Are you at..where you want to be

[Not Sure]

Southpaw was fun too - last bump run of the weekend and it emptied my tank lol.

I've been skiing since 1970. I crushed the bumps in my 185s. Hubby had 200+ - that was the norm lol. Honestly - it was no harder than now. Bumps must have been spaced for it and those sticks were pretty flexible - not as stiff as today's I don't think. Look at 1980s vids and see how squirrelly they were lol. I still have my last pair of sticks... I would take them out some day if I felt the bindings would hold. When is 80s day?! (Oh I now see you were talking pow on skinny skis - I had little deep pow experience in those - but people managed!)

Dang snowboarders wrecking our bumps.



http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php/46007-Do-snowboarders-wreck-moguls/page3

 

[tnt1234]

I happy enough with how I'm skiing. Would like to feel more confident in steep tree luge run kind of places, but whatever....

Mostly I just want to ski more. that's my biggest disappointment.

 

[Wicked1]

Okay stop whining about aging. They are creating a pill for that...
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603997/is-this-the-anti-aging-pill-weve-all-been-waiting-for/

Stop YOUR whining "When I was in my 20's I probably ate/drank more at ski areas then I did when I had kids. With kids we packed lunch."

Glad to hear you've grown up... ;-)

 

[mr magoo]

I'm 59, I started skiing at 40. My friends are all telling me I've got a lot better this year. They are giving me a lot of credit. But honestly, I think the difference is a pair of custom skis I bought. The designer/builder really listened to me and I think the dimensions and profile are perfect for me.

Agreed. I noticed an improvement the last 2 times that I bought skis. I think that I wasted 25 years on racer type boards. I never needed the speed and enjoy the flexiness in the trees and the light-weightness over the course of the day. I am 62 and have never been more comfortable running fresh lines in the woods.

 

[crank]

Hmm,

Thought about this some this season. I skied 5 hard days in UT earlier this month. After days of double diamonds at Alta and Snowbird my legs were sore and my knees shot. Technique wise I am probably better than ever because I have been working on it ,as well as working on ways to be more efficient in my movements and ski with less stress on my body.

It was when I was skiing High Rustler that I stopped and watched a 30 or 40 year old skier coming down from above and he was skiing it beautifully...skiing with abandon...like I used to when I was in my 30's and 40's. I was skiing fine, but with caution. Not trusting my muscles, ligaments, joints and bones and reaction time to keep it together at high speed with launches here and there. That really made me feel older.

I am 61. I can still ski at a high level, but, that level is not as high as it used to be. I can't go as hard all day long either. I am, gasp and shudder, learning to find pleasure in skiing groomers. I find pleasure just in being on the mountain and in a mountain town.

I am hoping to be able to ski another 20 years. Hell, I am hoping to be alive in 20 years! My grandfather and father didn't make it past mid-70's. Genetics has a role to play here though I bike and hike and nordic track and do core exercises, don't smoke,etc. Dialing it down is OK with me. I am resigned to it. When I saw that younger dude skiing High Rustler at speed with an abundance of confidence it somehow put me in touch with my younger self. I can remember when and just being out there helps me relive my "glory" days.

Last few years I have been skiing more out west than VT. Usually around 15 days not in the east and maybe 5-10 in the east. Mostly northern VT. I have become a fair weather skier which means fresh, natural snow. Keep your ice to yourself and welcome to it. Manmade makes a fine base with a few inches of real snow on top. I have been skiing for over 60 years now and I can be picky.

 

[Domeskier]

I want to work on my ski ballet a bit, but I can only ski weekends and the trails are too crowded.

 

[mikestaple]

Go to Sun Valley and get completely smoked by locals in their late 60s. Then consider your limits. I’m 50 and find the combination of West steeps with East technical makes for a nice consistent mixing and increase in skill set. Not gonna quit learning yet. That said - I’m not jumping off frozen waterfalls Ripping a knee up at 25 sucks. Do it at 50 and you could be out for two years.


Sent from my iPhone using AlpineZone

 

[abc]

I've always been happy with where I am.

I've improved, some years by leaps and bounce. Other years not much. But whatever level I'm at any point of my skiing, I'm always happy to be where I am, whilst knowing I have a lot of room to improve.

I don't wish I'm better than where I am. Instead, I know I COULD be better if I ski more, take some lessons and practice with focus. I don't always do that though. And when I do the above, I improve.

Since so much of "where I am" are within my control, I'm happy with where I am. Any time I'm NOT happy with where I'm, I know what I need to do to be happy again!

 

[kingslug]

After reading the book on Doug Coombs and his and others experiences in Europe ..well it would be nice to be able to sample some of that. I've skied around Europe and seen some of this terrain, especially at Chaminox. Its pretty insane and I doubt I have the skill to do it. Plus there is no way to really practice this stuff. Maybe on trips out west but you would need a steep and deep camp, which is pretty intense. A woman in our ski club does some of this, rappelling into areas and such. Unfortunately her guide was killed before her last trip to meet him ...another aspect to think about in these no fall areas.

 

[Hawk]

I have also been to Cham a bit. You would be surprised what you can do with a good guide. You ski new England and have managed to make turns in seriously challenging conditions. That is a huge plus. I was scared but my guide said that I have really good technical ability and should have no problems. The only thing is that you cannot fall or loose a ski. He took me to places that I thought I was going to die. After a while you get used to it and you are fine. The guide knows the routes, the conditions and the exits. They would not put you in a place that you would fail. You just have to gain the confidence and oh ya, don't fu*k up. LOL

 

[kingslug]

When i was there conditions were bad. The top lift at Brevant went to some nasty terrain which they recommended using a guide for. I wastched these people making their way down rocks and ..well just crappy muck..most looked terrified...and this was inbounds. I watch ski movies all the time and am amazed at what they drop into. I think fear is the deciding factor. I can make the turn..just afraid of what happens if I dont.

 

[shwilly]

I don't think I ever want to go in a "fall and die" zone. Sometimes I fall! I sure don't want to bring my family there.

Doug Coombs was a million times the skier I'll ever be, but even his luck ran out. I'll happily pass up some super extreme gnarly thrills in hopes of living to a ripe old age. The slightly extreme thrills are good enough.

 

[kingslug]

Yup..i like stuff 40 degrees and under..50 degrees and im out of my depth..not fun