Whiteface is hosting a great series of mountain tours at no cost to the public. Last Sunday's tour was "Mountain Moguls" with Aaron Kellet, Whiteface Mountain Manager and one of the best skiers on the mountain. I attended and there were 6 skiers in the group (sign up for any of these tours is at Guest Services in the Main Lodge) and everyone had a great time. From the gondola to the summit we toured around the mountain in search of bumps and got tips and some criticing from Aaron as we went. There were bumps on Parkway, Lower Valley, Victoria, and Lower Skyward. I am a complete novice when it comes to moguls but with just a few runs with an experienced instructor I now have the tools to enjoy just about any mogul experience.

Here are some of the tips I picked up on my 2-hour mountain mogul tour:

  1. Pole plants – quite possibly the most important thing, working on this helped me the most and when it wasn't going well in the moguls it was usually because my pole plants were off and were dropping behind my body.
  2. Weight forward – just like skiing other terrain make sure to really push your shins forward into the front of your boots. what helped me the most was focusing edge pressure just in front of my ski boot instead of under the sole of the boot.
  3. Look ahead - a few moguls or more, it keeps your chest up and your body pointed where you want to go – if you want to look down, use your peripheral vision – you'll be able to see and your body position won't suffer.
  4. Visualize - backpedaling on a bicycle, this is the same movement used in skiing moguls (just with both legs together).
  5. Form - bend at the knees not the waist and keep your upper body upright with your arms infront of you.
  6. Rhythm - picking a path through the moguls and finding a rhythm can be very helpful – start slow and gradually increase your speed.
  7. Practice, practice, practice

Whiteface is a great place to get your mogul ski on. The mountain is working to find a balance of grooming trails and leaving parts natural and bumped up for a great all-terrain experience. Interested in moguls? Come see the best in the World compete at Whiteface Mountain January 17-19, 2013! This is one of my favorite events and a must see!!  Check Ski and Stay Packages today! 

Upcoming Tours

Aaron is planning another Mountain Mogul tour in February – I would highly recommend signing up!
These tours are free to the public - so check them out - the next few dates include:

  • Saturday, January 12 – Mountain Tour
  • Saturday, January 19 – Park Sessions
  • Sunday, February 3 – Whiteface Glades

Plus more throughout the rest of February and March!