Powder skiing is a

recreational activity Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for happiness, enjoyment, amusement, ...

that involves

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International S ...

ungroomed trails located inside of

avalanche control Avalanche control or avalanche defense activities reduce the hazard avalanches pose to human life, activity, and property.

or ski patrol boundaries.

History

In the Rocky Mountain Range of the

Western United States The Western United States (also called the American West, the Western States, the Far West, the Western territories, and the West) is List of regions of the United States, census regions United States Census Bureau. As American settlement i ...

, powder skiing is a common term used among expert skiers.

Alf Engen Alf Marinius Engen (May 15, 1909–July 20, 1997) was a Norwegian-American skier. He set several ski jumping world records during the 1930s and helped establish numerous ski areas in the Western United States. Engen is best known for his ski ...

, an early contributor to constructing 27 ski resorts in the Rocky Mountain Range, is regarded as the pioneer of powder skiing. The skiing public at Alta Ski Resort first started in the 1940s. Powder skiing and general skiing techniques, such as the Alberg technique, can be categorized by the

fall line A fall line (or fall zone) is the area where an upland region and a coastal plain meet and is noticeable especially the place rivers cross it, with resulting rapids or waterfalls. The uplands are relatively hard crystalline basement rock, and the ...

Technique

The powder skiing technique is a broad term with a wide range of sub-techniques. Powder skiing requires having equal balance from side to side to stay upright.

Alpine

Alpine skiing Alpine skiing, or downhill skiing, is the pastime of sliding down snow-covered slopes on skis with fixed-heel Ski binding, bindings, unlike other types of skiing (Cross-country skiing, cross-country, Telemark skiing, Telemark, or ski jumping) ...

techniques, used on groomed trails, can be modified for skiing in

powder snow Classifications of snow describe and categorize the attributes of snow-generating weather events, including the individual crystals both in the air and on the ground, and the deposited snow pack as it changes over time. Snow can be classified ...

by lifting skis to create "float." Accepted good forms include having knees bent and leaning backward into the ski boots. While turning, the thigh and hip areas of a powder skier's legs act as

shock absorbers A shock absorber or damper is a mechanical or hydraulic device designed to absorb and damp shock impulses. It does this by converting the kinetic energy of the shock into another form of energy (typically heat) which is then dissipated. Most sho ...

. Each shock-absorbing turn in powder creates a rebound by pushing on the

snow Snow consists of individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes. It consists of frozen crystalline water througho ...

to slow down and releasing that force to speed up. This type of momentum control is the opposite of wide turns and cutting into the snow. Turning the skis in powder decreases speed and is also an opportunity to change the direction that the skis are pointing down the mountain.

Tip and Turn

Using the Tip and Turn technique, one is less likely to get injured. Begin by bouncing rhythmically in the snow while maintaining a straight

trajectory A trajectory or flight path is the path that an object with mass in motion follows through space as a function of time. In classical mechanics, a trajectory is defined by Hamiltonian mechanics via canonical coordinates; hence, a complete tra ...

. This bouncing causes one's leg muscles to flex and extend subconsciously. During the extension phase, the skis are pushed into the snow while they rise to the surface during flexion. Then they turn by raising one foot and tilting it towards the outer edge of the ski while keeping one's legs pressed together, and they repeat the process. Leaning back in powder to maintain momentum and bring ski tips to the surface in deep snow can lead to discomfort. Shaped skis with wide front ends make the skis rise to the surface so that the skier does not have to lean back.

Dipsy Doodle

The Dipsy Doodle is a technique that was developed in the late 1940s. The "Dipsy Doodle" involves following the fall line and lifting each ski one at a time repeatedly, thus establishing float. The Dipsy Doodle is a trick maneuver popularized years ago by U.S. Olympian

Dick Durrance Richard Henry Durrance (October 23, 1914 – June 13, 2004) was a 17-time national championship alpine ski racer and one of the first Americans to compete successfully against Europeans. Durrance was born in Tarpon Springs, Florida, and m ...

. It has become a Wedeln (tail-wagging) exercise for many skiers.

Equipment

Modern powder ski construction is evolving with changes in optimal weight and durability. Powder skis use a design with wide tips and shorter tail lengths. Powder skis typically feature wide tips, ranging from 140 to 155 millimeters. The tails are slightly more tapered, often within a 125- to 140-millimeter range. This design helps powder skis remain

buoyant Buoyancy (), or upthrust, is the force exerted by a fluid opposing the weight of a partially or fully immersed object (which may be also be a parcel of fluid). In a column of fluid, pressure increases with depth as a result of the weight of t ...

in snow. The contours and proportions of a ski's tip, waist, and tail can vary among models.

References

{{Reflist Wikipedia Student Program Types of skiing