Skiing Deep Powder: 8 Tips to Make it More Fun
Ahh, skiing deep powder. This is what every skier dreams about and what every resort highlights in their marketing campaigns.
But skiing powder, as you see in the movies, isn’t that easy. If you look around on a powder day you often find many beginners to intermediate skiers stuck in the deepest snow they’ve ever experienced.
Thankfully with the right knowledge, you can avoid this. So here are eight tips to make skiing in powder more fun.
8 Tips for Skiing Deep Powder
#1 Look At Where You Want to Go
Tip number one is to look at where you want to go. It’s easy to look at your skis and worry if they are floating enough. But you want to keep your eyes up and pointed down the hill at where you want to go. This will help you maintain speed which is your friend on a powder day.
#2 Have a Neutral or Semi Back Seat Stance
When skiing in powder you want to keep a neutral or semi back seat stance. I know in ski school you were taught to squish the bug between your shin and the tongue of your boot but now is not the time.
A neutral or semi back-seat stance will help keep your tips up and your skis floating on top of the powder.
#3 Maintain Your Speed
If you have ever driven a boat you know that you need a certain amount of speed to get it up on a plane. Skiing powder is no different. You want to try to maintain as much speed as can safely to get your skis higher up in the snow.
Speed can definitely be scary. But rest assured powder is soft and if you fall the impact will be softened by the deep snow.
#4 Ski the Fall Line
Make sure to ski the fall line. What is the fall line? It’s the direct line downhill from wherever you are standing. A good way to understand this is to picture yourself dropping a ball. Wherever the ball would roll that is the fall line.
Skiing the fall line helps with two things. Firstly, it helps you maintain speed as this will be the steepest part of the run. Secondly, it helps with powder preservation. If you only ski the fall line and traverse between fall lines you will leave more fresh tracks for your next lap and for your friends.
#5 Move Your Body in Unison
For tip number five move your body in unison. It is easy to turn your upper body hoping your skis will follow, but in powder that is not the case. When you turn, move your body as one.
#6 Have the Right Equipment
Having the right equipment makes a huge difference on a powder day. Wide powder skis will help you float in deep snow. Also, quality waterproof gear will keep you warm and dry letting you ski all day. You can definitely ski powder and have fun without the nicest gear, but the right gear will make it more enjoyable.
#7 Have Friends on a Powder Day
I have never been a fan of the saying “no friends on a powder day”. I prefer friends that can at least keep up. Skiing with friends makes powder more fun and also safer. They will be there to help you when you fall and grab a clip for Instagram when you stomp that cliff.
#8 Enjoy the Day
Tip number eight is to enjoy the day. There is a lot that goes into skiing from getting to the mountain to patrol making the resort safe for you to ski. When the stars align on a powder day, enjoy it. You are experiencing what the average skier dreams of. It takes a lot for these days to happen and with the current climate crisis the number of powder days we have left is limited, so make the most of it.
