How to Ski Powder

Use the right technique and you'll be floating over the newly laid snow instead of sinking down to your ears in the stuff.

Difficulty:

Moderately challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Downhill Ski Boots
• Downhill Ski Poles
• Downhill Skis
• Ski Clothing

1. Start in a balanced stance - place your feet shoulder width apart while slightly flexing your ankles, knees and hips down toward the snow.

2. Keep your weight evenly distributed over the center of both skis by leaning slightly forward into your boots and placing your hips directly above the center of your boots.

3. 

   Initiate a turn by steering both feet in the direction you want to turn. Keep in mind that your lower body is flexing down toward the skis, weighting your skis down into the snow through the turn.

4. 

   Plant your downhill pole in front of your body and down the hill. Your pole now becomes a target for you to turn around.

5. 

   Keep your upper body facing downhill while skiing. Your upper body will remain stable while your lower body rotates independently with each turn.

6. 

   Take weight off your skis at the end of the turn by pulling your ankles, knees and hips up. This movement will actually lift your skis to the top of the snow and make the next turn easier to perform.

7. Experiment with the length of turns - determine whether a long, medium or short turn performs best in the snow you're skiing.

8. String a number of turns together.

Tips & Warnings

• Weighting and unweighting your skis is the key in powder. This is performed by flexing and extending your lower body, and is the movement that enables a skier to float through powder.

• A common misconception is that you should lean back when skiing in powder. This will tire your legs especially quickly and will also make turning more difficult.

• Skiing is a physically demanding sport that could result in serious injury. We recommend that you seek proper training and equipment before attempting this activity.