Backcountry only = decline in skiing ability?

[Meadow Skipper]

i think the only way you could be more core than to ski nothing but the BC is to do it tele

and real mutherfucking tele gear

none of this ntn stuff

Or cables!

Pins and leathers you fucking nancies

Right on!

oaken skis

Metal edges are for pussies!

[ASmileyFace]

Who needs edges at all when you're skiing pow all the time right?

[Sirshredalot]

Who needs edges at all when you're skiing pow all the time right?

Superloops and my trusty Graffix bong are all I need for fun, safe times in the BC!

[XXX-er]

wait a minute what if we run out of dope?

[Vitamin I]

BACKCOUNTRY ONLY = DECLINE IN SKIING ABILITY?

...I wonder about a decline in over all skiing skill from not being able to spin lots of vertical in all conditions...

You will definitely forget a bunch of skiing skills.

One skill is called "Glancing backwards before you start skiing switch". This guy probably had that specific skill dialed when he skied inbounds, but obviously his ability declined after he went backcountry (0:56):


Another skill is called "Scouting the landing before you launch blind rollovers". This guy probably did it skillfully back when he skied inbounds, but obviously his ability declined after he went backcountry (0:06):


Yet another skill is called "Basic Self-Preservation Instinct & the Competence level of a 6-year-old child to handle the inbounds Skier's Responsibility Code". This guy probably gained false confidence in the backcountry while his ability was actually silently declining, and when he returned to inbounds skiing in this video, that false confidence probably blinded him from seeing that he had become completely incompetent to handle even the simplest responsibilities listed in the inbounds Skier's Responsibility Code (0:44):

[garyfromterrace]

One of the big ideas percolating to the surface here is that a combination of hill and touring is ideal. I'm probably 65% hill and 35% touring right now. That's kind of what my life affords me (full time job, little kids at home etc.). In an ideal world I'd probably closer to 50 / 50. My question to the proponents of the combo approach (hill and touring combined as optimum for ski ability), what do you think would be the ideal combination in percentage terms?

Ideal percentage would be 40% back country, 60% hill. Based on 130 days per year, and living in a very good place for skiing (both hill and back country).

[jackstraw]

My question to the proponents of the combo approach (hill and touring combined as optimum for ski ability), what do you think would be the ideal combination in percentage terms?

Ideal percentage would be 40% back country, 60% hill. Based on 130 days per year, and living in a very good place for skiing (both hill and back country).

Optimum for ski ability? Definitely the lift 100%. There is no question about that. You can send it all day and ride a variety of good to shit conditions that will enhance your ability. Again, the EC vs the West on this is very different. The variety of inbounds snow conditions in the West is broader, less the sheer ice of the EC. You can find a variety on the EC, but it's not on the open mapped trails. I'm talking breakable crust, mank, and the likes. I'm also thinking JH where you have 4k vert where the weather is very different from base to summit.

I don't know how many go 100% in the BC, but I tone it way down and am overly cautious the majority of the time unless it's meadow skipping. It's a completely different skill set, but I believe (like the others here) you need to have the fundamentals of all the terrain and snow conditions down by riding a lift and then use those skills when you encounter the shite conditions in the BC as the cavalry is not going to show up to get your arse down.

[dewam]

My question to the proponents of the combo approach, what do you think would be the ideal combination in percentage terms?

AP, with a full time job and kids at home, I think the proper answer is:
Any Time on Skis You Can Get

[galibier_numero_un]

I don't know how many go 100% in the BC, but I tone it way down and am overly cautious the majority of the time unless it's meadow skipping. It's a completely different skill set, but I believe (like the others here) you need to have the fundamentals of all the terrain and snow conditions down by riding a lift and then use those skills when you encounter the shite conditions in the BC as the cavalry is not going to show up to get your arse down.

This, along with other comments in this thread about bad technique, skiers tommahawking, leaving bomb holes, etc. raises an interesting question that's probably a good topic for the slide zone - that of partner selection and how much force their skiing style exerts on s potentially tender snowpack.

Alternatively, this could be looked at as terrain selection based not only on partner's skiing ability, but style as well as snowpack condition.

I've been around a lot of good athletes who charge hatder than me but who (when skiing at the same speed) exert a lot more force on the snowpack.

And yes, downhill skiing skills vs. mountain skills are two different things. I won't pretend that I have as much of the latter as the former. I've seen this play out with climbers who start out in the gym and who trivialize their move outdoors into a mountain environment.

Yes to the "X" hours rule, but I don't know if it's universally 10k for all skills, and paying attention while you're learning counts for a lot.

... Thom

[gramboh]

#southcoasttouring #millenials #vanlife #community #beaters

I want to say that one of those musical bumps slides last winter was caused by someone beatering in the middle of a start zone. I think it was the group of 12 incident where they had no clue what slope they were on top of, and were then butthurt about "bullying" negative responses.

Can't make this shit up.

[JerseyDave]

Yeah, I'm glad the west doesn't have any of ^that.

Well, maybe less avoidable back east. Maybe not, never skied west of Whiteface.

[yardsale2]

As an intermediate skier currently skiing bc probably 90% of the time, I am working at overcoming my bias against on piste skiing to become more proficient and , at age 66, plan for the day that bc is too much for me physically.

[GeezerSteve]

What do the folks that only ski BC do on the shit days?

XC ski

[LHutz Esq]

XC ski

Oh that is sad..

Is there a non-profit or a go fund me page I can send money to? Xc is an awful affliction I wouldn’t wish on anyone. #vibes.



I kid, I kid - I was a fairly serious xc racer 20 years and 20 lbs ago. Still trying to get out a couple nights a week. I still love it. We have trails up here you can take the dog on. Best exercise old farts like me can get.

[XXX-er]

This, along with other comments in this thread about bad technique, skiers tommahawking, leaving bomb holes, etc. raises an interesting question that's probably a good topic for the slide zone - that of partner selection and how much force their skiing style exerts on s potentially tender snowpack.

Alternatively, this could be looked at as terrain selection based not only on partner's skiing ability, but style as well as snowpack condition.

I've been around a lot of good athletes who charge hatder than me but who (when skiing at the same speed) exert a lot more force on the snowpack.

And yes, downhill skiing skills vs. mountain skills are two different things. I won't pretend that I have as much of the latter as the former. I've seen this play out with climbers who start out in the gym and who trivialize their move outdoors into a mountain environment.

Yes to the "X" hours rule, but I don't know if it's universally 10k for all skills, and paying attention while you're learning counts for a lot.

... Thom

if I'm ridin lifts I just ride hard, it doesnt matter whom I pick for a pardner on the down, sometimes on the up I foist myself on a different person every cycle, meet interesting people on the chair ... I have even sold realestate during that 15 minute ride


lota bushit on this thread, people trying to justify why they don't have a pass and avoiding the original question which is

do yer "point em down the hill" skiing skills get rusty if you ski less because you are busy wanking

er i mean walking ?

[galibier_numero_un]

Isn't thread drift the norm with these threads ;-)

On topic ... I had to take quite a few years off due to weird life choices.

When I got back, I didn't skip a beat, so I don't see why this would be any different from a change to one's touring/lift riding % would be, apart from activity specific conditioning issues. We get that conditioning shift at the beginning of each season as well and no one thinks twice about this.

... Thom

[XXX-er]

which possibly begs the question what is the difference between a little thread drift and the pure bulshit ?

[grinch]

Lil thread drift is hard to smell? Idk

[Cosmic Suncloud]

Optimum for ski ability? Definitely the lift 100%. There is no question about that.

there are many very important ski skills you will never learn in a ski area

[galibier_numero_un]

Lil thread drift is hard to smell? Idk

Can't fertilize a field with thread drift?

[Mofro261]

there are many very important ski skills you will never learn in a ski area

Name 3.

[Cosmic Suncloud]

Name 3.

skiing ice above 3000' exposure
tying a v-tread while on skis
nailing a turn above above an ocean so the photog nails the shot
not fucking up with a big pack way outside the safety room

"skiing" can be pretty big

[Mofro261]

All of those rely on SKI skills that are learned within a ski area and are a function of basic ability. Holding an edge, timing, and balance are the tenets that allow everything else you mention to follow.

[Cosmic Suncloud]

All of those rely on SKI skills that are learned within a ski area and are a function of basic ability. Holding an edge, timing, and balance are the tenets that allow everything else you mention to follow.

totally agree that there's a base ability which is accelerated by skiing on ski areas.
the thread is titled whether ski ability decreases by skiing backcountry 100%. without a good ski base, then yes. with a good ski base, then it depends on what you ski

[Angle Parking]

Granted the OP was referring to skiing ability in the pure downhill sense (I think). The ensuing thread drift might be due to the fact that many posters subscribe to a more holistic interpretation of the words 'ski ability' that includes a broader set of skills (uphill fitness, mountaineering skills, any safety, navigation etc.). So here's my official position on the matter;

Pure downhill skill development - 100% hill, no doubt.
A more holistic interpretation of ski ability - 50% hill / 50% backcountry

Either way skiing f*cking rocks and we are getting a sh*t ton of early snow up here so life is grand.