Powgirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I am at the close of my 4th year skiing...one more trip to ABasin for a beach party (celebrating SOs birthday)...learned so much this season...more than previous years combined, I believe. Forgive me for my novice descriptions, but here it goes...
Equipment does make a difference. I switched to a very different ski this year and it really upped my game, opened up new terrain for me. I've decided my perfect day is spent on steep blues with 4-5 inches of powder...some off piste stuff, too...and because of my schedule and flexibility, I was able to take advantage of those conditions. I haven't decided what the perfect ski is for me yet. As much as I have enjoyed the Black Pearls, I know they are not quite what I want. Luckily, my investment in them was minimal and I am going to ski them another year before I make another choice. I need new boots, for sure. I also learned to pay more attention to the condition of my equipment...no more skiing on bad edges!
I learned to unload off steep, fast lifts without falling or getting hit by the chair.
I mastered the true parallel turn...got rid of that wedge thingy...and my turns became round and patient. I also found I ski better with a narrower stance.
Balance and transfer of weight. Perhaps the most important skill I worked on...it hasn't been easy...but think I found it...hope I don't have to look too hard to find it again next season. The one nice thing about my Black Pearls is they gently remind me when I'm in the backseat and to move more over the skis...transferring my weight during the turn, and the timing of it has been subtle, but huge.
Quieting my upper body...facing downhill into the fall line more...
Carving...learning to carve.
Speed...I really picked up speed by trusting my skill and equipment more...and it's fun!
Getting hooked...at age 57, it's not much fun to fall...I took a couple of good tumbles this year, but my love for the sport kept me trying again...and again...I'm hooked!
To work on next season...all of the above and more confidence...I think I would be a better skier with less fear. I also need to work on icy conditions/patches...I tend to panic a bit when I hit it...and more bumps! Also, shorter, quicker turns.
So, I wrote this down, hoping to look back on it in November...what lessons has everyone else learned?
Equipment does make a difference. I switched to a very different ski this year and it really upped my game, opened up new terrain for me. I've decided my perfect day is spent on steep blues with 4-5 inches of powder...some off piste stuff, too...and because of my schedule and flexibility, I was able to take advantage of those conditions. I haven't decided what the perfect ski is for me yet. As much as I have enjoyed the Black Pearls, I know they are not quite what I want. Luckily, my investment in them was minimal and I am going to ski them another year before I make another choice. I need new boots, for sure. I also learned to pay more attention to the condition of my equipment...no more skiing on bad edges!
I learned to unload off steep, fast lifts without falling or getting hit by the chair.
I mastered the true parallel turn...got rid of that wedge thingy...and my turns became round and patient. I also found I ski better with a narrower stance.
Balance and transfer of weight. Perhaps the most important skill I worked on...it hasn't been easy...but think I found it...hope I don't have to look too hard to find it again next season. The one nice thing about my Black Pearls is they gently remind me when I'm in the backseat and to move more over the skis...transferring my weight during the turn, and the timing of it has been subtle, but huge.
Quieting my upper body...facing downhill into the fall line more...
Carving...learning to carve.
Speed...I really picked up speed by trusting my skill and equipment more...and it's fun!
Getting hooked...at age 57, it's not much fun to fall...I took a couple of good tumbles this year, but my love for the sport kept me trying again...and again...I'm hooked!
To work on next season...all of the above and more confidence...I think I would be a better skier with less fear. I also need to work on icy conditions/patches...I tend to panic a bit when I hit it...and more bumps! Also, shorter, quicker turns.
So, I wrote this down, hoping to look back on it in November...what lessons has everyone else learned?