My name is Justin Osborn, but all the folks at Purgatory call me “Tex,” and I've been a Snowsports Instructor at Purgatory Resort for 14 years.
Since then, I've received certifications in all disciplines, including alpine skiing, telemark skiing, snowboarding and snowbiking. During the next few months, I'll provide helpful hints that, if implemented properly, will improve your skiing or riding abilities in all conditions.
Topics will range from suggestions on body positioning such as stance, balance and pressure control to suggestions on what to do in certain types of snow and mountain conditions such as powder, moguls, off-piste and groomers. With all the snow Purgatory has recently received, let's start with a few powder tips.
While I was teachings lots of private lessons over the holidays, I often had students ask me the same question, and that was how far should they lean back in the powder? Though it may feel natural to lean back in the powder to keep your tips up above the snow, nothing could be further from the truth when it comes to the ability to properly float through powder. You want to keep your center of mass over your feet and not behind them toward your tails.
When skiing groomed, firm snow, it is quite common to put more weight on the outside ski than the inside ski. For those of you wondering, the outside ski would be the downhill ski when you finish the turn, the inside ski the uphill ski after a turn. However, in powder, it is very important to try to keep your weight more evenly distributed over both skis. If this is not done, the results could be one tip diving into the snow and one tip floating above.
Keeping your weight equally distributed over both skis, along with keeping your center of mass more over your feet and not behind your boots, should allow you to float more gracefully in the powder.
If you still decide you're going to lean back, at least sell it to those watching and yell real loud, “Hey, y'all, watch this! I'm fixin' to head down yonder and launch over that headwall!”
At least you will appear to be a tourist.
If you have questions, comments, or a specific topic you would like to see covered over the ski season, email me Tex at justin@wellsgroupdurango.com.
