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Uke

Who am I now
Skier
Joined
Jan 9, 2016
Posts
249
Location
ut
Wondering what the instructors on here are planning for the upcoming season. Teach a little or a lot, any goals for your own skiing besides sucking less, where you gonna ski, at home or get out more, etc?

This is my 30th year at my home resort and I have moved to part time to have more time to free ski this season. Goal is to teach about 350 to 400 hours instead of the 550+ of the past couple seasons.

Want to spend some time on our race course. That's something that I never have done much in my life as a skier, going fast was never a big turn-on for me.

Ski at least six of the local resorts. Teaching as much as I have in our three and a half month season has kept me at home a lot.

Try to get out and ski with instructors from other resorts and see what direction there training is going in.

Present my 'Unified Theory of Skiing/Ski Instruction' to most anyone who will listen.

At least one out of state ski trip.

Anyone else care to share,

uke
 

Mike King

AKA Habacomike
Instructor
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Posts
3,381
Location
Louisville CO/Aspen Snowmass
I hope to make progress toward my level 3. Teaching wise, something like 20-25 days. And to continue my tradition of more training hours than teaching hours!

I'm planning to hit Japan in late January with Matt Appleford. To get ready for Japan, I intend to skin to the Village Express mid-station 2-3 times a week.

Perhaps Rossi Race Camp in early May. Hopefully my knee will hold out and I can hit 100 days again.

Mike
 

surfsnowgirl

Instructor
Skier
Joined
May 12, 2016
Posts
5,764
Location
Magic Mountain, Vermont
Buying a condo in the area where I teach making it easier to make my working days. Teaching 25 days plus 3 days of clinics. Last season I switched my focus to first time and green skier teens and adults and I plan to continue in this area. My main personal goals are to work on the mental aspect of skiing and keeping working on my confidence and skiing blues and blacks. Not going out west this year due to condo purchase but I'm skiing almost exclusively in Vermont with a long weekend in the eastern townships of quebec. I have a pair of SL cheater skis and I'm looking forward to spending lots of time on them working on my turns and improving technique. I'd like to hit 60 ski days, last season I made it to 55. I'd like to take a couple day clinic somewhere but this is schedule permitting so I'll have to see if I can squeeze this in during the week. Working on continuing my growing love for trees and bumps and I'd like to get into skinning. I have plans to take an uphill course at Magic Mountain in southern vermont. Most important have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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Jilly

Lead Cougar
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,409
Location
Belleville, Ontario,/ Mont Tremblant, Quebec
Not teaching again this year. Real work is getting in the way. I just can't commit to the 20 days they require. But I am keeping my certs up with the fall convention and maybe the ladies edge camp. (CSIA2)

In reality the instructing part is more a retirement package for me. So I'll keep up to date on things, so I'll be ready when I do retire.
 

HDSkiing

You’re Sliding On-Snow; Don’t Over-Think it!
Skier
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Posts
319
Location
The Rocky Mountains
Wondering what the instructors on here are planning for the upcoming season. Teach a little or a lot, any goals for your own skiing besides sucking less, where you gonna ski, at home or get out more, etc?

This is my 30th year at my home resort and I have moved to part time to have more time to free ski this season. Goal is to teach about 350 to 400 hours instead of the 550+ of the past couple seasons.

Want to spend some time on our race course. That's something that I never have done much in my life as a skier, going fast was never a big turn-on for me.

Ski at least six of the local resorts. Teaching as much as I have in our three and a half month season has kept me at home a lot.

Try to get out and ski with instructors from other resorts and see what direction there training is going in.

Present my 'Unified Theory of Skiing/Ski Instruction' to most anyone who will listen.

At least one out of state ski trip.

Anyone else care to share,

uke

30 years, WOW!

I work full time also, around 100 days or so, the vast majority of which I will teach. So I know what you mean about not getting to travel to other mountains, I try to make up for that by going to clinics/events when I can get away.

I plan to teach a lot although I do make it a point to free ski as much as I can in between lessons. Paradoxically when it really dumps people seeking lessons generally don’t come up, or at least not early so powder days I actually free ski more.

Left to my own I like to go ski trees, steeps, bumps and the hidden powder stashes. Last year with the lack of snow and thus limited steeps and tree skiing I worked a lot on performance turns, rail road tracks, one ski drills and the like—all of which really helped my free skiing.

So I hope to continue in that vein, but I also just picked up a pair of 2019 K2 Pinacle 105’s with Look pivot bindings that I’m sure will tempt me back up into the trees and the steeps, maybe all that skiing I did last year on one ski will help with the that, can’t wait to find out!

You mentioned racing, the Rocky Mountain Division of PSIA has a bunch of clinics this season you ought to check into it. Running gates is only about speed in the sense that that you are trying to go as fast as you can and stay in the course. It’s as much about tactics as it is about speed, in fact you may well ski faster on a free run than you might through the gates unless we’re talking super-G or DH.

Years ago I got invited to run a World Cup FIS Super-G course just for fun, as part of an event I was participating in. Im not ashamed to say I had to put the brakes on or miss the gate, no way could I hold my turns at those speeds on that course. It didn’t matter I was light years behind the actual racers, the point is sometimes it’s just fun!
 

Skisailor

Laziest Skier on the Mountain
Skier
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Posts
280
Location
Bozeman, Montana
I hope to make progress toward my level 3. Teaching wise, something like 20-25 days. And to continue my tradition of more training hours than teaching hours!

I'm planning to hit Japan in late January with Matt Appleford. To get ready for Japan, I intend to skin to the Village Express mid-station 2-3 times a week.

Perhaps Rossi Race Camp in early May. Hopefully my knee will hold out and I can hit 100 days again.

Mike

For me, teaching hours are training hours - for both the teaching side and the skiing side. With the skiing, every demo, every turn can include a training focus. So don’t waste those 20-25 days. :) A subconscious mindset of teaching vs. training is unhelpful although I see it a lot with younger instructors on the certification path.

I plan on teaching full time again this year. Hopefully 100+ days. Even with the teaching I find the time to get free skiing in around the lessons. Love to get a tram lap or two in or head for the trees.
 

Mike King

AKA Habacomike
Instructor
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Posts
3,381
Location
Louisville CO/Aspen Snowmass
For me, teaching hours are training hours - for both the teaching side and the skiing side. With the skiing, every demo, every turn can include a training focus. So don’t waste those 20-25 days. :) A subconscious mindset of teaching vs. training is unhelpful although I see it a lot with younger instructors on the certification path.

I plan on teaching full time again this year. Hopefully 100+ days. Even with the teaching I find the time to get free skiing in around the lessons. Love to get a tram lap or two in or head for the trees.
Well, I certainly don't view teaching as wasting time. And I suspect you'd agree that you get more out of your time training with Ursula than you do teaching, although both definitely can have a training focus.

Mike
 

Steve

SkiMangoJazz
Pass Pulled
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Posts
2,338
Mike I think by "don't waste those" days she didn't mean not to do them, but to do them with a focus on them being training as well as teaching. As in "don't waste the opportunity that they give you." (Not that you would have of course.)
 

Skisailor

Laziest Skier on the Mountain
Skier
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Posts
280
Location
Bozeman, Montana
Thanks @Steve Yes. Sorry that I didn’t state my point as clearly as you did.

In my treasured time skiing with Ursula, she has always impressed upon me how critically important it is to use my teaching time as training time - both for skiing and for exploring my teaching chops.
 

ADKmel

Skiing the powder
Skier
Joined
Jan 6, 2016
Posts
2,344
Location
Southern Adirondacks NY
I'll be teaching at my home Mt, we're open on weekends and school holidays, plus mid-week after school groups. It leaves plenty of time to ski other places.
I'll be starting my 27Th Yr in PSIA! I'll lead some clinics for our returning and new instructors-
Thanks to many on here for new ideas! It really is rewarding to help people ski better.

Hoping for a good ski season, we usually open by the first weekend in Dec. Last winter it seemed like every weekend it was below zero like -20Fbelow!! Wasn't much fun for people wanting to learn to ski or those experienced!

I have my ski trips planned, Skiing New Mts. to check off my bucket list and will be returning to favorites.
Hoping to get my 60+ Days in.. Gotta Ski more! Life is not a dress rehearsal!!

.
 

karlo

Out on the slopes
Inactive
Joined
May 11, 2017
Posts
2,708
Location
NJ
Firstly, you all put me to shame. Actually, maybe not, cuz I’m so shameful, you can’t put me there. This winter will only be my third year teaching and I’ll already be slacking off. A family reunion will take me away for the full two weeks of the Christmas New Year holiday season. My son and daughter now have different weeks for Spring Break and I’ll be gone for both of them. Then, I still have my annual business trip to Asia.

Nevertheless, I hope to get my Level II. Teaching segments are done. All I need are ski at skill level and that other skiing segment, not the all mountain skiing. I signed up, just today, for the 5 day college. If I can’t get the wedge christie after that, I’ll hang it up with regard to Level II. Really, right?

can't commit to the 20 days they require

I’ll be lucky to fulfill requirements, which include a certain number of holiday days. But, I still want to teach as much as I can and gain as much experience as I can. Also trying to figure out how I can fit MA 101 into my schedule.

teaching hours are training hours

Double thumbs up

skiing with Ursula

Ok! ok! I’ve seen her name come up multiple times and I’ve resisted asking. I’ll break down. Who is she?

my 'Unified Theory of Skiing/Ski Instruction' to most anyone who will listen.

I’ll listen. I think I agree already.

hit Japan in late January

Me too. Hakuba?

Oh yeah. I hope Kate comes back and I get to teach her a third year. She picks up everything so quickly. I wanted to tip her, rather than her Dad tip me. Love to teach kids in general. They’re sponges.
 

Skisailor

Laziest Skier on the Mountain
Skier
Joined
Aug 4, 2018
Posts
280
Location
Bozeman, Montana
Firstly, you all put me to shame. Actually, maybe not, cuz I’m so shameful, you can’t put me there. This winter will only be my third year teaching and I’ll already be slacking off. A family reunion will take me away for the full two weeks of the Christmas New Year holiday season. My son and daughter now have different weeks for Spring Break and I’ll be gone for both of them. Then, I still have my annual business trip to Asia.

Nevertheless, I hope to get my Level II. Teaching segments are done. All I need are ski at skill level and that other skiing segment, not the all mountain skiing. I signed up, just today, for the 5 day college. If I can’t get the wedge christie after that, I’ll hang it up with regard to Level II. Really, right?



I’ll be lucky to fulfill requirements, which include a certain number of holiday days. But, I still want to teach as much as I can and gain as much experience as I can. Also trying to figure out how I can fit MA 101 into my schedule.



Double thumbs up



Ok! ok! I’ve seen her name come up multiple times and I’ve resisted asking. I’ll break down. Who is she?

Hey Karlo.

No shame! It's exceedingly cool that you are ski instructing and going for your L II !!.

Ursula is Ursula Howland - long time top instructor at Big Sky. She was "Little Bear" on EpicSki and one of the Epic Academy trainers for a time. She's in her 44th year of teaching this year with a career that started in Germany with her full State Certification (kinda like a college degree in ski teaching - not like what we do here in the States). Her German background when applied to the less regimented PSIA approach. gives her an interesting perspective on skiing and ski teaching. Within PSIA she is an L3, former clinician, retired examiner. She also competed at the World Cup level in freestyle (bumps, aerials, ballet) and in Alpine disciplines within Germany. Way back when, she was named one of Ski Mag's top 100 instructors in the U.S. (the only one in Big Sky). At 64 years old she is a kickass skier and I would venture to say - most of our ski school still can't keep up with her. Her approach to recreational skiing is one that emphasizes simplicity, ease and efficiency, which I think she would say is often divergent from the most recent stuff coming out of PSIA and what she is seeing from the current crop of D-teamers. She is highly sought after as an instructor even though her dual career as a corporate pilot makes it more difficult to get on her teaching schedule than in years past.

I feel like the most fortunate instructor in the country to have her as my mentor, Keep pinching myself . . .
 

Kneale Brownson

Making fresh tracks forever on the other side
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
1,863
I hope to get my Level II. Teaching segments are done. All I need are ski at skill level and that other skiing segment, not the all mountain skiing. I signed up, just today, for the 5 day college. If I can’t get the wedge christie after that, I’ll hang it up with regard to Level II.

Took me four tries before I passed what is today's LII. Took me one to get the LIII. I finally figured out what I needed.
 

karlo

Out on the slopes
Inactive
Joined
May 11, 2017
Posts
2,708
Location
NJ
Ursula is Ursula Howland - long time top instructor at Big Sky.

:wag:
I want to go to Big Sky, but so far.

full State Certification (kinda like a college degree in ski teaching

:wag:
I want to go back to college

the current crop of D-teamers

:wag:
I’m ok not getting a Ph-D

I wish you could come out and ski with us !!!!

Me too. Wish I knew how to fly.
:wag:

her dual career as a corporate pilot makes it more difficult to get on her teaching schedule

Let me make it easier for her.

https://skyvector.com/airport/LKP/Lake-Placid-Airport

Famous Olympic venue. I’ll even provide room and share my bowl

Her German background

My name is with a K. Does that help?
:wag:
 
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dbostedo

Asst. Gathermeister
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75% Virginia, 25% Colorado
...helplessly addicted to skiing.

431928b604d966be76febbb7a1a367b3.jpg
 

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