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What is an intermediate skier? (3), snowHeads ski forum
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What is an intermediate skier?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Masque, in that case I've gone beyond "intermediate" but I still have a hard time on some reds Happy
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
clarky999, I like that; probably the most accurate so far.
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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?
for the definition of like a boss


http://youtube.com/v/NisCkxU544c
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flangesax wrote:
clarky999, I like that; probably the most accurate so far.
Assuming one doesn't break down intermediate into different levels, then yes, I agree.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
having been slammed several times for daring to call myself an intermediate, I'd like to add that it's those who call themselves "advanced" who should be up for the most scrutiny and possible ridicule - having many times observed cowboy skiiers on or off piste who obviously fancy themselves advanced skiiers and sure, they're daring, but in terms of technique, well, they'd have something to learn from us mere intermediates ...
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Surely "intermediate", in the minds of most British skiers, means "someone who's not quite as good as me"?
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Over analysis is the name of the game in modern day Britain......I blame Brexit
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An intermediate is someone with the technical ability to get down a run but has little 'style'.

Perhaps skiing is more like dance than some other recreations snowHead
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sanman wrote:
Surely "intermediate", in the minds of most British skiers, means "someone who's not quite as good as me"?


This is the correct answer.
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Peter S wrote:
An intermediate is someone with the technical ability to get down a run but has little 'style'.


This.

Beginner (25%) = no substance + no style.
Intermediate (70%) = substance + no style.
Advanced (5%) = substance + style.
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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.
Quote:

An intermediate is someone with the technical ability to get down a run but has little 'style'

Or maybe an intermediate is somebody who thinks the key to improving is to develop some "style"?
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@skimottaret, thanks for reviving this thread, brilliant laugh!
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
thirty06 wrote:
It's someone who has completed a week or more of ski school, but not yet learned to bend their knees.

They say things like "I want to concentrate more on technique and get off the plateau". When they should concentrate on bending their knees and get off my piste.

They are beloved of vendors because they buy tons of kit to make them ski better, or indeed ski as opposed to sliding down a hill with skis on. Carving skis, because they reckon the hire kit doesn't really have enough edge grip. Edge files, because the skis they bought weren't tuned right out of the factory. More files to detune huge lengths of edge, so they can stop catching edges. Had they but bent their knees, they could have rolled the skis over and edged to their hearts' content.

Harder boots, because they don't feel they've got enough energy transfer. Injected inner boots, because they still don't feel the boot is letting them transfer pressure to the edges. Gel insoles, ibuprofen, knee braces and plasters because these hard boots are killing them. Bent knees would have absorbed all that punishment.

They buy special poles so that the pole plant is just right and they'll go round in a nice circle. They buy longer poles because more advanced skiers use longer poles. They buy bent poles, lightweight poles, carbon fibre poles. If only they'd bend their knees, the poles would reach the ground.

Oh why won't they do it ? It's so simple and it's good exercise, bend knee, straighten a bit, bend again. See the posters of super fast racing skiers, admire their knees, so bent, such lovely angles, oblique and acute, never obtuse nor close to it. See the venerable older skiers on their ancient skis with cable bindings, what keeps them so lithe and supple (bend, bend, bend).

They won't though. The horrid, hateful little self styled 'intermediates' would rather struggle and strain about waving their arms and swinging their shoulders like a Soviet mass gymnastics demonstration, but without the rhythm or aesthtics. They whirl their upper bodies like Pete Townshend while their poor old knees seize up with disuse, like cheap marionettes operated by one armed drunkards.

Could we not reserve pistes for them ? Somewhere out of sight ? round the back of the mountain. Give them a restricted lift pass until they satisfy a panel of judges that they don't look appalling and they won't clutter up the place with a lot of unsightly flat skied skidding.

In all, the use of a protractor should enable a rapid assessment of whether someone is or is not intermediate.


Intermediate: a skiier who thinks that s/he is better than anyone else on on the mountain, whilst making comments about technique that have no basis in reality, through a lens of laughable pomposity, and complete selfishness.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I still think clarky999 nailed it
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Skiing with your skis.......

40cm to 60cm apart= Beginner
20cm to 60cm apart =Intermediate
5cm to 20cm apart = Expert
-10cm to 5cm apart= Ski God

That should clear things up Toofy Grin
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I like to preface the word 'intermediate' with something else just to clarify, for instance 'I'm a poo-poo intermediate'. Lowers expectations nicely. Twisted Evil

NB: not all 'intermediates' think they are good, most are just trying to get better skis from the hire shop...

Edit - oops, got done by the swear filter! Shocked
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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?
Ultra wrote:
Skiing with your skis.......

-10cm to 5cm apart= Ski God

That should clear things up Toofy Grin


That rules out most World Cup Skiers then!
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So monoskis are some kind of uber king of kings kinda skigod then...
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anarchicsaltire wrote:
Ultra wrote:
Skiing with your skis.......

-10cm to 5cm apart= Ski God

That should clear things up Toofy Grin


That rules out most World Cup Skiers then!


Ah, then ski's 60cm to 200cm apart = Would cup standard wink
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There's a world of difference between an intermediate and an advanced skier. I have skiied for 40 plus years and heli skiied for 25 but would never say I am an advanced skier. I am a skier with many years of experience and I can be safe on almost anything but ski some slopes (or off piste) well - now there's an issue. My husband and I describe ourselves as experienced cruisey skiers and avoid the "advanced" word and have never contemplated "expert". We are happy with what we do and we are probably going backwards as we get older and a bit more cautious. I no longer (never really did) wish to ski steep bump runs or to ski in porridge but a wonderful sunny morning on thigh deep powder is a different matter! Its all in the mind of the individual! Happy Christmas everyone and lets hope for lots of snow as we get into 2019.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@FFIRMIN, I'm curious as to what level you would put yourself on our guidelines... http://www.insideoutskiing.com/level.html
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
thirty06 wrote:
It's someone who has completed a week or more of ski school, but not yet learned to bend their knees.

They say things like "I want to concentrate more on technique and get off the plateau". When they should concentrate on bending their knees and get off my piste.

They are beloved of vendors because they buy tons of kit to make them ski better, or indeed ski as opposed to sliding down a hill with skis on. Carving skis, because they reckon the hire kit doesn't really have enough edge grip. Edge files, because the skis they bought weren't tuned right out of the factory. More files to detune huge lengths of edge, so they can stop catching edges. Had they but bent their knees, they could have rolled the skis over and edged to their hearts' content.

Harder boots, because they don't feel they've got enough energy transfer. Injected inner boots, because they still don't feel the boot is letting them transfer pressure to the edges. Gel insoles, ibuprofen, knee braces and plasters because these hard boots are killing them. Bent knees would have absorbed all that punishment.

They buy special poles so that the pole plant is just right and they'll go round in a nice circle. They buy longer poles because more advanced skiers use longer poles. They buy bent poles, lightweight poles, carbon fibre poles. If only they'd bend their knees, the poles would reach the ground.

Oh why won't they do it ? It's so simple and it's good exercise, bend knee, straighten a bit, bend again. See the posters of super fast racing skiers, admire their knees, so bent, such lovely angles, oblique and acute, never obtuse nor close to it. See the venerable older skiers on their ancient skis with cable bindings, what keeps them so lithe and supple (bend, bend, bend).

They won't though. The horrid, hateful little self styled 'intermediates' would rather struggle and strain about waving their arms and swinging their shoulders like a Soviet mass gymnastics demonstration, but without the rhythm or aesthtics. They whirl their upper bodies like Pete Townshend while their poor old knees seize up with disuse, like cheap marionettes operated by one armed drunkards.

Could we not reserve pistes for them ? Somewhere out of sight ? round the back of the mountain. Give them a restricted lift pass until they satisfy a panel of judges that they don't look appalling and they won't clutter up the place with a lot of unsightly flat skied skidding.

In all, the use of a protractor should enable a rapid assessment of whether someone is or is not intermediate.


8/10 not enough use of smileys for me, Clive. Otherwise very impressive!
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skimottaret I would probably have to say I am somewhere in the 9 - 10 description but due to decrepitude I am no longer very adventurous, I am not improving and I dont expect or intend to now, I am happy to potter down a mountain in almost whatever conditions but prefer to go home when the going gets tough, its an age thing. I suppose someone with 25 years of heli skiing under their belt should describe themselves as advanced but I struggle with that description. Its a long time since I last tried to categorise myself (in so many ways)!
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Skiers need an assesment score like school
Abilty A-E
Attitude 1-5
Lots of people tackling, with untidy success, black runs after one week on skis, that might be D1 skiers, little ability but happy to tackle anything.
Others might ski groomed blues with perfect turns, faultless in style but would never consider a black run and be classed as B4
I doubt that there would be many A5 or E1 skiers as there is some link between ability & attitude.
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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.
Easily recognised by not knowing how to carry their skis properly ...
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
under a new name wrote:
Easily recognised by not knowing how to carry their skis properly ...


Boogger, that's absolutely me. Laughing
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.

http://youtube.com/v/sU5cftDHOqo
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Even after 2 1/2 minutes I am not sure what is the "correct" way to carry ones skis. I have tried them all and lets face it carrying skis sucks!!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I think it's more to do with what you can't do rather than what you can do. I've been out with groups where they've asked for intermediate skiers and some found themselves in difficulty when it got a bit steep or churned up. So you have to be careful as to what you sign up for.
Then, there's the issue of fitness. Go on a bash for example. There are some terrific skiers who are getting on a bit so don't want to, or can't ski many many in a day. Then there are those who don't have the greatest of techniques but can get down all the pistes and ski forever.
I have about 30 weeks on snow and get get down pretty much everything I come across on piste however I still see.myself as an intermediate. I've been out with some instructors on a bash.amd the likes of ginger Gary and when it gets really.cut up and steep odd occasion.and I see how they just bomb down it like they're downing a coffee whilst I'm having to concentrate on every turn, that I see that I'm a long way from an advanced skier.
I think it only really matters when choosing your kit and binding settings or choosing a group to ski with.
It's also probably worth noting that an expert in the UK is probably a novice in the Alps
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I’m an “enthusiastic” skier, but readily acknowledge I’m not as good as I think I am and my mind regularly writes cheques my body can’t cash. Sums it up for me.

Or, with regard to categorising ability level by numbers - “I’m not a number, I’m a free man”.
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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?
I am the best skier on the mountain. If God were a skier he'd be taking lessons from me.
Alles klar?
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It's easy.
The intermediate still cares about their 'level' Cool

Become the ski to be at one with the mountain. Then float like a butterfly and turn like a bee; technique doesn't matter, if the instructor can't see!

#ZenSkiing
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
tangowaggon wrote:
Skiers need an assesment score like school
Abilty A-E
Attitude 1-5
Lots of people tackling, with untidy success, black runs after one week on skis, that might be D1 skiers, little ability but happy to tackle anything.
Others might ski groomed blues with perfect turns, faultless in style but would never consider a black run and be classed as B4
I doubt that there would be many A5 or E1 skiers as there is some link between ability & attitude.


Already discussed 500 years ago. "2B or not 2B?"
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Orange200 wrote:
tangowaggon wrote:
Skiers need an assesment score like school
Abilty A-E
Attitude 1-5
Lots of people tackling, with untidy success, black runs after one week on skis, that might be D1 skiers, little ability but happy to tackle anything.
Others might ski groomed blues with perfect turns, faultless in style but would never consider a black run and be classed as B4
I doubt that there would be many A5 or E1 skiers as there is some link between ability & attitude.


Already discussed 500 years ago. "2B or not 2B?"


Put me down as a XX - sooo good I should be rated as soft porn Toofy Grin
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