Spring Break Last Week

[DamnYankee]

At squaw Valley, we skied the upper mountain on Sunday, my son did the day-long demo program and tried five different skis, advancing in width up to 98. We don't ski that stuff here- his gear is all wold cup race stuff, like 64 or maybe 68, and I wanted him to experience a different type of skiing. My wife and daughter kept up with us the whole day.

Monday high winds forced that portion to close. My son rented some mid-fats and he and I skied KT-22 and that was awesome. They groom a wide portion of the upper bowl and its so steep that when turning my hand contacts the slope. I absolutely love that type of skiing. That's what we do here in the east and we showed the locals how to do it. Then I got brave and followed him to the right side of the bowl which was all moguls and I can't ski those. I ended up traversing and see-sawing to get down. It was damn embarrassing.

Got to talk to some locals, on the lifts and while trading up demos with my son. Nice folks- wanted to know how we eastern racers like "their mountain". I told them it was a much different experience. We ski marked trails with out of bounds everywhere. Here they get off the lift and skedaddle in all directions. Its pretty wild. It would take me a full month t figure it all out.

Tuesday we woke to more wind and 6" of snow and snowing. My wife and daughter stayed in. At 9 they had everything shut down but at 10 they opened up three lifts on the left side, lower mountain along the golf course. That was fun but the powder was heavy and difficult for an old man like me to ski. My son rented some fat skis and I had the ones that I brought with me, which are 76mm. I took a lot of time outs but he skied the trees and lift lines and all over- had a great time.

More later.

 

[evince]

Sounds like a fun family time. Glad you had fun SM

 

[DamnYankee]

Thank you, Desh.

 

[Canceled1]

At squaw Valley, we skied the upper mountain on Sunday, my son did the day-long demo program and tried five different skis, advancing in width up to 98. We don't ski that stuff here- his gear is all wold cup race stuff, like 64 or maybe 68, and I wanted him to experience a different type of skiing. My wife and daughter kept up with us the whole day.

Monday high winds forced that portion to close. My son rented some mid-fats and he and I skied KT-22 and that was awesome. They groom a wide portion of the upper bowl and its so steep that when turning my hand contacts the slope. I absolutely love that type of skiing. That's what we do here in the east and we showed the locals how to do it. Then I got brave and followed him to the right side of the bowl which was all moguls and I can't ski those. I ended up traversing and see-sawing to get down. It was damn embarrassing.

Got to talk to some locals, on the lifts and while trading up demos with my son. Nice folks- wanted to know how we eastern racers like "their mountain". I told them it was a much different experience. We ski marked trails with out of bounds everywhere. Here they get off the lift and skedaddle in all directions. Its pretty wild. It would take me a full month t figure it all out.

Tuesday we woke to more wind and 6" of snow and snowing. My wife and daughter stayed in. At 9 they had everything shut down but at 10 they opened up three lifts on the left side, lower mountain along the golf course. That was fun but the powder was heavy and difficult for an old man like me to ski. My son rented some fat skis and I had the ones that I brought with me, which are 76mm. I took a lot of time outs but he skied the trees and lift lines and all over- had a great time.

More later.

I told you about KT-22! It was that hill that forced me to unlock my skis and slide down on my butt. It was white-out conditions though but I was nowhere near a good enough skier to handle that mountain.

Out here, the skiers live for fresh deep powder conditions. Seeing the powder fly on a turn is like watching a water skier on a lake.

How were your accommodations btw?

 

[DamnYankee]

I told you about KT-22! It was that hill that forced me to unlock my skis and slide down on my butt. It was white-out conditions though but I was nowhere near a good enough skier to handle that mountain.

Out here, the skiers live for fresh deep powder conditions. Seeing the powder fly on a turn is like watching a water skier on a lake.

How were your accommodations btw?

We don't ski powder here often. First, it doesn't snow as much, second, the powder tends to be heavier (like the Sierra Cement), and third, we have a lot less acreage so it gets tracked out quickly.

One time when I was in my early 20's we had a 12" snowfall the night before we skied at Wildcat Mountain in New Hampshire. We had first chair and fresh powder and it was awesome. Back then we used a parallel technique, skis close together and skidding turns. You used your edges but at shallow angles, and the long skis bent to turn. All you had to do for powder was lean back a bit and you did fine. By the time of our second run the mountain was tracked out.

The modern race technique is much different. We use a wide stance and stay on edge, using the shape of the ski at a high angle to make the turn, and when you bend the ski you turn harder. Its not at all amendable to skiing powder. We had a foot of so once this past season at Beech in North Carolina it was un-skiable. I fell twice in one run. I have a hard time snapping back to "old school" style. I can't blame it on my skis because my son makes his work fine.

My wife found a special deal that they were having at Squaw Village. We had a two bedroom condo, large living-dining-kitchen, two bathrooms with heated floors- awesome. Underground parking, first floor ski lockers and laundry, and a short walk through the village to the lifts. I think we paid under $1000 for four nights. We had a full kitchen and made bacon-n-egg breakfasts and spaghetti dinners, eating a big lunch on the mountain. One night we went to Tahoe City and had a steak dinner at some wharf-type restaurant along the shore.

 

[Canceled1]

We don't ski powder here often. First, it doesn't snow as much, second, the powder tends to be heavier (like the Sierra Cement), and third, we have a lot less acreage so it gets tracked out quickly.

One time when I was in my early 20's we had a 12" snowfall the night before we skied at Wildcat Mountain in New Hampshire. We had first chair and fresh powder and it was awesome. Back then we used a parallel technique, skis close together and skidding turns. You used your edges but at shallow angles, and the long skis bent to turn. All you had to do for powder was lean back a bit and you did fine. By the time of our second run the mountain was tracked out.

The modern race technique is much different. We use a wide stance and stay on edge, using the shape of the ski at a high angle to make the turn, and when you bend the ski you turn harder. Its not at all amendable to skiing powder. We had a foot of so once this past season at Beech in North Carolina it was un-skiable. I fell twice in one run. I have a hard time snapping back to "old school" style. I can't blame it on my skis because my son makes his work fine.

My wife found a special deal that they were having at Squaw Village. We had a two bedroom condo, large living-dining-kitchen, two bathrooms with heated floors- awesome. Underground parking, first floor ski lockers and laundry, and a short walk through the village to the lifts. I think we paid under $1000 for four nights. We had a full kitchen and made bacon-n-egg breakfasts and spaghetti dinners, eating a big lunch on the mountain. One night we went to Tahoe City and had a steak dinner at some wharf-type restaurant along the shore.

Did you go to Fanny Bridge in Tahoe City? You can see the trout in the Truckee River there, if the water's clear. It's at the split from HIghway 28 and 89.

 

[DamnYankee]

Did you go to Fanny Bridge in Tahoe City? You can see the trout in the Truckee River there, if the water's clear. It's at the split from HIghway 28 and 89.

No we went when it was night, or nearly so. Our first intended stop was some shops to scout out ski pants for me next year, since they all close early around there. We found that odd since they stay open until 11pm by us during the season.