Chapter 6 · 13 Sept 2026 · 0:23

Drawing a way down

Designing ski runs with terrain-aware turns

The shortest route was not always the gentlest.

An early route planner favoured almost straight connections. I added traverses and flowing turns to better match the preferred challenge.

In one recorded same-endpoints mountain test, Hard sections fell from about 60% to 7% of the route distance. Terrain constraints still matter; the preferred challenge is not a promise.

The diagrams use recorded planner paths. The final scene is a fresh capture of the preserved piste lab with the actual route traced for clarity.

Next: shaping the snow.