Skiing bad spring snow

Spring snow isn't always easy. I'm not talking about morning groomed runs that are the normal fare consumed by the majority of spring skiers these days, but about that slushy, changing and irregular stuff that raises its challenging head in the afternoon or early on, all over slopes that are exposed early to the sun.

That's when skiers quickly discover that there's a fine line between speed, turnability and safety.

These tricky conditions have to be matched with a commensurate skier's relaxation, plus ideally, a more adapted equipment, like heavier skis, even though ski weight influence can be mitigated by a seasoned, extra-sensitive skier.

There's also a need for heightened attention that defines the perfect compromise between all these "moving parts", along with an ability to scout for the less dangerous terrain and the appropriate line.

All the ingredients that go into keeping that ideal “fine line” are what make slushy or tricky spring snow skiing that much more interesting and a culmination of a great deal of various skills. I love it, but I also appreciate its danger and based on my long experience, always step into it knowing full well that it's never devoid of risk.

That's it, the magic blend. Maximum relaxation and utmost concentration; I know, we recently talked about these two...