To become an expert skier

I've described myself as an advanced but not expert skier. The truth
is I don't really know how to describe my level of skiing. I
certainly don't think of myself as an expert but I don't give a second
thought to skiing runs that are "expert only". I expect there are
runs at Jackson Hole,
Squaw Valley, Silverton and others that I would ski away from but I
haven't found any at the places I ski.

I suppose that's one way of assessing expert status but it doesn't
seem especially valid to me so my question is: what qualities
constitute an expert skier?

My goal is to get to a level where I can ski any line on the mountain
in any conditions with grace, speed and precision. If I ever get
there I will proclaim myself an expert.

What do any of you all think?

Chris

On Mar 10, 4:09 pm, "bumpfreaq" wrote:
I've described myself as an advanced but not expert skier. The truth
is I don't really know how to describe my level of skiing. I
certainly don't think of myself as an expert but I don't give a second
thought to skiing runs that are "expert only". I expect there are
runs at Jackson Hole,
Squaw Valley, Silverton and others that I would ski away from but I
haven't found any at the places I ski.

I suppose that's one way of assessing expert status but it doesn't
seem especially valid to me so my question is: what qualities
constitute an expert skier?

My goal is to get to a level where I can ski any line on the mountain
in any conditions with grace, speed and precision. If I ever get
there I will proclaim myself an expert.

What do any of you all think?

Chris

When you get to the place where you can ski ANY line on the mountain
with grace, speed and precison you'll be a God.

Good luck your worship.

Jack

On Mar 10, 6:54 pm, "CBJack" wrote:
On Mar 10, 4:09 pm, "bumpfreaq" wrote:



I've described myself as an advanced but not expert skier. The truth
is I don't really know how to describe my level of skiing. I
certainly don't think of myself as an expert but I don't give a second
thought to skiing runs that are "expert only". I expect there are
runs at Jackson Hole,
Squaw Valley, Silverton and others that I would ski away from but I
haven't found any at the places I ski.

I suppose that's one way of assessing expert status but it doesn't
seem especially valid to me so my question is: what qualities
constitute an expert skier?

My goal is to get to a level where I can ski any line on the mountain
in any conditions with grace, speed and precision. If I ever get
there I will proclaim myself an expert.

What do any of you all think?

Chris

When you get to the place where you can ski ANY line on the mountain
with grace, speed and precison you'll be a God.

Good luck your worship.

Jack

Oh, I forgot about CB. I've seen lines there that I skied away
from.... but if they had been filled with a foot or more of pow....

I guess I'm not sure if it's an attainable goal to ski any line that
well, but it won't stop me from trying.

Chris

bumpfreaq wrote:

... my question is: what qualities
constitute an expert skier?

My goal is to get to a level where I can ski any line on the mountain
in any conditions with grace, speed and precision. If I ever get
there I will proclaim myself an expert.

Exactly.

I've seen (nearly) the same definition in French as the goal for a skier
(except, you forgot "at all speeds"):

"toute neige, tout terrain, toute vitesse"

bumpfreaq wrote:

I've described myself as an advanced but not expert skier. The truth
is I don't really know how to describe my level of skiing. I
certainly don't think of myself as an expert but I don't give a second
thought to skiing runs that are "expert only". I expect there are
runs at Jackson Hole,
Squaw Valley, Silverton and others that I would ski away from but I
haven't found any at the places I ski.

I suppose that's one way of assessing expert status but it doesn't
seem especially valid to me so my question is: what qualities
constitute an expert skier?

My goal is to get to a level where I can ski any line on the mountain
in any conditions with grace, speed and precision. If I ever get
there I will proclaim myself an expert.

What do any of you all think?

Chris

I think your getting too hung up on the labeling issue. You should just
enjoy what you do and practice improving. If you declare your an expert
you will find people will not agree and point to testing levels that you
have not passed. This newsgroup will hack you & your expert label apart
for fun.
You can not always look like a skiing poster in all snow conditions,
part of being an expert is knowing when to hotdog and when it is time to
be in the bar doing arm curls.
Last year in a slalom race I watched 4 fast skiers go out on the same
gate same line that had a bad icy patch. I was the 5th skier and I
altered my line and made the gate and finished the run.
Being an expert is part physical, a portion of experance and a proper
mental outlook with understanding.
I am not an expert or ever expect to be one, but I have skied against
many experts & ex-pro's sometimes it is not pretty, but you must
remember it should be fun. If it is not fun you should be doing
something else!

michael

On Mar 10, 9:01 pm, lal_truckee wrote:
bumpfreaq wrote:

... my question is: what qualities
constitute an expert skier?

My goal is to get to a level where I can ski any line on the mountain
in any conditions with grace, speed and precision. If I ever get
there I will proclaim myself an expert.

Exactly.

I've seen (nearly) the same definition in French as the goal for a skier
(except, you forgot "at all speeds"):

"toute neige, tout terrain, toute vitesse"

Well ya know, I edited that a bit before I posted it. Originally I
wrote "at appropriate speed" because I was thinking that even an
expert skier would check their speed on some lines in some conditions
ie: an icy, steep, densely treed line..... like the one I skied away
from at Crested Butte.

Maybe if Jack is right and the criteria is unattainable then the
French definition is right on. Do you think it's possible to ski any
line in any condition at any speed?

Chris

On Mar 10, 9:18 pm, down_hill wrote:
bumpfreaq wrote:

I've described myself as an advanced but not expert skier. The truth
is I don't really know how to describe my level of skiing. I
certainly don't think of myself as an expert but I don't give a second
thought to skiing runs that are "expert only". I expect there are
runs at Jackson Hole,
Squaw Valley, Silverton and others that I would ski away from but I
haven't found any at the places I ski.

I suppose that's one way of assessing expert status but it doesn't
seem especially valid to me so my question is: what qualities
constitute an expert skier?

My goal is to get to a level where I can ski any line on the mountain
in any conditions with grace, speed and precision. If I ever get
there I will proclaim myself an expert.

What do any of you all think?

Chris

I think your getting too hung up on the labeling issue. You should just
enjoy what you do and practice improving. If you declare your an expert
you will find people will not agree and point to testing levels that you
have not passed. This newsgroup will hack you & your expert label apart
for fun.
You can not always look like a skiing poster in all snow conditions,
part of being an expert is knowing when to hotdog and when it is time to
be in the bar doing arm curls.
Last year in a slalom race I watched 4 fast skiers go out on the same
gate same line that had a bad icy patch. I was the 5th skier and I
altered my line and made the gate and finished the run.
Being an expert is part physical, a portion of experance and a proper
mental outlook with understanding.
I am not an expert or ever expect to be one, but I have skied against
many experts & ex-pro's sometimes it is not pretty, but you must
remember it should be fun. If it is not fun you should be doing
something else!

michael

Thank you for your thoughtful reply Michael.

I don't think I'm hung up on it at all, I'm just hanging out with not
much to do but come up with things to post about =)

If it wasn't clear in my original post let me make it clear now: I'm
a long long way from declaring myself an expert and I doubt it will
ever happen. It's just that I see dozens of signs each day that say
"experts only" and I see the term in this group as well so it got me
to thinking, what exactly is the measuring stick that's being held up?

As far as this group hacking me apart for fun, I sure don't plan on
posting anything that would invoke such treatment, but if I ever do, I
doubt it will be much of a bother. Much of what this group does for
fun I find deplorable.... other than skiing of course.

Thanks again though for your kind wishes. I am having a whole bunch
of fun doing a whole bunch of practicing. Hopefully it's making me
better.

Chris

bumpfreaq wrote:

... Do you think it's possible to ski any
line in any condition at any speed?

Let's ask Toni Matt. Or Der Kaiser.

On Mar 10, 10:52 pm, lal_truckee wrote:
bumpfreaq wrote:
... Do you think it's possible to ski any
line in any condition at any speed?

Let's ask Toni Matt. Or Der Kaiser.

Ask them about how they ski trees or ice bumps I presume?

Chris

bumpfreaq wrote:

On Mar 10, 9:18 pm, down_hill wrote:

bumpfreaq wrote:


I've described myself as an advanced but not expert skier. The truth
is I don't really know how to describe my level of skiing. I
certainly don't think of myself as an expert but I don't give a second
thought to skiing runs that are "expert only". I expect there are
runs at Jackson Hole,
Squaw Valley, Silverton and others that I would ski away from but I
haven't found any at the places I ski.

I suppose that's one way of assessing expert status but it doesn't
seem especially valid to me so my question is: what qualities
constitute an expert skier?

My goal is to get to a level where I can ski any line on the mountain
in any conditions with grace, speed and precision. If I ever get
there I will proclaim myself an expert.

What do any of you all think?

Chris

I think your getting too hung up on the labeling issue. You should just
enjoy what you do and practice improving. If you declare your an expert
you will find people will not agree and point to testing levels that you
have not passed. This newsgroup will hack you & your expert label apart
for fun.
You can not always look like a skiing poster in all snow conditions,
part of being an expert is knowing when to hotdog and when it is time to
be in the bar doing arm curls.
Last year in a slalom race I watched 4 fast skiers go out on the same
gate same line that had a bad icy patch. I was the 5th skier and I
altered my line and made the gate and finished the run.
Being an expert is part physical, a portion of experance and a proper
mental outlook with understanding.
I am not an expert or ever expect to be one, but I have skied against
many experts & ex-pro's sometimes it is not pretty, but you must
remember it should be fun. If it is not fun you should be doing
something else!

michael


Thank you for your thoughtful reply Michael.

I don't think I'm hung up on it at all, I'm just hanging out with not
much to do but come up with things to post about =)

If it wasn't clear in my original post let me make it clear now: I'm
a long long way from declaring myself an expert and I doubt it will
ever happen. It's just that I see dozens of signs each day that say
"experts only" and I see the term in this group as well so it got me
to thinking, what exactly is the measuring stick that's being held up?

As far as this group hacking me apart for fun, I sure don't plan on
posting anything that would invoke such treatment, but if I ever do, I
doubt it will be much of a bother. Much of what this group does for
fun I find deplorable.... other than skiing of course.

Thanks again though for your kind wishes. I am having a whole bunch
of fun doing a whole bunch of practicing. Hopefully it's making me
better.

Chris

My comment on the labeling comes from the expert slope signs. It is a
label with no real standard from location to location. Kind of similar
to being a computer expert.
I was not implying you were an expert, I have been called an expert by
the uninformed because I run Masters racing which I laugh at. It more of
a question of my mental stability that I try to race with the big boys
at my age 50 and actual short amount of skiing time. I am getting close
to 250 hours on ski's most have happened in the last 4 years.
Take a clinic do some time with a coach, work on one item of change a
session. Have a good time skiing.

m