Phantom Drag Garland

Above: Action of Feet in Phantom Drag from Stationary Position

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Above: Phantom Drag Garland

Your lesson, the "Phantom Drag garland" will help you to learn and coordinate the actions of the feet in starting and linking parallel turns. It introduces the movements that create a release. An efficient release allows the skis to exit one turn and smoothly enter the new turn, linking the turns rhythmically, and eliminating the need for a wedge to start the turn. The garland format allows you to practice the movements of the start and finish of turns without actually linking turns, thus avoiding the potential of picking up speed in the fall line.

Preliminary
If you have trouble with this lesson, start with exercises 4.1 and 4.2 in our book, Anyone can be an Expert Skier.

In Brief

Phantom Drag from Stationary Position
The lesson starts with a Phantom Drag from a stationary, traverse position. Stand on a gentle slope with your skis parallel, feet at or less than hip width apart, with slightly more weight or balance on the downhill ski. The stance ski (downhill) is the accelerator, the free foot (uphill) is the brake. Flattening the downhill foot by rolling it toward the little-toe edge will cause it to slide: the accelerator. Tipping the uphill ski to a greater edge angle by rolling it toward the little-toe edge will cause it to grip more: the brake. Try the actions of each foot separately before you tip or flatten the accelerator enough to slide.
Flatten the downhill ski until it starts to slip. It will move downhill and slightly forward, and might start to aim down the hill. Keeping your body balanced over the downhill (accelerator) foot, pull the uphill (brake) foot in so it glides alongside the accelerator foot. Additional tipping of the brake foot, accompanied by drawing it closer to the stance foot, will gradually turn the stance ski out of the fall line. The turn and/or slowing will continue as long as the accelerator is flattened to the snow, and the brake is tipped toward its little-toe edge and drawn in close. Try this in both directions.
Flattening the accelerator starts the skis slipping. Tipping and drawing in the brake foot creates a shallow turn and slows or stops slipping. The actions can be performed together to yield a steady descent, or they can be alternated to start and stop. Experiment with the interaction between the accelerator foot and the brake foot.

Phantom Drag Garland
Once you are comfortable with the Phantom Drag from a stationary position, you’re ready to try it in a garland. A key safety tip for the garland is required: you’ll be skiing across the hill, perhaps for the entire width of the trail. Please select a low-traffic area where you are visible to all skiers uphill from you.
From the same starting position as above, aim both ski tips slightly downhill so you start to slide in a traverse. Once sliding, alternate the flattening of the accelerator (downhill ski) and the brake (uphill ski). The skis will flatten to the snow and slide downhill, then gently hook uphill, leaving a scalloped path behind you. Make sure to pull the brake foot inward so that the skis and feet do not spread apart.
A refinement involves lightening the brake foot while it tips. You can lighten the entire foot, or subtly lift just the ski tail. This action will shorten the turn radius and slow you more rapidly.

Details - Phantom Drag from Stationary Position (Top pictures)
Left figure. The starting position is with the skis in a shallow traverse on a gentle slope. Balance primarily on the downhill foot. The uphill ski is firmly on its little-toe edge. The downhill ski is flattened first - the accelerator. As it starts to move downhill, control speed by increasing the edge angle of the uphill ski.
Right figure. The braking foot is pulled along as the skis glide forward and into an arc. Increased tipping of the braking foot starts the skis turning. Coordination of the accelerator foot flattening and the braking foot tipping varies the size and shape of the resulting arc.

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