Mermer Blakeslee @ ESA Big Sky!

[NannyMin]

Mermer Blakeslee is going to be one of the coaches involved with ESA Big Sky! What an opportunity!

Check out this link for more info:
https://forums.epicski.com/showthread.php?t=65908

 

[SnowHot]

Are there any SkiDiva's going to Big Sky ESA?

After Ski Spirits enthusiasm about MermerBlakesley, I'm wondering if this is a good chance to get over some of my Air Time Fears.

 

[abc]

I've pretty much burned up my skiing allowance $$ for another ESA this season. (plus, Snowmass ESA left me enough stuff to work on the rest of the season)

But if I can sneak away for yet one more skiing break, I might consider doing that on that same week. Perhaps I may even get to spend a few days at Big Sky and maybe meet up with any ESA attending divas? We'll see...

 

[Little Lightning]

I read "In the Yikes Zone" and cried through the whole book. For the first time in my life someone understood what I've been dealing with and that others experience fear too.

Today in my class they switched instructors on us. At lunch I was telling my "new" instructor about some of the experiences I've had dealing with this fear and I mentioned Mermer's book. It turns out the instructor was originally from Windham, NY, used to ski with Mermer. She had enough training to give me tips on how to work with my fear (a first!).

My fear of heights will be there but as my skills and confidence grows I can see the dragon diminishing.

 

[NannyMin]

I She had enough training to give me tips on how to work with my fear (a first!).

So, what were the tips?

 

[Little Lightning]

Besides keeping my head up and looking where I'm going she suggested practicing the 1/2 turns that Jilly described in this thread.

https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3046

However, I'm not concerned with my edging just trying to get more comfortable in the falline. When I'm on really steep runs I resist turning into the falline and start traversing. That makes it harder for me to turn. Then I get frustrated and tense. If I don't keep moving I just won't turn at all. The technique I use gets me down but is not very effective and actually makes dealing with steeps harder. Plus, it's hard to explain to someone, friends, SO, ski instructors, what is happening because they've not experienced these kinds of feelings.
It's probably more of a panic attack because I can't control it or talk myself out of it.

But I see this all as baby steps, I can now stand on the top of runs that used to cause me terror. Some runs I now look at and wonder why they were such a problem. It doesn't mean that I'm skiing the fall line it's that they have become familiar and less threatening.

With my lessons I'll keep stretching out of my comfort zone and maybe someday I'll be flying down bowls and steeps like they are nothing more than green slopes.

 

[Ski Spirit]

Just saw this thread. I am thinking of going to Big Sky especially as Mermer will work w/all groups to some degree. It will probably come down to choosing how to use available funds. But I'd love to check out Big Sky, so I'm hoping it will be feasible (I have to say I did read various reviews on the Aspen/Snowmass ESA and those caused me to wonder if it's the best venue/value for money???). I know that, to the extent they can be managed, private lessons produce the most direct results (w/the right coach).
I got back last week-end from Mermer's fear clinic and it was awesome (although I have never experienced ice like that in my life!!!). I highly recommend her book, "In the Yikes Zone". I think it's out of print, so pricing can be dicey (sometimes high, sometimes $10..depending on who's selling). But it summarizes her approach.
I'll try to share the high points that I remember:

1) Fear will always be there. It doesn't work to try to "cure" it or deny its existence. There are times when it could save you..so you need to be able to assess whether the fear is justified or whether you actually do have the skills to face the challenge at hand.

2) Acquiring the technical skills to be able to handle whatever challenge you are looking at is the key to overcoming fear. The time required to do this will vary with each individual.

3) While you are practicing the new skill, you want to get it down in easy terrain and when you move to the more difficult terrain you want to ski, it's best to venture into the "Yikes" zone (not the terror zone) and try the skill and then back-off and go back to something you're totally comfortable on. You want to expand your boundaries by going back and forth between the harder terrain (Yikes zone) and the comfort zone (easier terrain). It helps to reward yourself when you go into the Yikes zone w/some kind of treat.

4) When you go into the Yikes zone, only allow up to 2 variables at a time. For example, three things that bother me are steepness, narrow trails and ice. So, I could move to a steeper slope with narrow trails but shouldn't try one with all three variables at the same time.

5) If you are having trouble moving into the Yikes zone or moving forward, consider how you might "lower the task". For example, could you ski a certain trail if you were in a group class rather than trying it on your own at first? I can do things in groups that I later find a lot more difficult on my own. Another method would be to
find a short section of a trail with the degree of steepness that you're trying to get used to and practice on that section, knowing you only have to do a few turns before reaching the safety of the flatter section of the trail.

There are a number of other points that are in the book, so I definitely recommend getting it if fear significantly impacts your skiing.

Hope this is helpful. Just thought I would try to share some of the points from the clinic...and hopefully they are understandable....some of these probably need to be experienced to really understand.......

 

[SnowHot]

I am extremely tempted to go to Big Sky for this ESA.
Having had two phenomenal ESA experiences and having made a lot of improvement in my skiing, I'm encouraged to attend another ESA, but Mermer is another reason to want to go, as well as Ursula!

I have some money issues to deal with as well as plans with my husband to work around. If I can make it happen I think I will.