I learned to ski late in the season last year and took two lessons. I have skied maybe 4 times since then and I'd like to take another lesson. However, I have a hard time deciphering the skier levels to know where I fit. I have been working on trying to make turns with my skis parallel using the weighting and unweighting techniques rather than wedging all the way through the turns -- is this what they mean by "skis sometimes skidding together" (Level 4) or does that mean skidding together when I stop? I can manage all the green slopes at Liberty (although not so gracefully at times) -- Dipsy Doodle is a struggle in the steep parts. I can turn and stop fairly easily. Can someone please give a little more explanation of the skier level definitions? Thanks.

See:

http://www.epicski.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=002673

and especially

http://www.epicski.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=000408

http://www.epicski.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4&t=000817

OTOH, pages like:

http://www.amenta.com/ski/skiknow.htm

are somewhere between watered-down and wildly inaccurate when it comes to the PSIA 1-9 scale, particularly at the top end of the scale.

Tom / PM

Mo:

You have restored my faith in human nature. Usually I have to use this rule when sorting groups for lessons: Student describes self as Level 2-4, subtract 1, describes self as 5-6, subtract 2, describes self as 7-9, subtract 3, describes self as 10, subtract 4.

Sounds to me like you are skiing at a true 3. Don't be disheartened, because the rating scale is meaningless except to prevent chaos in group lessons. If you are getting a private lesson, it doesn't matter at all. If you are getting a group lesson, it does.

BTW, if you are thinking about a group lesson, use some strategy and pick a lesson time where the group is likely to be smaller.
If on a weekend at Liberty, that would be very early in the day, perhaps around lunch, or the dreaded 7 pm lineup.

Also, I would be happy to take a run with you and give you some tips. Just look me up at any lesson lineup between 2 and 7 on Sat. or Sun. If I am not teaching or giving a clinic, 15 minutes is no skin off my nose (unless the bumps are really, really good.)

Thank you, Tom and Otto! I checked out the websites, Tom, and I see that my question about skier level is like opening a can of worms. Everyone (and every ski resort) has a different opinion about it. I plan on taking a group lesson, so I think I can safely say I need to be in the Level 3 group now. Thanks again for your advice! And Otto, I'm going to take you up on those skiing tips you offered one of these next few weekends at Liberty (whenever we get some more of the white stuff on the ground)!!

Hey Mo!

You can recognized Otto as the aging skier running over people as he teaches!! Looks just like his name implies!

And you can recognize Jim as the patroller trying desperately, without success, to keep up with me....

Add these to your reading list:

Anyone Can Be An Expert Skier I & II

Ski Flex

www.pmts.org (especially the fitness link!)

Harold Harb will improve yoour skiing dramatically and quickly.

It boosted mine by 100% over the previous season. (and I ski a lot and get constant traning at it as a patroller)