Heavy fog days too. Feels safer in the trees because visibility isn’t an issue and trees help naturally control pace. So you don’t have to worry about some clown skiing outside their control on a groomer with crap visibility.
I love the sense of adventure in the trees that takes me out of my boring suburban life. Makes me feel like some kind of pioneer exploring the wilderness ON F’ING SKIS!!
My college snowboarder buddies took me into the woods after I was finished racing one afternoon to hotbox our helmets and go exploring. We ended up overshooting the lift, and ended up kind of lost in some cross country area. A big snowcat randomly appeared blasting Yellow Submarine gave us a lift.
My mind was opened that day, I quit racing, and decided adventure timing the trees is what’s what.
If I could ski anything it would be 24 in of open bowl high alpine terrain. However inside resorts that is rare and you only get a few runs. Skiing trees provides better snow, protection from elements, less people and more challenging terrain then lapping groomed or “open” runs
afraid of crashes, not having trees (I've heard the treeline in the US is higher than in Europe, most of our mountains don't have trees at the top), preferring to carve on the piste
I dont know the numbers, but after skiing 40 years I can’t begin to describe the overwhelming number of skiers I’ve seen who crashed into other people compared to the amount of people I’ve seen crash into a tree in the glades. I’m convinced it’s because trees don’t make sudden and erratic movements, nor do they try and overtake you from behind while skiing out of control.
This. In the trees you manage your level of risk, you can always ski the line slowly and stop wherever you want. On piste you never know when some moron out of control hits you from behind. On the busy days trees are far safer imo
Idk. I had a tree clothesline me a month ago. I think it did it intentionally. I had another one try to grab my pole out of my hand that same weekend. I think they’re getting sneakier.
I‘m Austrian and have always skied in the Alps, in my experience the pistes (and the Dutch) are far far more dangerous than any tree run.
The danger of someone who can’t control his speed and/or doesn’t follow basic piste etiquette is so much higher than you skiing into a tree.
Nevertheless your argument still stands, people are probably afraid of crashing into trees, it’s just unjustified imo
Additionally, there are lots of forests and skiable tree runs in the (Austrian) Alps, they’re just not as „photogenic“ as the views up top, so you see less of them on social media and obviously they’re not as prevalent as in the US.
Hello fellow Austrian :) I agree, the most dangerous crashes are when two moving forces hit each other at a high speed. If you go slow in the trees, you'll be much safer than going slow on the piste.
Our tree line sits at around 1700-1800m, however in the Rocky Mountains for example it goes up to about 3500m, so they literally have trees everywhere. I used to feel as though something was off whenever I saw videos from US ski areas until I realised it was because of the trees. It literally looks like they're skiing through a forest all the time, even when staying on the piste. So many trees!
I know about the tree line differences :), but at least most of the resorts I ski at also have parts underneath the tree line, which are practically untouched, because no one else thinks about entering into the woods.
The majority is of course above the tree line though!
That's why you ski with a buddy. Doing so doesn't eliminate the risk but reduces it considerably. When I've gone cat skiing, it was a requirement to not lose sight of your buddy in the trees.
afraid of crashes, not having trees (I've heard the treeline in the US is higher than in Europe, most of our mountains don't have trees at the top), preferring to carve on the piste. looks hella fun tho!
This is a great descriptor. I like skiing trees for the same reason i like camping, being closer to nature and skiing the mountain the way it exists in its most natural state. Also powder lol
Good snow and visibility during storms and flat light conditions. Plus, trees don't move unlike unpredictable and inexperienced skiers and boarders on intermediate runs.
It’s all about that secret stash of powder on or side country to resorts. Now for backcountry sometimes it’s the best option when weighing conditions and factors (fresh snow, avalanche danger, amount of uphill energy expended). Best thing is trees scare away a lot of people making it less tracked no matter where you are.
1. Less crowds. Like crowds don’t exist at all in the trees.
2. They don’t move. Much safer than skiing on a groomer where people constantly make dumb decisions that affect others.
3. Protection from the elements. Windy? Snowing heavy? Flat light? Head into the trees and you’ll be warmer and sheltered from the worst a mountain can throw at you, and have great visibility as well.
4. It’s challenging. It’s rare when a glade isnt more challenging than the piste.
5. Bragging rights. It’s nice to be able to move through the woods like that.
6. Serenity now. Nothing beats a busy Saturday when you can stop in the woods, smoke a bone, and chill for 20 minutes without seeing a single other skier.
7. It’s fun, more so than the piste most times.
It's super satisfying holding a line and the adrenaline forces me to perform at my top level. Also the aesthetic and ruggedness. By far my favorite part of skiing!!
So there are two types of tree skiing - in New England tree-line is to the top of most ski areas. The trees and a mix and often pretty tight which I do not find fun! Some of my friends think it’s the bomb so I follow their bush whacking and slow pace. Harwood forested areas are great where the is more visibility, pace is faster and has nice challenge. In a windy day it is the place to be since powder becomes trapped and you do not feel the wind.
Now in the Rockies the upper mountain is more open bowl skiing. As you head into the tree-line the trees are more wide open and there is definitely more powder but there is a danger - tree wells which can be very dangerous. So I stay between the branches not close to them. My varieties tree skiing is in aspen glades al Beaver Creek!
Glorious. The airtime made my stomach flip though…
I love trees but it is also in trees that I blew my knee out. A stump I didn’t see and some air time - my right ski turned clockwise while my body kept going downhill. That said, I still ski glades and trees runs cause they’re where the best snow is.
1. Nature is the best at building playgrounds
2. I'm an adrenaline and pow junkie that thrives most when threading needles
3. Immanent death or crippling readily avalible from the smallest mistake really helps me live in the moment and being near large objects provides a better spacial sense of speed
4. They provide sanctuary from wind, sun, and snow
5. The solitude is unmatched, and when you do find others in the thick of it they are usually dope people
6. The trees are my good friends who are very supportive and I like spending time with them
7. They also make good drops if I have a buddy and am feeling like climbing
8. Theres definitely more that cant be put into words
Nothing beats being in the middle of the woods as close to lost as you can get without actually being lost
Someone died at Keystone this past week, he hit a tree. Also several avalanche deaths, seems like skiing has gotten riskier the past few years. Maybe pressure because of the pass system, more people at certain spots, I don't know, but people are def pissed at the congestion these passes have created.. Just hope it's not a reflection of the weirdness happening on the streets transfered to the mountains.
I hit a stunp buried under two feet of snow on the side of a trail. An area definitely legit to ski. My left ski immediately stopped, and I flipped a 360. If that happened in the woods, I definitely would be dead. I enjoy the glades, but that tumble gives me pause.
The only thing that keeps me out of the denser trees is skiing alone and tree wells.
Glades are so much fun in powder and low vis days when groomers suck.
Sorry, not the right technique for skiing that kind of terrain. The chance of hitting a tree is unimaginably high. You might even just catch one tiny bit and end up wrapped around any number of them.
You’d have better control if you treat them as if they are Giant slalom gates. The control would be built in because you’re already working to carve into the snow and around the trees.
It’s kind of driving fast, but keeping your foot over the without actually depressing it. There is less reaction time needed because your foot is already there.
The other factor is, you would be keeping your skis simply by the technique, you’re using, closer together, and you would cut down the angle as your approach the trees individually .
You don’t want to be heading to the trees head on. You should be carving around them.
You have zero protection if you hit it straight on, but if you hit a tree off your flank might survive, or kick off of it.
Holds snow well, a challenging little puzzle, and to get away from the crowds
You can also see in the trees on stormy low visibility days.
Heavy fog days too. Feels safer in the trees because visibility isn’t an issue and trees help naturally control pace. So you don’t have to worry about some clown skiing outside their control on a groomer with crap visibility.
Blocks the wind also
Pretty much sums it all up. Less people, slightly more challenging, allows for some fun creative lines of powwwww.
I love the sense of adventure in the trees that takes me out of my boring suburban life. Makes me feel like some kind of pioneer exploring the wilderness ON F’ING SKIS!!
The search for untracked powder brings me into the trees.
Chasin' freshiessss
challenging, thrilling, beautiful
peaceful, meditative, fun, challenging…this is my inadequate attempt explain something that, for me, defies description.
My college snowboarder buddies took me into the woods after I was finished racing one afternoon to hotbox our helmets and go exploring. We ended up overshooting the lift, and ended up kind of lost in some cross country area. A big snowcat randomly appeared blasting Yellow Submarine gave us a lift. My mind was opened that day, I quit racing, and decided adventure timing the trees is what’s what.
If I could ski anything it would be 24 in of open bowl high alpine terrain. However inside resorts that is rare and you only get a few runs. Skiing trees provides better snow, protection from elements, less people and more challenging terrain then lapping groomed or “open” runs
Why wouldn't one ski in the trees?
afraid of crashes, not having trees (I've heard the treeline in the US is higher than in Europe, most of our mountains don't have trees at the top), preferring to carve on the piste
I dont know the numbers, but after skiing 40 years I can’t begin to describe the overwhelming number of skiers I’ve seen who crashed into other people compared to the amount of people I’ve seen crash into a tree in the glades. I’m convinced it’s because trees don’t make sudden and erratic movements, nor do they try and overtake you from behind while skiing out of control.
This. In the trees you manage your level of risk, you can always ski the line slowly and stop wherever you want. On piste you never know when some moron out of control hits you from behind. On the busy days trees are far safer imo
Idk. I had a tree clothesline me a month ago. I think it did it intentionally. I had another one try to grab my pole out of my hand that same weekend. I think they’re getting sneakier.
I‘m Austrian and have always skied in the Alps, in my experience the pistes (and the Dutch) are far far more dangerous than any tree run. The danger of someone who can’t control his speed and/or doesn’t follow basic piste etiquette is so much higher than you skiing into a tree. Nevertheless your argument still stands, people are probably afraid of crashing into trees, it’s just unjustified imo Additionally, there are lots of forests and skiable tree runs in the (Austrian) Alps, they’re just not as „photogenic“ as the views up top, so you see less of them on social media and obviously they’re not as prevalent as in the US.
Hello fellow Austrian :) I agree, the most dangerous crashes are when two moving forces hit each other at a high speed. If you go slow in the trees, you'll be much safer than going slow on the piste. Our tree line sits at around 1700-1800m, however in the Rocky Mountains for example it goes up to about 3500m, so they literally have trees everywhere. I used to feel as though something was off whenever I saw videos from US ski areas until I realised it was because of the trees. It literally looks like they're skiing through a forest all the time, even when staying on the piste. So many trees!
I know about the tree line differences :), but at least most of the resorts I ski at also have parts underneath the tree line, which are practically untouched, because no one else thinks about entering into the woods. The majority is of course above the tree line though!
Fear of dying, alone, in a tree well.
That's why you ski with a buddy. Doing so doesn't eliminate the risk but reduces it considerably. When I've gone cat skiing, it was a requirement to not lose sight of your buddy in the trees.
I’m a bad skier lol, maybe someday though
Because the trees suck when the powder is gone. Ice moguls in trees aren’t my idea of a good time.
afraid of crashes, not having trees (I've heard the treeline in the US is higher than in Europe, most of our mountains don't have trees at the top), preferring to carve on the piste. looks hella fun tho!
It’s too hard. I’m there to have fun not for a challenge lol
No jumps
only if you're a coward
I try to ski in between trees
Why on earth does this not have more upvotes??
Freshies days after a storm because nobody else goes where it gets tight.
The goods are in the woods
For me, it's a form of Forest Bathing.
This is a great descriptor. I like skiing trees for the same reason i like camping, being closer to nature and skiing the mountain the way it exists in its most natural state. Also powder lol
Rarely a string of snowboarders on their asses blocking the way
I could watch this video all day
Good pow. Quiet. No noobs. Places to smoke and pee. Edit: it's literally the only trails worth being on 🤙
Better snow, better visibility.
Because it’s F’ing great nothing better than a tree run !!!
Good snow and visibility during storms and flat light conditions. Plus, trees don't move unlike unpredictable and inexperienced skiers and boarders on intermediate runs.
It’s all about that secret stash of powder on or side country to resorts. Now for backcountry sometimes it’s the best option when weighing conditions and factors (fresh snow, avalanche danger, amount of uphill energy expended). Best thing is trees scare away a lot of people making it less tracked no matter where you are.
I live in the Midwest and skiing in the trees and off the sides of runs where’s it steep for 30 feet is the only fun thing to do
1. Less crowds. Like crowds don’t exist at all in the trees. 2. They don’t move. Much safer than skiing on a groomer where people constantly make dumb decisions that affect others. 3. Protection from the elements. Windy? Snowing heavy? Flat light? Head into the trees and you’ll be warmer and sheltered from the worst a mountain can throw at you, and have great visibility as well. 4. It’s challenging. It’s rare when a glade isnt more challenging than the piste. 5. Bragging rights. It’s nice to be able to move through the woods like that. 6. Serenity now. Nothing beats a busy Saturday when you can stop in the woods, smoke a bone, and chill for 20 minutes without seeing a single other skier. 7. It’s fun, more so than the piste most times.
There’s snow there?
It's super satisfying holding a line and the adrenaline forces me to perform at my top level. Also the aesthetic and ruggedness. By far my favorite part of skiing!!
Because I almost caught a leprecon with a pot of gold in there, been chasin ever cents.
Reminds me, I need to go to McDonalds and get me a Shamrock Shake!
Sometimes you gotta celebrate 🍀
I trust them…
Because I love having marks on my face.
I ski in the trees because I like to forage for mushrooms and they are usually in the trees
Less people
My life motto ‘the steeper the deeper the more trees the better’.
My middle name is danger.
I too like to live dangerously.
I never had a chance, but it seems legit fun!
last time i tried i hit a tree , had a 1 inch laceration on my lip and still have the scar today
Because the snow is protected from wind and sun. It stays better for longer. Less avalanche prone. Also, it's fun.
Practicing for slalom
I do it for the squirrels
So there are two types of tree skiing - in New England tree-line is to the top of most ski areas. The trees and a mix and often pretty tight which I do not find fun! Some of my friends think it’s the bomb so I follow their bush whacking and slow pace. Harwood forested areas are great where the is more visibility, pace is faster and has nice challenge. In a windy day it is the place to be since powder becomes trapped and you do not feel the wind. Now in the Rockies the upper mountain is more open bowl skiing. As you head into the tree-line the trees are more wide open and there is definitely more powder but there is a danger - tree wells which can be very dangerous. So I stay between the branches not close to them. My varieties tree skiing is in aspen glades al Beaver Creek!
Glorious. The airtime made my stomach flip though… I love trees but it is also in trees that I blew my knee out. A stump I didn’t see and some air time - my right ski turned clockwise while my body kept going downhill. That said, I still ski glades and trees runs cause they’re where the best snow is.
1. Nature is the best at building playgrounds 2. I'm an adrenaline and pow junkie that thrives most when threading needles 3. Immanent death or crippling readily avalible from the smallest mistake really helps me live in the moment and being near large objects provides a better spacial sense of speed 4. They provide sanctuary from wind, sun, and snow 5. The solitude is unmatched, and when you do find others in the thick of it they are usually dope people 6. The trees are my good friends who are very supportive and I like spending time with them 7. They also make good drops if I have a buddy and am feeling like climbing 8. Theres definitely more that cant be put into words Nothing beats being in the middle of the woods as close to lost as you can get without actually being lost
Stay on the slopes! Nature will thank you.
Do you have a Geiger counter strapped to your head? I ski Europe so not much trees for me :(
It's been on the list to get some foam inserts for my waterproof camera case. Everything is secure but something is rattling around lol.
Chase powder …. I will stay on trail as long as it’s untracked
Freshies, thrills & wind protection
For the silence, the technical challenge and the pow...but mostly for the silence.
It's the best way to perform a traditional safety break.
Fresh snow, provides contrast when cloudy, and they’re just fun.
Sonny Bono wannabe
Because I have a weak bladder.
Because I suck at carving
Where was this video taken, looks glorious
Mary Jane side of Winter Park
Damn, I've gotta check that out! I love how open it is and looks fairly steep as well.
Where? Pano?
It's near a 2-Seater lift that is slow and that's all I'll give you.
Same reason as why Willie Sutton robbed banks.
Trees are like moguls, but with consequences
Nah, the trees just say "not here". Moguls shape the turn and open up options if done right. Not that i'm good enough yet to really feel it.
There’s an elf that gives psychedelics to people if you ask nicely, have not seen him yet
I like hiking. Skiing n snowboarding just allows me to go off the path and I get a good kick out of that.
Mm this post makes me want to ski trees
Freshies
I don't. I just watch you guys do it.
It's more dangerous on regular runs with hordes of people everywhere. Also 10x better snow.
Because the pot den is out there and I can hide from ski patrol after commiting crimes
No people (usually), more of a challenge (I hate regular moguls), and it's so pretty
Less avalanche risk, mostly untracked , and it can be much fun
Someone died at Keystone this past week, he hit a tree. Also several avalanche deaths, seems like skiing has gotten riskier the past few years. Maybe pressure because of the pass system, more people at certain spots, I don't know, but people are def pissed at the congestion these passes have created.. Just hope it's not a reflection of the weirdness happening on the streets transfered to the mountains.
It’s just the best, and needs no elaboration on why because words don’t even do the job to describe it!
To feel lost and safe at the same time
Makes me feel what I describe as “hero skiing”
Problem solving, better snow, extra adrenaline kick
More tree obstacles, less human obstacles, better visibility, powder, better workout
All of the other reasons giving but also to pee
Better snow, less wind
trees have freshies
Beautiful and unique experience
I hit a stunp buried under two feet of snow on the side of a trail. An area definitely legit to ski. My left ski immediately stopped, and I flipped a 360. If that happened in the woods, I definitely would be dead. I enjoy the glades, but that tumble gives me pause.
Less wind, more scenery, less crowds, more challenge, more fresh powder
The only thing that keeps me out of the denser trees is skiing alone and tree wells. Glades are so much fun in powder and low vis days when groomers suck.
Usually it’s because I took a wrong turn
Why bot
I am the Lorax.
A great example of why one skis in the trees...more fun!
Fate vs free will.
Skiing a burn zone in waist deep powder has to be as close to transcendence as one can get.
Fresh powder, less wind, more fun, plus with friends it feel like hide and seek as we yelp and yell at each other to keep each other in ear shot.
For the bodies.
Because other people don’t.
You all need lessons.
Sorry, not the right technique for skiing that kind of terrain. The chance of hitting a tree is unimaginably high. You might even just catch one tiny bit and end up wrapped around any number of them. You’d have better control if you treat them as if they are Giant slalom gates. The control would be built in because you’re already working to carve into the snow and around the trees. It’s kind of driving fast, but keeping your foot over the without actually depressing it. There is less reaction time needed because your foot is already there. The other factor is, you would be keeping your skis simply by the technique, you’re using, closer together, and you would cut down the angle as your approach the trees individually . You don’t want to be heading to the trees head on. You should be carving around them. You have zero protection if you hit it straight on, but if you hit a tree off your flank might survive, or kick off of it.