How to Ski Crud

Crud, what the heck do we mean by "Crud"? Crud is the term used whenever ski conditions aren’t optimally groomed or powder trails. There are different types of cruddy snow conditions, but it's experienced mostly in the spring when the temps begin to warm up. Cut up or crusty powder, thick wet slushy snow, mashed potatoes, and popcorn are all different kinds of crud. No matter what kind of crud you’re skiing, crud is thick and heavy snow, and can be difficult to maneuver. Here are some tips to make the crud easier to manage.

Because of the forces caused by the wet heavy snow that push against you as you ski down the hill it's critical to keep balance in mind. Crud is choppy. One second your skiing smooth, the next second your pushing chunks out of the way. So you'll need to be able to adjust quickly. When skiing in cruddy conditions, you must constantly adjust your balance. There is no single position that will keep you in balance. You need to remember the basics; keep your weight forward, feel pressure on the tongues of your boots, and keep your arms up with your hands forward.

When skiing in the thick cruddy snow, you'll need to get your skis above and out of the snow. Hop turns are a good technique that will help you get down the hill and look good while skiing the crud. Making hop turns will take more of a physical effort compared to skiing on groomed corduroy terrain or light powder. The number of hops you make in a turn depends on the size of your turns. In short radius turns you may hop only once per turn. In large radius turns you may hop four or more times per turn.

When you hop, keep your upper body steady. Bring your legs up and out of the snow by raising your knees. Make sure that when you hop, your head and shoulders don’t move up and down. When you change the direction of your turn, hop your legs up out of the snow and pivot them in the air to change direction. You can’t keep your legs up forever, so you should extend your legs by flexing as you land, yet remain flexible enough to absorb the cruddy bumps. When you land, use the rebound to get the skis out of the snow. You'll need to be more forceful with your hopping on the cruddier snow.

Just as we discussed the need for rhythm in the controlling speed section, you'll also need rhythm in the crud. So whistle, listen to music, count; 1-2, 1-2, or imagine a military drill instructor calling "left, right, left right". Do whatever it takes for you to have rhythm. If you begin to lose your rhythm, traverse across the hill side for a bit and start over. It is especially important to remember to transfer your weight to the outside ski when making turns in the crud. With your weight on the outside legs your inside leg still needs to be active, don’t let the crud give the unweighted leg trouble.

Technique tips for skiing the crud:

• Start on really easy terrain.
• Pressure your skis more equally.
• Do not lean back.
• Get your skis up to float into a turn.
• Keep your upper body facing down the hill.
• Feel your shins touching the tongues of your boots.
• Maintaining a dynamic balanced stance. Crud is tough and an unbalanced position will tire you out.