I Just Took My First Bump Lesson ... This Is Why You Should, Too

[Monique]

Bold, offensive, attack works pretty well in mellow places like Jane.

Wait - that's mellow?

 

[KingGrump]

Wait - that's mellow?

Yup. Really sweet stuff. Good cruising bumps. Never in a hurry with them.

C'mon down to Taos. I'll show you some bumps that will rock your world. In a good way of course.

 

[SBrown]

Just don't like the word "Attack."
Way too much aggression for my old age.
Even for a direct line, I like the word "Flow". "Attack" brings up the image I normally associated with "Splash".

And "splat."

 

[Monique]

Yup. Really sweet stuff. Good cruising bumps. Never in a hurry with them.

C'mon down to Taos. I'll show you some bumps that will rock your world. In a good way of course.

I'm thinking mebbe I should work on figuring out the Jane bumps first ....

The bumps I deal with at Breck have much wider, shallower troughs, and the troughs don't seem to go quite so directly down the fall line. I remember the Jane bumps (it's been a while) as being kind of ... spiky?

That being said, my impression of bumps has a lot to do with my confidence in the moment - maybe more so than objective reality. But still.

 

[KingGrump]

The Jane bumps are more zipper line bumps. You can still ski them the nice and smooth way without much impact.

The Taos bumps are more steep big mountain bumps much like the ones you can find on KT west face. Much larger and longer (down the hill). Great for a smooth and gentle approach. They are actually easier for most skiers to do. Yeah, they are bigger, but there are less of them.

As I always tell people. Bumps are your friend. Don't be afraid of them. Get to know them. Bumps are some of the nicest people around. Some of my best friends are bumps. C'mon down to Taos and I'll introduce you some of my favorites. Guarantee you'll like them.

 

[Monique]

The Taos bumps are more steep big mountain bumps much like the ones you can find on KT west face. Much larger and longer (down the hill). Great for a smooth and gentle approach. They are actually easier for most skiers to do. Yeah, they are bigger, but there are less of them.

I can't compare to KT anything, but it seems like we're saying the same thing. Funny - in my previous post, I was thinking of saying that I felt like Breck bumps were cut more by "big mountain" style skiing than by bump skiers. But then I thought that sounded kind of ... grandiose or something. But the lines around them just feel more rounded - more like tree skiing. I still struggle some days.

I still consider bumps my biggest weakness, and I'd be happy for tips!

 

[KingGrump]

Bumpfreaq mentioned it couple years back while he spent the season at Taos. I like steeps so Taos bumps are what I am used to. To me bumps are bumps. Don't really think that much about them until he mention it. Then we hung out at WP/MJ for a month in '15/'16. There are some differences but not enough to bother me. I just ski them the Taos way. It did intrigued me enough that I'm currently working on a low impact zipper line routine. Got most of it figured out at W/B last season. More to do at Taos this coming season.

Taos ski school teaches a very low impact method of bump skiing. More technique/tactic than physicality. It's all about lines, tactic and pace. One of the bench mark is Al's top to bottom (1,800 vertical), nonstop, and no sucking air when we hit White Feather at the bottom. IIRC, @mdf did pretty good on that one the last time he was there. I can tell you, old age makes it easier.

Remind me to do the Triple Five, Fifty on Kachina Peak with you when you get down to Taos.

 

[mdf]

I didn't make it quite non-stop, but close.
I do like to do zipper line on occasion though, on moderate angle bumps. Like Ramrod at A-Basin.
Not the whole run, or even part of every run, but once in awhile to change things up.

Done properly, (recreational) zipper line is about rhythm and absorb/extend, not impact.

The other bump technique I like is "what bumps?". Ignore them and ski GS turns till they get too big. (Many bump runs start out small at the top and don't get serious till quite a ways into them. I like to see how long I can go till my first "mogul turn.")

 

[Monique]

Taos ski school teaches a very low impact method of bump skiing. More technique/tactic than physicality. It's all about lines, tactic and pace. One of the bench mark is Al's top to bottom (1,800 vertical), nonstop, and no sucking air when we hit White Feather at the bottom. IIRC, @mdf did pretty good on that one the last time he was there. I can tell you, old age makes it easier.

Remind me to do the Triple Five, Fifty on Kachina Peak with you when you get down to Taos.

Whatever that is sounds ... something.

I doubt I've done 1800 straight, but when my instructor "forces" me to ski much farther than I normally would without stopping - suddenly I am skiing much more slowly, in control, and better. Not on purpose. It just happens. I guess I don't have the "out" of going too fast and then braking hard. It's crazy how brains work.

The other bump technique I like is "what bumps?". Ignore them and ski GS turns till they get too big. (Many bump runs start out small at the top and don't get serious till quite a ways into them. I like to see how long I can go till my first "mogul turn.")

I've skied with instructors who can do that in some pretty crazy bumps. Follow them, and it's like the bumps aren't even there. You wonder why you never chose this obvious line, and vow to follow the same line the next time you're on the run. So you return to the run ... and the line has vanished! Bumps as far as the eye can see!

When I can see that line and ski that line, I will have arrived. I don't know where I'll have arrived, but I'll definitely be somewhere different than I am right now.

 

[KingGrump]

suddenly I am skiing much more slowly, in control, and better. Not on purpose. It just happens.

Finding that peace within.

It's easier with age. The beast within leaves town along with athleticism and physicality.

 

[crgildart]

Taos ski school teaches a very low impact method of bump skiing. More technique/tactic than physicality. It's all about lines, tactic and pace. One of the bench mark is Al's top to bottom (1,800 vertical), nonstop, and no sucking air when we hit White Feather at the bottom. .

Maybe we should start calling you KingBUMP!

 

[KingGrump]

Old age has its benefits.

 

[jack97]

I've skied with instructors who can do that in some pretty crazy bumps. Follow them, and it's like the bumps aren't even there. You wonder why you never chose this obvious line, and vow to follow the same line the next time you're on the run. So you return to the run ... and the line has vanished! Bumps as far as the eye can see!

When I can see that line and ski that line, I will have arrived. I don't know where I'll have arrived, but I'll definitely be somewhere different than I am right now.

I work in a field where failures are the most valued lessons, so I'm not afraid to fail. That said, experiment on the approaches or angles to the bump and vary the release points around the apex (of the bump).

Too many times I see good bumps skiers just ski one line. When a "money line" is there on the field I will ski it for a while but purposely change over to another just to work on new angles and get the feel of another set of bumps in this new line. In addition, I will go to other ski resorts since it has different fall lines and the bump formation differs. Seeing and feeling more variety will open up those lines...imo.

 

[crgildart]

Too many times I see good bumps skiers just ski one line. When a "money line" is there on the field I will ski it for a while but purposely change over to another just to work on new angles and get the feel of another set of bumps in this new line. In addition, I will go to other ski resorts since it has different fall lines and the bump formation differs. Seeing and feeling more variety will open up those lines...imo.

I no longer have the strength and endurance to stay in the money like cranking out tight turns for more than about 3-500 feet of vert so I pop out and crank wider turns around double bump lines for a few to pace myself then drop back in. It's good to be able to pretty much ski anywhere you want whittling a little left or right drift along the way rather than being stuck in the same rut set all the way down.

 

[KingGrump]

Speaking of my first bump lesson - I had couple that stuck to my mind.
I know most are asking - WTFH, there can only be one first.
Bear with me and it'll be clear.

About 15 years ago, I took a Taos ski week with my two brother-in-laws. We were assigned to one of the senior instructors named Brian. Brian is a slender but tall dude from NZ. All arms and legs. Kind of spastic looking.

We were the hot shots. Or so we thought. He took us out to ski Blitz. Blitz is a very standard Taos black bump run. Which meant steep and huge bumps. We all stood there and watched Brian do his demo by skiing down the bumps towards West Basin. A sense of confusion washed over me as I watch him skied down the bumps. Took me a while to figure out the disconnect. His skiing did not match the terrain I see underneath his skis. Like that comerical with a DH skier going down the streets of SF with the aid of CGI. My mind was totally confused. If I can somehow defocus my eye and not see the bumps underneath his skis, I would swear he was skiing on a groomer. There were no impact. No abrupt flexing of the leg for absorption and extension. All the motions that I normally associated with bump skiing was not there. His skis just swept from side to side. Somehow never falling into the voids among the bumps. Took me a while to reconcile what he was doing with my concept of bump skiing.

Since then I have done more than two hand fulls of ski weeks with Brian. Free skied with him probably more than a hundred days. I'm getting closer. Still working on it.

Couple seasons ago, I had the pleasure of spending a day skiing with Blake Saunders at Mary Jane. Wow, what a smooth zipper line guy. He can vary his intensity and speed along the zipper line with amazing authority and control. Truly an awesome skier. I can feel some of it rubbing off. The imagery still vivid in my mind. Worked on some of it last season at W/B. Feels like it will gel more the coming season in Taos. Another work in progress.

I have attached a clip of Blake skiing for inspiration.

 

[jack97]

I think my latest reply about mixing things up got placed out of context. It still relates to skiing a direct line but going any from the money line and finding a line to put myself out of the comfort zone. That way I will feel and see new approaches to different bump formation. Below, Smart talks about "attack" angles (maybe that's why I think you have to attack the bumps), the approach to the bump. Like other sports, the optimum angle of attack is dependent on what you want to do.

 

[Viking9]

You were right the first time Jack.
When you get going this year ( after a couple warm up runs ) pull up to the start of your favorite bump run , adjust your goggles and let out a deep breath say to to yourself " I don't care what grump thinks I'm going Viking9 style and I'm going to ATTACK these bumps and beat the livi'n shit out of them.
I will be right there with you in spirit.
I am getting so excited about skiing this year !!!

 

[crgildart]

As I always tell people. Bumps are your friend. Don't be afraid of them. Get to know them. Bumps are some of the nicest people around. Some of my best friends are bumps. C'mon down to Taos and I'll introduce you some of my favorites. Guarantee you'll like them.

I once heard some drunk guy on the lift tell some little kid old that moguls were toddlers kids that fell and got buried before they could get back up

 

[KingGrump]

I don't care what grump thinks I'm going Viking9 style and I'm going to ATTACK these bumps and beat the livi'n shit out of them.

Man, you guys are so violent.

I do have to admit, a good set of zipper line bumps is whole lot of fun.

 

[Mendieta]

Man, you guys are so violent.

I do have to admit, a good set of zipper line bumps is whole lot of fun.

This reminds me of my last day of skiing this season, mid July in Squaw. Last day for them. WROD, only one run open, and near the top of the run there was a steep and narrow but fairly short section. It got bumped up in one hour, and two hours down the road the bumps were soft but considerable. Really really warm.

Because people kept coming through the morning, at some point I realized that I was only 1/3 through, and I could only straight-line it, with people on both sides. My first impulse, muscle memory I guess, was to back seat to a fall. But I thought: "not today". So, I pulled myself forward, and went for it. I remembered all the advice here to stay centered , relax and flex at the top. I went through! I felt soooo happy. Next run I did the same but I crashed at the exit, at a slushy flat that got really sticky, and called it a day. But it was so awesome. And unthinkable before I ... took my first bump lesson