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*** Official Snow Surfing Thread ***
- Thread starter 92122
- Start date
Looking forward to putting the Ikon pass to use there next week. Looks like I may be doing more snowboarding than skiing.
Ponytail is optional if you’re cool enough to ditch your ski poles for a single giant one. I’m ok with going sans helmet if it’s really gonna fuck with your vibe.
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bro, ain't nothing gonna fuck with my vibes when i'm out sliding!
i'm like pigpen on skis with more crust, less dust (and a helmet)!
my outer layer of gortex is 28 years old, ripped in places, patched in others, soiled and stained all over - some guy stopped me last year and asked me if i bought it in a pawn shop
I love it. I admit to (way) more than once going through the trees and plucking a branch off without breaking flow, using it for so many purposes - mostly weaponry for Chinese Downhill.
I also remember the one time in semi-spread out trees off 22 at Mammoth when I was going fast, looping around a tree, thought I would grab a semi-dead branch, take it, and chase my friend down with it. It was a little more spry than I expected and I may have underestimated my grip strength. I got straight-up tetherballed around the tree, right through even sturdier branches which my momentum splintered, face got pretty scratched up in the process. It was amazing how fast that actually took place - I still had the branch in my grasp too. Gathered myself for a couple seconds, took my trophy, and that was that with a did that really just happen(?) moment.
Glad that negates the helmet requirement. My concern isn't so much the cartwheel and back of the head smack from catching downhill edge but more the potential scalping from cutting trees, cliff protrusion as close overhead as possible, kind of like getting barreled with the lip juuuuust over your head. Here's the rub. If you snag your hat/goggles, they just come off and you might have a deeper haircut than normal but with a helmet strapped on, that's like being horsecollared at high speed - it's going to hurt much, much worse.
I think at a minimum one should have the courtesy to learn how to ski properly first before moving into snowboarding
Knowledge of edge control and respective unweighting goes a long way towards streamlining those first few days of pain.
OTOH, there may be no hope for the selfie stick-wielding beginners. I remember when Walkmans were forbidden - absolutely an alternate universe going on. I tell my kids that when it comes to either spraying or dumping snow from the lift, those are not only fair game but Priority Target One.
Japow Tour 2024 day 20 something, and this little country continues to deliver the goods. Calf deep pow at Furano yesterday, knee fuckin deep powder today at a small mountain south of Sapporo, spent $20 on a 4 hour lift ticket and slayed knee deep freshies and face shots until completely spent. It was the Day of the trip and it’s still dumping. Niseko on tap tomorrow but will likely poach this little gem again before we leave.
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Nothing like the Japow dumps but got in the first trip of the year finally over the weekend. For as hit or miss as it’s been on the East Coast we hit this one. Friday we got a no lift line afternoon at Stowe with a few inches of new snow continuing all day. From there went north and crossed the border to Sutton. 3 days $200 US and only Saturday had anything resembling crowds. They got a few smaller dumps through the week so plenty of snow through the glades. Best surprise was Sunday nights forecasted 1-3” turning into nearly a foot + in some areas towards the top. Blasting powder turns with zero lines all day. Lightest fluffiest snow. Now to tack on a few more days to make the Epic break even.
Never thought of it that way but I totally agree.
you learn a lot of mountain basics while having so much more control. my wife would agree 1000% as a failed boarder who eventually learned to ski as an adult.
I’m hoping my kids want to make the switch from skis to boar eventually. They are still getting comfortable on the blues on skis. Wife tweaked her knee first day last week and said maybe I should try snowboarding. I said, yea, come to the dark side, harder to twist your knee. She would get frustrated with the bindings at top of the lift tho. Will have to get her step-ins.
Just got back from few days in mammoth. Lots of skiing on greens and easy blues with the kids, but the snow was pretty good. We got about 1 1/2 days total of upper runs in while they had a couple lessons. Dumped Monday so Tuesday was great, skied til 1pm and charged home. Just about 7 hours including two stops for McD and gas. Phew.
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Im still trying to introduce my son to boarding His bud boards and we have an instructor friend for free tag along lessons but he just would rather ski.
I have one snowboarder and one skier. They both are rippers and while my wife and I also snowboard and had hoped they both would slide sideways, it's so fun to watch my son ski. It's all good. Main thing they are stoked on it and would rather be out ripping than playing video games or sitting on their asses.
That Mammoth trip sounds all time. Enjoy those times with the kids before they leave you behind, but also good to go get some good runs for yourself too.
i started both my boys out on skis but they switched to boarding about 3 years into the whole grand adventure
now they are both rippers but they are nice enough to hang out and ride with me even though i can't even keep up with 'em
my oldest is coming home for a visit in a couple weeks and it looks like we're going to get a day of riding in while he is here
soooooooooooooooo STOCKED!
now they are both rippers but they are nice enough to hang out and ride with me even though i can't even keep up with 'em
my oldest is coming home for a visit in a couple weeks and it looks like we're going to get a day of riding in while he is here
soooooooooooooooo STOCKED!
Similar. Just got back to SD after 3 days in Mammoth. Tuesday was pretty unreal and Wednesday morning was even better with a another fresh foot on top of Monday nights 10 inches. Unreal with relatively mellow crowds especially in the hard to get to nooks. Chairs 5, 9, 12, 14 were absolutely mental once opened mid morning. Looks like potential for a miracle March. Let's keep this snow machine train moving full speed ahead!
Quebec rules...trying to get up to the townships soon to check out sutton, orford and owls head
Oh how I love that run in the background. One of my favorites at Mammoth, especially since you HAVE to bomb it near the end otherwise you do the slog of shame.
Nice heading up on Sunday for the week. Might be on the warmer side but guaranteed to be fun.
Was talking with my son about this the other day. I told them they could snowboard once they could ski from the top of 5 down to Mill. He said that even though he wanted to snowboard from the get go, learning to ski first was important because it taught him about edge control and how to make carving turns. Being a proficient downhill skater didn't hurt either....
Now a days, I'm having fun doing both and expect to mostly board on this upcoming trip but will enjoy a day or two on the sticks as well.
I skied first, family ski school, strike missions with dad in jr high. I was comfortable on black diamonds before hanging up the skis.
In college I started going on trips with my friends who snowboarded and since I hadn’t skied all of high school I figured why not switch.
It was pretty quick for me. Some of my friends who were also beginners but no skiing gave up after the first year.
I think it’s similar to ocean knowledge and surfing. Skiing is an easier introduction into mountain knowledge and edges.
i still ski if I’m with my wife. makes greens more interesting.
In college I started going on trips with my friends who snowboarded and since I hadn’t skied all of high school I figured why not switch.
It was pretty quick for me. Some of my friends who were also beginners but no skiing gave up after the first year.
I think it’s similar to ocean knowledge and surfing. Skiing is an easier introduction into mountain knowledge and edges.
i still ski if I’m with my wife. makes greens more interesting.