WORD FROM THE RESORT
Explore Big Sky
Jan. 29 - Feb. 11, 2021 49
SECTION 4: WORD FROM THE RESORT: A look into Big Sky Resort Racing season is in full swing pg. 51
Big Sky dining guide pg. 54
Jacob Smith: A lesson in resilience pg. 58
A turning ski is a stable ski BY DAN EGAN EBS CONTRIBUTOR
There has been a big push in the last 10 years towards wider skis. “Fat skis” or “Powder skis” have changed the perspective on what skis look like, because some have lost camber, some are flat with no camber, some have reverse camber, some have camber under the foot and tips and tails that turned up or so called “early rise.” All of this has allowed skiers of all abilities to explore more of the mountain basically because the ski floats and glides on and through the snow easier.
In general, when skiers turn to slow down, they make short turns and a long transition. The issue with this method is that they are spending more time standing on an unstable ski and spending a short period of time in a stable turning ski. To gain stability, lengthen the arc of your turn and shorten the transition between your turn. So, if you have purchased “fat” skis to float over the snow and then make a short turn you are not gaining all of the stability the ski is designed to provide. There will be a slight increase in speed however you will be more stable, be in balance and the result will be more confidence. A stable ski will be easier to control and the speed will become less of an issue.
Start on a slope you are comfortable on, ski down the fall line, However, wide skis of more than 88mm under your foot tip the ski on edge and let it find its designed arcing radius have significantly more surface area and have resulted in skis down the mountain. Be patient. Don’t twist your feet, let the PHOTO BY IAN ANDERSON, WARREN MILLER that don’t track well in a straight line. Rather, they wobble ski turn on its own. Keep your hands just below shoulder ENTERTAINMENT “FUTURE RETRO” in deep and cut up snow, chatter and vibrate on hard pack height and push them forward to keep your shoulders over and groomed snow. If you have ever felt your ski wobble your feet, as the skis come out of the turn roll your feet quickly over to the new edge and under your foot while traversing, or on the cat track, you know what I mean. let the skis arc down the fall line in the new turn. Please note that I am talking about fall line skiing, not cross hill skiing. By keeping the ski in a long arcing turn in the fall line This has resulted in many skiers feeling like they are doing something wrong, but they you should be making a series of “S” turns that are long and short transitions so the skis go from edge to edge. This will shorten the length of time the ski is flat and unstable. are not—it’s an equipment issue, not a performance issue, as I like to remind skiers. Here’s the dilemma: the increased surface area of the ski due to the width causes the ski When we ski, we want to be efficient and intentional with both our motion and our to scoot forward. This puts the feet of the skier in front of their hips and puts skiers out route down the mountain. Learning to stabilize these wider skis will result in not only of balance. The result is a lack of control and it is exhausting on the legs. more confidence but also allow you to have a longer day and help you master more of the mountain. Let’s talk about the length of the arc of a turn. The most stable part of skiing is the turn. If you want more stability with your wide skis, lengthen the arc and shorten the length of the transition between turns. After I make this statement in my camps and clinics, most skiers instantly think that a longer turn will mean going faster and result in acceleration that they don’t want.
You’ll be amazed at how effortless it is to keep the skis turning under you in long stable turns and when you add the slowing method of decelerating over a series of turns, allowing the skis to arc between your slowing turns you will be gaining a level of mastery that will be extremely rewarding.
