• 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 long radius turns, you swing your pole and touch it, in about a 1 or 11 o'clock direction (not much downhill from where your skis are pointing.)
• In medium radius turns, you swing your pole and touch it, in about a 2 or 10 o'clock direction (about halfway down the hill from the skis' direction of travel.)
• In short radius turns, you swing your pole and touch it, 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 long radius turns, the pole touches right after your skis have crossed the flow line and are roughly pointing across the hill. The touch triggers the new turn.
• In medium radius turns, the pole touches right when your skis point across the hill. The touch coincides with the start of the new turn.
• 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.