Big Air
COLD SNAP
Somebody told Clay Pitcher (above left) to go jump off a cliff at A-Basin
in Colorado, and he immediately took their advice to heart. And of
course since he did it, now that means you have to go out and do it too.
Definitely no stranger to danger, Shawn Farmer (above right) gets an
inverted view of the Blackcomb landscape in scenic British Columbia.
here is nothing in this world like the feeling of catching big air. It is
truly the ultimate feeling of freedom. If you are new to catching
alpine altitude, remember when you are first trying to launch one to
be careful because of your speed and height.
have been known
to be very painful. When you're just beginning, don't worry about going
big, just stay small and work on smooth landings and take-offs. If you start
off weak, chances are your whole jump will be weak Start off taking every
possible hit and you will soon be going bigger with each jump.
When first taking to the skies, stay as low as possible and stay as long
as you can hold the jump, then focus on a clean landing. One more thing.
a hard landing can be quite painful, so prepare yourself to absorb the
shock. Then as soon as you come down, bend your knees and continue
cruising down the mountain as you gradually reduce your speed.
The last thing about big air jumps is you will want to check out what or
who is under your jump. Sometimes poor lost souls are standing or skiing
under a jump. Landing on them would not be a good thing.
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