FOUL-WEATHER FRIENDLY; SOMETIMES THE BEST SKI DAYS HAPPEN UNDER UGLY, GRAY CLOUDS.

Byline: BRETT PAULY Outdoors

``I love fair-weather skiing, but you always remember the foul-weather days,'' said the grizzled schusser from Rancho Palos Verdes.

Ah, a man after my own 207-cm, straight-cut Rossignol Stratos. His words summed up my own views on the great Alpine sport with the precision of a stem christie and immediately conjured up some of my best skiing recollections.

Like the frigid Central Oregon mornings in the mid-1970s, when little would dissuade my old man from a day on the slopes, not even a minus-33 reading on the thermometer. By the time the creaky black chair lift at Mount Bachelor stopped, then swayed madly for 15 minutes above the zephyr-blasted tundra, it was minus-75 with the wind chill factored in.

Or the downpour at Mount Hood Meadows, when the groomed terrain sang and skiers were measured by the amount of water they could wring from their parkas.

Or April 30, 1989, when the two feet of fresh powder at Kirkwood, south of Lake Tahoe, was complemented by two more feet of white stuff during the day. Runs were closing all over the mountain because of avalanche threats, but the snow-laden firs beckoned and we carved up a storm down the same line a dozen or so times. Our tracks were entirely filled in when next we charged through. It was the single-most remarkable experience in my 27 years of skiing.

Only those willing to brave the elements are rewarded with such treasures.

Of course, fair-weather skiers will always be able to look back fondly on their hot toddies and engaging fireside conversations when their pole-planting days are over. And, sure, they may harbor keen insight comparing the interiors of lodges from Vail to Val d'Isere. But somehow it's just not the same as recalling a whiteout, when points of reference are few and far between, gravity is the only tool to determine which way is downhill and the snow is so soft it's like gliding on marshmallows.

``They don't know what they're missing,'' said the aforementioned skier, Craig Kazmark, of the fair-weather crowd. ``I've forced many of my friends to ski in storms, and they ended up loving me for it. The main thing you need is good gear, to be completely sealed. That and good goggles, and you can go anywhere.

``Storms are when you have the best powder and the least (lift) lines.''

Just such conditions recently hit the New Mountain High Resort here during Media Day, the one date on the calendar marketing representatives set aside to explain exactly what's new - such as the five grooming vehicles, the reshaped half-pipes in the snowboard park, the remodeled dining facilities and the increase in snowmaking by 30 percent. The precipitation waffled between rain and sleet in the parking lot, and the ticket windows saw little business and few media types.

But what was a bane for the resort was a boon for those who showed up. It was snowing hard at the 8,200-foot summit of the East Resort, and meticulously groomed Goldrush held up marvelously throughout its 1,600-foot vertical drop. Powder on top, drizzle at the bottom and a range of conditions between; more challenging - but rewarding - conditions one could not envision for Southern California. Those who could bear the wind, wetness and saturated seats on the ride up were in for a treat, for skiing is always best when the sky is falling in ivory flakes.

``It's wonderful to ski in fresh snow or while it's snowing,'' explained Judy Over, education director at the headquarters of the National Ski Patrol in Loveland, Colo.

And it's days like these when newcomers are introduced to powder - an initiation and an education that can prepare them for future blizzards and fluffy, knee-deep days or heavier fallout, when a snorkel is recommended for bashing over berms.

``When it's snowing it's the best way to learn to ski powder, because you can slowly learn the technique as it keeps getting deeper,'' Kazmark said. ``As the snow builds up, so does your confidence.''

Foul-weather skiers have their mantra: ``As long as the chair lifts are operational, so are we.''

And is there anything more gratifying than pulling into the lodge for lunch, unzipping your snow-engulfed jacket and ever-so slightly dampening the designer outfits and fancy fur-topped apres-ski boots of the fair-weather folks chatting around the hearth?

Now that's an image I'd be proud to take with me as I ride that last lift to the great ski slope in the sky.

GEAR UP FOR FOUL WEATHER

``It might be fun to ski when it's snowing,'' said Judy Over, education director for the National Ski Patrol, headquartered in Lakewood, Colo. ``But if you are not warm and dry, you are not going to have fun regardless of what the weather is like.''

A few tips from the NSP regarding foul-weather skiing and snowboarding:

Vision is often the recreationist's downfall in inclement conditions. Pack goggles.

Hat hair might not be hip, but neither is losing most of your body heat through your head. Wear a hat, along with something on your hands (mittens are warmer than gloves) and around your neck (a neck gaiter stays in place better than a scarf).

Even if the temperature isn't freezing, a layering of waterproof, breathable clothing prevents dampness from seeping through to the skin.

Waterproof pants are ideal for snow-covered chairlift seats (since, as we know, lift operators can't be relied on to sweep them clean). Short of that, use a large, plastic garbage bag, which can double as dandy raincoat in a pinch.

Lip balm keeps the kisser from chapping. Other emollients do the same for the face and will repel the cold. Or use a bandanna, or one of the many neoprenelike masks on the market.

A variety of hand- and foot-warming products can make gloves and boots downright toasty.

Drink warm liquids and avoid alcohol, which gives a false sense of warmth and actually makes the body colder. Booze also impairs reactions, which must be particularly fine-tuned in foul weather.

Carve with extra caution - since vision is impaired, snow conditions are varied and often unpredictable, and runs aren't consistently groomed - and defensively - since not everybody recognizes these limitations.

Always stay in bounds and preferably on designated runs, especially in areas prone to avalanches.

-- Brett Pauly

STRAIGHTEN UP, FLY RIGHT

Finding yourself prone in powder can be disheartening and stressful, especially if you've fallen and can't get up. Once you've settled yourself and determined what direction you're facing, try this six-point method suggested by Backpacker magazine to start back on your way:

Roll around anyway you can until your feet are below you and you're on one hip. Take another roll downhill if you must to get in position.

Sitting sideways to the hill, get both skis perpendicular to the slope and maneuver them so they're parallel to each other, with your knees comfortably tucked underneath you.

Place both pole handles in the hand that is facing downhill, then plant the pole baskets on the slope above your skis so the pole shafts are held diagonally across your chest.

Place the uphill hand near the baskets, then use both arms to push yourself upright.

If your poles sink too deeply into the powder to provide support, place both poles flat on the snow above your skis to form an X. Place your uphill hand in the center of the X and use the resistance to push yourself up.

Dust yourself off, look for lost glasses and other gear, yell at your friends for laughing and carve on.

-- Daily News

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, 2 Boxes

PHOTO (1--Color) These New Mountain High skiers don't need sun to have fun on the slopes. Some find the best ski days - and shortest lines - when it's snowing. It's also the best way to learn to ski powder.

(2--Color) Skiing in a blizzard can lead to more falls. Here's how to get on your skis.

Gus Ruelas / Daily News

BOX: (1) GEAR UP FOR FOUL WEATHER (see text)

(2) STRAIGHTEN UP, FLY RIGHT (see text)