• Three main things to consider in the pole touch: Where, How and When.

Where to touch

Stand in a traverse position.

Imagine a clock: 12 o'clock is at the tip of your skis; 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock are directly to your sides (90 degrees from the front.)

In short radius turns, you swing your pole and touch it down the hill, in about a 3 or 9 o'clock direction (almost straight down the hill and diagonally across the skis' direction of travel.)

How to touch

As gently as possible, but there's a bit more to it:

• Do not "plant" the pole--just a gentle touch.
• Your arms are held mostly steady--let the wrists alone swing the poles.
• At the point where the pole touches the snow, roll that hand forward and over the pole--keep the hand moving forward and avoid it getting bounced back at you.
• The two poles swing continuously, but out of sync--as one swings forward, the other swings back.

When to touch

In short radius turns, the pole touches right after your skis have crossed the flow line and are pointing across the hill. The touch happens just before the new turn starts.