The Garage

Spring onto the Slopes

by Nelson Wingard

Spring 2001

 So, the end of the season is coming a little faster than most of us would like. It’s warming up, your favorite bump lines have grass growing in the troughs. That’s the easy one, the real problem is the troll in the woods who magically makes your skis stop as you come off the top of the mountain. Oh well, it was a fun season, time to hang ‘em up and go boating, right? Nope. There are things you can do to stretch the season and have a really good time skiing and riding.

 Think about it. Spring is the best time of year to ski. You can wear less clothing, adding a new freedom of movement to your arms and legs. It’s warm and you get to work on the “Goggle Tan” (true badge of a snow sport enthusiast). Better yet, it stays light till 7:00 so you can catch a late round of golf, play a game of Basketball or sit on the porch and have a beer with your ski pals.

 What do you do when there is grass and rock at the bottom of every other bump? Stay on high ground. Ski the tops and sides of the bumps. Make your turn by arcing over the bump and carving on the back. Don’t let your skis slide sideways down the bump into the trough. That side-slipping turn is what removes the snow in the first place. It also creates large, triangle shaped bumps with brutal cross troughs. Want to see something funny? Stop on the side of the run and watch how many people will make that same turn.

 They slide down the bump and get folded into their knees when they hit next bump. Listen closely and you can hear all the air rush out of their lungs. If you change your tactics that bump run is plenty skiable[1].

 If the bumps end up being more green and brown than white, well head out. Hit the backcountry. Areas less traveled will have more snow. Every skier or rider who goes down the hill pushes snow down or off the side of the run. Hit your less skied and north facing slopes. A set of skins and some alpine trekkers and you are ready to do some real damage. Be sure to take a friend and all the necessary safety equipment when venturing into unpatrolled areas.

 Now, when all your favorites are just too sketchy, then change your mode of transportation. Strap on skis, snowboards, or tele’s and hit the easier shallower pitches that still have snow. First time on a snowboard? The pitch of the beginner slope just became extreme. From a Snowboard to tele’s, you’ll love it. Be forewarned you might just like another discipline.

 As for that little bastard in the woods making your skis stop, you do have some options. Four tips: keep the base clean, waxed, structured, and wide. One of the most important aspects of spring snow is keeping the pitch, dirt, and diesel fuel off the bottom of your ski. Lots of people use base cleaner to de-goo their skis. But base cleaner also removes the deep wax that helps the ski glide. Instead, wax the ski and scrape it hot, then re-wax. This cleans the base without removing all the wax. Wax with a soft warm wax like yellow or white. However, these waxes wear off the quickest. You may want to keep buffing cloth in your pocket. When the skis starts grabbing a bit, wipe it down with the pad. The more wax the pad has in it the better. The pad will both clean off the gunk and add a bit of wax. Structure helps to hold the wax and reduces suction, allowing the ski to glide on wetter snow. Deep linear structures make the ski feel edgy or railed. The same deep structure, but more crosscut and the ski becomes loose and will wander when flat. Finally, in the words of Louie Gebenini “the deeper the slush the fatter the ski.” Fat skis are super fun in mush. Then power through and over all the junk. A clean, waxed, deep structure, fat ski keeps you gliding down the hill.

 Spring skiing is by far my favorite time of year. I’ll take a warm spring day with soft bumps and corn snow, over a cold powder day, three out of five days. It’s great having warm feet, no hat, thin pants, and a light top. The only people on the hill are into it. All the whiny people go out on their boats and leave the enthusiasts to the hill. So, don’t quit now. In the bumps modify your tactics to avoid the dirt. In chutes, try a different turn. When all the tough runs suck, change your mode of transportation and the easy runs become challenging. Regardless of the sliding tool, keep it well tuned. These things make for an awesome Spring. When it’s all done and the mountains close, check your calendar, because it is time for Race Camp at Mt. Hood. See you there.