Understand New Insight About Mogul Terrain | Introduction

At a typical ski resort 20% of the mountain terrain is groomed and 80% of the mountain is not groomed (off-piste). However, you will typically find that 80% of the skiers are stuck in the intermediate-rut skiing on only the small 20% portion of the mountain that is groomed. The net result is that groomed runs tend to be over-crowded while mogul terrain and powder terrain tends to be empty.

Skiing on groomed runs is straight-forward and simple. Groomed runs are relatively flat and have consistent snow. There are not many decisions to make. You can turn most anywhere, and one turn is essentially the same as another. There is little need to think about the consequences of turning in one spot versus another.

The reason that most skiers are skiing on groomed terrain is that groomed runs are smooth, consistent, prepared surfaces perceived to be more friendly and safer. As a result, groomed runs often end up being over-crowded and often filled with people skiing/riding faster than their ability to remain in control. You have probably experienced a close call yourself … an out-of-control person who zoomed by you at Mach 5 just barely missing you. Been there? Experienced that?

On the other hand, most skiers typically view a mogul run as a mine field of likely doom and destruction – unsafe terrain to be avoided at all cost. If they build up enough courage explore this terrain they typically are able to make two or three turns but then slam on the brakes because they are becoming wildly out-of-control. After several attempts with the same result, they head back to the perceived safety of a groomed run. Sound familiar?

What causes this problem is a lack of understanding about mogul terrain, how mogul terrain differs from groomed runs and how you can use mogul terrain features to your advantage. Once you gain this knowledge then mogul skiing becomes an order-of-magnitude easier and much more fun than repetitively skiing down boring, over-crowded groomed corduroy runs.

Mogul Terrain Can Be Safer Than Skiing On Over-Crowded Groomed Runs

We believe that mogul and powder terrain can actually be safer than skiing on groomed runs. But learning how to ski moguls by reading and evaluating mogul terrain is like learning a new language. Once you learn what features of a mogul run to look for you begin to see the mogul run from a much different perspective, and in a much more favorable light, than you did previously.

In order to become a proficient mogul skier you must understand how mogul terrain differs from groomed run terrain, the six common terrain elements of every mogul and how a mogul run is a repeating pattern of these six mogul terrain elements. It is learning how to turn perceived complexity into simplicity. The New Insight section of the Mogul Technique Learning Center is designed to do just that.