10 degrees is too low angle. You won’t go anywhere unless you’re skiing a skin track. Shoot for 20 to 30 deg. Speed is your friend once you get a little more proficient.hokiehead wrote: ↑Thu Sep 30, 2021 6:29 am
My short term goals for this winter / spring:
1. get proficient enough at back country skiing with mild down hills (<10°?) to not wear out the patience of my friends who would be willing to go out with me.
2. Do the easier slopes (green, blue?) at CO resorts without hurting myself.
Medium term goals: skin up couloirs and ski down some of the milder slopes on Colorado's high peaks.
Are professional lessons the way to go? I'm assuming that gaining some proficiency on groomed slopes is a prerequisite to ever gong down a 14er, but maybe there's other recommendations. I'm not really interested (at least at this point) in skiing resorts -- my goal is to advance as an aspiring mountaineer.
Lapping groomers at the resort’s a great start. But firm and powder are different animals wrt technique. They don’t necessarily translate that well.
You don’t want to be in couloirs in the winter generally. Plan to skin up, ski down low angle ridges in the winter and save couloirs for the spring.
If you have friends that ski they’re a great source of unsolicited advice.
I transitioned to skiing in my mid 30s from a lifetime of snowboarding. I sucked initially but I’m decent now. Be patient with yourself. Ski as much as you can. It’ll click. Fitness and strength will flatten the learning curve.
Lessons help but I faked it until I made it without them.