How to Ski Moguls

When skiing a mogul, it's important to remember two important principles: Retraction and Extension. Retraction involves pulling your skis and legs up under you. This is similar to the technique used by an airplane to take off and land. Extension, on the other hand, is the process of rapidly extending your skis and legs again as you descend into the trough behind the mogul. Remember to keep your head level and keep your upper body quiet while retraction and extension occurs.

Retraction is Pulling Legs and Skis up Under You

Keeping your legs and skis under you is essential when skiing moguls. It's the opposite of inclination and angulation, where you are putting your weight on your forearms and elbows to edge your skis. In this method, you are pulling your skis up under you, pulling your legs and skis together and balancing your body over your midfoot.

While it is tempting to focus on the troughs at the top of a mogul, you should also be aware of the side walls. The sides of the mogul are more likely to feature bumps, which will help you manage your speed better.

Extension Is Quickly Extending Legs Again as You Drop Into the Trough Behind the Mogul

While skiing, you should try to keep your legs extended and flexed during the turns to absorb the bumps. When you start a turn, flex your legs to stand tall and push your skis up the bump. As you finish the turn, quickly extend your legs again to push your skis into the trough between the bumps. While skiing, remember to keep your head level and take frequent breaths.

Centre Rut Line Is the Best Option

Whether you're a beginner or an advanced skier, the centre rut line is the best option to ski the moguls. This line has a wide approach angle, resulting in a soft landing and a smoother bump run. Skiing on this line requires a high level of technical ability and the ability to change directions rapidly.

Moguls are formed when a lot of people are skiing the same slope. As they ski, each skier pushes snow into the ruts made by other skiers. This creates a trough in the snow, and other skiers slide into this trough. The deeper the trough, the bigger the mogul. This effect is compounded by skidding turns. As a result, moguls become increasingly big and steeper at the top of the slope.

Options for Skiing Moguls

If you're a first-time skier or an experienced pro, there are several different options for skiing moguls. Beginner skiers should use the inside wall line because of its gradual speed control. This line allows the skier to slide down the side of the mogul, while advanced skiers can use the centre rut line to increase their speed. You will get better at skiing moguls over time.

Moguls are formed when a skier turns over a bumpy slope. The bumps in the snow are proportional to the turn radius of the skier. When skiing downhill, the skier's preference for turning downhill causes the bumps to realign. When this happens, the moguls form a classic checkerboard pattern.

Using the Neighboring Mogul's Uphill Side as a Turn

The backside of a mogul can be difficult to turn. It is easier to turn using the uphill side, where the terrain is softer. To make this type of turn, you extend your upper body downhill toward the turn, while keeping your back and sides perpendicular to the slope. This turns can be difficult to master, so learn to control your movements and stay perpendicular to individual moguls.

Once you get a hang of skiing this style, try practicing on moguls with your friends or at home. Moguls are not easy to master, so don't expect to master it overnight. However, once you've mastered the fundamentals of the technique, you'll be able to try out some more complicated tricks, including dolphin turns and frog hops.