# what to expect in powder days (groomed runs)



## PanHandler (Dec 23, 2010)

A LOT easier and you wont be as afraid to fall because it wont hurt as bad. I say this should be the day that you push yourself to that next step, becaue itll be relitively safe of you fall


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## NWBoarder (Jan 10, 2010)

If you spend a powder day riding groomers, you're doing it all wrong. Just go find some stuff you wouldn't normally ride and go for it. The powder won't hurt you like the ice. And don't forget to keep your nose up.


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## freshy (Nov 18, 2009)

If your riding groomers there is no need to do anything different.
If your riding powder however you should set your binding back a set of inserts. This will help keep your nose up and make your back leg less tired.


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## fayewolf (Jan 3, 2011)

So they groom the groomer green/blue runs to a point where it is not soft anymore? It'll still be hard when I fall?


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## heyweswu (Jan 16, 2011)

*pow*



fayewolf said:


> So they groom the groomer green/blue runs to a point where it is not soft anymore? It'll still be hard when I fall?


groomed runs will be packed powder. it's not ice yet, assuming the temps stay cold enough, so it wont be as painful as there is some give, just not fluffy/pillow feeling like fresh ungroomed pow


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## fayewolf (Jan 3, 2011)

Ok ! So, for a beginner to experience the powder, where do I go? Obviously, black or backcountry is not an option....or is soft powder not a good thing for beginner?


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## heyweswu (Jan 16, 2011)

*pow*



fayewolf said:


> Ok ! So, for a beginner to experience the powder, where do I go? Obviously, black or backcountry is not an option....or is soft powder not a good thing for beginner?


while powder is soft to fall in, it is annoying/sometimes difficult to get out of if you fall, depending on how deep the pow is. therefore for a beginner, it may frustrate her if shes spending the day digging out of deep snow. she's most likely going to be falling a lot if it's her first day, so getting the repetitions for the feel of being on a board and beginning to turn is more beneficial i think than a soft cushion. everyone gets bruised up when they start. all the more satisfying when you get it. good luck.


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

Beginner's generally do not like powder because they are learning to link turns, and linking turns on a groomer follows a completely different method then it does on powder. In order to ride powder, you need to be able to link both frontside and backside turns, or else your just going to be falling, getting stuck, and becoming very frustrated.

When riding powder, the biggest thing to keep in mind is that it's like surfing. The more you try and stick in your edges and make short quick turns, the more your going to flail and fall. Riding powder is all about leaning back, getting enough speed and making smooth slow turns. The easiest way to experience powder in your situation, is on the side of groomed runs. What happens is that more often then not they don't groom the whole trail, so the sides will be normal powder, and the middle will be groomed. Just kick off the groomed run to get the powder, that way when you get frustrated your not stuck in the trees blowing a fuse.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

HoboMaster said:


> Beginner's generally do not like powder because they are learning to link turns, and linking turns on a groomer follows a completely different method then it does on powder. In order to ride powder, you need to be able to link both frontside and backside turns, or else your just going to be falling, getting stuck, and becoming very frustrated.
> 
> When riding powder, the biggest thing to keep in mind is that it's like surfing. The more you try and stick in your edges and make short quick turns, the more your going to flail and fall. Riding powder is all about leaning back, getting enough speed and making smooth slow turns. The easiest way to experience powder in your situation, is on the side of groomed runs. What happens is that more often then not they don't groom the whole trail, so the sides will be normal powder, and the middle will be groomed. Just kick off the groomed run to get the powder, that way when you get frustrated your not stuck in the trees blowing a fuse.


GOLDEN advice right there.:thumbsup:


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## firstx1017 (Jan 10, 2011)

Fayewolf:

We rode in our first powder today. There was a section of our run that was all powder and then the powder ended and it was groomed - threw me off balance. Here is a video of our first time in a powder section. It was fun once you got used to it. Considering we've been riding on ice this past month, this was soooooo cool! It is snowing right now and should be another powder day tomorrow morning - can't wait! I did fall a couple of times but just lost my balance and fell on my butt - no biggy.

YouTube - 2 19 11

Vicki


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

What HoboMaster said.

The shoulders of groomed runs are a good place to go. If the resort is getting only a few inches of snow then you might try some more challenging runs, but if they're getting nuked then stay away so you don't get mired.

If the resort does evening grooming and it snows overnight, then those are the best runs on which to learn because the trail is perfectly even beneath the powder and you don't have too many surprises to deal with.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

However if you are getting nuked...find steeps, so when you fall you can easily get going and you don't have to swim out.


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## hellside (Dec 28, 2008)

The powder we have in Tahoe is wet. It will suck and sink your board in depper and deeper if you don't have enough speed. It probably is going to be deep next Friday. If that is the case, it is best to stay out of it. There is a reason that nobody ride those powder you see on the side of green runs.

HoboMaster's suggestion is good. I'll add that you can try the powder by the groomer that has been cut up a little. Stay close to groomed trail, don't stay in the powder too long in the beginning, just go in and out to have a feel. Ride on top of the part that is not packed. You will get the surfing feel if the snow is deep enough. Ride the cut up pow so you don't get stuck easily or it will be easier to get out when you are stuck because the packed area will give you better support.


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## AIRider (Dec 25, 2010)

whistler got dumped last week, I went off trail, surfed deep powder for the first time, got stuck, hiked back in waist deep snow to the trail for a good hour and half ... tired for the rest of the day ... was it worth it ... totally


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## fayewolf (Jan 3, 2011)

If I stayed on the groomed runs, it shouldn't be a
prob?


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

fayewolf said:


> If I stayed on the groomed runs, it shouldn't be a
> prob?


Very funny. No snowboarder purposely avoids powder on a powder day.


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## fayewolf (Jan 3, 2011)

Thanks Snowolf. I'm thought powder is great because it's more forgiving for newbies, i didn't know it's going to require some whole new technique! I'm still going to stay along the groomers, but maybe taste a little bit and see what it feels like. I remember the first day I snowboarded, I couldn't control where I go and went onto the side and fell into powder, couldn't dig myself out!

So, even on the groomers, it'll be powdery enough that I need to weight more on my rear foot? even to initiate my toeside turn I do that?


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

firstx1017 said:


> YouTube - 2 19 11
> 
> Vicki


I like that video and how it shows discovery. "It's like you're floating!" "That is bizarre!"


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

fayewolf said:


> So, even on the groomers, it'll be powdery enough that I need to weight more on my rear foot? even to initiate my toeside turn I do that?


If it's only a few inches on groomers then you won't have to change your technique much if at all. You will still be able to feel the board bottom out on the groomed surface beneath the powder and it will feel stable.


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## hellside (Dec 28, 2008)

fayewolf said:


> Thanks Snowolf. I'm thought powder is great because it's more forgiving for newbies, i didn't know it's going to require some whole new technique! I'm still going to stay along the groomers, but maybe taste a little bit and see what it feels like. I remember the first day I snowboarded, I couldn't control where I go and went onto the side and fell into powder, couldn't dig myself out!
> 
> So, even on the groomers, it'll be powdery enough that I need to weight more on my rear foot? even to initiate my toeside turn I do that?


When you get stuck, you think it is only knee deep powder, but it becomes waist deep when you step out of bindings. This is the kind of powder you want to avoid to get stuck in. I sometimes set my bindings back and it helps.


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## firstx1017 (Jan 10, 2011)

Toecutter said:


> I like that video and how it shows discovery. "It's like you're floating!" "That is bizarre!"


Toecutter - it was bizarre. We waterski in the summers and it felt alot like that so when you commented about it being like surfing - I would gather that's the same feeling. I'm so used to feeling the ground while I've been learning, it was weird boarding and not feeling any ground beneath me - well, until I hit the groomed section! lol

Vicki


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## BliND KiNK (Feb 22, 2010)

I'm not going to lie.. the way I learned how to ride the pow... was by flying off a lip into 2 feet of the stuff.. and yeah it's weird for me... it feels like my board turns into a boat or a surfboard and I steer more with my back foot... call me bad form or call it not doing it right..

I'm not sure, but I'm not changing it's fun as shit... nothing like feeling like you are surfing on a semi solid surface


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## fayewolf (Jan 3, 2011)

firstx1017 said:


> Toecutter - it was bizarre. We waterski in the summers and it felt alot like that so when you commented about it being like surfing - I would gather that's the same feeling. I'm so used to feeling the ground while I've been learning, it was weird boarding and not feeling any ground beneath me - well, until I hit the groomed section! lol
> 
> Vicki


Vicki,

That was amazing!!! I've never waterski, so I would never know. But I surfed once, maybe that would be weird. I just hope it's not going to throw me off!!


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