2017-18 Goals

[nay]

I like to feel the peace within.
I find it much more productive than succumbing to the beast within.

This is not convincing.

 

[Rod9301]

Post ski workout:

Damn, that's impressive

 

[KingGrump]

This is not convincing.

You haven't skied with me. Have ya?

 

[Jim Kenney]

Interrupt this thread for some August stoke

 

[BMC]

Next season starts in ~week for me

My goal is to work back to all mtn skiing on 100mm ski +/- & be lesser dependant on "this ski for today.... or the morning"

Your's?

A few things:

1. Nail the initiation/transition of my turns better. I'm getting much better on that but need more consistency.
2. Make sure that inside leg is active and working simultaneously.
3. Better at bumps.
4. Better in powder.

 

[dbostedo]

Bumping this because I'm not sure how I missed it... I usually like these threads. I suppose my goals would have been to :

1) ski at least 2 new places
2) attend the Gathering
3) take a bump lesson
4) get more than 20 days

I did manage them all, except maybe #1. I did some easy bumps in a lesson in Taos, but it wasn't specifically a bump lesson - I'll count it though. Skied several new places - Snowbasin, Alta, Snowbird, Sugarbush, Taos, and Mad River Glen. Some of those I skied at the Gathering. And I currently have 23 days, with the chance at a couple more.

Anyone else have an update? Did you meet your, or will you meet your, goals for this season?

 

[dbostedo]

OK... I just found this thread : https://www.pugski.com/threads/skiing-goals.6429/

I thought I'd posted in some kind of goals thread prior to the season. In that one, my goals were :

1. Get 20+ days
2. Get better
3. Ski 5 new places (I have trips to 4 planned already - 3 at the Gathering)
4. Take a bump lesson

Guess I still hit them all.

 

[Mendieta]

Anyone else have an update? Did you meet your, or will you meet your, goals for this season?

Great idea. I am now at 22 days, hoping to get at least 5 more to match last season. As per my goals:

Fun thread! I could just say, get more fun out of the snow. But that's too vague. In order to achieve that and enjoy more of the mountain:

• In terms of skills, I really want to stay more consistently "forward" (or rather, at the right, centered spot), particularly in more challenging terrain.
• In terms of terrain, I want to get into a place where I can ski a chute or in general, expert terrain. Not sure that it will happen this coming season, so it's not quite a 2017-2018. More terrain is always better, but I want to really be comfortable (ski fast lines) in advanced terrain before I move on to expert terrain.
• Improve my turns, particularly, carving. Ideally, I would join a masters program. I will likely buy a dedicated carving ski. The front runner: Head Titans a the moment. But I will wait patiently for deals, or perhaps change my mind. But also, if I join a masters program, I would buy racing skis, or cheaters, we'll see.

Another way of saying all of the above is that I want to keep moving out of the "intermediate" stage But don't get me wrong, I am loving it!

I think I am happy with the progress. I did get carving skis (Head Rally), and I am loving them. Reality check: I am not ready, nor do I have the time commitment for a Masters program, not even for training with them. I did improve my turns, and I am carving better and more forward. But I am not ready for skiing expert terrain (of course I am not talking about being an expert, but rather venturing into that terrain). I am still not skiing advanced terrain confidently, but I improved confidence there. I took several lessons, and I will hopefully take at least one more. That helped. Clearly, 25 ski days a season allow me to make progress, but not too much, each year. But this is for fun, after all. And fun is there. Every single day I went to ski it was fun. Loving it.

 

[PisteOff]

The goal for this year was to get into the mountains as much as possible and ski varied terrain and conditions. Being from Michigan we are altitude challenged in a major way. Our local ski hills are 300-400' of vertical. Our blacks here are greens and blues out west. Everything here is groomed. If it snows a foot, these clowns groom it. ALL OF IT!! A couple previous trips out west a couple years ago kicked our asses. We weren't prepared at all for what we encountered. We came back, invested in gear, and began drilling, practicing, etc. The wife and I put together three trips for us. First was 5 days in Killington during the World Cup over Thanksgiving. The second was 3 days at Jackson Hole/Grand Targhee over Christmas, and the final trip was 8 days in Utah for the Gathering, skiing Snowbasin, Snowbird, Alta, and Solitude. All told we skied 14 days in the mountains with 10 of them being out west. I ended up with 19 days total, @ChunderBlunder had 15.

We ended this year a lot better in the chunder and chop than we were at the beginning. A lot. We ended the season intentionally going into bump runs as opposed to intentionally avoiding them. We're not good at them, but we're in there working it out. We skied trees for the first time and are getting comfortable working our way through them and the bumps in between them. We spent a good deal of time on steep groomers getting accustomed to sustained pitch, the speed, blowing through the chop, staying on edge, and improving our balance. Thanks to @jimmy spending some time with us we learned to "ski the slow line fast". We also learned a new and better way of turn initiation during that session. That time with Jimmy had us rethinking our entire approach to turning/carving. We got a chance to ski some really good powder on 3 occasions this year and we learned a lot on those days. We also had an absolute blast on those days.

I know I speak for both myself and @ChunderBlunder when I say we are both a good deal better than we were 5 months ago. The Gathering was really a great experience and we learned a lot skiing with a lot of great people. It's time to take out the golf clubs here in Michigan. All the local hills are closed and the ones up north either wrapped it up this weekend or will be wrapped up next weekend. We've been watching all the snow reports out West, bummed we aren't out there. But we had a great season. The best we've ever had. We hope to replicate it or improve upon it next year. We're planning on a return to Killington for the World Cup again, a trip to Breckenridge, and the Gathering at Big Sky with a day or two at Bridger Bowl. Time permitting we will head south from Big Sky and revisit Jackson Hole and Targhee. I'm certainly more competent and confident out there than I was a year ago. I can't wait to get back out there and push myself further.

 

[karlo]

1. Learn how to teach bump skiing. (last season was my first instructing)
2. Ski with more kids ('Ski with' chosen over 'teach' purposefully, cuz they learn by watching)
3. Try my hand at helping apprehensive older, 65+, skiers, who are becoming apprehensive on account of age, not on account of not knowing how to ski.
4. Go for level 2
5. Work on doing hop turns on steeps as smoothly as Giulia Monego (see YouTube video of her at La Grave)
6. Try yet again to get a day's skiing with Crystal Rose Lee, at W-BComb, who, the one day I had with her, improved my skiing by simply asking me to be more playful, then showing me what that is.
7. Play more with slingshots (I like that word better than rebound) and just barely skimming the surface in the transition, the longer the better, for that weightless sensation.
8. Playful skiing on ice.
9. Touring the alpine in Nagano Prefecture.
10. Skiing in Chile this summer. (not looking good)

But, above all that, have fun skiing with my family, and making sure my wife, who is not an avid skier, also has a good time. The latter has been at the forefront of my mind because she gets altitude sickness on my behalf far too often

Ok, how did I do?

1. I read up a bit on teaching bump skiing and tried it a bit with kids. Needs work. I'm better with kids that already ski bumps, helping them think through line choice.

2. Had a great time teaching kids this season.

3. Didn't get to do that, teaching seniors.

4. Went for Level 2. Still going for it

5. Didn't get to those Giulia style hop turns. Didn't get into steep steeps this season either.

6. Nope. Didn't even get to WB

7. Woah. What a difference a ski makes. My old RTM 84's, which I brought out of semi-retirement, are so lively. I was literally flying across in transition. In the air at times. Thrilling.

8. Amazingly, didn't encounter much ice yet. So, no opportunity.

9. Avy hazard made alpine in Nagano impractical - again.

10. Summer is not yet upon us. But, Chile is still not looking good.

My wife said, at Telluride, that she's beginning to like skiing. Before going, I had set her up with a private, with an instructor that really connected with her and made a difference. And, she spent three days in Denver to acclimatize and, though, still encountered headaches, they were not incapacitating.
So, just based on that, this season has been a success.

 

[Mike King]

1. Loose the effects of happy hour.
2. Learn to inline skate
3. Learn to jump rope
4. Get stronger, particularly in my hips (glute med, abductors, adductors)

these are goals for this off season to prepare for next and my skiing goals

1. Have fun and stay healthy
2. Enjoy my heli trip to Northern Escape
3. Improve my teaching
4. Teach at least 100 hours
5. Train more than I teach
6. Ski at least 100 days
7. Improve my skiing to the Level 3 standard
8. Possibly go for my Level 3.

Mike

Not as much progress on this as I would have liked. I didn't lose the effects of happy hour in the off season, and didn't get as strong in my hips as I'd like. My heli trip was phenomenal, I met my teaching goals and have trained more than taught. I'll probably end the season with a day count in the mid 90's. My skiing has improved dramatically, but the level 3 standard is so high that I do not know if it is realistic that I'll ever attain it.

Mike

 

[markojp]

Well.... an odd season it's been. Most goals were tossed out the door when a number of family issues came home to roost. The added distraction, sorting through schedules, helping the kiddo through transitions, and not having any idea what time will allow for next season made the decision to pull the plug on DCL tryouts hugely disappointing, but the right one for now. That said, I had completely fun and 'into it' training groups this season, got great feedback from colleagues and divisional staff on both skiing and coaching, and had a breakthrough in understanding how to coach a particularly challenging demographic. Had some great gear testing days, but also had to help load what would become a fatality on a sled. Got to do a couple of bluebird, fresh and smooth cat ski days with a great crew of strong skiers. Shadowed an L2 exam and felt that it confirmed my thoughts about how to help prepare folks, but know that I have no desire to be an examiner. Yes, my scores were the same as the examiners... it's tough to tell folks they aren't there yet, but thankfully that isn't my job. Season isn't over yet, but hill time will start dropping and the bike will come out of hibernation.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

My overall goals were to take a 2 hour private and become less fearful when skiing.

I didn't take a 2 hour private this season like I'd wanted. However, I'll insert in place of this the day and a half of clinics I'd received when I started working at Bromley. Here we worked on a ton of stuff and at the end of the weekend my SO said "who are you" after a couple days with these folks. I learned a lot and it helped shape my skiing for the upcoming season and forever.

I still do some assessment of trail map when at a new mountain because I don't want to accidentally wind up on double black terrain that's all bumps or something. I'm now comfortable on certain mountains for example I feel I have a good assessment of the blues at Killington so so long as I make sure there are blues off of a chair I don't look into it in any more detail than that.

I'm even more comfortable in spring and powder bumps.

I'm way more comfortable skiing in powder

I went a tiny bit softer in some of my skis and it made a difference.

I'm venturing a little out of my comfort zone and will go on new terrain and I've even comfortably done a few blacks

I've started to get comfortable in trees

I've worked super hard on technique and as a result my speed has picked up. I even hit 32 mph on a particular day. My average speed is around 25 mph these days

I'm way more comfortable skiing with other people. I'm still almost always the slowest one but I care less and people are actually waiting less for me these days.

Early this season someone recommended a pair of skis for me and it changed my skiing forever. You know who you are..... #HeadRallysRule

It's been a very good season and it's not over yet!!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Well I didn't achieve my goal in making it down superstar at Killington this season. However, I did make it down some other steeps thanks to the awesome pugski folks who gently cajoled me into making this happen. My first canadian rockies black at sunshine village, can't remember name of trail but oh was it fun. Thanks to those who skied with me at Killington who brought me down upper North ridge run, Highline and my first ever double black lower casdade. Blacks that are now easy to me at Killington are Mousetrap and lower skylark at Killington. It's been a great season, especially for getting out of my comfort zone. Thanks to the awesome pugskier who brought me back down east falls which was where the boarder took me out in December. It felt good to get back there and shake off those demons.

A grand ol thank you to everyone who skied with me this season

Rob and Rich friends of GIS, @Read Blinn @SallyCat @newboots @mdf @Guy in Shorts @Wannabeskibum @fatbob @SSSdave @albertanskigirl

@mister moose Twas very nice to meet you and see you and your wife the past 2 weekends. GIS, your crew is awesome!!!!

I don't think I missed anyone but if I did feel free and smack me upside the head

It was truly awesome to meet and ski with you guys and here's to many more days on the slopes together.

 

[Carolinacub]

Well I had some goals set for last season that I worked on but missed....I tried to get a snowmobile up and running for our patrol but the thing was too far gone. I did get in 200 hours of patrol time plus a fair amount of non p-patrol fun skiing. Next year the plan is to become a sled trainer for the patrol. I've done my instructor development course and now I'm starting to work with my mentor.

Biggest goal I missed out on was getting those Head Rallys from @surfsnowgirl . dang I hate being broke.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Well I had some goals set for last season that I worked on but missed....I tried to get a snowmobile up and running for our patrol but the thing was too far gone. I did get in 200 hours of patrol time plus a fair amount of non p-patrol fun skiing. Next year the plan is to become a sled trainer for the patrol. I've done my instructor development course and now I'm starting to work with my mentor.

Biggest goal I missed out on was getting those Head Rallys from @surfsnowgirl . dang I hate being broke.

Well you accomplished some goals so that's cool and you've got a good goal lined up for next season and have a plan in place regarding the sled training and your mentor, that's awesome!!! I've always wanted to pull a sled for ski patrol .

As someone who's been through the financial wringer with my ailing cat and near a grand of brake work on my Jeep I understand broke. There's quite a few Rally's on the internet now for sale. Put some searches in place for ebay and peruse sideline swap and geartrade, plus peruse the internet. Sometimes the best deals come around in the off season. What's your price point as I often come across deals so I can send them your way.

 

[Carolinacub]

Well you accomplished some goals so that's cool and you've got a good goal lined up for next season and have a plan in place regarding the sled training and your mentor, that's awesome!!! I've always wanted to pull a sled for ski patrol .

As someone who's been through the financial wringer with my ailing cat and near a grand of brake work on my Jeep I understand broke. There's quite a few Rally's on the internet now for sale. Put some searches in place for ebay and peruse sideline swap and geartrade, plus peruse the internet. Sometimes the best deals come around in the off season. What's your price point as I often come across deals so I can send them your way.

Hah, right now the price point is $0....I got whacked with a tax bill and the wifey is out of work. I'm keeping an eye out locally and have feelers out with the patrollers and teachers hoping someone is going to donate to goodwill or something. I'm still good with my current Head iPeaks so it's not critical.

I'll do a swap if anyone is interested. I've got some 208 THE SKI tsms I'll trade for a pair of Rallys

The sled pulling thing is fun. I'm a little worried about the ski enhancement part only because I've never taught ski technique before....but....most of the people we are working with have a pretty good level of understanding how skiing works so the learning curve is pretty small. Lots of side slipping, falling leaves, and wedging. The actual sled pulling is pretty easy, The focus I got going through class was more about what to do if you mess up.

 

[luliski]

My goals: I may not be able to travel much to ski this season, but I hope to ski some runs I haven't skied before at Tahoe. I'll try to go to some areas I haven't been to (like Mt Rose). A big goal for me is to not get as out-of-shape this ski season as I did last ski season. I may need to join a gym in the Tahoe area.

I did go to Mt Rose and really enjoyed it. Also skied many runs I'd never skied before at Squaw and Alpine, two places I've skied for years. I never did join a Tahoe gym, and only managed a few runs, swims and one bike ride during the season.

 

[cantunamunch]

My goals: I may not be able to travel much to ski this season, but I hope to ski some runs I haven't skied before at Tahoe. I'll try to go to some areas I haven't been to (like Mt Rose). A big goal for me is to not get as out-of-shape this ski season as I did last ski season. I may need to join a gym in the Tahoe area.

I did go to Mt Rose and really enjoyed it. Also skied many runs I'd never skied before at Squaw and Alpine, two places I've skied for years. I never did join a Tahoe gym, and only managed a few runs, swims and one bike ride during the season.

Put 'start a 2018-2019 thread' as one of the goals?

 

[tball]

If we have a good excuse, can we extend our 2017-2018 goals until the end of 2018? Judges say?