How to pond skim on skis: 5 tips to stay dry
What makes the end of the winter sting a little less? Finishing it off with a classic pond skim, of course! If you’re wondering how to pond skim on skis, look no further. We’re here with our one-stop guide to keep you dry.
As closing day approaches, there’s one thing everyone looks forward to. And that’s pond skimming, of course. Sun shining, beers flowing, slush slashing, and, hey, look! Is that Batman on skis skimming across water? Yep, this age-old tradition is a wonderful blend of warm days and chill vibes, and is as synonymous with end-of-season times as bad goggle tans.
Some ponds are natural, appearing mid-mountain after spring snowmelt. Others are made by ski resorts for a judged competition. Alternatively, your favorite bar might create a skimming event for its winter send-off. No matter the reason for the water, riders can’t resist the urge to skim it. But how do you survive it unscathed? Check out our top five tips.
Sink or skim on closing day
What is pond skimming?
Speed is your buddy
Keep those tips up
Fat skis = more float
Choose an epic outfit
Commit to the full send
What is pond skimming?
Pond skimming involves skimming across a body of water on whatever you’ve got. Skis, snowboards, telemark skis, split boards, sleds, or even blades (eek!). The goal is to reach the other side of the water. But the beauty of pond skimming also involves witnessing the hilarious (and inevitable!) faceplants, side dives, back slaps, double ejections, and more.
Where can you take part in the action? Well, there’s always our legendary Jibwork X Dope Snow pond skimming events across the Alps and at festivals like Snowboxx. Resorts like Big Sky in Montana, Lake Louise in Banff, Keystone in Colorado, and Palisades Tahoe in California have all hosted legendary pond skim events, too. So, now that we understand what’s what, let's look at the hows with our five top tips.
1. Speed is your friend
Hit the pond skim fast! As you’ll decelerate quickly as soon as you hit the water, you need all the momentum you can get to stay afloat. So, that means resisting the urge to speed-check, even when there’s a long run-in or jumps and rails at the start, as in the famous Red Bull SlopeSoakers event. Copper Mountain’s Slush Rush often requires completing a banked slalom course, a superpipe slalom, and a mini terrain park pre-pond (while holding a mug of Gatorade, of course).
You could also channel Shane McConkey and backflip off any hard drops for extra speed. Just don’t forget to loosen your DIN settings a touch. It’s better for them to release if you take a dive!
2. Keep those tips up
To get this done, you’re probably picturing the classic waterskiing stance. But, nope, don’t lean that far back–you’ll go submarine mode and submerge! Instead, lift your tips out of the water just enough to avoid nosediving, but keep your weight centered and evenly distributed with your knees bent. The same goes for if you’re on a snowboard. Keep the nose up like you’re floating through eye-deep freshies.
Stay low and tucked when you hit the water, too, as the impact will knock you back. Sure, straightlining the pond is probably your best chance of success (definitely don’t try to turn). However, you could also do a Cody Townsend. Yep, this legend won Palisades Tahoe’s famous Cushing Crossing comp with a butter 3 across the lake.
3. Fat skis = more float
The larger the surface area, the more likely it is you’ll make it across. And that’s because more surface area equals more float. So, use the same wide skis or board you would on a pow day. It’s even better if they have a bit of rocker and a directional profile.
Want to know the secret weapon? Swallowtail! This design keeps your board and skis flat to prevent side sway on impact with the water. Yep, we’ve heard plenty of skimmers swear that swallowtails give them a better shot at success.
4. Choose an epic outfit
Pond skimming isn’t about rocking up in your technical gear. Though, no one will turn you away for wearing a fire Dope Snow fit! Instead, it’s about showing up in the boldest, raddest, craziest get-up there is, from superhero costumes to double-denim, tuxedos and ball gowns, swimwear and mankinis, retro onesies and wild wigs, Hawaiian shirts and hula skirts, and so much more.
Some skim comps award extra points based on looks, so the bolder, the better. Don’t forget to bring a change of clothes with you, too. Having to sit in a drenched dinosaur costume to enjoy a commiseration beer is no fun… Trust us!
5. Commit to the full send
Confidence is key to the whole pond skim experience! Speed-check out of fear, lean back too much out of safety, or start the whole thing half-heartedly, and you’re almost guaranteed to end up in the drink. We’re talking soggier than soggy cornflakes. So, commit, baby!
Our top trick? Fix your eyes on the other side. This will hopefully mean you shoot across the slush cup, no problem. However, bails and slams are an invaluable component, and kind of what the spectators want (the bigger the splash, the bigger the reaction). So, relish the dunks and roar of the crowd. Plus, you’ll have multiple people patting you on the back and buying you a beer for the attempt, so it’s a win-win (or skim-skim, we should say…).
Wrapping up
Stoked to skim? Why wouldn’t you be! It’s pure theater on water. In fact, some riders declare pond skim events as their favorite days of the season, second only to blower pow days, of course.
Pond skims also temporarily relieve the heartache of another season being over. So, we’ll take that medicine in spades and splashes. Want to show us your skim–or ski–style? Drop your skimming floats and fails into our Dope Snow Community Facebook Group. We can’t wait to see them and potentially have a chuckle or two.
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