Powder: the skier's nirvana. [Photo: ifyouski.com]

Powder is the skier's magic word. It is fresh snow which has not yet been skied or affected by sun or warmth. Good powder is dry, creaks when you step on it, hisses when you ski on it, sprays in a fine dust at speed and gives you the experience of a lifetime.

For many skiers, learning to ski powder is the holy grail of skiing. It can, however, be an elusive goal, and many skiers give up after a few frustrating wrestling bouts with the formless white enemy. It need not be like this.

For a start you should never be intimidated by less than 20cm of snow (more if the snow is very light). Up to this depth, your body weight is still largely carried by the firm snow below the powder. No dazzling new technique is needed. Difficulties can arise because the smoothness and sound absorption of the powder dulls the feedback you expect from your skis. Moreover, the psychological effect of not being able to see your skis can be unnerving. The secret is to ski normally, tune in to the sensations in your feet, and stay strong, in other words don't let the powder pull your feet apart or trip you.

Once you get into deeper snow, the rules of the game change. You no longer have a firm surface under your skis, and the key is to get used to the feeling of floating on a cushion of powder. This, of course, takes time and experience.

Exercise

Experiment with your stance until you feel comfortable in powder		Don't sit too far back [Photos: ifyouski.com]

 Thomas Bangert