Skiing With New People

[highpeaksdrifter]

How do you react when skiing with new people the first time? I’m usually semi-competitive at first. After I see what the other guys have and they see me, then I’ll lay back and relax. I guess I need the pecking order established. Sometimes it takes awhile, sometimes you can tell right away.

I remember skiing bumps at Breck with my friend’s cousin’s friend. Best bump skier I’ve ever skied with personally. It took about 50 yards for me to know who the lead dog was.

 

[Greg]

I don't try to be something I'm not. Skiing is not something you can fake. With that said, I do try to ski as well as I can, but I do that most of the time. I would say I'm firmly in the middle of the pack most times in terms of skier skill and I'm fine with that. Sometimes I'm the better skier; often times not. I actually enjoy skiing with better skiers since it helps push me a bit.

 

[MRGisevil]

I assume everyone is better than me and just try to keep up and do what they're doing/ take the trails they're taking. I tend to learn a lot from new people.

 

[campgottagopee]

How do you react when skiing with new people the first time? I’m usually semi-competitive at first. After I see what the other guys have and they see me, then I’ll lay back and relax. I guess I need the pecking order established. Sometimes it takes awhile, sometimes you can tell right away.

I remember skiing bumps at Breck with my friend’s cousin’s friend. Best bump skier I’ve ever skied with personally. It took about 50 yards for me to know who the lead dog was.

I'm with you on this one.....I wanna see who's who before it's chill time and if someone beats me in a course we head to the bumps. If they beat me in the bumps we head to the trees. Beat me in the trees then ooff to the steeps. If they beat me there, well, I just buy them a beer.

 

[Moe Ghoul]

If it's someone new, I ALWAYS let them take point unless they never skied the terrain before. Skiing with someone you know is more satisfying because you can compete and gauge your turns better if you know their style. Tandem runs, crisscrossing each other, stuff like that.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

:beer:

I'm with you on this one.....I wanna see who's who before it's chill time and if someone beats me in a course we head to the bumps. If they beat me in the bumps we head to the trees. Beat me in the trees then ooff to the steeps. If they beat me there, well, I just buy them a beer.

Dude, I can't wait to meet you at WF this year. It's goin be go time, then bar time. :beer:

 

[riverc0il]

I like to have my A game with me when skiing with new folks. I don't take it too seriously and don't need to establish an order or anything, but when I ski with new people, I evaluate their ability so I know what I can and can not ski while I am with them and I assume others are taking those same measures of me. Only seems appropriate to be on your game when skiing with new people so everyone knows where everyone is at and what the group ability level is. This kind of links back into the stash thread (not going off topic here folks) in that I would avoid certain areas if new folks I am skiing with would be in over their heads. No fun for anyone in the group when someone has to start side slipping half the run.

 

[campgottagopee]

:beer:

Dude, I can't wait to meet you at WF this year. It's goin be go time, then bar time. :beer:

True dat---I don't plan on buying either;-) But will come prepared just in case:evil:

 

[darent]

I like meeting and skiing with new people, I don't look at it as a competition , just a fun outing and I try to keep up and not look to bad, if they ski better than me, good news as it will push me to ski better and I will learn a thing or two. If I am the better skier, I will try to keep it steady and at a pace that my new friend keeps up.

 

[hardline]

I like to have my A game with me when skiing with new folks. I don't take it too seriously and don't need to establish an order or anything, but when I ski with new people, I evaluate their ability so I know what I can and can not ski while I am with them and I assume others are taking those same measures of me. Only seems appropriate to be on your game when skiing with new people so everyone knows where everyone is at and what the group ability level is. This kind of links back into the stash thread (not going off topic here folks) in that I would avoid certain areas if new folks I am skiing with would be in over their heads. No fun for anyone in the group when someone has to start side slipping half the run.

well put.
i like riding with people of all abilities. from my neighbors kids to professional riders. it good to know everyones ability so we can all have fun. i don't need to rack up vert to have fun. i can have a fun spring day taking 30 min runs down the toll road with slower people. i just ride the whole way switch and butter my nose a bit. stop and take a safety meetting in the woods. powder days if i dont see you at the lift in few im out.

 

[mondeo]

I think the big thing for me is trying to be courteous. It's not until I get to know someone that I feel comfortable being a complete jerk to them.

The other thing, that partly goes with being courteous, is I try to adapt to their level. If they're better than me, I don't want to hold them up, and if they're slower, I try not to make the difference in speed that big.

 

[2knees]

In regards to meeting new az'ers, i always find it interesting if my "online" perception of them comes anywhere near their ability levels. as far as my own skiing, i just dont want to embarass myself. i've had some spectacular crashes when i've been skiing with people for the first time, so i dont know how succesful i've been there.

 

[deadheadskier]

I generally just lay back and follow the crowd. Over the years, there have been people who are much better than I and they prefer that I take the lead. There have been people who aren't of the same ability and they want to take the lead.

I've honestly never really thought about this question since perhaps high school when there would always be an influx of new skiers each season (boarding school) and people boasting all fall how great they were.

Part of me enjoys skiing with people better than myself as it pushes me. Last season I skied with Terry and some of his friends who were all VERY good skiers and took all I had to keep up. That was fun. Most often I'm skiing with a friend Dana who is far less accomplished than I, however, the gratification I get from pushing him and watching him improve is perhaps even more fun and rewarding than skiing with people who rip.

It's all good as far as I'm concerned because usually about 75% of the time I'm skiing solo, so I'm just happy to have the company

 

[Greg]

i always find it interesting if my "online" perception of them comes anywhere near their ability levels.

Definitely. Especially the condescending know-it-alls. Oh wait. I haven't actually skied with any of those. That's telling.

 

[kcyanks1]

I do want to ski well to prove myself, but I don't view it as a competition or really care much who is better. I think it is important to get a sense of others' levels, though, because I don't want to hold people back if they are better, and I don't want to take someone on something they won't enjoy or will have trouble with if I'm better. So I am trying to get a sense of how well others ski, but not in a competitive way.

 

[Hawkshot99]

I usually ski pretty calm till I know how they ski. I don't know how they are gonna react if I take off real fast. Once I know a person I will go hard and have lots of fun.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

In regards to meeting new az'ers, i always find it interesting if my "online" perception of them comes anywhere near their ability levels. .

Yeah, I've been suprised both ways.

as far as my own skiing, i just dont want to embarass myself. i've had some spectacular crashes when i've been skiing with people for the first time, so i dont know how succesful i've been there.

Come on, you have mad skills.

 

[2knees]

Definitely. Especially the condescending know-it-alls. Oh wait. I haven't actually skied with any of those. That's telling.

i cant name one person i've skied with from here that i wouldnt ski with again. I've had a couple terse volleys with Mattchuck but the guy was totally cool to ski with and he kicked ass too. that was probably as close to an uncomfortable encounter i've had.

to be honest, i've been very surprised at the level of skiers that i've met. I know alpinezone takes its hits on a few other message boards. gets called gaperzone and such. problem is, it just aint the truth.

 

[2knees]

Come on, you have mad skills.

coming from you, who's been doing this for a long time, at a very high level and seen alot, i really appreciate that. However, there are a boatload of people on this forum far better then myself. no sense in thinking i'm something that i'm not.

 

[Greg]

coming from you, who's been doing this for a long time, at a very high level and seen alot, i really appreciate that. However, there are a boatload of people on this forum far better then myself. no sense in thinking i'm something that i'm not.

I'm glad you've finally come to terms with the fact that you do suck.