# Virgin Snow

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-snow/53436
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 7, 2001, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-snow/53436 "2001-02-07T02:21:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![mongrel\_8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@mongrel\_8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mongrel_8)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2001, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-snow/53436/1 "2001-02-07T02:21:59Z")

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In every outdoor magazine I’ve read they talk about being able to ski virgin powder. But when I went skiing, it was impossible to ski unless the snow had been packed down. So what am I missing? Why is virgin powder considered so good?

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### Author: ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2001, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-snow/53436/2 "2001-02-07T02:38:11Z")

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It allows the negotiation of near vertical declevities with an acceptable degree of control.

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### Author: ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)
#### Post date: [February 7, 2001, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/virgin-snow/53436/3 "2001-02-07T02:43:34Z")

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I’ve never downhill skied, but when I cross-country skied, it didn’t matter the texture of the snow as you just applied different waxes. Drier snow was better, but if the snow was wet, you had the right wax for it.