Concentrate On A Rhythm
Before the next go down, my instructor wanted me to concentrate on staying centered fore and aft, and to feel that the skis will turn without using my heels to push a turn. This is where a rhythm becomes important to creating the turns naturally from the centered position.
After several stops, remembering we were skiing in a steady snow, Jon, all the time pointing out where we were headed, discussed "Center and Pole out for the Turn" then it was "Me First". When the instructor bids you to go first, it is, in effect, a big confidence builder but it can also be a reality check, such as when a narrow section set me on my tails and down.
The reason I fell was because while I was nicely centered and was pushing on a two ski platform - as opposed to weighting my downhill ski - I wasn't staying aware of naturally occurring slows and checks that you encounter in the powder. Once you become aware of these, it's a matter of using subtle fore and aft weight shifts to rebalance and this really does become second nature.
Jon also showed me a fairly easy way to get back up on the skis after a fall in the powder. Just remember to "X" the poles and push up where they cross in the middle, this spreads your weight across the area of both poles.
Pole Plants and "Bow Arms"
The next big problem that Jon made me concentrate on was skiing "Bow Armed" - my elbows were way out from my sides, meaning my pole plants were putting me out of balance and overreaching into the next turn. Important? Yes, it added time getting into the turn which added more speed that I would then overturn to bleed off. A quick demonstration of the correct way and I could immediately see how "bow arms" can disrupt a nice rhythm.
As Jon and I looped up and down off the lift, he would have me think of each correction and to remember what it felt like when I got it right. Then, he would move to another general fault that needed tweaking, all the while leading me down steeper and deeper terrain. It was awhile before it dawned on me that we kept moving into this steeper area and this, Jon advised, was the progression that leads to all mountain powder skiing.
Confidence Begets real "Me First" Powder Skiing
Skiing with Jon in Kirkwood's legendary powder, gave me a powder experience and confidence that any eastern skier can also get by coming out here and taking a couple of good in your face on your butt lessons. Everybody falls and out in the powder it's actually fun. With the confidence you will build comes the real "Me First" skiing because, no matter where you hail from, learn to ski the powder at Kirkwood and you'll start to understand the saying - "No Friends On Powder Day."
Part 1 - On the Road to Skiing Powder
As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary lift tickets for the purpose of reviewing those services. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.
