Henry Hester Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Decided to get out to Aspen/ButterMilk for a spring solo training trip. Got to get this carve monkey off my back. Almost there but not quite. I'll be on the Peanut&Jelly tour mostly at Milk. Anyone up for a ride let me know. Text 7608466800 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 I, probably like many others, read your post about a week at ATC and not making the progress you wanted to. What's the level you want to realistically reach? Fine line tracks on greens and blues, laid out extreme carves on blacks, or somewhere in between? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Hester Posted April 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Easy. Fine line tracks and no slide on G & B runs. Pretty simple to most here but a definite mental physical block to me. Thus this soul searching trip on my own (with a little help from my friends). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 (edited) I'm 56 and a relative latecomer to carving. Not that long ago I was at the stage you are now, able to get down most places without falling too often but skidding at least part of pretty much every turn. The key to the next stage is learning what a carved edge feels like without having to worry about the fact you're now doing 80mph down a slope. I took my pride in hand and went back to a wide gentle green slope, and then rode it over and over again, concentrating on getting the board onto it's edge, applying a little weight to that edge and then letting the board do the rest.How to apply the weight depends on mostly what your binding angles are. Angles greater than 60 degrees will work with the weight applied from the sides of your boots. Angles less than 50 degrees will work well with the weight applied through your heels and toes. In between, either might produce the result.I ride 65 F and 60 rear. I learned that to keep the edge carving I had to concentrate on applying weight to the edge with the knee on the outside of the turn. Turning to the left, my right knee was the one. If I lifted off the lateral pressure being applied then the edge would begin to skid.At a Pureboarding clinic I learned that for the lower angles I should apply the weight with my rear foot toes on toeside turns, and with my front heel on heelside turns.But the real key was practice, practice, practice, on a slope where I could concentrate on technique and not have to worry too much about speed control.Once you know what your edge really feels like you'll have a solid foundation on which to build your riding. Edited April 1, 2016 by SunSurfer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Hester Posted April 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Yes. That is the plan. Toe and heal in on Ridge Run (Milk) here I come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunSurfer Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 When you get to Aspen, feed back on how you do. Plenty of us cheering from the sidelines. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiteparsons Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 I would check closing dates for the mountains if you are coming out April 11th. I feel like Buttermilk usually closes early compared to the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Donnelly Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 (edited) Buttermilk will close Sunday, Apr 03. Skico adds bonus weekends to ski season at Aspen Highlands: http://www.aspentimes.com/news/21384660-113/skico-adds-bonus-weekends-to-ski-season-at "Skico will stick to the scheduled closures of the other ski areas. Buttermilk will close Sunday. Snowmass will close April 10 and Aspen Mountain will close April 17." Edited April 1, 2016 by Pat Donnelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colozeus Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 I was just at aspen all of last week. I never left snowmass. Really good conditions. The runs at snowmass are very wide open. Here's what i did: In the morning take the sheer bliss chair all the way to the top, check the board for which runs are groomed off of the big burn chair. Take max park all the way down to the big burn chair and lap whatever groomed runs are there. Usually, sneakys is always groomed and it is the more mellow out of all those blue runs. Whispering jesse and dallas freeway are also really good. Some really nice wide open carving before you get to the steeper parts at the end. I stuck to that side of the mountain in the morning as most newbees in the morning would go to the elk side. Then, delay lunch between 12-130 as everyone takes a break, head over to the elk camp gondola then the elk camp chair and do all the runs off that chair. Bull run, if groomed, is freaking amazing. wide open with sparse trees. I had blast carving in between trees. Plus, they usually have one of the employees at the end of the run taking pictures. (if you feel like paying hundreds for a few pictures) PM if you want more beta on snowmass. I can't speak much to the other resorts. Oh and don't waste your time with the cirque lift. You can get equally impressive, if not better views, from the elk camp chair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Hester Posted April 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 (edited) "Highlands and Buttermilk will close Sunday afternoon as scheduled, and Ajax and Snowmass will shut down next Sunday ..." Bummer, I'm out. Edited April 1, 2016 by Henry Hester Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davekempmeister Posted April 1, 2016 Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 "Highlands and Buttermilk will close Sunday afternoon as scheduled, and Ajax and Snowmass will shut down next Sunday ..." Bummer, I'm out. A-Basin and Loveland would be there for you, if you reconsidered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Hester Posted April 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 A-Basin and Loveland would be there for you, if you reconsidered. Yeah I had plans that put me in Aspen downtown, no car with PB&J sandwiches. I know Aspen Mountain will be open til the 17th but my heart was set on the Milk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Hester Posted April 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Henry- You wouldnt want to ride the milk next week anyways, it will be too warm. The top of Ajax off of Ajax express is full of awesome, mellow blue groomers that were awesome today and will be if you still decide to come. Thanks Jim, having big trouble with the flight insurance so I may come out anyway. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Hester Posted April 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2016 Got everything booked again. 11-5th 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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