Skiing

III

Skiing Fundamentals

The easiest and safest way to learn to ski is by taking lessons. Virtually every ski resort offers instruction. The American Teaching System, a synthesis of the best techniques from several countries, is recognized worldwide as the leading teaching method and is the basis for all ski schools in the United States.

A

Alpine Techniques

The basic technique for beginning Alpine skiers is the snowplow, or wedge. The snowplow enables skiers to make turns, control their speed, and stop. It is done by placing the tips of the skis together and the tails apart, creating a wedge shape, and then pushing down on the inside edges of the skis. To turn, the skier shifts body weight from one ski to the other while keeping the skis in the wedge shape. Traveling across the width of a slope is called traversing. Beginning skiers learn how to turn, then traverse, then turn the other direction. As they gain skill, they gradually bring the tails of their skis closer together until they are parallel, and they traverse a narrower area and link their turns. Most advanced skiers hold their skis a few inches apart in a parallel position, giving them the flexibility to shift their weight quickly from ski to ski.

Some other techniques used in Alpine skiing include stem turns (pushing one ski out to the side in a small wedge), step turns (stepping onto the turning ski), and sideslipping (sliding down the mountain sideways). Up unweighting and down unweighting (lifting up and sinking down on the skis) are used to facilitate turns, especially in deep or heavy snow. In their extreme form, these become jump turns: Skiers jump into the air, turn their skis, and then sink back down into the snow. This advanced maneuver is often used on extremely steep, narrow terrain where no other technique will work. Some Alpine skiers engage in freestyle skiing. Freestyle for recreational skiers generally involves jumps off of natural bumps on the hill, a motion called catching air, and skiing moguls. Moguls are the bumps that appear on a slope after many skiers make turns, pushing the snow into mounds.

B

Nordic Techniques

The basic technique used in cross-country skiing is the diagonal stride, or classical technique, which is similar to walking on skis: Skiers slide one foot forward and then the other. They use their poles to propel themselves forward, pushing with their right pole as they slide their left ski forward, and then pushing with their left pole as they slide the right ski, gradually adding speed and gliding between steps. The skating stride or freestyle technique borrows the motions of speed skating. With the skis held at an angle, tips pointed outward, the skier pushes forward off the inside of each ski edge in alternation, using both poles at once.

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In climbing hills, a skier puts the skis in the position of the skating stride, but instead walks up the hill. This is called the herringbone for the pattern of tracks it leaves in the snow. On steep hills, skiers can also sidestep, placing their skis perpendicular to the fall line (the quickest path down the hill) and stepping uphill.

Downhill turning techniques used in Nordic skiing include the snowplow, the step turn, and the parallel turn, executed in a similar manner to Alpine skiing. Cross-country skiers can also use the telemark turn, in which the turning ski is placed slightly in front of the other ski and the opposite knee is bent deeply as the skier slides around the turn.

C

Ski Safety

Safety is very important to all skiers, and all Alpine resorts have a ski patrol. The ski patrol’s responsibility is to take care of injured skiers, to mark hazardous spots on trails, to make sure that trails are in good condition before opening them, and, at times, to act as traffic police in congested areas. Skiers are also responsible for taking their own safety into consideration, as well as that of others. Anyone who participates in the sport should be aware of the Skier’s Responsibility Code, which outlines rules of proper conduct and assures a high level of safety for everyone taking part in the sport. This code is posted at all ski resorts.

Another way that skiers can act responsibly is by understanding trail designations and staying on trails that suit their level of expertise. The signs most commonly used to designate trail difficulty in the United States are green circles for easy slopes, blue squares for intermediate runs, and black diamonds for difficult trails. Double black diamonds are sometimes used to designate especially difficult terrain.

IV

Equipment

Alpine skis vary in construction, but they all have a hard plastic top surface, a polyethylene running surface, and steel edges. They are composed of a core material, either foam or wood, with layers of fiberglass and sometimes metal.

Ski length is determined by a number of variables, including a skier’s height, weight, and ability. The taller and heavier the skier, the longer the ski. Beginners generally use shorter skis for easier maneuvering. Ski lengths for adults range from about 150 to 210 cm (about 5 to 7 ft).

One of the newer innovations in Alpine ski design is the so-called shaped ski, also known as the cut, super sidecut, parabolic, or hourglass ski. The name comes from the ski’s shape: a wide tip, a narrow waist, and a wide tail. Whereas traditional skis are wide at the tip and tail and slightly narrower through their middle, shaped skis have greater variation in width. These skis are specifically designed to make it easier to carve a turn. Although they were originally designed for beginning and intermediate skiers, many advanced skiers and racers have begun using shaped skis as well. Shaped skis are typically 8 to 15 cm (3 to 6 in) shorter than traditional skis.

There are several variations on Alpine ski equipment. One is the monoski, which is a single, wide board. Another popular piece of equipment is the skiboard, which is also called the mini-ski. Skiboards are only about 60 cm (24 in) long. Because of their short length, they allow skiers great maneuverability on the slopes. A more recent innovation is the ski bike, which combines cycling and skiing. The ski bike has handlebars and a seat, just like a bicycle, but it has boards instead of wheels. Riders wear short skis on their feet to help steer. Snow scoots are similar to ski bikes, but they have no seat, and riders secure their feet in footstraps. Riders steer by leaning back and forth to put pressure on the edges of the board.

Cross-country skis are narrower and lighter weight than Alpine skis, and construction is similar to Alpine skis but omits the metal edges. Skating skis range in length from about 170 to 190 cm (about 5 ft 7 in to 6 ft 3 in) for adults. Compact skis, which make learning easy, are about 150 cm long. Touring, or diagonal-stride, skis range in length from about 160 to 210 cm (about 5 ft 3 in to 7 ft).

Wax applied to the middle part of the ski base helps Nordic skiers glide. Some Nordic skis are dubbed waxless. They have scales on the base that perform the function of wax. Skating skis do not require wax at all. Alpine skiers also use wax, especially in racing events, to increase speed.

Telemark skis resemble cross-country skis but have metal edges. They are the equipment of choice for backcountry skiers, who may do some climbing. Strips of material fastened to the bottom of each ski allow the ski to slide when pushed forward but prevent it from slipping backward. Special wax also makes climbing easier.

Alpine boots are made of hard plastic with an inside liner that provides warmth and a snug fit. The boots attach to the skis by means of toe and heel bindings, which are screwed into the skis. Alpine bindings are designed to release the boot from the ski in the event of a fall, thus reducing the chance of injury. Poles are usually made of aluminum and are used for balance and for timing turns. Newer models are made of composites and are thinner and lighter than traditional poles. A small plastic basket at the end of each pole prevents the pole from sinking into the snow.

Nordic boots are usually made of leather, and they resemble a shoe or hiking boot with an extended toepiece to fit into the bindings. Telemark boots resemble sturdy hiking boots. Nordic and telemark bindings attach only the toe of the boot to the ski, leaving the heel free to move up and down. Strips on the binding that match grooves in the boot help keep the boot from slipping off to one side of the ski.

Poles are more important in cross-country skiing than in Alpine skiing, since they are used for propulsion as well as balance. Most recreational poles are made of aluminum; higher-end racing poles are made of lightweight composites. Cross-country poles are longer than Alpine poles. For diagonal striding, skiers usually use poles that come up to the armpit; those for the skating stride reach somewhere between the chin and nose.

Ski clothing is designed to keep the skier warm and dry. The best way to dress for Alpine skiing is in layers: The underlayer carries moisture away from the skin and adds warmth, the second layer insulates, and the outer layer resists water and wind. Cross-country skiers follow the same principles in dressing, but their clothing is not as heavy because they generate more body heat by moving continuously. Many Alpine skiers wear helmets specially designed for the sport. Goggles are important in providing good visibility when weather is bad. When the weather is good, goggles can also help protect the eyes from the glare of the sun on the snow.

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