Spring Skiing

Tips for enjoying the closing days of the season

March 2009 By Robert Gagnon

It is spring time and the sunny and smooth snow conditions are starting. Of course don’t take all your clothes off because the weather can change pretty quickly in March and April.  I have seen a fair number of last minute storms with a significant accumulation of several inches of snow.  If true spring conditions have  started at your resort, you can feel the hard pack snow in the morning and the slushy snow at the end of the day. What to do to get the best of it?

First of all, there’s no rush in the morning to be the first at the chair lift if the snow is hard and bullet proof. So it is time to go for a nice breakfast or perhaps go to the top of the mountain and take a lot of pictures.  The sunrise and all the beauty you pass by deserve the time for a photo.  Maybe an easy run which has been fresh groomed will be one of the best options for your warm up run. It is the right time to practice the exercise that you should work on and you skip all the time.

Just before mid day, let’s say around 11 o’clock it is the right time to go for a pause or for lunch if you didn’t have a proper breakfast. It is the right time cause the slopes are not soft yet and still a little bit crunchy.  Relax; the snow will have time to become softer and better.

Back on the hill with smoother conditions it is time to push the limits a little more.  Carving turns are easier to do.  The edges of your skis will cut the snow and turn with less effort.  It’s the moment to roll your ankles to pass the skis from one edge to the other without applying a lot of pressure and skidding during the turn.  If you don’t know how to do it, it’s a good time to book a lesson with the ski school and learn how to become one of those adept at leaving two perfect tracks behind their skis cruising in perfect control. This is not as easy as it looks.  You will need to practice and have a lot of mileage before you can handle this technique properly.

It’s now mid afternoon and if you still have enough energy it is the best time to go for the bumps. Oh yes! The snow is become really smooth where it was hardpack in the morning and the carving turns are just going to deep to hold well on the snow. It is the best time to go in the bumps. The snow is so soft at this time that you can turn almost anywhere in the moguls and you will experience forgiveness in most of the turn.  If you’ve never been in a bumps field before here is a great opportunity to give a try. The snow will explode the moment your ski tips hit the bumps.  You won’t need the most advanced skills to be able to link a few turns on this challenging terrain. Start with an easy bumpy slope to build some confidence and the next day you can go for bigger and steeper.

Your ski day will not be complete without a little drink outside.  If you don’t finish your escapade in the moguls too late it will be perfect to have your Après–ski outside with a warm drink or a cold beer. I recommend when the sun is still up and it is still warm outside. It’s excellent to savour this moment of a day’s accomplishments outside and to be sure to enjoy it at hundred percent put some extra clothes on or bring some with you. When you will sit you will still warm from the exercise you just did but when you will have finished your first drink things will have changed.  In other word don’t stay too long outside because you can catch a cold pretty quickly that way.

Don’t forget at spring time the sun is stronger and the sun’s ray reflect on the snow like they do on the water. The sunscreen with a FPS 15 or higher will be a minimum for skin protection. Your lips too have to be protected. Don’t forget your precious eyes, replace your goggles with a nice a pair of sunglasses. It looks maybe cool to ski without any gloves but the spring’s snow is sharp like ice and cuts like glass, your hands can be ripped or get cuts in a case of fall, use spring gloves or use your simple inner gloves.