Adapting to Diverse Conditions in the Practice of Snow Sports
November 11, 2009 by Byron Jonas
Filed under Destinations
Snow sports are incredibly fun and entertaining, though they can also be incredibly physically demanding! The pros in skiing and snowboarding are people in incredibly good physical shape, and although you may not be focused on achieving their level of performance you will want to make sure that you are in form to tackle the slopes.
No matter which snow sport you are going to practice, you will want to make sure you are in relatively good physical condition to take on the activity. However, the physical demands will vary depending on the kind of snow conditions that you are faced with, which is why it?s important to understand the implications of each.
Most snow sports fanatics will agree (though not all of them necessarily) that their favorite kind of snow is virgin powder?or ?white gold? as some have been known to call it. Powder skiing or boarding demands that you be very agile from the hip down, more so than with other snow conditions. As it is difficult to detect bumps and gulleys beneath the snow, you need to become one big shock absorber. Quite the challenge indeed, but also perfectly addictive!
Quite unlike powder, there is a distinctly “rough” feel to man-made snow. It is much easier to compact and therefore the risk of sliding and slipping on stretches of man-made snow is higher than on other surfaces.
A major risk is presented where the snow (man-made or not) has become iced over. These areas are perfect for creating accidents, as people lose control and gain speed very rapidly. It?s important to remember not to panic on ice patches and to employ maneuvers that will help you reduce speed quickly.
In a category of their own with special physical challenges and demands, spring snow conditions tend to be more like “soup” or “sludge” as avid snow sports lovers tend to put it. You will feel like you are much heavier in the snow, and movements will require you to exert yourself more than would be the case in more wintry conditions. Of course, the bonus is that you get to hit the slopes in your shorts and t-shirt!
One issue that needs to be considered very seriously is whether or not to leave the tended skiing trails to venture beyond the markers/flags out into the “wild” snow fields. The depth of the snow may be a treacherous detail, not to mention the risk of people getting lost or causing avalanches.
Finally, if you are going to be doing some tree skiing, be sure that you have practiced your braking skills over and over again to perfection! Tree skiing is relatively more dangerous than regular trail skiing and you may need to come to abrupt stops without warning. Tree skiing is therefore very physically demanding, and requires you to control your speed and take it easier than you would otherwise do on an open, long trail.
If you’ve brought kids along on your skiing or snowboarding vacation, let them get a little training in from an instructor before riding on any sort of slopes. And lastly, bear in mind that you should never assume others are experts at the sport (similar to when driving a car on the road), and should be extremely cautious when skiing or snowboarding along side others.
Whenever Byron Jonas enjoys skiing Japan, he has a lodge which he invariably stays at for snow accommodation Japan Its called The Hooting Owl Lodge.