“Rock skis” extra power

I have already lauded the virtues of bad snow as an active tool to becoming a much better skier. Today, I'll expand the debate to include terrible skis too. If you're skiing on silky-smooth, brand new skis, you don't know how good you have it.

Since the season has been short in new snow so far, I have been reluctant to mount my brand new Scott skis to see them trashed the first day I'll take them to my favorite spots on the mountain. That's it; I'm “saving” them for better days and I know these will come, if not in February, for sure in March and April. In the meantime, I am still skiing on what have become my “rock skis.”

The most notorious of the three pairs that still populate my rack and share that denomination is a pair of Dynastar Legend that must be at least seven years hold. They still work, but ski like rough 2 x 4s, handle unpredictably and require super-human skills to be controlled and hopefully steered into some sensible direction.

While I suffer hardship while still using these "boards," my potential skills are getting even better and I don't even know how sweet my new Scott Reverse will be, the day they get mounted and get finally christened on some real, deep Utah powder!