jtslalom

I was talking to a friend on Saturday night who told me that his Volkl Renn Tiger was broken. He was hard riding with one of his friends at Mountain Creek last Thursday night. The slopes were empty except for a few people. He was making a final run. At the bottom of the slope he was in a toe side turn when out from nowhere he was hit. He felt a tremendous blow to the ribs and hit the snow hard. When he started to get up from the fall he felt alot of pain from his rib section and shoulder. He was hit by another snowboarder who not only cleaned his clock but snapped his board and broke his front Bomber binding. He told me the binding was so far damaged there was no use in repairing, just as well buy new ones. Well the kid who hit him took off. Can you believe that. What an as@%#$& ! A witness said that after the kid hit my friend he got up, saw that my friends board was broke and took off. At least he had the decency to wait until my friend moved a little before he took off. I guess that confirmed he wasn't dead. Let this be a lesson to all who ride on small cramped hills. Most people do not know how to ride in control and some don't care about anything. ALWAYS look up hill before comitting to a carve that you know will take up alot of slope in transition. When riding at MC follow these rules and NEVER trust any ones riding or skiing ability unless you personally know those people.

Finally winter is back with a vengance. Cold weather has gripped the north east and is forecast to stay here at least for the next week. We even got 2 - 3 inches of snow on the ground on the mountain and a dusting in the valley. Mountain Creek has been blowing snow since late Friday night and probably will continue to blow snow throughout the rest of this week. The rain that came in on Friday did take its toll on the base but is soon to be put back by MC's continual snow making. See you on the slopes. I hear the lake Tahoe region is having a pretty tough season from lack of snow.

Dr. Sandman, I was a high school ski race coach and spent almost all my time on diamond slopes. I still do. I avoid greens and sometimes ride blue squares when riding slalom boards. I used to slide my turns on the diamonds to slow down because I would reach mach 5 after only a couple of turns. The problem was I wasn't rounding my turns and using transition to slow me down. Stay as low and forward as possible keeping your weight over the front foot. As you turn, make sure to really round them and come across the slope perpendicular to it. This will cause you to slow down by not actually going down the hill. You should end each turn by coming across the slope. To do this you MUST stay low and really get up on your edge. Ofcourse this will take good technique but once you feel it start to happen, you will understand what needs to be done. Good Luck

Living in NJ, its hard to go out alot. I get anywhere from 40 - 55 days on the snow, mostly at night. This accounts for riding only in NJ at MC. I usually go north for one or two trips for a total of about 5 more days. So far this year I've been out 10 times.

I will be heading up to Belleayre on Monday, MLK day. The crowd will be much less there than at Hunter or Windham. Hope to see other hard riders there.

I will be making a trip to either Hunter, Bellayre, or Windham mountains on Monday. Is any one interested in going? Hope to see you there.

I rode for about 1 1/2 hours yesterday and realized that my knees were crammed together on each turn. I thought about it on my last run and remedied the problem by driving turns with both knees seperated on toeside turns but still driving my back into the front on heelside. What a difference it made. When I first learned to ride the idea was to bring both knees together and drive turns using them as one uniton both heelside and toe side turns. Every now and then, especially at the beginning of the season, I ride like this. Its usually a matter of a few runs that I realize I'm falling into bad habbits, but I know why every so often I regress into this style of riding. Whenever I ride my soft board and boots my knees come together. I ride 15 degrees with the front and back bindings and bringing my knees together compensates for big time butt hang on the heelside edge. I find bringing my knees together lets me place my butt over the board more. Well the next day I get out my hard deck I bring those knees right back together and try to ride the hard deck as if I was riding soft. Its funny how this happens almost all the time after riding soft. I was wondering if any one else has similar problems? Do you fall into old habits after riding a day of soft riding? Maybe the first couple of runs on your first couple of days in the beginning of the year those knees act as magnets? It is nice to reread the article about bringing the knees together in the Bomber articles. I do reread these articles a few times a year.

moirror70, You're the man! I never had that kind of response from others but take advantage of it while you can. People are generally impressed by carvers but not usually to that extreme. One word of advice, wrap it up before you dive in. Good Luck dude.

Sorry Erik, I won't be there until 3:30. I've actually had the last two days off and really need to get back to work. Our paths will cross one of these days. Let me know how the conditions were during the day. Try to post it if you have the time.

We recieved about 5 inches of new snow this moring in Vernon NJ(Thursday). It has rained since but not that much. Tonights temps will be in the 20s. The snow will set up real nice for tomorrow but it won't last much through the weekend. Take advantage of it now. I will be at Bear Peak and South Peak tomorrow night 3:30 to about 7:00. Depending on conditions I will ride e-deck or Renn Tiger. See you there.

Chubz, The mountain I ride on is the same as your home mountain with crowds. Your board length is fine for uncrowded days and nights. For crowded days you can still ride your 172. You need to turn the crap out of it and always stay on your edge. Never take time in transition. When I ride my 166 Rossi on semi-crowded days I'm always turning. The sidecut radius is about 11 meters and it will turn fairly tight turns as long as I'm constantly driving hard turns. My advice to you is get to know your board a little longer. If you have the money, Volkl makes a great slalom board called the Renn Tiger. I have a 153. This is a great board to ride for smaller resorts.

cross under = extension. cross over = flexion. I have read this article many times. Your terminology differs but the exact same idea. When I first learned how to ride I first mastered cross under for slalom like turns. Although this technique is usually learned after cross over as said in your article, I learned it first and found it difficult to do on steep slopes traveling fast. I learned cross over later while riding more symetric boards. I was wondering how many other people learned the same as I did.

QUOTE]I can't see how East coast mountains that rely so heavily on snowmaking can stay in business. quote by Enzo, Don't kid yourself Enzo. Intra West, the company that owns Mountain Creek, does NOT stay in business by ski lift ticket sales or any type of retail on food or other items. It is a realestate company that makes money on developing the adjacent land. Starting at 250 thousand dollars each, you can buy one of there 70 town house style homes at the bottom of the mountain. They are also building a large hotel at the base of the slopes along with a village that will have retail stores leased to local merchants. Although skiing/snowboarding is high on the priority list, its not where they make their money.

Prior to finding the Bomber site I found this site about 6 years ago. http://club-ski.web.cern.ch/club%2Dski/ I thought it was very helpful in describing techniques in riding. Look through the tutor and scroll through the different carving styles described. When I first started riding (17 years ago) I was led to believe that the upper body was to remain still while the lower body turns the board. This is true watching slalom skiers. When turning slalom turns on non-steep slopes, I use mostly lower body where the board turns below a still upper body. I use extension turns for this. Later I learned to also incorporate my upper body. This mainly happened when I went from Asym to symmetrical boards in 1995/1996. I learned to carve steeper slopes using flexion and incorporating my upper body. Now I still keep a quiet upper body when making slalom style turns depending on the steepness. I use both the upper and lower parts for larger radius turns. This especially happens on steeper slopes. What is your opinion? Is this the thinking most people went through over the course of the last 10 - 15 years?

I don't get that either. I would think that when temperatures are at a sustained low, a mountain would blow snow like crazy. This is not the case for MC. I don't know why they don't blow snow when weather permits. I didn't go out this past weekend, wife and kid were both sick. I will be out probably twice during the week this week (weather permitting). To address what Jack said above. I was once at Wildcat in New Hampshire. The base temp was 27 and the summit temp was nearing 50. Yes, a 23 degrees difference. That was the year of the bad ice storms (1998?). It was raining on the top of the mountain and frozen rain at the base. Crazy weather!!!!

Here in northern NJ it rains when it should snow, at least for this year. Every ski resort is entitled to a bad season but for northern NJ it happens alot. This year we've had nice cold temps but as soon as precipitation appears in the forecast warmer weather accompanies it turning possible inches of snow into inches of rain. All is not lost though, we do have the best possible snowmaking equipment and night riding. For the snowmaking, all we need is 30 degrees and low humidity and snow can be made. As far as night riding, well its scraped up real good by night, its not lit well but its still riding. For those who ride in the Eastern Pa and NJ areas don't worry, winter will show its face soon.

I don't lock any of my boards. I take them with me wherever I go while riding. Whether it be the lodge, bathroom, or to get a drink, my board comes with me. I've heard about so many stolen boards that I don't take a chance. If someone really wants your board they will steel it lock or no lock.

HopingForSnow, Sorry I can't help you with your boot selection, I ride with Burton Wind boots. I can say that if you live in NJ and plan on mostly riding local mountains, (Mountain Creek, Hidden Valley, Camelback, Shawnee, etc.) get a short board. It is very difficult to find uncrowded days in which you can turn any long board or board with a large sidecut radius. My largest board is a Rossingnal Race Vas 166 and I ride at MC. Only on uncrowded days do I bother to take it out. Good luck.

I went riding in the morning today and yesterday at Mountain Creek. The new snow fall(3 inches) hepled with conditions. Both racing trail and south peak were in great condition. I saw another guy on plates yesterday along with sic t 2. The guy on plates told me he rode in the US open. I had a friend who rode in the amatuer division in 1991, both slalom and GS. He is my age, 34. This guy looked much older than me though and I was wondering what kind of age groupings they have for the US open. Does everyone compete together or are people grouped by age. I assume they still have the US open at Stratton. By the way the 15 turns has now turned into 115. I regain strength and stamina quick.

I guess I'm not that old after all (comparitvely), maybe a little out of shape. It usually gets better after the third or fourth day out. I didn't do much training before the season started this year. I usually work out with my high schools ski team but to much grad school this year. By the way gawdzira, I ride a 153 RT to compensate for the small hill. When I ride the 166 Rossi, 15 turns does put me in the parking lot.

It seems as the years go on that my snowboarding lacks not because of bad technique but rather lack of stamina. It is difficult to link more than 15 or so turns together without stopping for a break. Ofcourse as the season progresses it gets better, but for now it is pretty miserable. I also find myself getting more and more lazy. I don't drive my turns as hard and don't seem to finish my GS turns in a deep knee bent position, rather a more erect one. I hope that 34 isn't over the hill for snowboarding. I guess I'm not a kid any more.

jdgang, Do you ride at Mountain Creek? I will be there tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon providing it is not raining. I will be there on Sunday morning also. I usually spend most my time on Bear Peak and south Peak. If you can make it either days we'll ride together. I will probably be riding an old e-deck but if they blow alot more snow and the base increases I will be on the Renn-Tiger. See you there.

sic t 2, Not only do alot of the instructors think they can ski but they also think they own the slopes and can direct a snowboarder to do anything they want. The ONLY good skiers on that hill are on the racing trail on Bear Peak. All the USSA kids and there coaches understand proper ski etiquette and also can turn their boards. Most of the high school racers and coaches also know whats going on. As for most others on the slopes, not a clue.

Erik, I live in Vernon and usually go out from about 4:00 p.m to 6:00 p.m a couple of nights a week. I will be there again on Tuesday night. It sounds like you ride mostly in the day. I'm sure our paths will cross. I have Christmas week off and will be there often in the mornings of that week. The next morning I go out I will post it and maybe we'll hook up. If you plan on going to Bellayre again during this week post it and I'll try to go.

Erik,