Equipment

• Boots: Feel snug when worn with winter socks yet not too tight to cut off circulation. Newer invention of soft boot is becoming more popular.
• Skis: Parabolic skis are now the standard. Length depends on ski shape, height, weight, and skill level. Generally should reach between your nose and forehead. Expect to pay $300-1000. Maintenance includes sharpening edges and waxing. Factors in waxing include snow temperature, air temperature, humidity, and snow texture.
• Poles: Can be fiberglass, Kevlar, or other materials. To measure proper length, place pole upside down while standing in normal shoes and grasp below the basket. Elbow should form 90 degrees with forearm parallel to ground. Proper grip includes placing the hand up through the loop and then rest on the loop while grabbing the grips. Poles help skier maintain balance, get up from falls, move, and make turns.

Getting Around

Skating (herringbone)

1. Form a V with the tails close together.
2. Place hands on top of poles and push behind the skis.
3. With inside edge of the left ski digging into snow, push off and slide on other ski with weight transfer to that ski.
4. Before momentum is lost, shift onto edge of right ski and push off in the same fashion as the previous push.
5. Continue skating motions while driving with both polls.

Slide step

1. Skis perpendicular to fall line resting on inside edge.
2. Move uphill ski about one foot uphill.
3. Rest weight on uphill ski and bring lower ski up beside and repeat.

Kick Turn: For stationary change of direction 180 degrees.

1. Use poles for support and balance.
2. Place weight on uphill ski (which is perpendicular to fall line).
3. Rotate hips and pick up the tip of downhill ski high enough to clear the tail.
4. Turn ski in opposite direction of the uphill ski.
5. Transfer weight to the downhill ski and swing uphill ski around to face the same direction as the other ski.

Basic Position

1. Skis parallel and about 1 foot apart. For beginners a snowplow position is recommended. For the snowplow, tips are kept together and a “V” is formed with the skis. The skier controls speed with the inside edges of the skis.
2. Arms relaxed.
3. Knees, ankles, and hips slightly bent.
4. Weight forward on balls of foot.

Turns

Snowplow (sliding) turn

1. Before the turn point slide the uphill ski into a snowplow position.
2. Place more weight on the outside (uphill) ski cutting into the snow with the inside edge.
3. Make a wide sweeping turn in the snowplow position.
4. Finish the turn by sliding the skis back parallel again.

Parallel turn

1. Sink slightly and plant pole lightly in snow on the downhill side.
2. Unweight by moving pressure from inside edges to outside (downhill) edges of skis.
3. Swing tails of skis around ending in a traverse position going the other direction.
4. Keep upper torso as still as possible.

Wedeln: Advanced form of parallel skiing in which the ankles and knees manipulate a series of rhythmic half-turns. German for wagging the tail.

Alpine competitions

1. Slalom
2. Giant Slalom
3. Downhill
4. Super Giant Slalom

Safety

• Do not ski on unmarked trails or where there is threat of avalanche.
• Do not ski alone.
• Warm-up and stretch before the first run.
• Wear proper clothing and stay warm.
• When passing others from behind call out “On your right (or left)”
• Do not cut in a lift line.