Turning is the foundation of skiing and snowboarding. And yet, in recent years, the maneuver has risen from simply being the way one gets down the mountain to an art form.
Both sports are better for it as suddenly entire resorts are an open canvas – even runs that were previously seen as low-aspect and therefore low-fun. Now, when you’re turning there’s so much of the mountain to love, from wide-open bowls to low-consequence groomers.
To illustrate the point, late last season two-time Olympic medalist and Shred Optic founder Ted Ligety teamed up with Antti Autti to push their turning to new heights – er, more literally new lows. Their canvas? The Bird, little Cottonwood Canyon’s crown jewel.
