The NH AMC had our annual Telemark clinic. After last year’s terrifying crowds at Loon, we moved to Cannon Mountain this year. It was all man made snow, but wasn’t too icy. There were even some natural snow flurries. The problem was that the ski area was madly making snow to get ready for the holiday week. Large sections of the mid mountain were complete white out. Keith tried teaching bumps just above the whiteout. That fell apart as soon as we lost sight of our feet. We lost Ted and Sarah on the opposite side of one trail. When I accidentally skied off a whale under a snow gun, I felt my skis getting light before I had any clue I was going airborne. Keith resorted to teaching survival tactics. When all you can see is white, extend your poles and drag them on the ground to give a sense of balance and motion. We shifted to the lower mountain where we could see, and it wasn’t bitter cold.

That evening, Tyson and I went out for a solstice hike on Artists Bluff. It was ~0F, but we had dressed in plenty of layers. The trees all sparkled from the fresh snowflakes earlier in the day.

A few technical notes from the clinic

Teaching

When teaching a diverse group, find an issue common to all of them, and then teach a progression for that issue. Some people will only get to the first few steps. Other people will be more advanced and connect with the later lessons.

Demo more and talk less. Way over exaggerate the demos. Keith even loosens his boots so he can flex them extra to show more motion. Also, when demoing (or watching a student), you can see different things when watching a skier from the front vs the back.

Old school & Beginner tactics

Keith isn’t a stickler for the official PSIA form. Tyson noted he is much more in favor of whatever works. Thus for beginners and folks on light gear, he encouraged easier techniques. Techniques that would be considered bad habits in more advanced skiers.

• stepped turn or stem turn rather than pivoting. However, make sure to put even weight on both skis.
• sinking into/applying more pressure at the end of the turn. This bleeds a lot of speed at the end of the turn in a stable position. Tends to make J shaped turns.

More advanced analysis

Playing with the lead change:

• If you move the feet fast together, then slow apart -> this pulls the front ski back. It works well in bumps and skidded turns.
• A delayed lead change (the opposite) -> this moves the back ski forward relative to CG and makes a carving turn.

When skiing turns, observe when your skis are flat to the snow. Play around with advancing or retarding that.

I noted that Keith pushes his back ski forward and around his other foot at the start of his turns. This gets him the rotary motion needed to initiate a turn.

Photos