whaleback, nh

after i posted , i remembered my man jimg... i knew he would get it too... jim g makes my point ryan.. i have no problem with people going out and having fun in the bumps if their idea of fun is skipping over the bumps on some and that sort of thing hot doggin thing ( try doing that though on a rock hard day, of which we get plenty of out here... u won't be doing it very long :wink: )... my beef is i don't see a lot of advocating for alpine racing technique that is not fundamental , but is more fun... i think that approach comes close to devalueing bump skiing and places alpine racing on a much higher plane... and that's because it is taken much more seriously by the industry. skipping over bumps is not good fundamental bump technique... mogul skiers have a saying.. " feel the snow "... it means striving to be on the snow all the time. contrary to what it might seem, i am not disparaging alpine racing or racers.. good racers are good skiers, there is no doubt... but good bumpers are just as good, but the industry i think kinds of looks at bumps skiing as this little freak side show left over from the 70's days of wayne wong and the orginal hotdoggers...it's evolved so much more than that , just like alpine racing technique has evovled so much more ... bode miller would destroy stein erickson in his prime...just like j bloom would wipe out wayne wong...my point is is it not unfair to expect the industry, of which we are all a part of, to look at bump skiing as the equivilent of down hill racing, in terms of skill level, technique and proficiency....and react accordingly, with terrain management polices that reflect that ....they certainly don't have a problem providing terrain for the least disciplined aspect.. jibbing....
leaving for loony-ville now...will try and get it up fri night...
 
Ok... I get a lot more of what you are going for here. I do agree with you that competetive bump skiing take every bit as much skill and talent as other forms of racing. I just personally don't get as much enjoyment out of straight zipper lines as I do out of a more free form approach. That is not to say that it is easy, it just not my style.
 
the Whaleback thing sounds sweet for freestylers and jibbers, which is
pretty much the focus of the east coast rippers. they all kill it and now
they'll have thier own little Woodward type camp or Windells type camp
right in thier back yard. sorry, i really shouldn't compare it to Windells,
but you get my point. that's rad! anxious to see how it all looks and
comes together. hopefully they'll put up a website.
 
First of all I can't believe we are talking about grooming bump runs on this site. I am a poor bump skier(I stink) and I 've skied one of those fake bump runs. Let me tell you, it gave me a false sense of security the next time I skied Wildcat's Gondi line. The only time and I mean the only time the bumps should be leveled with a normal groomer is to fill in the troughs in order to spread out the snow to prolong the opening of the trail. That mogul groomer stuff is absolute rubbish. I'd rather watch a MRG or a Cannon skier rip those bumps with unplanned jumps anyday. BTW those bump ski racers don't ski the bumps, they go right down the troughs. Actually, I think the woman skiers do a much better job of skiing the bumps. Speed isn't the reason to ski the bumps. I think my computer is going to explode due to this bump/groomer talk. Talk about dumbing down America, please, not the ski industry. I must calm myself and stare at the MRG site. Cheers, John.
 
zamboni":3raeq928 said:
First of all I can't believe we are talking about grooming bump runs on this site. I am a poor bump skier(I stink) and I 've skied one of those fake bump runs. Let me tell you, it gave me a false sense of security the next time I skied Wildcat's Gondi line. The only time and I mean the only time the bumps should be leveled with a normal groomer is to fill in the troughs in order to spread out the snow to prolong the opening of the trail. That mogul groomer stuff is absolute rubbish. I'd rather watch a MRG or a Cannon skier rip those bumps with unplanned jumps anyday. BTW those bump ski racers don't ski the bumps, they go right down the troughs. Actually, I think the woman skiers do a much better job of skiing the bumps. Speed isn't the reason to ski the bumps. I think my computer is going to explode due to this bump/groomer talk. Talk about dumbing down America, please, not the ski industry. I must calm myself and stare at the MRG site. Cheers, John.
Click to expand...

How do you feel about terrain parks and race courses? Are they fake too?
 
BTW those bump ski racers don't ski the bumps, they go right down the troughs.

Actually, I think the woman skiers do a much better job of skiing the bumps. Speed isn't the reason to ski the bumps
Click to expand...

Not to keep this thread off topic, but it kind of goes with the topic of Whaleback, since an ex-olympian bump skier is involved with that ski area.

I suggest you become more educated on mogul skiing technique, because it is all about following the zipper line, or "going right down the troughs" as you say. It will defiantely help you in becoming a better mogul skier and give you a better understanding and appreciation of what the pros are doing.

The exact same concepts are used whether you are on the WC (man or woman), or a non-competing bump enthusiast. The WCer's just happen to be a lot better at applying and executing the concepts than your average skier. As for the men vs. women on the WC, they are taught the same techniques, but the men are stonger and have quicker reflexes and can ski faster and more direct. We are already starting to see some of the girls ski faster and more direct and this will continue as time goes on (Hannah Kearney is a good example).

And as far as speed goes, the more solid the technique, the faster you can ski bumps in control. If you look at some of the mens winning WC runs, you do not see them in the back seat and failing and fighting to regain control. Now, having said that... at those speeds mistakes can happen very quickly and then it is harder to recover... but when they are keeping good shin pressure, they are still in control, even at those rediculous speeds.

cj
 
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