March Moguls

Moguls. Bumps. Love or hate them, many skiers who make their way up (or down) the colors of increasing complexity will find they’re sometimes unavoidable. We all have a story or two of those moments downhill that caused us to wonder if we were in way over our heads, and an unexpected field of moguls can undoubtedly make or break a solid run for the inexperienced skier.

But fear not! We at the Peruvian know a thing or two about wrangling those pesky moguls. Allow us to impart a few quick tips to help turn you from a pup to a P-dog in no time!

Stay focused
Many skiers love the freedom of picking their downward line in whatever fashion they choose, but moguls command attention. Due to the uneven bumps and dips of the run, you have to “work” for it more. The size and pattern of the moguls will determine when you turn, where to place your poles, and how to flex your body to keep your skis on the ground and not upside down, backward, and/or sliding away from you. So stay frosty!

Aim for the top.

It’s often recommended for first-timers to make their turns at the “top” of the mogul, letting the mogul itself slow you down. As you approach it, slide into the top sideways like a hard-stopping hockey player, then pivot around the side. Faster skiers make their turns on the sides of neighboring moguls, using them as bumpers to ride against instead of platforms to pause and pivot. This method of cutting in and out helps skiers keep more momentum but raises the chances of losing control over the uneven slope as you build speed.

Pick a line and stick to it.

Finding your “flow” on a mogul field can make the downward trip much more enjoyable as well. Two things contribute to finding it: skiing smaller moguls and moguls of the same size. Smaller and more even moguls can typically be found to the side of runs because they haven’t been carved deeper yet by faster skis. Finding the least dramatic line will help create a rhythm of stopping and pivoting, allowing you to focus more on what your body is doing and less on mentally navigating fast-approaching moguls the size of VW buses.

Stay loose.

While using the moguls to “break” your speed is more manageable, it will also add more ups and downs to your route. So, let your legs make up the difference and extend or compress as needed. Simply put, you should be the smallest at the top of the mogul and tallest at the bottom, or “in the trough.” This will help your skis stay connected to the snow as much as possible, keeping yourself planted and balanced: a crucial step to prevent your downward descent from turning into a downward spiral.

Lead with your poles.

“Your upper body gets to the mogul before your skis do” is a quip shared among many advanced skiers. This is attributed to how skiers plant their poles early on the descent. Word of advice; plant early and at the mogul’s top. Then, allow yourself to flex your body around the mogul as you glide down before lifting your poles. This keeps your skis right where they should be; on the ground, giving you balance and stability over uneven terrain as you guide with your poles and steer with your body.

While April showers bring May flowers, March Moguls can bring a fun and challenging end to an excellent skiing season. There are many detailed tips and techniques out there to explore when it comes to the trickery of navigating mogul fields, not to mention doing so in a graceful or elegant manner. But practice makes progress, and we hope these tips might come in handy on your next encounter. Send it!