Skiing In Powder

Skiing In Powder

By Jason Morgan

Publication Date: February 1996

For skiers who have learned how to ski in the mid-east, skiing out west adds an interesting twist to skiing. The consistency of the snow out west is much different from man-made snow in the East. The snow is much lighter weight and much easier to turn in. Many skiers that start in small resort areas and travel on vacation to the larger western resorts have problems adjusting to this different type of snow. Powder is especially hard to ski. Many skiers who have skied nothing but ice and hard-packed snow can not ski in powder at all. They make one or two turns and end up on their butts.

What should a Kentucky skier do if he or she encounters powder out west? Fat skis are the ski industries answer to this question. Fat skis were developed to give more stability and to be more forgiving for skiers not used to skiing in powder. A fat ski is almost twice as wide as a regular ski and has a very wide tip on it. This type of ski almost floats on the powder making turning much easier than with a regular ski. Why should the average skier or mid-eastern skier not be able to enjoy waist deep, champagne powder like the locals who live in these small ski towns. These people ski 150 days out of the year unlike you weekend warriors who ski about 20 to 30 days a year.

Powder snow is a rare occurrence. One could go on vacation out west every year for ten years and never see snow deep enough to be considered powder snow! Sure four or five inches fall and everybody gets very excited, but 24 to 36 inches of snowfall is a whole different story. When snowfall like this happens, fat skies can really help a skier enjoy themselves without wearing down. That smile a skier has when he/she is flying down the mountain at mach 7 can not be imitated...Skier against mountain and Mother Nature!

Fat skies can be rented at almost any western resort for about $25 to $30 a day. Snow cats are provided to take powder skiers into the back country for the deep, deep stuff. Helicopter skiing is another means of travel to search for that pure lightweight powder.

Skiing is a personal sport that is very intimate to each skier. The one thing we all have in common is the love for the snow and the adventure of skiing. Ski as many places and different types of terrain and snow conditions as possible. Don't be satisfied skiing on ice and ground slopes. Powder is much more fun!