Don, Linda – major wind up high but not that cold, snow still skiing well, especially the bowls and chutes. Pipe pivots, question: ‘tip into a steer’, or steer onto the new edge’ …. hmmm, using both skis more, early pressure and edge at initiation, short radius turns on steeps and bumps, speed control in first 1/2 if turn, softer arms, not closing at finish, how to manage those first two turns on steep terrain, slowing down the twist.

Ernie, Bob, Violeta, Terry … blue bird day, kind of warm after about 11:00AM, little wind. Drills on Peak 9 in the morning, up high on Peak 8 in the afternoon. Hand behind back, poles behind knees, edge grip at initiation in the bumps (and always), speed control at turn initiation. Rustler, Whales Tale, Vertigo, Debs Alley, Crescendo, American, Peerless, North Star, Volunteer. When it gets steep, more flexing in ankles and knees is good, downhill hand lower.

Laurel, Rebecca, Mitzy, Diane, Olive, Jenny, Chris, Lucy (guest) – cold morning, 5 inches new that the wind had worked, soft slab on top. T-bar, 6 chair, Colorado and Rocky, North bowl, Rustler, Meadows, B-50 line, bumps in the afternoon. Keeping the downhill hand open, early edge engagement, edge grip/ski pressure, initiate with both ski, keep some weight on both skis, softer arms, more flexion at ankles/knees/hip, pressure on heel and shin. Some challenging skiing with the slab on top of soft snow … Breckenridge at it’s finest.

Paula, Catharine, Tina, Amy … don’t get many days like this, maybe 8 inches up high, dry snow, powder skiing for sure. More equal pressure, steer the feet together, pressure on shin and forward heel at same time (one or the other results in leverage or CM too far aft), turn shape (always working on this), staying open to the outside of turn, pole plant more down the mountain (not forward), lower CM as terrain steepens.

Meow and Brenda. One inch new, a cold day, lots of wind, right to Peak 9. Static tipping exercise, body alignment through last half of turn, staying countered, counterbalancing for early edge engagement, edge grip at initiation in the bumps, rounder turns, less twisting. Meow had a breakout day end of last year – today it was Brenda’s turn!! Still two Christmas tree balls on the Charlie Brown tree.

Bob and Violeta – no photograph today, I forgot. Some new snow, not too cold, sunny, stayed on Peak Eight. Dukes, Rounders, Crescendo, North Star. Trying to straighten out counter, staying open to the mountain, how the hips/shoulders/arms are aligned, pole plant, rhythm.