I have bumps in my head...

[Wilhelmson]

At least I don't have them on my head (yet).

But there they are, none the less, living rent free in my noggin so to speak.

It all starts innocently enough, little mounds of snow, growing slowly at first, pushed about the slopes with each skier's passing and becoming bolder and more assertive every hour. Forensic analysis shows they actually grow uphill as if possessed by the Devil himself, which they are. Occasionally some kind-hearted mechanic in a $500K grooming machine will restore order from kaos but inevitably "they will return, and in greater numbers" as a wise old man once told me. If only there were was some mystical force that could be summoned when confronted with such a thing; giant soul sucking crevasses intent on trapping a good man's skis in a port facing direction while pitching his torso to starboard.

It is not enough to "be prepared" like a good boy scout. A reputable skier may think their countless hours spent on the bunny slope dodging Texans and doing drills will serve as some sort of talisman when he or she must confront the evil that awaits. No, sadly the individual parts that make up the whole can be assembled correctly but without the right Horcrux, the One Ring, the Arc of the Covenant or McDonald's Special Sauce it aint gonna happen.

Does anybody have any I can borrow?

What kind of skis do you have?

Keep your hands in front amd stay light on your feet.

All good advice here sometimes you just have to prove to yourself that you can do it. Get out in some good conditions amd pick a reasonable trail. Hopefully not a trail named grim reaper or widow factory maybe a blue with bumps on the side.

 

[Fuller]

These days of low snow I've been on my new Rossi Exp 88ti. Not a dedicated bump ski but pretty versatile. Whitefish is not known for it's bump runs and they groom a lot but there are little corners here and there.

 

[LiquidFeet]

@Fuller, are you having any luck with side-slipping slowly down those little corners, stopping on each bump where your eyes are locked, not traveling, keeping body facing downhill?

 

[Tony S]

These days of low snow I've been on my new Rossi Exp 88ti. Not a dedicated bump ski but pretty versatile. Whitefish is not known for it's bump runs and they groom a lot but there are little corners here and there.

How can a big area like that not have bump runs?

 

[Fuller]

How can a big area like that not have bump runs?

Of course there are bump runs but I need the Goldilocks Edition. The lower elevation / low angle runs are not the place to be right now, The two best runs that have still have good snow are pretty steep and I'm not there yet. No excuses though, I just look for any opportunity these days

@LiquidFeet I skied 10 days in a row so I took a break yesterday, back on the hunt today.

 

[Tony S]

I skied 10 days in a row so I took a break yesterday, back on the hunt today.

Okay, all my sympathy for your plight has now evaporated!

 

[graham418]

The two best runs that have still have good snow are pretty steep and I'm not there yet. No excuses though, I just look for any opportunity these days

You cant always get the Goldilocks bumps. Ski what you can get. Pick your way down down, 1 turn at a time. It will come.

 

[Tony S]

So, the obvious alternate pragmatist approach is to attend a gathering and spend the entire week tailing @KingGrump, turn for turn. This is a well-recognized route to getting good at bumps. He has a slew of successful disciples. When I get sloppy, or have gotten too much justifiable guff from him about some of my less efficient habits, I'll swallow my pride and do it too. The snarky part of me calls his Taos-style attack "sleepy bumps," but it absolutely works. At worst it's a key tool in the box. At best it's transformative.

 

[Mike King]

So, use the time on the groomers to practice flexion and extension movements. Release the skis when most flexed (and I mean really flexed in the ankle, knee, and hip) by tipping you feet and lower legs into the next turn. Extend until the fall line, then return to that short position through the finish.

it takes practice to become able to tip the skis and initiate a turn from a super low position. But you won’t be able to ski bumps or steeps with control and précision until you can do so.

mike

 

[Jerez]

@LiquidFeet 's method will be able to get you down the ugliest of bumps. It is be a real confidence booster to know I have that in my back pocket when necessary. Is there a steep but short bump run you can try it on? This super slow one bump at a time sideslip down the fall line (no side to side just straight down) will work almost anywhere.

I remember it was a drill that Allison Gannett used for her Rippin Chix steeps camp. She had us do it down a super steep huge bumps tree run. The trees were to make sure we didn't traverse but kept in a narrow lane. It works try it.

If that sounds too scary, practice pivot slips down a quite steep groomer very slowly. As others have suggested.

 

[LiquidFeet]

@Jerez, the first time I did that slow fall-line pivot-slip approach to skiing bumps, I was following a friend who was a great skier. It was just the two of us. All he said to me was "follow my line, exactly, and stay 12" behind me. Watch my skis and make yours do the exact same thing as mine. Don't run into me."

He then SLOWLY, at a snail's pace, so slow I couldn't believe it, pivot-slipped straight down a run full of big irregular ice bumps. I lost him once, but got right back in line and was able to do exactly what he said the rest of the way down. It felt enormously easy and I expected to be able to do it on my own afterwards. Everything felt so natural.

But when I tried later that day, I couldn't do it. Day after day, week after week, I couldn't stay slow and stay on that narrow line straight down the hill. I ended up having to train myself to do it by breaking it down into a progression, the one that I've suggested to @Fuller.

You are absolutely right, even nasty big irregular ice bumps are easy to ski once one can do this. The different approaches to skiing bumps that people are mentioning in this thread can all be explored after one can control one's line and speed with precision, and one won't have to worry about gaining speed, runaway traverses, or getting backseat and snapping an ACL..

 

[Sibhusky]

How can a big area like that not have bump runs?

Because it's Montana. The bump runs here are mostly the trees. Plenty of bumps in the trees. But, in there, the top of the bump will have a tree in it most of the time.

 

[Sibhusky]

Is there a steep but short bump run you can try it on?

Kodiak

 

[Tony S]

Because it's Montana. The bump runs here are mostly the trees. Plenty of bumps in the trees. But, in there, the top of the bump will have a tree in it most of the time.

I just clicked through about a hundred of your pics on your Whitefish guide site, as a refresher. If those are at all representative, then I have gained a new understanding of Fuller's situation. Spoiled. That's his situation. Totally spoiled. If the rest of us skied there, we wouldn't know how to ski bumps either. We'd be too busy wiping the cake crumbs and frosting off of our chins to be bothered with bumps.

 

[Sibhusky]

Unfortunately it's an unusual year. He, at least, is out there.

Before anyone asks, no I don't have pics from the new runs yet.

 

[Seldomski]

I just clicked through about a hundred of your pics on your Whitefish guide site, as a refresher. If those are at all representative, then I have gained a new understanding of Fuller's situation. Spoiled. That's his situation. Totally spoiled. If the rest of us skied there, we wouldn't know how to ski bumps either. We'd be too busy wiping the cake crumbs and frosting off of our chins to be bothered with bumps.

Wow, I have not looked at @Sibhusky 's guide before. What an amazing guide! Looks like a great place to ski - I'll have to check it out someday.

Marmot looks like a great bump run.

 

[Fuller]

I just clicked through about a hundred of your pics on your Whitefish guide site, as a refresher. If those are at all representative, then I have gained a new understanding of Fuller's situation. Spoiled. That's his situation. Totally spoiled. If the rest of us skied there, we wouldn't know how to ski bumps either. We'd be too busy wiping the cake crumbs and frosting off of our chins to be bothered with bumps.

True story.

When I went into semi retirement about 8 years ago, or more accurately stated - I quit showing up for work and no one seemed to mind, I spent a great deal of time researching places out west to ski and hang out for a while. This was back in the Epic days and it wasn't too long before I ran across Sibhusky's WMR guide. I did a total deep dive into all the details and felt like I had already skied the whole mountain before I even got there. We did a fly -in trip in March 2014 but I didn't have a chance to meet her in person. The next year we committed to a 4 week rental and after a brief introduction at the Summit House she tried to kill me by leading me into the steepest groomer on the mountain. We've been friends ever since!

Truthfully it's not always quite as spectacular as the photos depict as I'm sure she chose the best days out of a number of years. This year is a good example I've been here 2 weeks and it's only snowed 4-6 inches. But I have faith in Ullr - snow will come. But yeah, you pegged it, why beat your brains out learning bumps when the place is chocked with powder?

I've kind of taken over her unofficial Pugski ambassador to Whitefish duties. Kind of like Westley taking over for the Dread Pirate Roberts.

 

[James]

I've kind of taken over her unofficial Pugski ambassador to Whitefish duties. Kind of like Westley taking over for the Dread Pirate Roberts.

Inconceivable!

 

[crgildart]

You'll find the low angle easier bumps on the blue terrain shortly after a powder day/morning most places that don't groom everything every day..

 

[tball]

I'm just here to emphasize the importance of pole plants when skiing bumps.

Plant, turn, plant, turn, plant, turn. Planting your pole, then turning around the pole plant, is crucial.

Kid version is: think of the bumps balloons to be popped. Pop the balloon and turn around it.

Here's me teaching our daughter at 8yrs. Poke, turn, poke, turn, poke, turn.



The snow was fantastic, but that's a fairly steep run with big bumps—Mine Dump at Copper Mountain.