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What is an "Expert"...

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123456

Re: What is an "Expert"...

Harvey wrote

That is pretty interesting rating system although the jump between 7 and 8 looks big. I was like... 7 yea, 8 no way.

Got to work on my flair.

Seems lopsided to the low end. I'm thinking like 4 or 5 levels between 7-9.

Also there is no mention of bulletproof "snow."

A lot of lessons are in the 4-6 range. Its pretty rare to get even 7's showing for lessons though I had a really fun group lesson at that level about two weeks ago with a couple of great guys. Instructors themselves are the biggest clinic takers for the 7+ crowd. I really like working with the 5-6 range as you can make a real difference in their skiing in a couple of hours. The higher you get the slower real change takes.

The Vail rating system isn't going to make much mention of firm to bullet proof snow but I like it better than even the PSIA rating system we use at WF as its more descriptive. A lot of manuals and other written material start at either Aspen or Vail and then spread to other areas.

if You French Fry when you should Pizza you are going to have a bad time

Harvey

Re: What is an "Expert"...

Administrator

^^Great post Coach thanks. And I guess I get why they wouldn't mention super firm snow.

Still...

I'll never forget a run of a lifetime at Killington 3 years ago in May. We hiked over from Superstar to Cascade(?) Not sure. It seemed like a mile of hike. We got over there and the corn was so soft and sweet as it had no traffic and had been rained. It was as good as powder.

Me, ML and VT-Freeheel. Sean Riley of Plattekill fame was there, we ran into him on the hike over. Riley says to me at the bottom "wow Harvey you nailed that!" It was so easy to lean forward, pressure my boot tongues, keep my upper quiet make pole plants. An expert can do that under firm, difficult conditions.

"You just need to go at that shit wide open, hang on, and own it." —Camp

tBatt

Re: What is an "Expert"...

In reply to this post by Harvey

Harvey wrote

Got to work on my flair.

raisingarizona

Re: What is an "Expert"...

In reply to this post by Z

Coach Z wrote

JTG4eva! wrote

My older brother is an engineer....and completely overanalyzes his skiing, as I s'pose most engineers might be inclined to do. Every second of every run is spent working, analyzing and trying to improve his turns. His idea of fun.

By far the most painful teaching experience is working with an engineer. They have to understand every little detail and want to know exactly what angle a given body part needs to be at. Then there is the mind numbing topic of how much weight each ski needs to have on it that engineers always seem to ask about. When you start talking weighting nothing ever good happens in peoples skiing IMO.

While its important to technically understand what to do and why eventually you need to ski it and feel it to ultimately own it.

I think the others have listed many of the attributes of experts. I especially liked RA's comments. I also would add that experts have a confidence to their skiing that they can modify the skills as needed to adjust to any slope, terrain, snow condition or situation and ski it effortlessly.

You should see what an engineer is like during an Avi 1 course! They tweak when told that their is no absolute answer!

MikeK

Re: What is an "Expert"...

Banned User

raisingarizona wrote

You should see what an engineer is like during an Avi 1 course! They tweak when told that their is no absolute answer!

Terrible engineers then. Any good engineer knows there is no such thing as absolutes; only closer and closer approximations to reality.

Adk Jeff

Re: What is an "Expert"...

In reply to this post by PeeTex

PeeTex wrote

I took this self assessment, it classified me as Level 0; "You talk about skiing, you read about skiing and you think about skiing but you never seem to actually get out and ski"

I'm an 11 !

skimore

Re: What is an "Expert"...

In reply to this post by Harvey

Harvey wrote

It was as good as powder.

Stop it

snoloco

Re: What is an "Expert"...

skimore wrote

Harvey wrote

It was as good as powder.

Stop it

Damn,

what a party pooper, and that's coming from someone who is guilty of that himself. Just because you won't ski on any day but a powder day, doesn't mean others won't enjoy themselves.

I've lived in New York my entire life.

sig

Re: What is an "Expert"...

corn snow will be the closest thing we get to powder this year.

skimore

Re: What is an "Expert"...

In reply to this post by snoloco

snoloco wrote

skimore wrote

Harvey wrote

It was as good as powder.

Stop it

Damn, what a party pooper, and that's coming from someone who is guilty of that himself. Just because you won't ski on any day but a powder day, doesn't mean others won't enjoy themselves.

Read between the lines kid. Stop it as in stop stating corn is as good as powder. I'm willing to bet if there was 2 runs side by side with corn and 1' of untracked powder Harv would be taking a right turn everytime

JTG4eva!

Re: What is an "Expert"...

In reply to this post by sig

Powder is the Grail, sure........but it's corn they call hero snow, not powder!

We REALLY need a proper roll eyes emoji!!

snoloco

Re: What is an "Expert"...

In reply to this post by skimore

skimore wrote

snoloco wrote

skimore wrote

Harvey wrote

It was as good as powder.

Stop it

Damn, what a party pooper, and that's coming from someone who is guilty of that himself. Just because you won't ski on any day but a powder day, doesn't mean others won't enjoy themselves.

Read between the lines kid. Stop it as in stop stating corn is as good as powder. I'm willing to bet if there was 2 runs side by side with corn and 1' of untracked powder Harv would be taking a right turn everytime

Yes, all other factors equal, the powder would be better. When you consider other factors, you might take the corn instead. Unless you can get out the day of the storm, most mountains are a feeding frenzy on a powder day. I was at Hunter at 7:45am the day after a storm and there was already a line out of the ropes. Everyone was screaming "POWDER!!!!!!!!!" and "EPIC"!!!!!!!!!! The liftie who dropped the rope at the lift almost got trampled. Everyone was trying to ski way faster than their ability level to try and beat everyone else to the goods which were gone within the hour, tracked out into moguls with boilerplate ice in between. I'd take corn snow over that shit show any day.

I've lived in New York my entire life.

Harvey

Re: What is an "Expert"...

Administrator

He's right I would go for the pow.

I'll admit I was trolling skimore a little.

Still it was awesome.

"You just need to go at that shit wide open, hang on, and own it." —Camp

Jon951

Re: What is an "Expert"...

Expert according to my binding DIN setting, which I set myself...Flame on!

"Feets fail me not"

skimore

Re: What is an "Expert"...

In reply to this post by snoloco

snoloco wrote

I was at Hunter

There lies your problem

Try some place like PKill or Hickory on a pow day. You'll like it

snoloco

Re: What is an "Expert"...

In reply to this post by Jon951

Jon951 wrote

Expert according to my binding DIN setting, which I set myself...Flame on!

I've used a type 3 setting for a while and never had a problem with it. I ski pretty fast on groomers and do not want to eject at a high speed. As I'm skiing bumps more often, that puts more stress on the bindings and I wouldn't want to hit a bump hard and eject. I only want it to eject I totally lose it and go down hard, or if I hit an unexpected obstacle at high speed. According to the PSIA levels, I exceed all the qualities of a 7 and meet some of the qualities of an 8. I want to be at least a solid 8. I say that type 1 is 1-3, type 2 is 4-6, and 3 is 7-9.

I've lived in New York my entire life.

MikeK

Re: What is an "Expert"...

Banned User

I've talked to some really good skiers about that DIN stuff back when I cared about it...

They always said set is low as you possibly can. Why? Because if you ain't skiing smooth you'll blast right out of your skis. It forces you to become a smoother skier.

Don't know how the PSIA feels about that, but it made sense to me.

raisingarizona

Re: What is an "Expert"...

This post was updated on .

MikeK wrote

I've talked to some really good skiers about that DIN stuff back when I cared about it...

They always said set is low as you possibly can. Why? Because if you ain't skiing smooth you'll blast right out of your skis. It forces you to become a smoother skier.

Don't know how the PSIA feels about that, but it made sense to me.

It might force you to ski really slow and conservative and not really very good. Skiing is an aggressive activity.

Most of all it would be incredibly dangerous.

Thin the heard I suppose.

raisingarizona

Re: What is an "Expert"...

This post was updated on .

I agree with the Sno on the frenzy, no thanks.

MikeK

Re: What is an "Expert"...

Banned User

This post was updated on .

In reply to this post by raisingarizona

raisingarizona wrote

It might force you to ski really slow and conservative and not really very good. Skiing is an aggressive activity.

Most of all it would be incredibly dangerous.

Thin the heard I suppose.

These guys aren't young, are still skiing and still have their knees. Former racers too.

I'd rather have my ski come off than parts of my knee. Something is going to give.

My bindings don't release at all. That is way more dangerous.

I can see cranking stuff up for skiing gnarly off-piste terrain where a fall is very, very bad... but for icy blues and easy blacks out east... you are probably skiing too fast and out of control if your skis pop off with a lowish DIN.

123456