News

By Sam Collentine, Meteorologist Posted 3 years ago February 24, 2021

5 Pro Ski Tips from Cody Townsend

Cody Townsend is one of the most awarded athletes in freeskiing history.

From skiing the “Most Insane Line Ever” to ski mountaineering North America’s “Fifty Classic Ski Descents”, Cody is always searching for the next challenge but most importantly, he is constantly improving his skills and overall knowledge for the mountains.

Here are five ski tips from Cody to improve your time on the slopes.


#1 → Ski Boots Matter

Ski boots are the unsung hero of skiing. The difference between good ski boots that fit and bad ski boots that don’t will take your skiing from painful and bad to powerful and fun. Investing in your ski boots is the single most important purchase you can make as a skier and they’re undervalued in their importance. I’ve always said that I can ski on any pair of skis given to me and have fun. But give me a bad pair of boots and I’ll hang ‘em up after one run. So if you make one investment over the next year, purchase a new pair of ski boots.

#2 → Focus on Fun

No matter what the conditions are, I can always find a way to have fun on skis. Whether that’s making the best GS turns on groomers, skiing backwards all day, or seeking out a few magical turns in some windblown goodness on an unsung part of the mountain, make sure you’re focused on having fun.

#3 → Take an Avalanche Course

Backcountry skiing is exploding in popularity and it’s only going to get more popular over the coming years. Too many people are still going into the backcountry without the proper backcountry education. If you’ve already taken one, take it again because refreshing your knowledge and practicing is as important as your first class. Personally, even though I teach avalanche education courses, I always refresh my own knowledge and take some sort of clinic every single year.

#4 → Be Patient

Don’t race to go at the same time as everyone else and if you have it as a possibility, book your trips in the spring. Spring skiing is horribly underrated and quite often you can find the best conditions and the least amount of people in late March and April. Not only will you be able to book trips for cheaper, but you’ll also be avoiding the winter and holiday crowds.

#5 → Get The Forecast

If skiing soft snow or grippy groomers is what's most important to you, take the time to research the current ski conditions and upcoming weather forecast. I used to spend hours sifting through multiple websites to find the right resources but with OpenSnow and their summer service, OpenSummit, I can now dial in the conditions that I'm searching for with just a few clicks. I planned my entire training regiment around OpenSummit last summer and will be targeting my upcoming ski lines for The FIFTY Project with OpenSnow.


Ready to take your OpenSnow experience to the next level with Cody?

Upgrade to our All-Access subscription for $29.99/year (Single) or $39.99/year (Group). The subscription includes 10-day snow forecasts, high-resolution map overlays, unlimited expert analysis, and much more.

Back to All News

About The Author

Sam Collentine

Meteorologist

Sam Collentine is the Chief Operating Officer of OpenSnow and lives in Basalt, Colorado. Before joining OpenSnow, he studied Atmospheric Science at the University of Colorado, spent time at Channel 7 News in Denver, and at the National Weather Service in Boulder.

Free OpenSnow App