What skills determine ability levels?

[PisteOff]

Nope if you were on epic someone would have devised a highly complex devision matrix on how to categorise people for ski lesssons, someone else would disagree, an instructor would wade in with a bit of "Respect mah authoridee!", someone else would have told us that being a one true disciple of the Harb was the only path to enlightenment and then be banned. Ultimately it would turn out to be Gray or some younk punk's fault.

Bullseye!!

 

[markojp]

When you get into some really tough terrain, especially when combined tough conditions, The first down is usually the best skier...unless someone is hanging back to ski drag. Just sayin'. And that is not about speed. It is about competence and, perhaps, fitness.

Yeah... no.

 

[cosmoliu]

Maybe a little oblique to the discussion, but I had an interesting interaction at the JH Steep and Deep camp several years back. @mdf mentioned above that Steep and Deep has a fair amount of instruction, but that was not my experience. Certainly not in terms of the usual ski school drills and such. Indeed, I seem to recall that the course description mentioned that instruction would not be emphasized, but rather the goal of the camp was primarily to take the group to places that would push our envelope. In fact, the leader was called a "coach" rather than an "instructor". We had gone through the split and it was clear from mid-morning on that one guy clearly didn't have the technique that the rest of the group had, but he had youth and enthusiasm on his side. His crashes were many and epic. But he was having a blast. Bill never took him aside to give him individual instruction, but would mention little things like "hands forward" or "pole plant". Clearly, fixing underlying technique gaps was beyond the scope of his job description for the camp. The second day I found myself alone with Bill at the lunch table and asked him if the outlier might do better in the next lower group. He paused for a moment and responded, "He's having a great time and is not holding us back, so really, what's the harm"? Made pretty good sense and by the end of camp, by hook and by crook, he did wind up being a better skier than when he started. And probably to Bill's great relief, he didn't die or damage any major body parts.

 

[KingGrump]

Youth is wasted on the young.

 

[Crank]

Yeah... no.

Getting back at me for that instructor crack a few pages back?

 

[TonyC]

Indeed, I seem to recall that the course description mentioned that instruction would not be emphasized, but rather the goal of the camp was primarily to take the group to places that would push our envelope. In fact, the leader was called a "coach" rather than an "instructor".

That is exactly the way Extremely Canadian at Whistler is marketed, down to the leader being labeled "coach." But a big part was to pass on tips and techniques that would allow us to push our personal envelopes farther and more safely. I have no doubt that is true for Steep and Deep also. Some coaches have more instruction emphasis than others, and it can also depend upon what most of the group wants.

 

[markojp]

Getting back at me for that instructor crack a few pages back?

Nope. I don't have time and can't recall what everyone posted. It's incredibly small beers. Happy to ski with you as well.

 

[mdf]

Steep and Deep is low key about instruction, but the multi-day format gives them time to sneak it in. A big part of the customer base thinks they are better than they are, so they have to be subtle.

The last time I went, we were doing pivot slips in 4 inches of powder on Rendezvous Trail to take advantage of the commuting time between "interesting" pitches.

 

[KingGrump]

A big part of the customer base thinks they are better than they are

 

[markojp]

Men in general.

 

[Tricia]

Here is how I rank my skills:
I'm not as bad as I used to be and not as good as I plan on being.

 

[razie]

ooh, can we have an in-depth conversation about how much edge is needed and how little steering before it counts as a carve?

82% and 18%




That in-depth enough?

 

[markojp]

Here is how I rank my skills:
I'm not as bad as I used to be and not as good as I plan on being.

Here's mine... I hope I suck tomorrow marginally less than I did today, but maybe I can only aspire to suck differently.

 

[Blue Streak]

Here is how I rank my skills:
I'm not as bad as I used to be and not as good as I plan on being.

Are we talking skiing here?

 

[Pequenita]

Here is how I rank my skills:
I'm not as bad as I used to be and not as good as I plan on being.

I still think that I'm on the cusp of greatness, but now I realize that the cusp is a couple 100-day seasons.

 

[mdf]

Here is how I rank my skills:
I'm not as bad as I used to be and not as good as I plan on being.

I like to say I'm better than everyone I know from real life and worse than almost everyone I know from skiing.

 

[tromano]

When you get into some really tough terrain, especially when combined tough conditions, The first down is usually the best skier...unless someone is hanging back to ski drag. Just sayin'. And that is not about speed. It is about competence and, perhaps, fitness.

 

[HDSkiing]

I’m somewhere between my students and most of my clinic leaders, although I did have this one 10 year old that wanted to get better in the bumps (she didn’t know how good she already was) that I did a private for, I had to up my game with her...

I only really use the levels (PSIA) in identifying where a student might be in terms of placing them or moving them (up or down) it’s particularly useful with kids and deciding on what skills and tasks you might begin with etc. most of the time when I talk to a student who’s not a beginner, I ask what type of runs they like, where they like to ski and most importantly what they want to do, sometimes they just want to have a guide and be able to cut the line. If that’s the case we just go have fun and I try to sneak in some pointers on the chair or at other times etc.

I often tell people there is no right way to Ski (general statement) but there are better ways.

 

[djetok]

Reading all this says one thing to me.

I need more lessons!

My kids ask me what level I am. I say I don't know let's go ski and have fun.