Stories That Honor the Magic of Free Skiing

[SkiJay]

There’s been some chatter lately about tournament scores being the only legitimate way to measure our skiing, and I agree to the extent that tournament scores are the most challenging measure we have. But skiing is a big sport, way too big to be boiled down to nothing more than who can achieve what in a slalom course. How do you measure or compare the soulfulness of a long pleasure ski down a beautiful mountain lake? Some ski “performances” defy comparison. Do you have a free skiing story that transcends scorekeeping?

 

We’ve just returned from a Houseboat trip on beautiful Shuswap Lake in British Columbia’s Rocky Mountains. There are a couple of floating courses on the lake, but we don’t go to the Shuwap to chase over-inflated balls in a bowed course. The real draw is going out for long lazy skis on the morning and evening glass in pristine mountain water and genuine pine-fresh forest air. By “long and lazy,” I mean endurance runs of 50 to 150 easy narrow turns while playing with the natural swing of the rope at 35 off. It’s so different from course skiing that it’s almost a completely different sport. Comparing course skiing to free skiing seems like comparing AMA Superbike racing to touring on a Harley bagger. One’s not better or worse than the other just because one produces a score for bragging rights.

 

Anyway, on our last morning, my wife jumped into the 196 to take me for the final free ski of the trip, and never thought to look at the gas gauge. When I finally skied the boat out of gas, it settled into a nice silent pan of the scenery (with our houseboat reduced to a little white spec way off on the distant horizon). My wife and I had a nice long quiet-time in the ski boat together (after a short debate over who’s responsibility it is to look at the gas gage) while we waited for my daughter to figure out that we weren’t coming back. She eventually came to find us with the houseboat, but we all loved that there was no rush to leave this beautiful spot just to get back to the city.

 

I thought I’d share the video, not because my skiing is anything special (cause it’s not), nor to publicly humiliate my wife and favorite boat driver EVER for running out of gas (well maybe a little), but to share with my fellow ballers around the world, the rugged beauty of skiing in the Canadian Rockies. I love chasing balls in a course, and am blessed to have access to two world class courses year round. But there’s just something special about getting out on a big beautiful lake for a long swerve like this. It strikes a chord deep within. For me, it’s one of those special enchanting moments in life that highlight just how lucky we are to be here … even if there’s no score to show for it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB0dVrSKb38

-- GoPro Hero2 on Wakeye

[GOODESkier]

Been there, but never had the chance to ski. BEAUTIFUL LAKE! Similar to skiing down the Columbia River turn after turn after turn...........

[allycat]

looks like a real nice spot .thats basicaly the sking i do (without the house boat)

[DooSPX]

I completely agree @SkiJay. Nothing compares to a nice run down the river surrounded by mountains where I'm from in WV. Beautiful place in that video BTW!

[Bulldog]

@skijay we do the same thing every June in Osoyoos! We pull the kids out of school early and enjoy the glass without the crowds. On year when my son was three after a set he decided to go "Fishing" with my new handle (It had two sets on it - my birthday is in June) and he let go and it sank. At the time I was not happy but five years later it is still a running joke in our family. There is nothing like early morning glass in BC.

[SkiJay]

@Bulldog Osoyoos! That's where I had my first, one and only ski as a little kid! That beautiful little lake is hallowed ground to me! Nowhere feels more like summer holidays than Osoyoos.

[estrom]

Brilliant plan by the way of draining the gas tank the night before so that the boat conveniently runs out of gas a long ways away from anyone else leaving you two alone!

 

[SkiJay]

@estrom Ha! IT crossed my mind while we were bobbing around out there ... until my wife spiked the mood by pointing out that my daughter happened to have her boyfriend on the houseboat with her, and didn't seem to be in much of a rush to come rescue us. If anyone drained some gas, it was probably HIM! Grrrrrrr ... =)

[rockdog]

Love it @skijay. The missus is as straight as an arrow too! Sunglasses even shows the taking it easy approach.

[Porkfight]

Beautiful lake!

 

Realistically, this is what skiing is to me, my family, and my ski buddies. The only buoy I rounded this year said "No Wake" on it.

 

My favorite trips have been late season house boating excursions to big lakes like Powell and Mead, where we take a boat load of people out and everybody gets a 10-15 minute set on whatever board, ski, or skis are on the boat.

 

I got pretty frustrated on my Senate-C during my last day trip to Elsinore as the water started getting a bit choppy, so I switched to our new Freeride which I hadn't ridden since June. The imaginary buoys disappeared and it ended up being the most fun I'd had on the water all summer.

 

Some coworkers and I are going to Lake Mead in a few weeks and we were hoping to get a portable course before then. We are pretty competitive and none have skied a course yet, so it will be ridiculous fun if we can make it happen.

[aspski]

I wish this vid still worked. Love seeing shots from shuswap. Can't wait to get back there next summer

[MarcusBrown]

Here's the latest Freeski trip on FlowPoint TV....another one coming sometime in the near future as well!

 

[LkSamm196]

Like skiing Powder vs. slalom gates.

[Deke]

My wife and I talk about this all of the time. Skiing the course is only part of the whole experience.

 

Powell trips always bring out those soul skiing moments. Early morning or at sunset, after the last run just lingering among the rugged scenery before returning to camp is the best.

 

That said, we get at least one long free ski at our home lake every weekend that ends the same way. Just the quiet and surrounded by all of the beauty (but with a full tank of gas!).

 

 

[Bruce_Butterfield]

@MarcusBrown - VERY COOL. Keep it up:)

[sunvalleylaw]

Free-ski stories. Some highlights.

 

Youth: in my early days in my friends' boats, running out of gas after a day of skiing off the beach in Puget Sound and trying to paddle against the tide (with your waterskis) before the tide pulls you to Olympia. After an awesome day using the two six gallon cans you brought in the outboard. Jumping yacht wakes in the tri-hull glastron. Draining water out of the boat by unplugging the plug inside the boat while the boat is up on plane and letting the water run out. Switching out gas cans while under way while the outboard continues with the gas in the line. Endless runs trying to make the biggest spray and get the lowest to the water.

 

Getting our own family Glastron, and right away hauling it all the way down to Lake Tahoe, and skiing over that clear water looking at house sized rocks way down below you that look like they are going to be right under the surface. Watching Dad get out there and have a pull on the glassy clear water. Seeing the old hippy dude in his rubber Zodiac headed to the nude beach that is apparently near where your family set up for the day, he standing behind a console driving with his "depth finder" flapping in the wind. (ACK!)

 

Young adult:

Houseboat trips at Shasta, out of Silverthorne. First with family (got to catch a Suyderhoud show one night), then with my wife's crazy Chiropractor friends from their school in Sunnyvale, some local, some from afar. Storming the beaches like houseboat pirates, Patron, mixer, limes and chair in hand, delivering Upside Down Margaritas to unsuspecting other houseboaters camped on the beach. Beach fires, bears, then ripping the glass to chase away the night in the morning. Wild times, fun skiing. First time I fell in love with a Malibu wake.

 

@SkiJay , yes, long endurance runs. Trying to copy what I see on tv and videotape, and using the natural swing, for me, of 28' off.

 

More recently, and after kids, camping at Mountain Lakes (Including Redfish Lake, site of eclipse totality, Idaho), skiing back into the far basin below the rock giants dressed with skirts (or kilts) of green.

 

 

Now with a better boat.

 

 

 

Skiing with your brothers and friends out at Hood Canal and Puget Sound in general on flat water with sea lions, eagles, and sometimes . . . beer.

 

 

 

Best yet, getting your kids into it with a nice DD boat, some decent wetsuits, and some decent ski gear. Your kid wanting to watch and copy Terry Winter videos, (and you, but you tell him to watch Terry). Your daughter getting up on skis for the first time after only wakeboarding before, and volunteering for morning missions, even when there is still snow on the ground, and snow runoff pouring into the lake.

 

 

 

I am really, really enjoying making some progress in the course, but will always value our freeski time. Hoping to put together a family trip either to Powell or back down to Shasta. We have done Shasta, may have to do Powell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tjm]

@skijay I'm sure the video is great, but it comes up as private and won't let me in. Anyways, nice narrative!

[6balls]

Our 13.5 foot Switzer had black vinyls seats...I remember how hot they'd get but on a real humid day we'd all be drenched in sweat and slipping around on those things. After each skier was done everyone would bail into the water to cool off. Funny how that tiny boat never felt tiny to us. We became really good at throwing skis to each other across the water after the skier jumped into the water, and rodeo-style throwing them the handle (we were Wally's!)

 

We had a rule that you couldn't get back in the boat unless you fell...a real fall because you were pushing it so hard that you finally pushed too far; entertaining! Sometimes we would get so tired that there was just no way to make one more cut; so we skied in our barefoot suits and when we were out of personal gas we would step out and go as long as we could.

 

Then we'd grab a coke and putt over to Indian Joe's jumping rock. People would be standing up there trying to muster a jump. We'd climb up and Jim would throw a gainer, I'd do a back-flip and Joe would do a front one and a half. People thought we were nuts.

[sunvalleylaw]

@6balls , there is a good "Jump Off" rock at Redfish where we often ski. Way back in that basin at the base of the mountains in that first pic in my post above. It was a bit less of a jump this year as the lake was so full. But still a lot of fun to get your inner Mountain Dew going.

[epnault]

Dang it, I can't get the video to work. Great story though!

[wilecoyote]

I've got an 84 supra Rider at the cottage and no course. I ski every day at the McClintoks behind a Natique 200. I absolutely love both. I get the early morning glass at the cottage and it's magic. There's another skier on the lake who wants us to put on a course, but I have no desire to bother. There's nothing like making turn after turn in perfect glass

[kingshredd]

Always enjoy getting some Free Turns at our cabin on Philbrook Lake in Nor. Cal. The skiing season is short because it turns to mud in about 3 months, but the sunsets never get old.

[SkiJay]

My Daughter just sent me this short little clip she did from this summer's houseboat trip. We were out for an evening ski on beautiful Shuswap Lake in BC, Canada. My form certainly isn't the highlight here, but that's kind of the point and the beauty of free skiing—no buoys, no judges, no scores and nobody cares. Just swerving down the lake until your body gives out. I wish I could do this for hours.

 

https://youtu.be/BWG5IopEfNg

[B_S]

@skibrain my wife and I have a similar situation. Most of the time, between work, travel, and 4 young kids, we just have to sneak in a quick ski when we can. Usually 30 minutes from walking out the back door to walking back in. Here's a couple of shots my 9 year old daughter took on Thursday evening, right after I returned from the airport from of business trip. Nice way to relieve the stress of travel!

[braindamage]

That video is AWESONE!!

 

I grew up on a lake that didn't allow a course. In high school and college my friends and I would pile into my boat in the evening (they would have it gassed, blower on, lowered into the water, cooler full of beer so after getting off work I would literally turn off my car, put on my suit, and have the boat in gear in about 3 mins).

 

We would ski until 30(ish) mins after sunset, trying to make the biggest spray, get our elbows closest to the water, and ski the longest. We didn't know anything about form, it was all just trial and error.

 

Then we'djust hang out on the boat drinking beer until it was dark. Then we'd slow motor home and go out to beach parties...repeat.

 

Now I get up at 0-dark 30 to ski and head out with my 18 yr old son and a couple of great guys who are form technical insistent. I have learned more from them this season than all 40-some years of skiing.

 

Other than that my DD Malibu spends more motor hours doing Margarita sunset cruises with my wife. That never gets old!!

[mopowpow]

Miss our days on Clear Lake, lots of fun with good friends. The best sunset cruises and dawn patrol slalom at farmer's beach (before the wake barges show up). When I first started going to Clear Lake over 35 years ago, there was a slalom course tucked in next to the reeds at farmer's beach. I also remember cows would be in the water cooling off, we would try to spray them with our skis.

 

[6balls]

@mopowpow my family vacationed for years on clear lake at the "triple links" set of cottages...10 kids in our family I'm the last...I was there as a toddler only so would have finished up in the mid 1970's. My uncle lost his leg and later his life to malignant melanoma. If I remember right they had 6 kids under the age of 10 and we had 10 kids of our own. My parents took 16 kids to Clear Lake that year while initial treatment for the cancer took place.

The next year my dad got up on two skis with his arms wrapped around my uncle on one ski (as he has just one leg) and got him up on slalom. Many tears. My Old Man was first class...and is involved in a pile of free skiing stories in our family.

[LanceHCook]

My dad bought this Bayliner Runaway when I was in 6th grade. The engine got upgraded in +-1984 to a 90 horse form the original 75 horse. I always thought dad had bought it for himself, but after all those years of him pulling me skiing and me and my buddies using it, I get it that it was for me. The boat still lives and is my ward, but gets skied less as the 2015 TXi gets all the pulls in and out of the course. I will always love free skiing out in front of the neighbor's cabins up and down our public lake. Our season in Fairbanks is short, but my uncles and aunts still ski 1-4 times a year, though dad is more content to sit in the boat or work the grill.

[JAG]

So many great memories come from free skiing.

 

the golden light that hits the lake at 6am

the mist slowly rising off the 80F water

the sound of a small block Chevy at 3600 rpm, at the far end of the lake

waiting for it to come around the island to see your buddy throwing down huge spray

the people out on their porches for early morning coffee, watching........

[mopowpow]

@6balls, you wouldn't recognize Clear Lake today. Most of the old cabins have been torn down and replaced with large houses. There are still a few cabins on the south shore at PM park and Baptist camp, but not many are rented anymore. They were doing a great job of improving the water quality about the time we sold our place.

[6balls]

@mopowpow we transitioned to a set of cabins on a lake in north-central Wisconsin for 20 years that followed and made many more free-skiing memories. Our family took up all 6 beachfront cabins and a number of chalet units behind. Volleyball, tennis, beach, doughnuts, frozen snickers, playing cards and lots and lots of boat gas. I went back some years later...no more resorts, no more cabins, just huge homes.

[mopowpow]

@6balls, that sounds like my high school vacations on 10 Mile Lake in Minnesota. My sister & husband had a mid-late 60s Correct Craft Mustang. I was taught how to slalom by a guy called Swaney, I think his name was John Swanberg or something like that.