Whether you’re taking ski lessons at The Snow Centre Manchester or Hemel Hempstead, or you are a practised skier, tackling moguls can be tricky; even advanced skiers can find these bumpy features a tricky obstacle to navigate.
Just like Marmite, most people have a love-hate relationship with moguls. Either way, you’re likely to come across them at some point, so we have put together the complete guide to mogul skiing, complete with tips to help you improve out on the slopes. Learn all you need to know about moguls here at The Snow Centre.
This guide to mogul skiing includes:
- What mogul skiing is.
- How to control your speed.
- How to choose and adapt to your mogul line.
- Find your rhythm and have patience.
What is Mogul Skiing?
Moguls are mounds of snow that build up throughout the day because skiers and snowboarders making their turns push the snow into mounds all across the slope. These mounds make the piste particularly bumpy to ski or board on, and they can vary in size. Some are the size of a football, some are the size of a car, and it depends on how steep the piste is. Generally, the steeper the slope, the bigger the mogul.
- Moguls are mounds of snow.
- They offer a bumpy surface to ski over.
- They vary in size, ranging from as small as a football to as large as a car.
- The steeper the mogul, the better the skiing.
Skiing Moguls Tips
To learn how to ski on moguls without falling, it is important to take in some tips for skiing moguls. You can take an adult ski lesson at our Manchester and Hemel locations to speed up the process. However, skiing moguls can be a tricky task, so if you feel you need some expert advice before a holiday or that lesson on how to handle skiing on these lumps of snow, then here are six tips you can take on to ensure you glide over moguls:
Control Your Speed
Skiing too fast is the biggest downfall in mogul skiing. Controlling your speed will allow you time to maintain your turns around the moguls or bumps. If you do build up too much speed after the first couple of moguls, you risk spinning out of control and taking a fall.
- Speed is the biggest factor in failure.
- Controlling your speed gives you time to maintain your turns.
Choose Your Mogul Line
There’s more than one way to ski a mogul field, but choosing a line to follow before you set off will undeniably make things easier. When selecting this line, regularity in the size and pattern of the moguls is key. Choosing an inconsistent path will mean switching up your rhythm and will give you more to think about and react to.
The most recognised method for skiing moguls is to try to avoid swerving around the moguls. It’s good practice to ski over the moguls before making your turn at the peak; doing this will help to keep the tips of your skis out of the snow, and you should find turning a lot easier.
- Choose a line to follow before setting off.
- Choose a path with sizing and patterned moguls.
- Avoid swerving around moguls.
- Ski over the moguls.
Adapt to Your Mogul Line
While choosing a good line is essential, you’re never going to find a path through a mogul field that features entirely evenly spaced bumps of a similar size. Instead, pick the best possible line and be ready to face variations in mogul size.
Learning to adapt and having the ability to tackle bumps of all shapes and sizes will improve your skiing. When mogul skiing, look ahead for a distant object or location within the mogul field and fix a line straight down from you to that very point - then ski that path with conviction and confidence.
- Pick the best possible line.
- Be ready to tackle moguls of all sizes.
- Adapting to different-shaped and sized moguls will improve your skiing.
- Focus on a distant object or location.
Find Your Rhythm
Finding a good rhythm is the key to improving your mogul skiing, which in turn will improve your confidence and fluidity. If you’re finding this challenging, count to a number, and on that chosen number, make your turn, then repeat. This will keep you consistently manoeuvring down the slopes in a steady rhythm that supports your stability and balance.
It can be challenging to know whether to turn at the top of the bump or in between the bumps, but having a rhythm to follow will help. Turning in between the moguls will allow for a faster run, but it can be hard work. Turning on top will allow for a much rounder turn as less of your ski will be in contact with the snow, making the turn much easier.
- Rhythm is the key to improving your mogul skiing.
- Choose a number to count to and make your turns on said number.
- Turning in between moguls will improve your speed.
- Turning on top allows for a much rounder turn.
Remember to Pole Plant
Knowing how to pole plant is so important when you ski moguls. The poles will play a key part in helping you maintain rhythm and balance. If you don't know how to pole plant or just need a refresher, be sure to take a private ski lesson at The Snow Centre Hemel or Manchester, where one of our ski instructors will take the time to perfect the skill with you.
- Pole planting helps maintain rhythm and balance.
Patience is a Virtue
If you find yourself struggling to get to grips with skiing the moguls, the most important tip we can give is to remain calm and trust that you will get it eventually. Don’t worry; if you’ve implemented the above mogul skiing points, it may mean you just need to relax and avoid being so rigid.
Challenge yourself to glide over bumps while keeping your head at the same level throughout the run, allowing your ankles, knees, and hips to flex naturally. This should give you more control and enable you to actively navigate uneven terrain rather than being pushed around by it. The longer you stick at it, the better you will become
- Remain calm and focused.
- Challenge yourself to glide over moguls, keeping your head at the same level.
Mogul Skiing at The Snow Centre
At The Snow Centre, we offer mogul events where we transform our Main Slope into a field of moguls for skiers and snowboarders who love the challenge of tackling moguls. These moguls can often be particularly large, but are also relatively even in comparison to moguls that have just formed from frequent skiing. Keep an eye on our Manchester and Hemel mogul calendars for all the latest events in Hemel and Manchester.
- The Snow Centre offers special mogul events
- The moguls are large, but even allowing for consistent skiing.
Experience the Thrills of Mogul Skiing at The Snow Centre
Now that you know all there is to know about skiing moguls, it’s time to head to The Snow Centre, where we offer mogul skiing events all year round. Make sure to book your mogul lift passes to The Snow Centre Manchester or Hemel and enjoy the thrilling challenge of riding moguls.
If you require further information about any of our services or need assistance with your booking, please don't hesitate to contact us. A member of our helpful team will be happy to help.
