VAIL

There have been quite a few memorable snow days this season, but perhaps the best I've experienced was last Tuesday in the back bowls of Vail, where I encountered deep fresh "pow." The light, fluffy snow would boil up, around and over your body, and there were face shots that left you gasping for air. It was an incredible experience.

For those looking for the right time to hit the slopes, it's now. Blue Sky Basin, on the back side of Vail, easily received more than 3 feet of snow last week, which puts the resort 2 feet above normal for this time of year. (The snow is so good, Vail has extended its season another week and will close April 22.)

Boiling cold smoke

That's the only way to describe this exhilarating experience. The only way to ski snow this deep is to keep up your speed. Because of the resistance caused by the snow depth, your body must face downhill and turns must be made off the fall line. This can be a scary experience for a less-experienced skier who might not be used to skiing the fall line.

Keep your feet and skis together so they cut the snow as one.

Any separation of your feet at the beginning will wreak havoc on your ability to finish the turn. Hold your hands up and in front of your body, using your pole plant as your cue to begin the next turn.

Middle of the turn

Your feet should be close enough together so they cut the snow as one and the inside ski is tipping to the little-toe side. In deep snow, this is the only action you need to create the turning force and bring you through a turn.

The hands are held up and in front of the body at this point, and the body faces downhill. The natural tendency is to drop your hand after the pole plant, which causes the upper body to rotate in the direction of the turn. Such rotation will be disastrous because it will disrupt your balance, timing and flow. Keep your knees and ankles flexed when you plant the pole. The moment of the pole plant, begin tipping as you pull back the foot.

Last half of the turn

You should be looking in the direction you're going, facing straight down the fall line. You should not be sitting back but centered over your feet and skis. (Sitting back is the ultimate no-no because it stresses the quadriceps and fatigues the legs.) Your legs, knees and ankles are flexed forward, and you are in a balanced position over your feet.

You should be moving down, not across, the slope and controlling your speed by allowing the skis to come across the fall line while the upper body faces downhill. Again, the tendency for the less-experienced skier is to sit back. Doing so not only taxes the legs but moves your weight and balance into the backseat, making it difficult to be proactive with your upcoming turn.

Craig McNeil is a certified Primary Movements instructor. To order his book, How to Ski the Blues and Blacks without Getting Black and Blue, or contact him, go to his Web site, www.HowToSki.net.