Why we don't lean back in powder

There is a common misperception in skiing that in order to ski powder, or other deep snow, it is necessary to lean back. In any type of skiing, it is important to stay centred over the feet, and any fore-aft movement should never take the weight behind the heels. The moment the weight moves aft of the feet, the pressure is on the tails of the skis and you end up trying to turn by levering the whole ski around with the cuff of the boot - not good for your skiing or your legs.

So why do so many people say to lean back in powder? To keep the tips out of the snow is the answer I often hear. Another reason is that good skiers often appear to be leaning back in powder, and their tips often do come out of the snow. Both answers are related, but we need to take a closer look at what is really going on to show that you don't actually have to lean back.

When we say we need to be centred, we are talking relative to the ski - most people know that as the slope gets steeper we have to lean forward more to maintain our position over the ski. On a firm, groomed slope, the ski is flat on the slope, so the position we make over the ski is the same as the position over the slope. However, in deep snow the ski tip needs to come closer to the surface of the snow, and the ski will compress the snow beneath it to form a supporting platform. The result of this is that the ski is no longer parallel to the slope but angled upward, so that the skier who is balanced over the skis appears to be leaning backwards against the slope. The diagram shows two skiers, both in balanced positions on similar pitched slopes, however the bottom skier is in deep snow so the whole picture, including the skis, is tipped backwards.

This may seem a bit pedantic - after all the skier does look like they are leaning back - the important point though is that they will feel centred and in balance. If someone is told to lean back they will inevitably lean onto the backs of their boots and find it hard to stay in control.

How to ski powder

Skiing powder is one of the most rewarding, exhilarating and at the same time potentially frustrating experiences you can find on a pair of skis. The technique is not necessarily difficult, if the snow is friendly, but it is one that many skiers struggle to get to grips with. This is particularly true in the many ski areas worldwide where powder snow is a cherished rarity rather than a daily occurence, meaning this is a technique that skiers do not get to practice that often.

Since I wrote this post around three years ago it has consistently been one of the most visited pages on the whole blog. With this in mind  an update with new photos and a few extra tips seems a good idea.

It is true that very deep powder, or deep snow that is heavy or crusty, can be difficult to ski and require very precise balance. On the other hand a manageable depth of light fluffy powder is not that difficult to ski but it can be quite counter intuitive as you have to forget a portion of what you have learnt for skiing on the pistes.

The biggest difference in powder is that the ski is floating within the snow, rather than riding on top of a hard surface. What is actually happening is that the ski compresses the soft snow beneath it until it can support the ski. This means that the ski tends to bend under the skier's weight with the tip and tail being pushed upwards by the snow. The diagram below shows a weighted and unweighted ski in powder. The difference on the shapes means that the weighted ski will tend to float upwards and the unweighted one to dive downwards.

The upshot of this (apologies for getting a bit technical there) is that weighting the outside ski, as you might on piste, will result in the inside ski nosediving and the skier making a spectacular cartwheel. To avoid this you need to apply the weight to both skis equally. Try to develop a rhythm - push down on the skis so that they bounce up closer to the surface, then turn and sink down ready for the next bounce.

As noted in the comments below, there is a common myth that it is important to lean back in powder. This is definitely not the case - if you lean back your legs get tired and it is much harder to turn. I explain this in more detail in the post Why We Dont Lean Back In Powder.

It is also quite important to ski quite delicately in powder, and even more so in more difficult soft snow conditions. If you over-pressure or over-edge a ski it tends to cut into the snow, sink and stop. I like to think of a bounce and float turn - bounce to initiate the turn as described above, then gently float both skis through the turn as they unweight.

It is important to note that powder is normally found off piste, and skiing off piste carries a whole new set of inherent risks. Avalanches, route finding, unmarked hazards like cliffs and ravines, crevasses on glaciated terraine, tree wells in the trees are just a few. I don't want to put you off, but you do need to be prepared. Learn about the hazards and how to deal with them. Seek local advice, check the avalanche and weather forecasts, take safety equipment (transceiver, shovel, probe) and know how to use it. The safest option is to hire a qualified guide. That said, it is often possible to find powder snow on the edge of the pistes, or in patrolled areas of resorts that are deliberately left unpisted, and these areas are relatively safe to go and play in.

Updated 9th April 2011