The trees are among the most fun terrain to ski or snowboard, depending on the conditions. When the bowls and ungroomed runs are skied off and scratchy, the trees are often a great place to find some hidden powder stashes. Of course it depends on you abilities, as the forest can quickly get scary if you aren’t confident in your skills.
Professional skier Hannah Melinchuk provided 3 great tips that can seriously improve your skiing abilities in the trees if you’re struggling.
The tips are pretty simple. The first is to look where you want to go, not at the trees. If you look at a tree or a nearby obstacle, you’re more likely to head straight toward it, so focus on the space between with the best snow. The second tip, keeping your body facing downhill and your hands up, strong pole plants can help you control your turns.
Lastly, using your legs to do all of the turning, slowing down, and stopping, rather than your whole body, allows you to stay in control and mitigate speed.
