Graduating from Adv. Intermediate to Expert

[Josh Matta]

Picabo could probably just ski right over those moguls without turning if she wanted to. At least she could when in racing form.

those bumps sure. Say down Goat or Starr not so sure. Are you saying picabo needs to be strong to ski like she needs to ski? I didnt know your strength determined your skill level. Johnny Mosley is 44 I promise when he is 60,70, or 80 he will still be a true expert skier.

 

[PNWRod]

I was an expert skier but after this mornings ski runs I'm pretty sure I'm back down to an intermediate.

 

[Crank]

continue

those bumps sure. Say down Goat or Starr not so sure. Are you saying picabo needs to be strong to ski like she needs to ski? I didnt know your strength determined your skill level. Johnny Mosley is 44 I promise when he is 60,70, or 80 he will still be a true expert skier.

Not at all. A long time back I saw about a dozen of the US Ski skiing Thaynes canyon at Park City. It is a steep bump run with big moguls. The ski teamers were skiing straight over the bumps, their thighs pumping up and down like pistons and their upper bodies completely quiet. Super fast and super smooth...not at all what one might call "mogul skiing". That is what I was picturing... Goat probably too narrow...they were making sweeping turns sort of slow line fastish. Bumps were just as big though.

 

[Josh Matta]

yeah but on goat there are rocks on the fronts, back and sides.

and USA ski team does nt equal picabo. Old school speed event skiers are not even close to what the tech skills of current us ski team let alont current all star tech event skiers.

The fast way to ski bumps is to not ski them, GS turn though them, I never ski this way with the gathering group because its just means I would wait longer.

 

[mdf]

GS turn though them

I like to do that once in awhile. You can probably do it in bigger bumps than me.

Last year at Big Sky we were skiing a blue bump run down to the chair, when I started doing that. @dbostedo asked @Tony S "what's wrong with Mike?" "He's just trying to make last chair." I did.

 

[Crank]

This was more like go straight over 6 or so bumps and then carve a wide turn over the next 3 or 4 and do it again. It was fast and smooth and this was old school mid 1970s with long skis.

I remember back then there was a sign saying no skis shorter than 190cm allowed. The thinking was short skis made choppier, awkwardly spaced bumps.

 

[slowrider]

You know makes an expert skier. Respect, safety and obeying the code. You can be a expert but still be an asshole.

 

[crgildart]

I remember back then there was a sign saying no skis shorter than 190cm allowed. The thinking was short skis made choppier, awkwardly spaced bumps.

And short skis often meant novice or intermediate skier not good enough to ski the terrain. That skis over 180/190cms also meant "Expert Only" terrain

 

[Chris V.]

Johnny Mosley is 44 I promise when he is 60,70, or 80 he will still be a true expert skier.

Yeah, but I bet he'll be really strong, too. I'm thinking of an 80 year old I know who's an absolute bull.

 

[Wannabeskibum]

A couple recreational ADVANCED bump skiers that are experts at having FUN in bumps and similar to my own relaxed recreational mogul style. Notice how this is not at all the frantic warp speed comp pro mogul style but rather a balanced relaxed slower style. Here's Craig:

comet katz little dipper - Video Search Results

The search engine that helps you find exactly what you're looking for. Find the most relevant information, video, images, and answers from all across the Web.

video.search.yahoo.com

And here's Ron I skied with some earlier this week.

Ron Nageotte little dipper - Video Search Results

The search engine that helps you find exactly what you're looking for. Find the most relevant information, video, images, and answers from all across the Web.

video.search.yahoo.com

Here is video of me (from a few years back) taken by the same coach that took the Comet Katz video - I am a long time recreational skier who still takes lessons with a Pro to refine my skills on all terrain -

 

[Prosper]

Here is video of me (from a few years back) taken by the same coach that took the Comet Katz video - I am a long time recreational skier who still takes lessons with a Pro to refine my skills on all terrain -
Comet Bump Skiing

Looks like your video is private and not able to be viewed.

 

[Wannabeskibum]

Looks like your video is private and not able to be viewed.

Fixed that - thank you -

 

[David]

You should just start calling yourself an expert and just see what happens!

 

[jimtransition]

Obviously 'expert' is a somewhat subjective and divisive term. I would say anyone who's competed to a decent level in any discipline of skiing or has made it their profession in some way is an expert, but overthinking it is just pointless.

 

[Coach13]

I’m thinking that like with most activities, if you have to tell others you’re an expert then you’re probably not.

 

[rocdoc]

Another possible designation of the expert level would be the state of unconscious competence.
This refers to the 4 levels of mastery in any field: 1.Unconscious incompetence: you have no idea how bad you are. In ski, probably the folks bombing down slopes in the back seat out of control, thinking they’re great skiers; 2. Conscious incompetence: the start of progress. You know what you don’t know. Good place to be, and the area of very satisfying progress; 3. Conscious competence: you know what you’re doing; 4. Unconscious competence: this is very rare, and harder to explain. You’re really good, so good in fact, that you no longer realize how far ahead you are. Think of Mikaela’s baffled look at the end of some runs, when she looks at the clock and can’t understand that it says she’s ahead by more than a second. Paul McCartney saying something like “and then John and I put this one song together one day”, referring to an iconic piece of musical history. Neil Armstrong talking about his mission as if it’s changing a light bulb and seeming not to understand the level of complexity any longer. Yes, these are bizarre juxtapositions, it’s just what came to me as I’m free forming here. Most never achieve that level.
I guess the last would be way too high a bar in amateur settings, but perhaps conscious competence would be the least required level - and it takes external confirmation.

 

[Mike King]

The more accomplished I have become in my skiing, the greater the distance I feel I have to travel to become an expert.

Mike

 

[KevinF]

Bertrand Russell's famous quote seems to apply here:

The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.

 

[LiquidFeet]

^^ So well stated. Seems to be true, unfortunately.

 

[geepers]

When did you know when you could officially call yourself an Expert Skier?

Maybe more importantly: when did you feel comfortable telling others you were?

Edit: Truly not trying to sound like an ass with this question. More of trying to figure out when someone knows they can tackle terrain that looked ridiculously intimidating when they first started out.

Call out some of your milestones, if you could. This is probably for the more seasoned Pugs out here.

Expert: demonstrates the ability to count to 8 when required.

Not true!
These guys counted to six!
View attachment 89068