 Poster: A snowHead
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rob@rar, I've tried the turning without skis on the snow method a few times and cannot really recommend it unless you like clomping around in ski boots retrieving lost skis 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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skiingfool, Were you really looking for this, when you stumbled across Snowheads
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Getting all pedantic and that (as is my way) - skiingfool is correct - it is impossible to carve the fall line on anything with a sidecut :
Fall line = straight line from top to bottom. Straight ski held on one edge could do it.
So at some point when we say 'ski the fall line' we are following an average line by putting in (usually) tight turns. By that definition - it can be done.
Ill go away now. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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slikedges, Nice vid, but to be honest I wouldn't call those moguls - a slightly bumpy piste ...
rich, No, carving is much more than only one way to do it. there are degrees of carving both in edge angle and in the amount of the turn that is carved.
skiingfool, I really object to your characterisation, you're clearly a fool, but I doubt you ski. JWAZZ is obviously the place for you.
Getting the BASI 1 is like having a PHd, just a hard and no government money to help you. Absolute minimum 4 years (most take longer), mere 25% pass rate max - sometimes less. Thank you and goodnight.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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easiski, I agree the bumps are small but he looks like he'd do alright even if they were quite a lot bigger, as long as they were smooth/good snow. I must say I can't see how anyone could get close to carving the angular icy rutted cut away variety of bump - you couldn't even fit our shorter modern carvers down the troughs
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| lampbus wrote: |
Getting all pedantic and that (as is my way) - skiingfool is correct - it is impossible to carve the fall line on anything with a sidecut :
Fall line = straight line from top to bottom. Straight ski held on one edge could do it.
So at some point when we say 'ski the fall line' we are following an average line by putting in (usually) tight turns. By that definition - it can be done.
Ill go away now. |
If your head and shoulders followed the fall line but lower body and skis carved, then you would still be skiing the fall line, well at least the important bits would
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skiingfool, skiingfool, 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Floppy the Snotman, good point.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ghost, Still not huge - wish I had photos of the White Lady in the 80's - now those were moguls! Ciste gully as well on occasion - massive, and with John Clark shouting at me not to ski like "an old wifey"!!! 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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rich, Now those are moguls! Carving would not be appropriate there!
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Frosty the Snowman, I don't need site's like that how come you know where they are?
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Poster: A snowHead
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skiingfool, Seemed like you like a bit of rough n tumble  . Oh how our rugby side could use a bit of your spirit.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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skiingfool, google is a great tool when searching for things on the internet. Try typing www.google.co.uk and see what it comes up with.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I have been told by numerous instructors that generally women are better than men because women tend to listen and learn as opposed to having 2 pints and going as fast as they can.
Sadly my experiences in europe have been tainted by many a foolish englishman claiming to be advanced when what they actually mean is "giant heavy beer belly makes me go fast" and their method of stopping either involves a group of small children or throwing themselves to the floor. No sweeping generalisations there then! 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Alexandra, You mix with the wrong company, or at least you do when skiing 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Alexandra, I am surprised that one snowHead could write something so negative about the other snowHeads of the opposite sex.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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A lot of guys I know talk a good ski run, banging on about Jackson Hole and other "hardman" resorts they've conquered. Truth is they ski 1-2 weeks per year and most of them started in their mid 30s. So what level do you think they're really at? From what I've seen when skiing with a few of them - sketchy, over confident intermediates would be a good description.
I'm awesome though
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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uktrailmonster,
So, if they have had 10 years or less.... they will be struggling on a lot of pistes and snow with any sort of difficulty. Not that this is so bad...its all about time on snow IMV and some people have had other priorities. In that respect, its no big thing
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brian
brian
Guest
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easiski, should've gone to Glenshee, the Tiger was the bumps par excellence in those days
Not that I was very good at skiing them I hasten to add ...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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JT, So, just asking, but where in your opinion are the 'milestones' for the 'average recreational skier'. I mean there seemed to me to be a huge difference from week 1 to week 3, maybe a similar improvement to week 6, and since then (I guess I'm now around week 10), not a huge change. Is this the 'plateau'? BTW I would class myself as a below average intermediate skier, due to age, weight, (lack of) fitness and (fondness of) beer! 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| skiingfool wrote: |
| Could someone please clarify fall line for me? or I think I rest my case as we have someone doing exactly what they were posting this thread about. |
It's the route you'd take down the hill were you to fall. Trust me, I know exactly what I'm talking about with this one.
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Oh, did I forget to turn the page?
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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AxsMan,
Its difficult and I have wrestled with this quite a lot... its pretty hard to gauge where so and so should be after such and such a time... as age and fitness, aptitude and ability to want to learn come into play. For example, my 1st 5 years where spent bombing everything and avoiding turns but I do have a pretty good snap stylistically of me on the Zermatt glacier after I had skied less than 10 times.. I looked at it today and I still think its pretty good...but the piste was very kind, ie, wide and flattish. But put some bumps in the way or ice and I would have fallen apart.
So, on those lines, I would say the milestones are, IMV,
emergency/hockey stops
parallel
skiing fall-line
a decent fist in moguls
deep snow
steep stuff
Deep snow steep stuff
The above takes into account how I learned and some would say some of the above trials aren't necesssay anymore. My progress might have been hindered by not having lessons but I know there would have been a trade-off in that I might be a technically better skier now, but I wouldn't have explored to the extent that I have due to time constraints. I don't for one minute consider it lost time and think it is impossible to relate how well I could do the same stuff. Even if I wasn't in formal lessons, I still learnt stuff and little improvements take a long time to see... I gauge it by what I couldn't ski, say 5 years ago...
I think that on reasonable terrain with good snow, you can look a good skier at 10 weeks if you have nailed - properly- what you are supposed to be doing.
A well trained eye should see a few shortcuts and bad habits and set you straight again, if need be and I like a video reference for this but a trusted instructor is a good idea..probably better. I also think its easier to gloss over a few faults on todays skis...more than it used to be anyway. IMV.
This could run and run...there is no easy answer, but sometimes its just time on snow...be it 20 weeks, 50 weeks, the more you have, the better you will be, but someones 10 weeks against someone else' 10 weeks...?? I don't particuarly think of it as a competition, its supposed to be fun
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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rover's take on it was that when you have GOOD stance and balance on a black run you are ready to START to learn to REALLY ski...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I think you're a good skier when you make automatic recoveries. You make a mistake or you hit a lump of ice or a patch of snow that is drastically different and without really thinking about it, you do what is necessary to get back in balance. Subconsciously, an automatic reflex.
Basically if you're good at other sports you're liable to be good at skiing. And also mileage and time can make a half decent looking skier out of anyone, in nice conditions and on a nice slope. But in crappy, variable conditions and/or at speed, that's when the really good skiers shine. And the less good but smart skier takes it very easy.
When you see some of the recoveries that the pros make . . .
There's a point in Push, when Hugo Harrison is heading towards a jump/drop off down a narrowish band of snow. Wide enough to turn but only just and there's a problem, an exposed rock. So what does he do, on a short swing off-piste turn, he lifts his outside (left) ski over that rock, completes the turn on his inside ski and goes off the drop on that ski and by the time he lands he's back into two ski mode. And he lands it and skis, not jumps in a bomb hole, which he climbs out of quickly and pretends he landed it, like a few of the pros do.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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666, a very fine measure of ability.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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AxsMan,
Personally, I think I should be better, but then I am quite pleased with what I can ski. You have good days and bad days
and it can be so frustrating, but that is what makes it the sport it is and keeps us coming back for more and more....and more...
easiski, I noticed that most that I got to ski with at the PSB, and that had had lessons with you retained a good stance in free-skiing. I know you will so " I should hope so" but it is a very easy thing to slip out of, I reckon and they all looked comfortable at the very least. And being comfortable on piste is certainly a good thing IMV.
The standard on the glacier that week was very high, I thought, compared with, say, a general week in season, so to not look too out of place is decent, IMV.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
Personally, I think I should be better, but then I am quite pleased with what I can ski. You have good days and bad days
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I think you have pointed out the difference between skiers. I constantly feel as though I need to improve but many other skiers just get to a certain level and are not interested in moving on.
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I constantly feel as though I need to improve but many other skiers just get to a certain level and are not interested in moving on.
I suspect that this is the single biggest differentiating factor in people's rate of progress.
I have ony skied one full season (and that was 93/94). Before it I'd skied only 6 weeks. I was very enthusiastic during my season - got out in all conditions, skied with people who were better than me, watched them closely, was always working on something. Towards the end of the season I commented to one of my regular ski buddies that I was amazed how bad some people were after working even 4 or 5 seasons. He pointed out that I looked as if I had done a lot more skiing than I actually had and that many people were perfectly happy skiing at a lower level indefinitely.
The thing is, I'm not a really talented sportsman - I scraped into school teams due to enthusiasm. I am stocky with strong legs and good endurance which probably helps. And I understand mechanics which I think helps a bit too.
AT the end of my season, I thought I would never ski to the same standard again. The truth is that I am better now than then (may be not at skiing the zip line in the bumps). Part of the difference is the improvement in equipment but I still feel that I can make some progress on something in the 10-14 days I ski each year.
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FAQ
