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What is the terminal intermediate plateau? And how do I avoid getting stuck there?

NYSnowflake

Angel Diva
I'd lke to add one other thing to @liquidfeet's explaination:

Truly advanced and expert skiing actually requires a total change in mindset as well. Begninners and intermediates "turn to slow down", while advanced and expert skiers "turn because they want to" and use the shape and duration of the turn, variations in terrain, and varying amounts of edging and pressure to control speed. It really is a whole different type of turn.
Reading this makes me think of skiing a favorite little narrow twisty double fall line VT trail where I like to edge up the double fall line, and flatten my skis to fade back down the double fall line. This speeds me up as I fight gravity and slows me down as I let gravity assist my turn. Is this kind of what you’re talking about?
 

dloveski

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I try not to categorize skiing into buckets. Maybe because my technique varies according to internal or external factors (somedays I suck, others I don't). My DH is a technically precise skier and let's me know when I revert into my habits (honed over decades of survival skiing in terrain over my skill set).

There is a time for all kinds of skiing. Skiing with my ski lady crew, we just live in the moment, go where we wanna go, gossip and stop and there's no thought of technique. With DH, I get great pointers and work to advance my (ahem) technique. On powder days, no drills, no pointers---no one cares HOW you ski, just find your line and go before snow gets tracked out.

One of my dear friends, a wonderful skier, has a saying about improving: TITS. Time in the Saddle.
 

ski diva

Administrator
Staff member
There is a time for all kinds of skiing. Skiing with my ski lady crew, we just live in the moment, go where we wanna go, gossip and stop and there's no thought of technique.

The older I get, the more I fall into this mindset, too.

Technique is great, especially since it gives you the tools you need to handle varying terrain and conditions, but honestly, I don't sweat it as much as I used to.

I just want skiing to be FUN.
 

NYSnowflake

Angel Diva
Intermediate plateau January 2020 progress report:

I have been pushing myself to ski both groomers and bumps better and have developed the upper/lower separation, and ability to set an edge and carve that I was working on. Still working on narrowing my stance for flat skiing. I like flat skiing and have good rotary turning ability but my natural stance is too wide for it and I have to work to keep my feet closer in the bumps.

Yesterday my husband told me he was going to ski with all the club instructors in the afternoon and then I wasn’t allowed to join them. Jokingly, I told him that I had a lift ticket and I could ski anywhere on the mountain I wanted. That meant that if I could keep up with him I could ski with him in the afternoon! LOL. We had a good laugh and he took that as a challenge. To everyone’s amazement I did manage to keep up with him and the instructor group in the afternoon. I also got some extra coaching on moguls along the way. It was an awesome day. He told me later that he had no idea I was capable of skiing (carving) that fast while staying in control. He also said that he saw me and didn’t recognize me as his wife because my skiing hasn’t had improved so much! Exciting day!
 
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marzNC

Angel Diva
Yesterday my husband told me he was going to ski with all the club instructors in the afternoon and then I wasn’t allowed to join them. Jokingly, I told him that I had a lift ticket and I could ski anywhere on the mountain I wanted. That meant that if I could keep up with him I could ski with him in the afternoon! LOL. We had a good laugh and he took that as a challenge. To everyone’s amazement I did manage to keep up with him and the instructor group in the afternoon. I also got some extra coaching on moguls along the way. It was an awesome day. He told me later that he had no idea I was capable of skiing (carving) that fast while staying in control. He also said that he saw me and didn’t recognize me as his wife because my skiing hasn’t had improved so much! Exciting day!
Way to go! He's going to have to be careful . . . if he doesn't take any lessons then you'll be out skiing him after retirement. Solid technique helps a lot after a certain age, whether that's 50 or 60 or 70 or 80. Assuming someone wants to keep skiing off-piste and not just on groomers.

From my experience, instructors who are free skiing with someone who is really interested in learning are happy to provide feedback and tips.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
I have been pushing myself to ski both groomers and bumps better and have developed the upper/lower separation, and ability to set an edge and carve that I was working on. Still working on narrowing my stance for flat skiing. I like flat skiing and have good rotary turning ability but my natural stance is too wide for it and I have to work to keep my feet closer in the bumps.
Have you worked on pivot slips, falling leaf, and/or 360 turns with an instructor? Can't do the first two with a wide stance. But need a certain amount of pitch. However, even blue trails at small hills usually have a section or two that are steep enough.

Should work on 360 turns on pretty flat terrain. The Taos Ski Week that I did with other advanced women (it's was Women's Week) there wasn't any bump terrain open due to low snow. We did 360 turns on a blue groomer. Not steep but far steeper than I'd tried before. Back then one direction worked pretty well, but not the other. Getting help on fixing the poor side was very helpful. But still a work in progress.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
I get fairly freaked out in fog/ whiteout/low light conditions and feel nauseated out there sometimes. I wish I could overcome this. When visibility is poor I ski narrow tree trails or trails I know very well. I avoid the wide open white space.
Btw, if you get disoriented in whiteout conditions, you need to psych yourself up for Whistler. Maybe you'll luck out w/ bluebird conditions, but it's common to have to ski in total fog for at least part of the day, even if only because the mountain is so huge that there's a cloudbelt lying on mid-mountain and you have to ski through it. In all seriousness, take a hard look at your husband's ski wardrobe if you have to follow him around etc - it helps if others are wearing at least one really bright item. (If either of you wears all black, get a fluorescent orange or pink helmet, say.) I've ended up getting completely dizzy up in the alpine and literally not knowing which was was up or down on some long rolling traverses after a steep stretch. (I'm prone to vertigo, I end up dragging my poles a lot in these situtations.)
Having someone to follow and someone else following you who is a better skier is an ideal situation when sticking to narrower trails or along trees isn't possible. Knowing in advance that fog/clouds are an issue is a good thing. Then you can make appropriate adjustments. Don't just assume you should fight through. It's not worth developing vertigo symptoms like a headache or nausea that's going to mess up the rest of the ski day.
 

Jenny

Angel Diva
Yesterday my husband told me he was going to ski with all the club instructors in the afternoon and then I wasn’t allowed to join them. Jokingly, I told him that I had a lift ticket and I could ski anywhere on the mountain I wanted. That meant that if I could keep up with him I could ski with him in the afternoon! LOL. We had a good laugh and he took that as a challenge. To everyone’s amazement I did manage to keep up with him and the instructor group in the afternoon. I also got some extra coaching on moguls along the way. It was an awesome day. He told me later that he had no idea I was capable of skiing (carving) that fast while staying in control. He also said that he saw me and didn’t recognize me as his wife because my skiing hasn’t had improved so much! Exciting day!
Woohoo! Take THAT, husband!
 

Olesya Chornoguz

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Having someone to follow and someone else following you who is a better skier is an ideal situation when sticking to narrower trails or along trees isn't possible. Knowing in advance that fog/clouds are an issue is a good thing. Then you can make appropriate adjustments. Don't just assume you should fight through. It's not worth developing vertigo symptoms like a headache or nausea that's going to mess up the rest of the ski day.
I get vertigo in low visbility too. I have developed some tricks that help. Of course the first one has already been mentioned, it's terrain choice - trees and narrow trails are much better than open bowls. If you are on a wide open space in low visibility then following someone in front who is wearing something bright is helpful. Dragging or touching the snow with poles can help orient yourself too. For me I found that singing out lout distracts me from vertigo and fear and the vertigo goes away. I don't sing well, but don't care. I try to pick a song that will give me some rhythm to my turns. I wonder if reciting lyrics to song or a poem would do the same? Haven't tried it yet :smile: Also wonder if listening to music could do that too. Everyone is different and gotta find what works for you
 

Zao87

Diva in Training
You are not alone, I am a map junkie! I always have a physical copy of the mountain map with me as well :o)

Same here!!! I feel safe with a map and must be a physical map although I have a screenshot in my phone. Most of the time it’s too cold to take off your gloves to use the map stored in the phone so I always always make sure to have a physical map in my ski jacket.
 

NYSnowflake

Angel Diva
I tackled some more serious terrain for the win this weekend- Hayride and Nosedive at Stowe... then skied my first double diamonds at Hunter yesterday! I skied Racers Edge 4-5 times and that was really steep but my speed control was good because I finished my turns. Then I got coached through the big bumps on steeps at Clair’s Way and Upper Crossover! I mostly learned to traverse the bumps pointing ski tips uphill and gently side slipping down the backs of bumps... making turns here and there where it looked most inviting. It was a big day and symbolized how I am working through the intermediate stages and definitely not stuck on the plateau!

Also @marzNC - yes I have been doing lots of lessons on side slipping and pivot slipping, and taught myself to do 360s on gentle terrain at Stowe. My husband helped by pointing out that I had to flatten my uphill ski more to avoid getting my edge stuck. That helped a lot.
 

westcoast21

Certified Ski Diva
The beauty of skiing is that you get to choose what makes you happy.

There are plenty of people who love cruising around the mountain. There are others who love the technical aspects of skiing. Others want to be able to ski the whole mountain. Others love club racing.

What do you enjoy? Are you able to do what you enjoy now or do you think you need some additional skills or confidence to reach your goals?

Let us know and there are many here who can point you in the direction you want to go.
LOVE your answer! I am in my mid-thirties and a beginner and my goal is to be able to ski any and every green run at a cruising speed and feeling comfortable. I’ve worked to learn to the point I’m at now, which is still sticking to the bunny hill and making my turns more and more completely parallel and i am so proud and even surprised at myself that I’ve come this far, as I don’t think of myself as naturally athletic. Can’t wait for the day I can cruise down a green that isn’t a bunny hill doing nice, controlled, comfortable, relaxed S shaped turns all the way down. I think it’s important to decide what one’s goals are and it’s entirely okay if that goal doesn’t include becoming an advanced skier :smile:
 

newboots

Angel Diva
Hello @westcoast21 ! Welcome to The Ski Diva! So happy to have you here! It is great to read your goal. Not everybody will be Mikaela! Stick around; it’s a great group.
:dance::welcome::dance:
 

kiki

Angel Diva
LOVE your answer! I am in my mid-thirties and a beginner and my goal is to be able to ski any and every green run at a cruising speed and feeling comfortable. I’ve worked to learn to the point I’m at now, which is still sticking to the bunny hill and making my turns more and more completely parallel and i am so proud and even surprised at myself that I’ve come this far, as I don’t think of myself as naturally athletic. Can’t wait for the day I can cruise down a green that isn’t a bunny hill doing nice, controlled, comfortable, relaxed S shaped turns all the way down. I think it’s important to decide what one’s goals are and it’s entirely okay if that goal doesn’t include becoming an advanced skier :smile:
Welcome @westcoast21 !! It helps a lot to have a balanced approach :-). ... and sometimes our goals evolve ;-)
 

kiki

Angel Diva
Thank you so much! I ski in BC, Canada, mostly in the lower mainland and I hope to try some of the mountains in the interior of the province as I get better. :smile:
I am in the lower mainland too, we are lucky to have so many options for ski hills here! Hopefully the spring doesn’t come too fast this year.
 

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