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Tree Skiing - A Beginner's Guide

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  • Tree Skiing - A Beginner's Guide

    I thought it might be helpful to start a thread for a beginner's guide to tree skiing. If you have some tips, lessons learned or other information you want to share to help someone safely get started tree skiing, post that here. Getting started with tree skiing can be intimidating for many and making mistakes can have big consequences.
    In pursuit of Peace, Harmony and Flow.....
    Think Like a Mountain

    Boards ridden, some owned: Sherpas, Spruce 120 "STS", Blunts, DS110 custom prototypes, Rockered Condors, Revolts, DLPs, Summit Custom 110s, Summit Marauders, Head 94s, Raptor prototypes, Osprey prototypes.

  • #2
    Boards:
    2016 Spruce tuned Head Jr. Caddys - 131cm
    2013 Spruce "CTS" 120s
    2010 Spruce "Yellow/Red" 120s
    2018 Spruce "CTS" Crossbows - 115cm
    2016 RVL8 Spliffs - 109cm
    2008 RVL8 Revolt "City" - 105cm
    2017 RVL8 Sticky Icky Icky - 104cm
    2011 Defiance Blades - 101cm

    Comment


    • #3
      When we are out West my kids are tree skiing junkies. Here are some serious tips from several years of skiing with them and other riders of all different skill levels:

      TIP #1: NEVER ski the glades alone. If you fall in the middle of a well traveled open groomed slope someone will stop to help you. If you fall/get hurt alone in the trees you may never get help. So ski with buddy.

      TIP #2: Play Leapfrog. If all the skiers of a group are in motion at the same time it creates a risk that you run into each other or ski away from a fallen skier. If you are leapfrogging each other with frequent starts/stops and stay within voice contact you ski safer.

      TIP #3: Think ahead. You should be looking 2-3 turns ahead and planning your line. If you are reacting and not planning you are going too fast or on slope that is too steep for your skills. Planning ahead also prevents you from skiing off a cliff.

      TIP #4: Ski with an Escape Route. The best way to learn tree skiing is to ski the woods on the edge of a groomed run so you can pop out onto that run if you get uncomfortable with the trees/terrain or if you have trouble keeping pace with your skiing partners. My kids do this all the time.
      Boards:
      2016 Spruce tuned Head Jr. Caddys - 131cm
      2013 Spruce "CTS" 120s
      2010 Spruce "Yellow/Red" 120s
      2018 Spruce "CTS" Crossbows - 115cm
      2016 RVL8 Spliffs - 109cm
      2008 RVL8 Revolt "City" - 105cm
      2017 RVL8 Sticky Icky Icky - 104cm
      2011 Defiance Blades - 101cm

      Comment


      • #4
        Speed control is the key for me.

        I do like how the trees often plot your path for you and I seem to makes better turns in the trees because I have no choice.
        Just these, nothing else !

        Comment


        • #5
          The Secret to Tree Skiing - short article with some general tips on skiing trees safely and how to get started - http://www.skinet.com/skiing/how-to/...to-tree-skiing

          10 Tree Skiing Truths - http://www.skinet.com/skiing/how-to/...-skiing-truths; favorite one: Truth #8: "The father of glading was Réal Boulanger of Mont Sutton, Quebec. His philosophy: Cut a few trees that are in the way, let people ski it for a season, then cut every tree with blood on it."

          Getting the Guts to Ski the Trees - http://blog.liftopia.com/guts-ski-trees/; not a lot of tips but a nice short story about one guy's journey into the woods

          Tree Skiing Tips - there are some specific references to a resort in this short article, but some general good tips starting about half-way down the page: http://www.powderhorn.com/blog/powderhorn-tree-skiing

          8 Tips for Safe Tree Skiing - http://skiing.about.com/od/downhills...skiingtips.htm; favorite advice by region: In the East and Midwest, the glades are lower and thicker, so don't ski with your pole straps on as they can easily get caught on branches. In the West the big issue tree skiing in the deep snow country is tree wells.

          Tips from Smuggler's Notch - http://www.smuggs.com/pages/universa...skiing-glades/
          In pursuit of Peace, Harmony and Flow.....
          Think Like a Mountain

          Boards ridden, some owned: Sherpas, Spruce 120 "STS", Blunts, DS110 custom prototypes, Rockered Condors, Revolts, DLPs, Summit Custom 110s, Summit Marauders, Head 94s, Raptor prototypes, Osprey prototypes.

          Comment


          • #6
            https://youtu.be/2umlwHaDMl8
            In pursuit of Peace, Harmony and Flow.....
            Think Like a Mountain

            Boards ridden, some owned: Sherpas, Spruce 120 "STS", Blunts, DS110 custom prototypes, Rockered Condors, Revolts, DLPs, Summit Custom 110s, Summit Marauders, Head 94s, Raptor prototypes, Osprey prototypes.

            Comment


            • #7
              Maybe not like this....

              https://youtu.be/iwiBMpc82_c
              In pursuit of Peace, Harmony and Flow.....
              Think Like a Mountain

              Boards ridden, some owned: Sherpas, Spruce 120 "STS", Blunts, DS110 custom prototypes, Rockered Condors, Revolts, DLPs, Summit Custom 110s, Summit Marauders, Head 94s, Raptor prototypes, Osprey prototypes.

              Comment


              • #8
                How to Ski the Trees - advice from a Heavenly instructor - http://welove2ski.com/ski-technique-how-to-ski-trees; video:

                https://youtu.be/R2y0eGI2bAM
                In pursuit of Peace, Harmony and Flow.....
                Think Like a Mountain

                Boards ridden, some owned: Sherpas, Spruce 120 "STS", Blunts, DS110 custom prototypes, Rockered Condors, Revolts, DLPs, Summit Custom 110s, Summit Marauders, Head 94s, Raptor prototypes, Osprey prototypes.

                Comment


                • #9
                  How to Escape a Tree Well

                  Hopefully you never need this, but...

                  http://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Tree-Well-when-Skiing
                  In pursuit of Peace, Harmony and Flow.....
                  Think Like a Mountain

                  Boards ridden, some owned: Sherpas, Spruce 120 "STS", Blunts, DS110 custom prototypes, Rockered Condors, Revolts, DLPs, Summit Custom 110s, Summit Marauders, Head 94s, Raptor prototypes, Osprey prototypes.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Bluewing View Post
                    Hopefully you never need this, but...

                    http://www.wikihow.com/Escape-a-Tree-Well-when-Skiing
                    Ski Patrol did an exercise where trained experts took it in turns to try to extricate themselves from a tree well. Even with the knowledge that they had help if needed, only one of the ten got out! Lesson, don't get stuck in the first place.
                    Just these, nothing else !

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      The key to tree skiing is......skiboards [emoji3]
                      Just these, nothing else !

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        The key to tree skiing is get Jjue to teach you😊
                        Crossbow (go to dream board)
                        Most everything else over time.
                        Go Android

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Bad Wolf View Post
                          The key to tree skiing is......skiboards [emoji3]
                          I was going to say full-face helmet.
                          171cm/190lbs
                          Current Favorites:
                          RVL8 Yin/Yang Blunts, Spruce Sherpas (x2) & Ospreys, Coda custom Yetis v1 140
                          Spruce Pro Primes w/Attack 13's (x 4), Bomber Elite 1
                          Other boards I'm trying:
                          Summit Custom Carbon 110, Dynastar Twin 85, Coda custom Yetis v2 145

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Look where you want to go. Your eyes should stay on the gaps between the trees. You will tend to move in the direction you are focusing on, so staring at that tree you are trying to will work against you. At the same time, try to be aware of low branches to avoid.

                            Particularly in powder, avoid getting too close to the bases of trees. Tree wells aren't fun to climb out of and can kill.
                            I do it because I can.
                            I can because I want to.
                            I want to because you said I couldn't.

                            "The butterflies in my stomach have flown up through my throat and learned to love the open air." - World/Inferno

                            Spruce Sherpas with Prime Pros
                            '08 KTPs

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                            • #15
                              When I ski trees, I evaluate the snow in two ways. Can I stop or slow down when I need to and can I turn when I have to. If the conditions allow me to do both, I'm good to go. You will encounter all kinds of conditions in trees. The conditions may not allow you to stop or turn easily. The boards also may not be the best to allow speed control and turns. Carefully evaluate these two things when you enter the trees. That for me is the key to having a good time or just surviving the run.
                              Now: 08 Sherpa's (2), Atomic 120's, 2013 125 Protos, 125 LEs, 2014 Sherpas, Osprey protos, 2015 Blunt XL's, 2016 Ospreys, Ethan Too twintip skis,2017 Shredfest One of kind Spliffs, 2018 Crossbows
                              Bindings: Spruce Risers and Tyrolia LD12's
                              Boots: Full Tilt Booters, Tecnica Agent 110
                              History: Atomic shorty's, Sporten, Groove Taxis, Head 94's, ALPs, Spruce 120 Blue boards, Custom Lacroixs, Rocker Condors, 08 Summit 110's, Hagan offlimits 133's, Rossi 130's, 2011 Summit Marauders

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