spring cond. and slalom boards

[John K]

We had spring conditions in Tahoe on Friday with ice that turned to slush...... perhaps I am spoiled, but it just isn't much fun trying to lay out turns on either ice or slush....

I was thinking of going to skis when I thought that maybe a short little slalom board that would be zig zagged around might be fun.

Any thoughts on this ?? Board recommendations? Guidline for board specs?

Thanks !

JK

ps... I am 5'9", 165lbs

[tahoetrencher]

Actually, Spring conditions like these are excellent for technical carving. The trick is to follow the sun and ride the transition. Ride the NE facing slopes as soon as you can get a fingernail in. It's been 19o/52o the last few days on the So. Shore so it may not soften until 9:30-9:45a but you can ride 'til lunch! If you don't want to go over the bars in the firm stuff, just choose a GS length.

[Guest]

Ugh, I can't stand slaloming on slush. The boards just aren't long enough to float over it, nor power through it. Take a nice GS length board and you'll have a bit more luck.

[RJ-PS]

agreed

little board + slushly slope = no fun.

Go Big on those days.

[Mike T]

My two biggest boards are also my best in slush. Slush can ride like hero snow once you get used to it, especially if it's only a couple of inches over a firm under-surface.

[ar(angel]

I put the Burner (178) away on Sunday afternoon because the slush was causing me to fold the nose and it was just to unruly. Went back to the F2 (168) and ended the day happy as a clam. The Burner handled the ice better in the morning than the F2, but I acredited that to the tune of each respective board. I'm not real experienced in icy conditions, for the most part they scare the crap outta me, but I do get the opportunity to ride in soft or slushy conditions pretty often and find I prefer my shorter board. Might be my technique as well or lack there of. Take a look at the pic's I posted from my ride the other day at Shasta. The pic with me, the boy and Rob standing together was taken around 10:30 or so and I was just changing from the Burner to the F2. The later pic's with Rob and I going toeside were around 3:00pm. Can't wait for the 172 to get here to see how it strikes the balance between my two current boards.

Have fun,

Paul

[ajcannon]

I agree with Mike T - slush can be great if it isn't too slushy. I was out riding some slushy stuff a couple weekends ago on a GS board (181cm) and I was shocked at how deep a trech I could leave. You can really dig into that stuff if the conditions are right. Plus they seem to groom constantly at my local place whenever the snow is getting slushy. Have fun.

[BlueB]

I quite like slush. My Hooger 168, 20.8cm waist, soft flex, surfs that stuff like crazy. But good fun on my slalom Nidecker 156, 18cm waist, too! Press the tail in the second part of the turn and the board would jump out like a dolphin!

Keep it soft - no abrupt moves. You do not even have to try to set/controll the edge in those conditions.

Boris

[bobdea]

My two biggest boards are also my best in slush. Slush can ride like hero snow once you get used to it, especially if it's only a couple of inches over a firm under-surface.

some of my best days have been in the spring, good days to go for your speed record too

[Gleb]

a few weeks ago when we had slush, I hit my moment of zen. It was forgiving and I learned how to transition heelside to toeside turns. I was so excited. I did end up being soaked all the way through after just 4 hours of riding. My board was able to hold really well on the slush, but thats really only compared to the packed ice i'm used to riding. Hell ya for New England!!

[skategoat]

Out East, we call slush "hero snow".

[mackDan]

Its like surfing, the deeper the slush, the bigger the wave. You just have to learn how to ride it.

Bigger board = float, NO. Smoother ride maybe cause your spanning all the little bumps. I think you guys are confusing powder and slush. They are not the same, the slush is way more dense, and you don't need a big board for riding slush. You guys think a big board is the answer to everything.

A little slalom board will be great in the slush. But like anything that's not perfect groom, you are going to have to learn how to drive through it. That means a bit of practice.Yes its a lot of work pushing more snow around, but it also can be lots of fun.

Depending on where you are on the hill and how many salmon are (beginner/intermediate skiers/boarders) populating the run, I would summarize it as either a long slow turn through a big wave (slush pile), or a lot of really short quick turns back and forth across a slush ridge, or through around a slush piles.

If you need a short board to try out in the sluch, I'll loan you my scorpion 160 or my 162 hot shine.

[philw]

I like slalom boards in slush. Stick to the steeper slopes and you'll have a blast. As the previous post, it's just a question of learning how to deal with it.

It's not about float; nothing much at a resort ever is. Don't look down and you won't care where the thing is in relation ot the surface. Slushy bunps are great on a slalom board - the skiers have troubel in those conditions but the board rides, well, like a board.

I think it's a question of approach. if you think you're a "carver" and you only do long-arc locked in carves, then you won't have fun. If you'd been boarding before the concept of a "carver" was invented you'd just ride the stuff, adjusting your style to the conditions. If you did want to stick to locked-in carves then I suppose a large board might help, but I can't see why anyone would want to do that. Make the most of the conditions.

A Scorpion would indeed be a good choice if you can still find one, depending on your weight and style.

[BDZal]

The main condition here is not too stiff and not too much taper. I had a lot of fun on my Donek 175 in these conditions. These boards are perfect for slush (just ride the tail if you need to). Ride with your boots unlocked.

That rock solid ice can be fun if it is smooth and your skills and equipment are up to it. Sounds like you need a serious board though to handle that stuff (my Donek could've handled it okay if I had been better at the time, but was a little soft and twitchy for the ice; I never got a chance to try it on the BS, only patches). I don't know if you own skis, but it seems like skis that excel at ice conditions won't be good for slush because they need to be stiff in the middle (race skis/very high-performance carving skis).