Poster: A snowHead
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I think I'm an average skier but with a differant attitude to most.
For me I know I'll never win any down hill medals or be of a pro standard, so I just enjoy it, I'm not interested in getting to the bottom quickly.
I'm interested in getting to the bottom and haveing as much fun as I can doing it, i did a Basi course in the army, and have pretty much skied ever since, I never do black runs, I really don't see the point in them( they are just there because that's how mountains are shaped ) other than for one skiers ego to tell people " I skied a black run"
And I wish ski instructors would take people from one side of the piste to the other, and firmly believe you shouldn't be allowed off the lower slopes until you can show you can STOP under control, and can demonstrate a degree of acceptance of other people around
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Corbet's Couloir, Its really an ego thing...to say you done it . tts nothing. A jump & two quick turns with the a safe long run out, big deal !!
Being an Amercian ski Area it would not be a open to the public if it was not safe.
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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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spot on. you could actually apply this to any sport in the world. Everyone has a level and then there are those who are the best and all others pale into insignificance.
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The scale is exponential at the top end I reckon. Take away the pros, and I'm often surprised about how few people I see that are skiing better than I can. But when I see one of those who are obviously better it's like they are doing a completely different sport. When I did a heliski holiday in 2006 the other clients were four Austrian guys the same age as my mate and I (mid 30s). Three of them were a bit better than us but one guy was in a completely different class. He was on skis but apparently has been sponsored as a snowboarder. He was so fast and fluid all over the mountain but I particularly remember him doing a back flip in full crucifix position off a lip.
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jedster wrote: |
The scale is exponential at the top end I reckon. |
So true. There's always a bigger fish.
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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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jedster wrote: |
Take away the beginners, and I'm often surprised about how few people I see that are skiing worse than I can. |
This, sadly, is the version for me!
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jedster wrote: |
Quote: |
spot on. you could actually apply this to any sport in the world. Everyone has a level and then there are those who are the best and all others pale into insignificance.
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The scale is exponential at the top end I reckon. Take away the pros, and I'm often surprised about how few people I see that are skiing better than I can. But when I see one of those who are obviously better it's like they are doing a completely different sport. When I did a heliski holiday in 2006 the other clients were four Austrian guys the same age as my mate and I (mid 30s). Three of them were a bit better than us but one guy was in a completely different class. He was on skis but apparently has been sponsored as a snowboarder. He was so fast and fluid all over the mountain but I particularly remember him doing a back flip in full crucifix position off a lip. |
Agreed and I've noticed that some people are naturally good at taking air - they seem to always land on their feet like cats. But unfortunately I've never been confident in the air (despite having very good balance on the ground) in both skiing and mountain biking. It just scares me to be honest and never comes naturally. A few years back I bought a trampoline to train on, which has helped a little, but jumping is certainly not my forte. Backflips are certainly well beyond my ability.
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On the Inside Out scale, I'd be a 5 skiing, and if there was an equivalent scale for snowboarding, would be an 8.5-9.
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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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FWIW I have seen some pretty bad skiers that can throw a good backflip in the park. Once you get to a certain point there isn't a linear progression but one that branches out into lots of different areas all of which have different skillsets and a lot of them don't actually require you to be that good a skier in the sense that the level of skiing skill is super high.
The really good skiers aren't usually the ones that just ski what flatters them or what they find easy but the ones that go out of the way to ski the stuff they find difficult.
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Hey, stanton, I can't believe you're a pro: I'm WAY better than you
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'm somewhere in the vast gap between IO level 8 and 9. I've passed my BASI level 1 (but done nothing with it) and can ski pretty much any marked run comfortably unless it's a sheet of ice. My off piste technique is more or less non existant in steep powder and I lack fluidity in moguls. Finally I haven't skied for two years. i've got 10 days skiing in Switzerland coming up shortly (zermatt and Andermatt) it'll be interesting to see how far I've regressed.
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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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Charliebigpotatoes,
Your free (hopefully) to believe what you want. Goodluck.
Comedy Goldsmith,
It really isnt a big deal 25years ago & you do not need a helmet.
The only difference nowadays is you have to line up (like A lift line) to
take your turn. Then later in the Mangey Moose your hear all the fatty city (NYC,LA,London) slicks
getting all excited "I done Corberts".
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stanton, I dictate the sickest poo-poo that goes down, so yeah boi, I'm free. Just no one else is.
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You know it makes sense.
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Charliebigpotatoes wrote: |
stanton, I dictate the sickest poo-poo that goes down, so yeah boi, I'm free. Just no one else is. |
Bet your the hardest person in your bedroom.
Unless your mum is cleaning up after you
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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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Quote: |
Your free (hopefully) to believe what you want. Goodluck. |
[laughs] It took me some time parse what you probably meant there - please tell your mum that you really do need to finish the English classes.
Dropping off things is actually not the same as skiing. Indeed, so long as you can get to the cliff, you don't need any ability what so ever.
Undoubtedly 13 year olds are best at it. although not even 13 year old girls care much.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Megamum, I've had 3 trips away in total, the first one was probably 8-9 days skiing, the second was a week so 6 days of skiing and the last one was 9 days skiing. So 23-24 days in total.
I've had a lot of tuition though. On each trip I've had at least 3 full days of private lessons plus the level 1-4 course at a snowdome.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Probably just a 7 here, but enjoy trying to get better. Had a couple of 1/2 day group skills sessions with New Gen in Vallandry last week, which proved how much more I need to work on technique.
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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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v1cky24, Then I guess you that explains your progress, enjoy your next trip
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I would say I'm a strong 6 by the end of the week or 2 but I haven't skiied in a few years so that might have changed.
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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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I think I've progressed to an 8 since the start of this thread
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stanton wrote: |
If you only ski groomers your Not really any good at all.
SKIING GROOMERS SHOULD BE LAST ON YOUR LIST of being able to Master.
If you cant feel or control your skis in
Bumps
Deep POW
Steep Chutes (jump turns)
Breakable Crud
Slick Ice
Heavy Slush
Skin Up ( Earn your Turns)
High Altitude Skiing (4500-8000M)
Old Style Free Skiing without Helmets,Backpacks etc!
All of the above in Flat Light you have not really got pass kinder ski school.. |
I know you're probably trolling, but really? You suggest people ski at high altitude before they learn how to ski groomers? I've skied over 4500m in the Andes and the Himalayas, but I know a lot of great skiers who haven't.
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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: |
This thread is worthless without pictures. Anyone claiming 11 or 12 should post pics! |
Probably an 11
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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haha I thought 11-13 was a joke! thought it just went to 10!
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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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dulcamara, you definitely look about 11
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm poo-poo, or at least I think I am, level 7 I think. Had a couple of hours properly back on skis (I don't count nursery slopes) for the first time in several seasons, seems I can still parallel (although I am still occasionally lifting my right foot during turns) and did fine on the bumps until my fitness (or lack of) failed me. By the end of the season I will be better.
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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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jimmer,
I should of left that one out. Most City folk have difficulty breathing and exercising at 1500M
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Poster: A snowHead
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meh wrote: |
FWIW I have seen some pretty bad skiers that can throw a good backflip in the park. |
I've seen technically poor one-trick-pony skiers billy-goating down 55 degree, you fall you die, slopes too. And they didn't die.
I can ski the whole mountain... probably places IO ski instructors wouldn't go but on their scale I'm about an 8. Maybe.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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davidof wrote: |
... probably places IO ski instructors wouldn't go |
Most certainly true.
davidof wrote: |
... but on their scale I'm about an 8. Maybe. |
Far too modest!
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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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Thats me, the biggest of the small blobs on the mountain, I have no idea what level I am.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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rob@rar wrote: |
but on their scale I'm about an 8. Maybe. |
Far too modest![/quote]
No I don't think so. I looked at the videos and there is some very precise technique being demonstrated at each level. I'm a strong skier but not a great skier.
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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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Interesting to read this thread, we really put a lot of thought and hard work into creating a broad scale that people could identify with and the video's were tough to compile to highlight typical strengths and weaknesses at each level. If anyone at 8+ would like to post some video it would be great to see as it is difficult to focus in on non technical issues such as snow conditions, light, steepness etc. and confidence which is hard to capture. At the higher levels skillful skiing becomes less about technical ability and more of a balance of other factors like tactical choices, physical athleticism, psychological state of mind and even equipment selection and set up.
I would never by choice ski the places that davidof goes to for fun as they would scare me witless but I have had to put myself into some of those places on training courses. At the time my skiing probably didn't look as awful as I felt when doing it and the guides wouldn't really know how bad I felt. Does that limit my skiing "level"? On the other hand I have skied at very high speeds on horribly rutted icy injected race courses that would have resulted in injury with even the smallest mistake. I performed poorly but yet still gunned it, so how does that sit? I have never tried a 360 through fear of injury, does that make me a poor skier or just define my own self limitations?
We do have a set of questions we also ask people prior to coming along on a coaching holiday and that helps identify psychological and physical issues that may hold back people and get them into the correct training group and this balanced with the self selection of ability level is pretty accurate.
I have been skiing and training very hard for two months and I am a better skier today than I was last week. For me gradual continual improvement and bigger grins at the end of each week is the most important thing, but that is just me...
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skimottaret,
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For me gradual continual improvement and bigger grins at the end of each week is the most important thing, but that is just me...
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No, not just you, I would guess that most people who have skied under your and Rob's tuition feel the same.
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I'm a strong skier but not a great skier.
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I think that's an interesting distinction. I had a couple of interesting descents last year. One in Voute in la Grave, where we had misjudged the abseil slightly and one on Pyramide in Alpe d'Huez where we underestimated the degree of wind scouring present on the snow 10m below the entry. That made for an interesting five minutes. But at no point did I think that I couldn't actually do what I needed to do next.
I suck technically. Really, I'm awful. But I am confident in being able to negotiate a wide variety of terrain at a reasonable pace and without falling or getting overly tired. If asked I would say I am good enough to ski the kind of terrain I enjoy skiing - which is in itself somewhat circular - but that I'm never really going to improve. I don't have the time or, really the inclination.
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gorilla, sort of like having a technical niche? I think it needs to be considered in two dimensions. On the first axis there is a breadth of skills and the second is degree of technical proficiency. A strong skier will be technically good in the narrow range of skills they employ. A great skier will be technically good in a broad range of skills.
You could go as far as to add a third dimension for confidence and a strong skier is someone that it technically proficient and confident in a narrow range of skills. For example skiing steeps but being mediocre otherwise you still have confidence in your technical ability to ski something.
</overthinking>
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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: |
sort of like having a technical niche?
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I think it is more like being able to make use of what you've got. And not being afraid of the odd tactical stem turn.
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