Powder to it, Ladies!

Women on Wednesdays at Solitude

I never caught “powder fever.” In fact, I dreaded most powder days on skis because I’ve never been comfortable making turns with my legs pitted in the snow. However, my attitude toward this gift from the snow gods changed after I joined a Women on Wednesdays clinic at Solitude Mountain Resort.

My first session was on a powder day—the perfect learning opportunity for me. Two other women were in the clinic: Venessa Dobson (who crushed three clinic sessions during the 2019 season and went from skiing groomed green runs to blacks) and Pam Chamberlain (a self-taught skier who enrolled in two clinic sessions during the 2019 season and harnessed better technique). We were skiing with instructor Kelly Boardman-Fowler, whose goal, she said, was to get more women out on the mountain enjoying skiing all levels of terrain with better technique and increased control.

What I learned at Women on Wednesdays:

It’s a “No Judgement Zone”
You can push your limits in a comfortable, supportive setting. We all laughed during a drill to encourage skiers to keep their chest facing down the hill while making turns. Holding our poles in one hand, we gave ourselves a big “hug” as we turned slowly with deliberation down the hill, then offered feedback to one another afterward.

Yes! To New Friends
The clinic is geared towards women of all ages (our clinic of three spanned 25 to 60 years old!). It’s a great way to extend your social network and will leave you feeling inspired and empowered.

Exceed Expectations
After skiing one steep powder run with bumps, lacking control, feeling unbalanced, and gripping with every muscle in my leg while turning, I might have felt exhausted. Kelly encouraged that we remain consistent with pole plants to help maintain a steady rhythm while turning. Keeping controlled momentum is key for skiing in all conditions, especially when the terrain or snow conditions are inconsistent.

I tend to push myself harder when I’m out with an instructor on the mountain. This clinic was a great way to help me push personal boundaries in a comfortable setting. By the end of my Wednesday session, I was feeling more confident in powder and had some great takeaways to practice the next time I went skiing. You can catch me making the first chair next powder day!