Best places to learn moguls/bumps on blue terrain?

[gregmarx]

Hey all - So I am mid-40s, just started skiing regularly last couple seasons, am loving it and looking to continue developing skills while not tearing an ACL. In particular I would love to learn how to ski moguls (and possibly progress to trees, we'll see). However the places we've skiied tend to groom most trails and reserve bumps for some of the steepest terrain, so the step up from a groomed black or even double-black to a mogul field looks pretty daunting. I would love to find a place where I can start to learn moguls on blue terrain in midseason conditions, would be happy to pay for a lesson as well. Any suggestions on where to find that within a reasonable drive of NYC?

 

[Harvey]

What mountains do you ski most often? It looks like you ski Hunter and Gore?

IMO Belle is known for bumps, and you could ski the top (steep section) of the run on the groomed section and then jump into the bumps on the blue section below mid.

You are correct that (in the east) bumps and trees are similar disciplines.

Gore has some excellent tree shots for learning. Tahawas for one.

I actually started to learn bumps Blue Mountain in PA. They had one trail (Challenger? I can't remember) that they left half bumped which is great for beginners. Ski the line next to the groomed section, and bail when you get tired.

Lessons are a great idea. I learned without lessons by doing it over and over. I'm sure my technique is probably flawed.

 

[Campgottagopee]

would be happy to pay for a lesson as well

IMO this is what you should do. After that it's mileage, mileage, mileage

 

[gregmarx]

What mountains do you ski most often?

Mountain Creek most often as it's closest, but if there are bumps there I haven't found them. We get around a lot. Over the two seasons have skiied 1-3 days at each of Plattekill, Belle, Hunter, Windham, Gore, Mount Snow, Sugarbush, Okemo, Bromley, Elk, though some of those were at an earlier stage of skill development so I wasn't ready to take this on. I did manage the moguls at the top of Belleayre Run once this season, wasn't graceful but I made it through. I should have sought out blue bumps the day we were there, will keep that in mind for future. Sugarbush had lots of ungroomed blue terrain when we were there over Christmas but it was all wall-to-wall ice bumps and/or early season thin cover with temporary "expert-only" signage, so i passed.

I actually started to learn bumps Blue Mountain in PA. They had one trail (Challenger? I can't remember) that they left half bumped which is great for beginners. Ski the line next to the groomed section, and bail when you get tired.

This sounds like what I'm looking for. I think Mount Snow may do something similar but Blue is more feasible for a solo day trip for learning purposes.

Lessons are a great idea.

Other than maybe Belle/Blue, any places in particular to seek out a lesson for this? Wife and I did a private lesson at Plattekill this year and it was great, got me much more comfortable with pitch overall, but they were playing catchup with snowmaking and if there were moguls anywhere they were on Plunge or Northface which we didn't ski.

Thanks!

 

[Harvey]

Other than maybe Belle/Blue, any places in particular to seek out a lesson for this?

Honestly I can't think of a better place than Belle.

I don't know about the quality of instructors at Belle for this purpose but you need:

Close to NYC
Manmade snow deep enough to bump
Enough traffic to create bumps
Management that leaves bumps to grow
Warm sunny day

That's Belle. One thing about Belle is it faces NORTH without exception, so avoid margin temps (near 32 or below), and cloudy days, and schedule lessons for late am.

What is in CT or MA? Anyone know about Mohawk?

Would like to hear what @MC2 has to say about instructors.

 

[SayvilleSteve]

Spring skiing is a good time to practice bumps because they are not iced over and with softer snow they tend to develop across the mountain on blue (and green--looking at you Sunway) terrain in the warmer temps. The trick is to get on them before the snow gets too soft and sticky.

 

[dubstar]

"What is in CT or MA? Anyone know about Mohawk?"

I started riding Mohawk this year and really enjoy the terrain and overall vibe, but from what I've seen so far, they focus on grooming and overall trail coverage, not bumps. There are some great full-speed wide open carving runs with narrower, steeper chutes and drops. Perhaps with less rain and more consistent snow there are more bumps, but not much this year.

 

[MarzNC]

@Brownski : what about bumps at Catamount? My experience there has been with low snow conditions so don't have a sense of what happens when there is more snow.

Elk has bumps under a lift for sure. Not really that steep as I remember. Can bail out onto a groomed surface. Good for bump lessons. When I did a 1-day Women's Clinic, the instructor for the advance group did a run there with students who were interested. Elk has a very strong ski school for it's location and size. One of the best PSIA trainers in the region is a long time instructor at Elk. My instructor was a local Level 3 who didn't really travel to ski at all.

 

[Harvey]

looking to continue developing skills while not tearing an ACL.

I missed this originally. An admirable goal!

 

[MarzNC]

continue developing skills while not tearing an ACL. In particular I would love to learn how to ski moguls (and possibly progress to trees, we'll see).

Suggest reading the tips below before every season about how to protect knees in the event of a fall.

Tips For Knee-Friendly Skiing » Vermont Ski Safety

There are many ways in which knee injuries can occur in skiing, we concentrate on the two most common scenarios, the Phantom Foot and the Boot induced. Avoid high risk behavior Routinely correct poor skiing technique Recognize and Respond quickly and effectively to potentially dangerous...

vermontskisafety.com

I popped off an ACL over a decade ago. Happened in June and had nothing to do with skiing. I opted to become a successful coper, which means one knee doesn't have an ACL. I started to learn how to find very experienced instructors to work with at my home hill and at destination resorts. What's made the most difference is doing an annual Taos Ski Week starting over five years ago. Even in comparison to destination resorts in the Rockies, Taos has a wider variety of bumps from green to blue to double-black (steep AND deep) than any other resort I've had lessons at in the last decade. Price is right too since the 6 morning group lesson package runs about $400.