by glatz

Created on: April 08, 2009

Mastering mogul skiing is the most difficult skiing challenge. However, if you stick with it and work on getting better, the rewards are worth the challenge.

When you first stand at the top of a mogul run there doesn't seem to be any clear path through the jumbled mess. It looks daunting and downright impossible.

Before you panic and start looking for another way down the mountain, consider how mogul fields are created. At some point the slope before you was a nice smooth ski run. The moguls formed when many skiers made their way down the slope and made turns. As the snow was pushed into piles the piles compacted and became moguls. The moguls become bigger and bigger as more skiers make turns in the same spots as the others.

When you're standing at the top of the mogul field look for the pattern. Where are the troughs of the moguls? Are the turns symetrical? Once you've identified a pattern the seemingly jumbled mess becomes a discernible and doable run. If you stick to the troughs of the moguls where previous skiers have gone, you should be able to make it through okay...right? Wrong!

If you follow the troughs you will undoubtedly gain a lot of speed quickly. You'll lose control and have to turn out of the run desperately trying to slow down and stop. So how do you control your speed when navigating moguls? The answer is to use the moguls as speed brakes.

When standing at the top of the mogul field look for a clean line through the moguls. The line doesn't need to continue all the way to the bottom of the run, in fact you shouldn't try to do too much too early. pick a line with 10 to 15 turns. Decide to make it to a certain point before stopping to re-evaluate your line.

As you drop into your chosen line, keep your upper body pointed down the fall line. Try to keep your upper body as still as possible. When you come to the first mogul, drive your tips straight into the mogul. If the mogul is too abrupt at the start, hit it off to the side.

When your skis hit the mogul and rise up, initiate your next turn. Aim your skis at the next mogul. Evaluate your speed. If you feel too fast, hit the next mogul straight on and hard. This is your speed brake. Let your legs and knees absorb the blow. Try to keep your back straight or you'll be very sore the next day.

when you come off that mogul turn into the next one. Go through the same process. The more speed you need to dump the more straight on you should hit the mogul. If you're unable to check your speed enough, turn your skis across the mountain and slide into the mogul sideways. Once you slam up against it, immediately turn into the next one. When you're just starting out you may need to do this every 3rd turn or so.

Always be looking for the next turn. Try to keep your focus at least one mogul ahead of where you are.

Beginning mogul skiers have a tendency to lean back. Avoid this tendency like the plague, it's a sure way to lose control quickly. Keep your body centered over your boots and stable. This allows the whole ski to be used in the turn. When you lean back the front of your skis lose contact with the snow. It's difficult to turn without the whole ski and you'll quickly gain too much speed and careen off your line.

Use your poles to keep your body upright and stable. Planting your poles on top of each mogul you turn on assures that your body is in the proper position for attacking.

Mogul skiing isn't easy, however the feeling of tearing through a mogul field to the hoots and hollers of other skiers is not to be missed. Put the time in and follow these suggestions and you'll be ripping in no time.

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