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kona

By kona
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Brady Mentor

Brady

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@Kona I live 11 minutes from snowbird and I will water ski til December. Nothing beats telling people I just got done skiing in November or december. They ask, "how was it?" My answer, "glass!" They then have a confused look on their face. You all go ahead and snow ski....less boats on the water and more glass for me!!
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kona Proficient

kona

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its not about which is better or giving up one or the other. This time of year I get excited to bust out the skis.

I never said I was done water skiing for the year. I will ski until the lake freezes or until the lake is out of water this year. we typically try to water ski around Christmas eve and then in the spring we spend the morning in the mountains and then hit the lake during the afternoon so we get both in the same day.

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Mortyski Enthusiast

Mortyski

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I do both. I enjoy snow skiing more since there is more variety...(powder, crud, groomers, DH,SG,GS,SL, steep, flats etc) and more freedom as you can do it by yourself if you have to or with a bunch of family and friends which is of course better.

 

You can also snow ski all day long and water skiing two sets of 6 passes or so is all I can do on water.

 

Having said that I have more respect for water skiing...you have to have an amazing combination of strength, technique and athletic ability. Water skiing is also more technical, I would say the fin and binding tuning is more important than wax...if you miss the wax you can still win but if your ski set up is really out you are in trouble

 

What has been quite a treat is snow skiing in China....there are actually 3 credible ski hills within 3 hours of Beijing. I have been to almost 100 different areas around the world snow skiing so I can say the hills near Beijing are credible with some authority.

 

You can't beat Utah on a snow day though. You guys at SLC have it made. (I'm from Calgary when I am not in Beijing)

 

Despite my love for running gates...powder is still the best!

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jipster43 Mentor

jipster43

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I feel the same as @scotchipman . I'd gladly give up my proximity to the mountain to gain year round water. We could spend Christmas breaks visiting Grandma to get our snow fix. I love snow skiing and had some of my best days ever last year, but I'm consumed with waterskiing - even though, or probably because, I'm far more inept at it.
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kona Proficient

kona

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@jipster43 @scotchipman The beauty of living in utah is I dont need to choose one or the other. I can have both although not year around. In the early 90's i did 2 years of straight winter skiing by leaving Utah and going to New Zeland for their winter. I realized then that I never wanted to live somewhere where it is winter year around and on the flip side I spend a couple weeks of winter every year in Hawaii. When I am there I miss my winter skiing. I am passionate about both but could never give one up for the other.
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oldjeep Grand Master

oldjeep

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@KM - apparently what is old is new again. The old Nordica Grand Prix R boots that I raced in 20 years ago had an injectable silicone liner. Most comfortable race boots I've ever had. Good to see that someone is going back to that type of system.

 

Although reading a little more, it doesn't look like their gel flows like the old nordica system - it hardens like the old dynafit stuff.

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gator1 Proficient

gator1

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@km, @nason, Somebody else on this thread said "youre not a skier if you don't.....". In my book, you're not a skier if you don't love the bumps. Never met a bump skier who couldn't rip the rest of the mountain. Met plenty of skiers who look good in the trees or pow or in the course, but come apart in the bumps.

 

Bumps are like water skiing the course. Seems like the general populace shies away from it. Its hard.

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eleeski Grand Master

eleeski

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"I'M THE BEST SKIER ON THE MOUNTAIN!" GNAR...

 

@Nason Your Harts don't rock the bumps as well as my Goodes -and you know it!

 

However with my hip issues I may have to get a weird setup. My hurt hip needs a light Goode ski while my good leg needs the fantastic edging of the Head race ski. Those Look bindings are the doctor's recommendation. So next year's setup: Look Goode Head!

 

Eric

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jipster43 Mentor

jipster43

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I always say you're not a real skier if you're busy worrying about what the other skiers are doing! The best skier is the one having the most fun.

 

@gator1 I have a pal who was a top ranked bump skier back in the 80's who, when confronted with an epic powder day exclaimed, "I'm going home. No bumps!"

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jimbrake Mentor

jimbrake

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@gator1 - I was the one that said "you're not a skier if..." and you are right - I should've added bumps in there. A real skier doesn't shy away from bumps when the hill is skied out. @Nason absolutely rips in the bumps. I also agree with you that accomplished bump skiers generally rip everywhere on the mountain. That is until they are on hard, unbumped snow. Then they tend to slide around with their feet glued together wishing they were in the bumps. Agree with @RAL, the race course is more like slalom waterskiing - especially GS.
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cobber Contributor

cobber

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@AKShortline, that is on my bucket list, mountain riding, I have 10 thousand plus miles of trail riding but have never did any mountain riding, I have heard that it is a ton of work but a ton of fun and guys that do it say there is nothing better. Where are you riding in that picture?
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gator1 Proficient

gator1

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@ral, @jimbrake: To each his own. But I'm addicted to bumps like I'm addicted to buoys, while gates fail to grip. Kind of remind me of a tournament. Lots of standing around for a little bit of thrill time. I know, camaraderie, challenge, test yourself against others, measure your improvement, meet new friends, technical excellence measured and analyzed, blahda blahda, so I know I'm "different". Good news is its usually me and a couple of kids on 4 face (and maybe one boarder who whishes he wasn't there), while the racers are standing in line at the bottom of 1 face. Viva la difference!!

 

@jipster43: Ya, I know. But, if there are two lakes both 15 minutes away, one has glass, one has 2 inch rifflechop, but the "rough" one has a course and the glass doesn't, where are you going? Me too. And, like your buddy, if there is only the glass lake, with no course, the odds are I'm home racking up some brownie points while practicing my drunk mowing skills. Well, don't know your buddy, so don't know how he feels about competitive drunk rider mowing. My point is I bet your buddy could rip pow.

 

Here's another one: Powder is like smoking dope. It is easy to do, and feels really good (and now they are both legal here in the wonderful state of WA). Bumps are like world class hula dancing. Hard to learn, and very few people know or care.

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xrated Proficient

xrated

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@AKShortline way to hit it!!!

 

@cobber as a former flat land trail rider don't go out west. You will HATE every minute of it....and the second it is over you will want more!!! 3 trips from MN to the hills so far and each time I get better but I still reach a point of hate because I can't do what I want. And by the time I get back to MN I want to go again.

 

It will ruin trail riding for you, but don't worry if you look there are always places to play in the flat lands that don't involve trails.

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Fine409 Collaborator

Fine409

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@xrated can't agree with you more...a handful of trips out to Montana/Idaho from Minnesota and I am ruined forever...

 

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn189/dtm8119/IMG_1615_zps7a3dc1d6.jpg

 

Just got to be prepared for the occasional stucks like this @cobber

 

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn189/dtm8119/IMG_1599_zpsec2f3e48.jpg

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cobber Contributor

cobber

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@xrated I know exactly what you are saying, it would be humbling and addicting like water-skiing. And all though it would be very frustrating you would want to go back as much as possible. I would hate to have that happen!! It could be another expensive addiction!! I think I am going to have to give it try. You are right there is always a place for us flat landers to play off trails, powder and the occasional water to skip! Loads of fun no matter where we ride.
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xrated Proficient

xrated

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@dtm8119 nice man! I usually have the most stucks and the most embarrasing stucks. Guess that's what happens when your out west buds live for riding the mountains and have been doing it for years.

 

Still fun though and I love taking what I have learned and playing in the swamps of MN.

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Rpc29 Collaborator

Rpc29

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I just found out I'm moving to Utah at the end of the month. Would love to meet up with some of you guys and ski (both varieties). I'll bring gas and I drive pretty alright @mattp and @webbdawg99 can vouch for me! Looking forward to making some turns!
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JohnN Enthusiast

JohnN

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yeah, they pulled the plows out for hail in Denver as well... just not the same as snow. But, we generally start mid-Oct so snow or snow-making temps are likely coming soon to CO. It's been an incredibly warm and nice September, but from here on out you can almost feel the water cooling each day.
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