Chasing Winter at Big SNOW in New Jersey with Peter Novom

The Chasing Winter series here on TheSnowPros.org has been sharing the stories of instructors who are following the snow across the Southern Hemisphere this season. But today’s post brings the opportunities a little closer home with new PSIA Alpine Team member Peter Novom.

Novom is hosting a freestyle skills clinic at Big SNOW in East Rutherford, New Jersey, this week, taking advantage of a refrigerated indoor alpine where the outside temperature is forecast to be in the high 80s.

Q: Can you provide a brief overview of the clinic you’re leading at Big SNOW, and why it’s a timely topic even in August?

A: We’re running an intro to freestyle clinic at Big SNOW, an indoor ski area in the American Dream Mall in New Jersey. Big SNOW really is the only opportunity to ski in the summer, and freestyle is the perfect way to learn and push yourself, especially in a smaller space like an indoor resort. There’s nothing that helps keep you on track and push yourself to new heights like summer skiing, and not everyone can escape to the Southern Hemisphere.

We focused on intro to freestyle for these clinics because literally anyone is capable. You can also have a wide variety of experiences on the same features. Of course, the technical fundamentals still apply. Also, freestyle skiing improves your overall on-hill performance.

Q: What’s it like having a resource like Big SNOW where you can actually get on your skis or snowboards even when the temperatures are in the 80s or 90s outside?

A: It’s amazing. You walk through a typical mall next to places like Abercrombie [& Fitch] or Cinnabon and then head through the doors to the ski area like you are in a Chronicles of Narnia novel. Here they have everything a resort has, with real snow, lifts, and a terrain park. Plus, there’s plenty of après food or drink choices, too.

If you want a hot tip on skiing in a fridge: Wax your skis! The snow is really chalky because the temperature and humidity are very consistent and there isn’t much of a freeze-thaw cycle.

Q: Why is freestyle instruction so applicable to such a wide range of slope pitches and weather conditions – including refrigerated snow?

A: I grew up on small mountains, and freestyle skiing is always good no matter the actual conditions. We ski 600 vertical feet of terrain on a good year and other seasons without almost any real snow. You can always find something fun and challenging to play with no matter the size of the hill.

Q: In a conversation, you recently mentioned how versatile freestyle instructors are – can you go into more detail about how and why?

A: Freestyle instructors are our best natural teachers. Learning new features is all about adapting and customizing to the challenge right in front of you . . . or you fall. There’s immediate concrete feedback and an opportunity to try it again from a different angle. Freestyle instructors are the best problem-solvers, and they’re great at building trust, simply because they have to!

Q: How would you like to see people who take your clinic continue to build on what they learn throughout the fall?

A: Even though this is a freestyle clinic, it all applies. For example, if someone is struggling on lateral foot-to-foot balance on a box, they likely have the same challenges on snow. They’ll get tons of opportunities for repetition at this clinic and will certainly be able to apply that come fall or winter when the outdoor resorts start to open.

Q: In this “Chasing Winter” series, we’ve put an emphasis on following the snow around the world. But what would you tell people are some of the advantages of getting a few days, or even runs in, at a place like Big SNOW?

A: Do it! Keep your skills fresh, make some turns, or slide some features. The muscle memory you build will be fresh and ready for the season. Plus, you can get a lot of laps in a couple hours and then go play in NYC or the surrounding area.

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Don’t forget to check out the most recent story in the Chasing Winter series, “Windham Mountain Club’s Dan Hogan,” as well as the other Q&As in the series: PSIA Alpine Team member Ben Potts, PSIA Examiner Francesca Pavillard-Cain, AASI Snowboard Team Development Coach Tony Macri, and PSIA Alpine Team Technical Coach Michael Rogan.