Tips for jump turns in leather boots?

[TallGrass]

Sideslipping is a good tool, but you still need a jump turn because sometimes you have to change direction.

A Jump Turn is a more advanced technique compared to Wedge/Pie Turn, Stem Christie, Parallel, or Carving, usually in that order more or less. Same for Ski Park skills (rails, jumps, boxes, etc.) where unlike the former skills, you have to get the Landing correct, especially in steep terrain.



Take a look at the PSIA SKILL LEVELS FOR ALPINE SKIERS Levels 1 thru 9. A quick <Ctrl+F> yields nothing for "jump".

Here's another with The Skiing Skill Levels (1-9 from Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert) that only uses "jump" to refer to jumps, never turns.

Anyone find anything that fits "jump turns" into a skill development progression?

FYI, if at the resort on a steep section with any powder or loose snow on it, sideslipping could scrape it off, ruining the slope for everyone after you. If you need to sideslip at the resort look for less challenging terrain. IMO

When you make a turn you speed up as your tips point downhill during the transition, and the way to decelerate back to the original "controlled" speed is by using your edges for traction, same as side slipping. I was at a resort the other day on steeper terrain, blacks or doubles with varying "tree density" and saw a variety of snow conditions. That included ski sections that were previously "scraped" down to hard snow -- didn't bother me as that's part of what makes it a black run.

IMHO, I'd say the resort and ski patrol care more about skiers getting down safe sans injury than "ruining the slope for everyone after you."

[lowangle al]

"Steep" is relative. At a certain point no other turn will get you across the fall line fast enough without picking up too much speed and losing control.

They might be an advanced turn, but like I said they are hard to master but not hard to learn. The thing about jump turns is that it's all you, all skis turn the same in the air, it has nothing to do with the snow. You can figure it out pretty quick to be able to do 1 turn at a time, and that's all you really need.

[lowangle al]

IMHO, I'd say the resort and ski patrol care more about skiers getting down safe sans injury than "ruining the slope for everyone after you."

I agree with you there for sure. I think they would also prefer people not get in over their heads on slopes they repeatedly have to sideslip on. That's why I recommended a less challenging slope if you find yourself sideslipping.

[TallGrass]

IMHO, I'd say the resort and ski patrol care more about skiers getting down safe sans injury than "ruining the slope for everyone after you."

I agree with you there for sure. I think they would also prefer people not get in over their heads on slopes they repeatedly have to sideslip on. That's why I recommended a less challenging slope if you find yourself sideslipping.

Rather than broad strokes, maybe we'll agree on this finer one: You have to endure discomfort to improve.

That means one has to challenge oneself, take steeper slopes to be able to handle steeper slopes... incrementally. Sure, there's such a thing as biting off more than one can chew (hmm... "pain" vs. discomfort?), but you still have to "keep eating and nibbling away at it."


I've run into some who look, mmm... ya know, and asked if theyre "all good?" and sometimes gotten the "my first time skiing (or "in X years")", or "my first blue run," or ... and I'll just give 'em stoke (and tips if they want). Likewise if it's too much, I'll offer how they can get off of it safely, even if that means popping bindings and booting down the side.

And I think a resort is a great place to "push it" in the sense that there are other people as well as services nearby, if needed.

I've gotten on runs I wasn't comfortable with (could be it got too steep, or too much bulletproof slab, or what ever), slipped, cut, whatever to get down, then either pick a different run, or work back up to it (e.g. it was a little much for that first "warm up run" of the day). Other times I'm side-slipping or otherwise dialing it back because I'm scouting the run because I'm not sure either where it goes (over a crest; beyond the trees) or what the snow is like, things I'd like to know before committing (my way of managing risk), rather than bombing down blind.

Generally speaking, if someone is having a harder time with a route, they're neither repeating it nor seeking out similar terrain; and all the "good snow" is had by those who got there earlier that day, or earlier that week (perk if you can ski a weekday). Those with really good chops can find their own "good snow" by going backcountry or out-of-bounds (legally or otherwise).


Funny:
Even though I'm good with Alpine, I had never ridden a "magic carpet" before. Lifts, poma, even rope tow, sure, but never a carpet. I was at a place that had one this season so asked if I could use it ("bucket list", and so I could tell others what it was like) as they had ski school signage (it was late in the day so it was fine). Bit of an adjustment getting used to your feet/skis hooking up and getting pulled up hill while the rest of your body's momentum is stationary.

Then it was yet another new-to-me when I did one in leather 3-pin boots and nordic double camber skis!

[Krummholz]

Slo-mo gif of Gamme making a turn.
One big step for man, one small jump for mankind.

What? You don’t speak Norwegian?

[Spiny Norman]

1) I need that hat Koch is wearing. But with a tassel.

2) Survival turns are ten times easier using parallel/alpine techniques.

[lowangle al]

The turns Gamme is doing in the second video are fun to do, but are optional on that slope as other turns would still work. They aren't the kind I would be doing on steep terrain. For steep terrain I would start by doing one turn at a time with the landings being more perpendicular to the fall line, so you don't pick up speed.