Cliff hucking: What did I do wrong?

[Sh4dow]

Today I hucked a cliff in the right part of Forbidden Zone at Snowbird. I cleared the rocks and landed on my feet but I didn't stick it. The cliff is significantly bigger than any I have done in the past. Cliffs half that size are nothing to me, I almost always land them perfectly. But this time in the air I felt like air resistance was pushing up my ski tips and I landed too far back. I'm not sure if that's what happened though. I have it all on video.

Am I correct that what went wrong is that I let my ski tips get too high while in the air? Is there anything else that I did wrong that can be determined from the video? Next time should I just force my tips down more or is there something better to do?

Thanks for any input.

[BS720]

I love that area. Do you see between 2-3 seconds where your hands come flying up over your head? This throws your weight back, you see your tips fly up a minute later, and you don't have a chance of stomping. There are other people here who go way bigger than me, and actually skied this year, so listen to them. Just my 2 cents.

[wildmanwillie]

I throw my hands forward and in so they're almost touching each other. Then I try to stay compact in the air by sucking my legs up so my hands are pretty much in front of my knees. For me I'd rather be slightly too far forward in the air as I find it's easier to make a slight backwards correction right before impact.

I'm not going huge and am not super consistent with drops the size in your video.

Definitely some people who send it really big here. Search for Blurred's Official Maggot Huck Thread for proof.

[whyturn]

Just go down there and huck off something already. But maybe avoid yard sailing next time.

Did my first off axis 360 this weekend at Alta, but I also did not land it. If you can walk away it's a good day, nice huck.

[bfree]

Agreed your hands lost it from the beginning. I find it helpful to try to jump/pop off the takeoff into a tucked, hands forward (or grab) position. The exact position isn't terribly important, just do something to force your body away from the natural response (rolling down the windows and leaning back). Steep takeoffs like that are tough in general too since you're already starting with so much downward momentum.

[Canada1]

My wife gives me shit about hand position too. But I always say if god didn't give you nipples, then I wouldn't have to put my hands on them in public.

More training and I find wearing a harness helps me keep from going back seat.

[Sh4dow]

Thanks for the input everyone! In addition to putting my hands forward and tucking in the air, should I also try to force my tips to a more downward angle or will that just happen naturally if I do everything else you guys recommended? Also, on another forum I was recommended to pop more with the back of my skis to force my tips more downward, is that good advice?

I'll look for Blurred's Official Maggot Huck Thread and give that a read as well.

[grskier]

You're close... and hands to boot buckles... popping off the lip can be helpful, but it can also really screw up air position if it's at all hollow.

[Sh4dow]

You're close... and hands to boot buckles... popping off the lip can be helpful, but it can also really screw up air position if it's at all hollow.

Thanks for the input! Sorry if it's a stupid question, but what do you mean by 'if it's at all hollow'?

[Blurred]

That's a good send. Keep your weight forward, hands forward and stay tight in the air. Your muscle memory is used to smaller airs thus you open up sooner.keep er tight longer and you'll stomp then get all the babes waiting for you in the lodge.

[nickwm21]

Easiest thing to remember for body position is "hands to knees" - Keeps you weight forward and your knees up.

[TahoeJ]

Easiest thing to remember for body position is "hands to knees" - Keeps you weight forward and your knees up.

I've never hit anything that big but someone gave me this same tip and it's a good one - it's what always goes through my head right before hitting a drop.

[m-ruta]

Touch yer boots and hold them until you need to four point. Or, alternatively toe pop/stay very balanced and rock the flying T until you stomp. My buddy Jake has a good understanding of that one https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater and it works well, although better with a more positive takeoff, which you appeared not to have.

I find it helps to mentally 'send myself' to the landing, rather than just 'falling off' as well. If that makes any sense at all.

[raisingarizona13]

Thanks for the input! Sorry if it's a stupid question, but what do you mean by 'if it's at all hollow'?

Some sugar against the rocks can really fuck up your take off. Ever go for a 30+ foot drop and get the brakes put on from grinding some teeth? Try to see where that might be the case and pre pop if needed. That shit can be scary, I used to always look for solid take offs but I'm a bit of a puss.

[claymond]

Some sugar against the rocks can really fuck up your take off. Ever go for a 30+ foot drop and get the brakes put on from grinding some teeth? Try to see where that might be the case and pre pop if needed. That shit can be scary, I used to always look for solid take offs but I'm a bit of a puss.

This happens in Forbidden Zone often. In fact, got me that same day on a smaller cliff in there. Nice air btw, that's a large, committing one

[Lindahl]

Pack in the takeoffs while you wait for landings to fill in or get soft...

Also, that huck looks awful. I try to avoid steep takeoffs to flatter landings. They tend to just plow you into the ground, especially at speed.

[strawjack]

ur skis are too short.

[DasBlunt]

ur skis are too short.

Yeah the dude selling him them at the shop was a snowboarder and told him with rocker you can go smaller……lol.

[glademaster]

Also, that huck looks awful. I try to avoid steep takeoffs to flatter landings. They tend to just plow you into the ground, especially at speed.

The huck doesn't count unless you experience short term memory loss and balance issues afterward.

[Sh4dow]

Thanks everyone for the advice! I'll go back and stomp it next pow day, and report back here when I do.

[powdork]

yes, popping off and hitting sharks or teeth can be bad, but 'hollow' means you go to pop off and the snow gives way under when you pop. Then you end up in the opposite of a tight tucked position. and as far as ski positioning, try to get them in a position parallel to the landing surface with your body centered over them. see, it's so easy.

[angrysasquatch]

Ya gotta do it for Jesus, that's what you're missing. He died on the cross for you so you better fuckin send it

[leroy jenkins]

That line is a lot ballsier than it looks on the video.

Some of this stuff is great advice for everone, but some of this shit is finding what works best for YOU, and a lot of it is mental.

Some people are more comfortable with less speed then popping hard off lips, some people like more speed and prejump hopping. Some of this is dictated by the line you're skiing, but I've found people also just have their preferences of how to hit an air.

From that video, you got a bit backseat, and I think if you had hopped a bit (more of pulling your feet up than popping off the lip) you would of stayed more balanced.

Shit happens. Glad you're ok.

[Shadam]

so ... like ... I'm the best skier on the mtn and all ...

touch your knees in the air ...

ok so roll down the windows is gunna happen weahter you want it to or not ...

touch ... roll down windows ... touch ...

depends how bigga drop/huck ...

same for snowboarders, gotta touch toes or board. don't matter where, just gotta touch ...

or gunna crash n hurt !!!

[Two06]

Hands forward, stay small, stomp with your heels! Ideally you don't land with your skis parallel to the snow, your tails contact first with your heel stomp, and since your weight is forward your momentum transfers the force towards the middle/shovels of your skis a split second later and you ride it out.