If you have been considering embarking on your very own off-piste skiing adventure, allow us to set you on the course to success. In this brief guide, we will offer a few crucial tips and tricks that should help you master the backcountry. On top of this, we will delve into what makes our off-piste trips special.
With Pure Powder, you have four decades of experience and plenty of incredible off-piste destinations at your disposal. Whether you are keen on an adventure in Canada, Europe, Chile, Iceland, and more, we have got you covered. This guide is geared towards individuals who are new to off-piste skiing and want to expand their repertoire. If you fall into this category or are simply curious, we encourage you to read on.
Four Crucial Off-Piste Skiing Tips
Let’s jump into four important tips and tricks that should help you improve your off-piste skiing skills in no time. These tips are designed specifically for those making the transition from skiing on the piste to becoming an off-piste skier.
Off-piste adventures can be difficult and certainly come with their own set of challenges, however, skiing is about enjoyment and nothing about it needs to be perfect – focus on these four tips and you should be able to cruise through the backcountry with ease!
1. Try To Remain Centred On The Skis
This is one of the most useful pieces of advice we can offer, although it can be easier said than done. Ideally, you want your weight to be in the middle of the skis with your weight evenly distributed. Try to remain constantly aware of the pressure on the base of your foot, this assists in the overall balance from toes to heel. With off-piste skiing, you won’t have as much of a firm surface to push yourself off, as the fine powder is significantly less stable.
Another fantastic way of ensuring that you remain centred on your skis is to put them in line with the angle of the slope so that they are perpendicular to the slope itself. To best achieve this, lean forward slightly, this should ensure that you stay on an even keel. If you lean back, you will find that you sink into the powder too much and this could cause you to ‘trip up’ – this happens when you fall too deep into the snow and your skis are not able to glide over the top. Of course, you will want to avoid this, so it’s a great idea to practise balancing your weight as best you can.
2. Keep Your Knees Working Together
There are two reasons why this is such useful advice. Firstly, whether you are skiing in powder or crust, skiing with your knees (and legs) working together allows you to use your skis as a single platform, which hugely enhances your balance and control on the slopes. Your skis should still be slightly apart, but you need to keep constant pressure on each ski – rather than transferring weight between skis as you would usually do on piste.
3. Keep Your Hands Forward
A great way to ensure your hands are forward, your weight is forward, and you are not sitting back is to ensure your ski poles are 5cm shorter than your usual piste skiing poles. This is a simple tip, but it can work wonders for ensuring your weight is in the right position for your powder turns.
4. Make Sure To Bend At The Ankles And Knees
This is easy to say but hard to do, but when you are initiating your powder turn you need to compress your ankles and bend your knees. This movement will give you a ‘spring’ and help you power through the powder.
Using these four tips should help you conquer the slopes when you head out on one of our off-piste skiing adventures! Some of the tricks may seem simple, but skiing is best kept simple – there is no need to overcomplicate things.
Ski Fitness Is Essential For Off-Piste Skiing Adventures
Ensuring that you are ski fit going into an off-piste trip is quite crucial as well. One of the defining differences between our off-piste and helicopter skiing excursions is that more skiing will be required to reach the peaks and start points of trails. This is the case because no helicopter is around to make these journeys easier. With that being said, there is no cause for concern if you are slightly out of practice – there are many excellent ways of ensuring that your ski fitness is where it should be.
There are two good reasons why we like to emphasise ski fitness: Firstly, the fitter you are going into the adventure, the more you will be able to do while you are out on the slopes. You will be able to do more runs, see more of the backcountry, and throw yourself into the incredible experience that is one of our tailored adventures. Secondly, an adequate level of fitness will help you avoid any unfortunate injuries during your trip. When your body is well-prepared for the task ahead, you are far less likely to become fatigued while out on the slopes – this is one of the most common causes of injury. When you are exhausted, it is a lot easier to make mistakes and miscalculations.
At Pure Powder, we are dedicated to providing our guests with all the tools they might need for an unforgettable and successful adventure, and this includes a comprehensive ski fitness programme. Created with the help of knowledgeable experts, this programme goes in-depth about some of the exercises you should stick to in the weeks leading up to an off-piste skiing trip. Craig McLean, who runs the Putney Chiropractic Centre, went above and beyond to provide us with some excellent strengthening and stretching elements that should assist you in regaining your ski legs in no time.
While these exercises are great preparation, the best way to improve your ski fitness is to go out and do some skiing. We understand that this is not possible for everyone, but if you are able, we highly recommend that you check out one of the warm-up skiing resorts before your off-piste adventure begins. By doing this, you can effectively and quickly improve your fitness levels.
Off-Piste Skiing: What To Expect
Having operated in this fantastic industry for some time now, we have helped thousands of individuals embark on some of the most remarkable skiing experiences. Our off-piste and heli skiing excursions truly are once-in-a-lifetime journeys that will undoubtedly remain at the forefront of your memory for the rest of your days.
Let’s start with the skiing itself; most of our guests have had some experience with resort skiing. However, if you are a ski enthusiast like us, you absolutely need to feel the difference that comes with deep powder skiing! It’s a magical feeling that is akin to the sensation of flying – the fine powder creates an amazing gliding sensation as you carve through it. Beyond this, you are heading out into the backcountry and blazing your own trail through untouched snow. That is a part of what makes these adventures so unique.
Some people forget that these experiences are not only about skiing – there is so much more to them that makes them unmissable. Regardless of the destination you opt for, you will be presented with some of the most unbelievable vistas in the world. Snow-capped mountains in all directions, pristine snow covering the ground as far as the eye can see, and often ideal winter conditions for off-piste skiing. We like to encourage our customers to soak it all in and take a moment to cement the picturesque surroundings to memory. Alternatively, you could bring a camera or GoPro along for the ride, which is another excellent way to capture the intense runs and miraculous views.
Lastly, there are the beautiful remote lodges that will act as your group’s base of operations throughout the adventure. We have forged many close connections with establishments all across the globe, and we are certain that these destinations will not disappoint. Enjoy a warm drink or delicious dinner after a long day of fun out on the slopes, hop into the sauna or treat yourself to a relaxing spa visit. There are plenty of Aprés ski activities to indulge in when you embark on your own off-piste skiing trip.
We hope that you have found this guide to be informative and interesting, if you have any questions or would like to begin booking an adventure – do not hesitate to get in contact with us!
