Bump Skiing

What

Bumps or moguls are undulations in the snow created by multiple skiers making short radius turns on the same piece of terrain, usually in soft off-piste terrain.

Why

Being able to ski bumps allows a skier to negotiate high traffic areas off piste where bumps naturally form. Once a skier is able to ski the bumps with control it becomes a fun athletic challenge and skiers will seek out bigger and steeper bump runs to further challenge their skills.

How

There are different line options when skiing bumps. Firstly, there is a pivoted or skidded line. This is where the skier steers their skis across the fall line on top of the bump and slides down the back of the bump. Secondly, there is a round steered line. This is where the skier travels around the berm of the bump, like a bobsled, and steers their skis across the face of the next bump to line up the following berm. Thirdly, there is a direct line. This is where the skier travels directly from one bump to the next, relying on the face of the bump to control their direction, and heavily on athleticism in the form of flexion and extension to control their speed.

Skills

Situational Understanding

• Use easy black bumpy terrain
• Travel at the speed required for a basic short turn
• Develop awareness of how the ski will slow down on the face of the bump, due to the angle of the reaction force from the snow and how the ski will accelerate down the back of the bump due to the steepness of the slope
• Develop awareness of how the ski will perform in the bumps; easier to turn on top of the bump, the ski will bend in the trough, less edging required

Active Stance & Balance

• Control the forward movement of the legs and skis into the face of the bump, opening the ankle, and knee joints to have the skis contact the bump first and slow down as the COG catches up and transitions into the next turn
• Control the backwards movement of the legs and skis down the back side of the bump, flexing the ankle and knee joints to maintain a centred stance on the skis as they accelerate down the bump
• Use a larger range of flexion and extension to manage the pressure generated in the bumps, keeping the skis in contact with the snow
• Use a well-timed pole plant, on top of the bump to help stabilise the upper body through the transition

Outside Ski Balance

• Ski with slightly less balance on the outside ski (around 75 outside / 25 inside)
• Time the weight shift to the new outside ski on top of the bump

Edging

• Control edging to keep the skis relatively flat to the snow, the berm wall and face of the bump provide direction change
• COG stays laterally on top of the BOS more in the bumps

Steering

• Use steering to control the angle of attack the skier wishes to take into the next bump
• Time leg rotation to the back side of the bump, making it easier to control the steering of the skis

Ski Snow Interaction

• The steering angles will increase down the back of the bump, and until the skier is on the face of the next bump
• The edge angle of both skis will gradually develop down the back of the bump and release simultaneously on top of the next bump
• The platform angle will reach near 90 degrees when the skier is on the face of the bump, as the reaction force from the snow combined with the angle of the face will allow the skier to move forward and no longer sideways

Terrain

There Are lots of different terrain scenarios depending on level of bump skiing. It is best to start teaching on easy, open bumps.

Class Handling

Not all ski areas will have the perfect terrain to introduce or develop your students’ bump skiing. Often you will have to pick and choose different bumps and lines. There can be lots of other terrain features that you can use to help develop some of the skills away from the bumps.