Bumps and steep.

[markp]

I've been asked to give afew thoughts about expanding our carving capabilities to the next horizons. So here goes.....

Bumps are do-able in a gracefull way if you have soft round bumps, a tight radius board, 10 meters or less, and know your line. Skiers make short turns in the bumps...we have to make the same turn, except a little wider. Some suggest turning over the tops. No way. Too steep on the back side. Rather, look for the "smooth ruts" and run as wide around that line as possible. Each wide turn should meet a flat traverse, albiet a short one. Suck the rut up at the bottom of the turn/traverse and extend your legs when the bottom "falls out" to begin the next one. Maintain your carve by maintaining your conact with the snow. No air. It is soo much fun and so smooth.

Steeps....And I'm not talking extreme cliffs here. Skiers also used the jump turns on steeps in the old days. It has evolved. So should we. Start each turn by traversing up the hill every time. This is a smooth way to keep your speed in check and lengthens the radius of the turns. Initiate the turn with your weight forward and a strong lean down the hill. There's a difference between vertcle and perpendicular. We naturally want to be vertcle, but that traps us to the inside. We need to be more perpendicular to the slope. Takes guts...and feel. We need to strive for the carved turn. That's what we do!

Forget the jump turn unless it's an emergercy. The jump turn is "up" unweighting. To carve On the steep, it's impossible to make a strong move up when the slope is going down...and going down fast! Rather, use "down" unweighting. Off your slightly uphill traverse, suck your legs up underneath you as you make that strong down hill lean. This allows you to get your board onto the new edge or downhill edge very quickly, a very important key. ie.Now you're perpendicular to the hill, you have your legs coiled underneath you and you are on your downhill edge. Perfect. The rest is simple. Make a round carved turn by extending your legs in rythem with the length of the turn. The first third of the turn is the most important third. Think "round". Carve around into an uphill traverse to do it all again.

Keep the upper body quiet and the lower body loud.

"....carving where no man has carved before."