East skills v. West skills

[skibum]

cannon was terrible this season due to lack of snow fall. have faith for next year! cannon is still one of my favorite places in new england. though you will need to get better at the tight stuff if you really want to have fun there but that is how you avoid the crowds as well!

Yeah I saw potential, Iv'e done mittersill, tuckerbrook, whatever the woods run is to the right of the mittersill portion of taft...but seriously imagine Kinsman glade in light waist deep powder for at least 2/3rds of the season, you arrive at the crack of noon and there are only ten or twelve tracks down it. That was every day of my last eight years in Steamboat.
Fish Creek Canyon story link:
http://www.skiingmag.com/skiing/travel_-_rockies/article/0,12910,525838,00.html

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

As you and I have both mentioned (basically)..you learn VERY quickly how to adapt to varying conditions when you ski primarily on the east coast. Remember they did hold an olyimpic games right here on the east coast not all that long ago (LAKE PLACID), so to me that says we have some pretty awesome skiing right here, but as for snowfall and # of pow days.the west has us dead to rights.
M

I LOVE Whiteface/Lake Placid, but keep in mind it takes alot more to hold an Olyimpics then a great mountain. You need jumps, hockey, skating, bobsled, etc. We have all of that in Lake Placid, plus Whiteface is the only Eastern Mt., besides Sugarloaf, that has the vert. for a World Cup downhill.

We do have some pretty awesome skiing in the NE as you said, but as far as Winter Olyimpics go in the NE there is no other place that has the facilities to hold one besides Whiteface/Lake Placid.

 

[SkiDog]

look at the US ski team. how many skiers are from the west vs. the east? certainly a majority are west coast skiers despite the widely held belief that west coast skiers can't ski hard pack.

I think somone else has pointed out that while some of those skiers on the US team may now call the west home BUT..they were born and learned to ski here in the east. Which IMHO solidifies the argument that east coast skiers are primarily better skiers.......

We'd have to do some more back research to make 100% on that claim, but I think we'd find out that the east comes out on top...ill try to look tonight see if I can find some stats.

M

 

[awf170]

Marc and Steve hit it right on the head. This quote pretty much sums it up.

east coasters on average do not have stronger skills than west coasters but have different skills.

Some are, some arent. My _only_ ski for the past 40 or so days has been a Volkl Gotama. Soft at tip and tail, stiff as hell through the body (hardwood core), almost as wide a waist as any other 'big mountain/powder' ski on the market.
I find that for my size/weight/ski style, they ski better for me than many smaller/firmer/softer all mountains I've tried. (I'm 6'2", 230, and a massive gaper)
I've skiied them from bulletproof ice at Wildcat, and Snowbird (really!) to soft/knee deep trees at Jay and Vail, and they handle great in just about any condition.

Now, I just started skiing again a three years ago after a 10 year hiatus, and found after 'regaining' a useable skill level, that I do prefer as little of a sidecut as possible.

I went through a pair of Atomic Beta's, and Rossi Bandit X's, in less than a year apiece, eventually hating the chatty, quick-turning, soft/light skis for the easy to use weekend warrior tool that they are.

Also, a soft ski needs some serious torsional rigidity to manage deep snow without twisting, and that is typically easier in a wide ski to attain than in a thinner stiffer ski.


"If you go fat, you'll never go back!"

You are sick. Do you ski a ton of powder days in norther vermont, ski a lot of backcountry, or just always know where to find powder. If not I just think thats crazy. There are carver/allmountain skis for larger faster skiiers, try a volkl superspeed. My only ski right now has an 89mm waist and I think that is a little crazy and that I probably should get something skinnier(I won't though)

Agreed...I actually thought my Salomon GUNS were going to be too fat for east coast hardpack...boy was I wrong...they pretty much handle anything I can throw at them.....

M

I skied on pocket rockets(same exact ski as a gun) for about 5-10 days and they pretty much rip up soft groomed runs and everything else, but are horrible on east hardpack IMO. Taking some of the harder corners on Lynx with some speed I thought I was going to pull a Bode because my skis were chattering so much.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

i think the culture of the western ski locales is more intense than the east. a lot of families out west live ski culture. the families moved to the mountain to live the culture so families grew up on the mountains. you have the best mountains attracting the most die hards, that then raise their kids on the mountain. on the east coast, it isn't part of the culture. the kids that really want to pursue racing get enrolled in a ski academy and i am sure those numbers are far less than the volume of kids doing race programs in the west. once a kid is enrolled in a race program, it doesn't matter where they are from... they are going to receive the same training and get the same skills. east coast and west coast racers are no different, both ski on rutted and scrapped up courses. one of the biggest differences that i suspect would be more top coaches are out west, especially considering the US Ski Team trains out there when training in the US.

I've skied in the West quite a bit but that doesn't make me an expert on the ski culture there, but that said from my observations I have to say I disagree. I can only give examples of my own experiences, but I Whiteface there is a strong Alpine race culture. The NYSEF program at both Gore and Whiteface is intense. NYSEF just hired Thomas Erhard, former US Ski Team coach to head the program. This is not a ski academy program. There are also 2 sports academies in LP and 1 more in the town of Keene that train at Whiteface daily. NYSEF raised $800,000 and built a new headquarters at the base of Whiteface. You see it and you can't believe this beautiful log building is for a kids racing program.

So anyways Oil, I'm not sure what you base your opinion on, but at least in my part of the NE the ski race culture is very strong.

 

[ski_resort_observer]

best stills in the country

I think the east definately has the best stills in the world. Look at all that history about the backwoods stills making moonshine and other great hooch. The Bush even has a trail named moonshine. Whoops, thought the thread was entitled East Stills vs West Stills..my bad....never mind..:lol:

 

[SkiDog]

I skied on pocket rockets(same exact ski as a gun) for about 5-10 days and they pretty much rip up soft groomed runs and everything else, but are horrible on east hardpack IMO. Taking some of the harder corners on Lynx with some speed I thought I was going to pull a Bode because my skis were chattering so much.

Just so you are aware this is currently the ONLY ski in my quiver and i log most of my days at Killington...is that east coast hardpack enough for you? They ski beautifully IMHO....I think the sidecut was changed in the GUNS that might be some of it???

Doesnt really matter though I dig em..

M

 

[awf170]

Just so you are aware this is currently the ONLY ski in my quiver and i log most of my days at Killington...is that east coast hardpack enough for you? They ski beautifully IMHO....I think the sidecut was changed in the GUNS that might be some of it???

Doesnt really matter though I dig em..

M

Sidecut is the same. I just thought of something though. I have/had 165 which have a very small sidecut, which is made for short radius turns, and on groomers I take really large radius turns. So its kinda like doing a downhill with slamon skis(this analogy is obviously exzagerated to prove a point) it just doesn't work.

 

[riverc0il]

We'd have to do some more back research to make 100% on that claim,

indeed.

 

[riverc0il]

So anyways Oil, I'm not sure what you base your opinion on, but at least in my part of the NE the ski race culture is very strong.

as a previous racer in both high school and college levels, i don't believe that the northeast race culture is strong. it is strong in certain places, but overall it is not that strong. i was not speaking so much of a race culture, but rather a culture of people who live and breathe everything that is skiing. i don't think a lot of people east live the culture. in the way i am describing, no one here fits the bill myself included. people who live the culture would be too busy making turns right now to post on a forum. tis why all the extreme and best skiers in new england (for the most part) live out west. and those that did live in the east moved out west. i am talking top tier, you've seen them on warren miller, profiles. so all that contributes to that culture. i just don't see the east having a great ski culture like that.when the best of the best are moving out west. without ski families putting down routes, i think you would see a smaller number of kids being encouraged to go it, racing style.

 

[Powdr]

Do East coast skiers, on average, have stronger skills then their West coast counterparts because we have to ski on ice, thin snow pack and in general inferior conditions, on average, as compared to the West? If you can ski well in the East you can ski well anywhere.
.

Your very question if filled with a slant towards the answer you expect. How do you think you are going to get objective responses when you already make the case with the statements above, then throw out a few weak bones on the other hand in an attempt to balance the question?

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Your very question if filled with a slant towards the answer you expect. How do you think you are going to get objective responses when you already make the case with the statements above, then throw out a few weak bones on the other hand in an attempt to balance the question?

Bull Spit. I did no such thing. If you read the post I said it didn't think it mattered. How would you have worded it so there's no slant?

People are going to write what they think it doesn't matter how I word it. That's what I wanted to get a discussion going.

 

[Marc]

Once again Marc you are the wise sage.

Good Lord, I'll try not to make a habit out of it.

Clearly I have not been drinking enough recently.

 

[hrstrat57]

skills

Good thread....

My opinion has always been it is a question of experience. If one has solid skills and is a good athlete without physical limitations the skiing east vs west is just a question of learning new tricks and dialing in new skills. I have near zero experience in deep snow. Yet I have no doubt that I could dial in deep snow skills with a bit of practice and putting on the miles. No doubt the reverse is true, my western friends with a bit of help from me could learn to ski very smoothly on frozen granular(tho they might need to learn how to use a file:razz: )

Saw an interview of Phil Michelson recently. He said the flop shot (sand or lob wedge laid wide open near full swing sweeping under the ball) is no more difficult than any other golf shot, just different and requires practice. He further said any good golfer can learn it. Been practicing it hard for a couple of weeks in the back yard.

Holed my first flop shot today....2" rough hit it high from about 10 yards off the green, about 25 feet to the flag. Stopped it dead 6 inches in front of the hole and she rolled in.

Sweet. Just like skiing powder will be some day I hope!!

It's all in the mind ya know.....

 

[Marc]

Good thread....

My opinion has always been it is a question of experience. If one has solid skills and is a good athlete without physical limitations the skiing east vs west is just a question of learning new tricks and dialing in new skills. I have near zero experience in deep snow. Yet I have no doubt that I could dial in deep snow skills with a bit of practice and putting on the miles. No doubt the reverse is true, my western friends with a bit of help from me could learn to ski very smoothly on frozen granular(tho they might need to learn how to use a file:razz: )

Saw an interview of Phil Michelson recently. He said the flop shot (sand or lob wedge laid wide open near full swing sweeping under the ball) is no more difficult than any other golf shot, just different and requires practice. He further said any good golfer can learn it. Been practicing it hard for a couple of weeks in the back yard.

Holed my first flop shot today....2" rough hit it high from about 10 yards off the green, about 25 feet to the flag. Stopped it dead 6 inches in front of the hole and she rolled in.

Sweet. Just like skiing powder will be some day I hope!!

It's all in the mind ya know.....

*10 demerits for mentioning golf in a ski related thread*

 

[hrstrat57]

He's got a beautiful backswing, that's...oh he got all of that one...he's gotta be pleased with that, the crowd is on its feet here..he's the cinderella boy...tears in his eyes I guess...he lines up this last shot, got about 195, got about an eight iron..crowd deathy silent, the cinderella story outta nowhere, former greenskeeper now about to become..the master champion..it looks like a mira.... ITS IN THE HOLE

Pay no attention to that bush....

OK no more golf....

..sorry

 

[Marc]

He's got a beautiful backswing, that's...oh he got all of that one...he's gotta be pleased with that, the crowd is on its feet here..he's the cinderella boy...tears in his eyes I guess...he lines up this last shot, got about 195, got about an eight iron..crowd deathy silent, the cinderella story outta nowhere, former greenskeeper now about to become..the master champion..it looks like a mira.... ITS IN THE HOLE

Pay no attention to that bush....

OK no more golf....

..sorry

No, it's acceptable, in fact, encouraged when referenced in this manner.










Fuzzy little foreigner-

 

[kingslug]

Lately I seem to be splitting my season as half west/east. Out west they do get ice, crud, hardpack, and anything else you get here. So the good skiers can handle it all, including tight trees. Try Solitude if you want the tight stuff. It all depends on the person. Yes, there are a lot of powder/amazing condition snobs out there. This is because they can pick and choose more than we can. An eastern powder snob would have a very limited season in most areas. It's all what you are used to and it's hard to say who is better. They have better cliff jumpers for sure as we don't have that many cliffs and they can handle high altitude better due to acclimation. In the ice category, we rule as far as I see it. I skied with a guy in Utah who said he hadn't sharpened his edges in 20 years. That says it for me.

 

[SkiDork]

All I know is, Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills.
You know, like nunchuck skills, bowhunting skills, computer hacking skills, eastern skiing skills...

 

[SkiDog]

All I know is, Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills.
You know, like nunchuck skills, bowhunting skills, computer hacking skills, eastern skiing skills...

No truer statement has been made in this entire thread....

Oh and chicks dig scars.. HA

M