Off Piste Skiing Guide

Not every run is a smooth, corduroy couloir. Whether you're hitting off-piste lumps or mastering moguls that murder your knees, technique is all-important.

Ready to mix it up a bit? If you're bored with cruising the flats with the crowds, head for the mogul fields (the ones with all the bumps), the cruddy off-pistes and learn to absorb.

No matter how many times I try to force myself to fall in love with the mogul field, I somehow just can't seem to muster even a whisper of lust. Nope, the big bumps and me just don't mix. But that doesn't stop me watching those who can bounce down the bumps like coiled springs with open-mouthed envy.

It has to be said, that moguls are really designed for skiers. It's tough to tackle them with style on a snowboard (although it can be done).

On skis the trick is absorption. You want to soak up the mogul with your lower body and the technique for mopping them up is almost the opposite of what you'd do on a normal slope. Instead of extending your legs to start a turn, flex and pull your feet up underneath you. Keep pulling them up and compressing until the halfway point of the turn and then start to extend your legs back out again, keeping your upper body at the same level the whole time. It will feel odd when you practise on a flat piste, but that's the best place to start (provided it has a decent gradient). When you take it to the mogul field it will feel more natural as you compress to absorb the bumps.

Don't worry about finding a line in bumps. Instead, concentrate on learning how to pivot your skis to turn on the bump and to scrape or skid them to control your speed as you turn. Gradually you will pick up better routes and rhythms down the bumps.

If mastering moguls takes a while to come naturally, don't worry (I still avoid deep mogul fields like the plague). But a great way to build up your confidence for the bumps is to head off into boulder fields and trees, where natural obstacles force you to turn frequently. Being able to turn anywhere at any time will provide the skills and confidence to manoeuvre yourself in tight spots like chutes and couloirs as well as in monster moguls.

A BUMPY RIDE

Hitting the bumps on a board isn't quite as simple a formula. There are all sorts of ways to ride them - you can turn in the troughs or turn on the tops of the bumps or even traverse across the fall line and put in tight turns down the edge of the field. But to ride them properly, you need to get into attack mode and approach them with a bit of aggression.

Stop at the top of a bump and look at your board. The tip and the tail will be hanging in the air, totally unweighted and just asking to be turned. Begin by trying to turn on the top of a bump.

Ride up to your first bump slowly and drive your back hand forward to get in a powerful, aggressive stance. Think of your legs as springs and absorb the front and top of the bump with your knees, before extending your legs to push the tip of the board down the back of the mogul into the trough. While your lower body bounces like a spring, your head and upper body should just float along level. By soaking up the bumps with your knees and keeping your upper body still, you keep your balance and keep your vision clear. The rhythm you're looking to build up is absorb, turn, extend.

If you find it tricky to make your turns on top of the bumps, try them in the troughs instead. The moguls will force you to turn and change your line frequently, so be sure to keep looking ahead and planning. Try to plan your ride three or four turns ahead, deciding where you'll turn, where you'll slow down and how you'll keep the pace comfortable and smooth.


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