snorovr

Its easy to ski fast, skiing slow is what teaches you the most. Become better at skiing well slower, and you'll become way faster when that time comes...

Definitely agreed. I don't know why that style of instruction isn't quite as prevalent here in the states. I think you can find more of those services on the west coast, and I know that there are private ski schools that operate out of cities close by to mountains(generally based out of a sporting goods store). When you go to Chamonix or elsewhere in Europe, you're hotel can set you up with a 'guide' who is usually certified in instruction, first aid, and of course guiding. Its the closest thing I've seen to what you guys describe.

PSIA does mean something if you do want to make a living teaching skiing at many areas. Good luck trying to apply for an instructing job at many mountains and trying to make semi-decent money for the season without a PSIA cert. Many of the mountains out West have a pay scale based upon PSIA cert levels. ie. if you are a PSIA Level II and have a regular lesson, you are paid a certain amount per lesson. If you are a PSIA Level II and get a private request, there is a certain amount you make. Same with Level I and II. Also, many director/management positions want at least a PSIA Level II or they won't even look at your app. If nothing else, PSIA clinics actually do teach really effective ways to communicate tips on technique to students that I've personally seen make a difference. I don't really know what a lot of people have against lessons with a higher level instructor. You don't get that same attitude out west. I know a lot of very high level skiers on the west coast that take a lesson every year and every time they come away with something new. Who are the true haters? I've seen people at Blue try to rack up as much vert as they can while skiing terribly. Everyone gets their kicks in different ways... Agreed on the medivac... Ask Sobey...

I thought the same thing, but I really don't think it will be that hard to do. Remember that what they are offering is FREE. I haven't had too many people react negatively when I've approached them and offered them something of value for free. Ultimately it is their choice, and if they don't want it then just move on to the next group.

Get out of the kitchen man.

Go for it Doug!

sometimes you're the one that needs a ban...

Definitely not a waste. If you go to the desk and ask for an experienced instructor and talk about your concerns they'll put you in the proper lesson. Blue has some fantastic instructors and the director of the Snowsports School is very adamant that employees do everything they can to become certified in PSIA. If you want to work with one of the best woman instructor's in the Northeast, request a private lesson with Tina Buckley. Its definitely an investment, but I think you'd find it well worth it in my opinion. She is a Level III PSIA instructor and also has PSIA specialties in several areas. Also, Eric Lipton is up at Blue quite a bit and is employed there as an instructor. He made the PSIA National Team last year (extremely hard to do). Skiing-wise, Blue is definitely stacked when it comes to quality/very high level instructors. Doug if you have any negative comments directed to anyone specifically that I've named or their family please feel free to keep them to yourself or enjoy a ban for the rest of the week. Try me...

Haha. Touche!

It was interesting to see that Windham had a gun pointed at the thing so that people were sliding right off. I would think that the thing would be way less dangerous for inverts/big spins if the surface was lubed up...

Eh. Well... Back to drinking...

So rumor has it Blue is going to have roving instructors that keep an eye out for people needing some pointers. They will approach these folks and offer them vouchers for a free lesson. I haven't heard of a better idea for the skiing scene in Pennsylvania. Ever...

Anyone looking for some Marker Jesters skied approximately 5 days?

Thank god for the goggle ad at the end of this video. Straight outa 1989.

Hope you're wrong...

My brother skied Baker Sunday and will be at Stevens Pass tomorrow...

http://www.liveleak.com/view?c=1&i=ea5_1256935056 not sure if that link works. I'm at work...

Think I'm gonna go to Pearl Jam for a bit... Scored a ticket for like $75.

Did a weekend at Bachelor once in my early teens. Definitely a bit of a hike from Portland but well worth it. Always one of the places I've wanted to get back out to.

I've never skied in Colorado, but I would imagine there are more gapers there as compared to Utah, Montana, or Washington State.

Can't really compare durability of features to parks out west. The quality of their snow and the fact that they have a ton fewer gapers leads to parks just holding up way better. Part of the reason it is so impossibly to fill in bomb holes at parks around his is that you're basically working with snow that is sand-like in consistency and simply will not pack in. Correctly fixing a bomb hole with snow around here in a way such that it will last for a least a couple hours requires closing the feature, finding newer snow from the side of the run, using salt/water to help pack the snow, putting salt all over the repair, then letting it sit for ext'ed period of time. If you're on the park crew night shift? Forget about it. That bomb hole is there til you can get a groomer on it.

I can't speak for 5 years from now so you may be right about that, but you're up at Blue enough to know how many people used the pipe on a regular basis over the past couple seasons. Doug is right in that it was often one of the better spots to get the last of whatever fresh snow fell. Relative to other trails, the pipe was unused. Overall, this setup just makes way more sense. Its cheaper to operate correctly and will no doubt get more traffic than the pipe (thus taking some off of other runs).

I went to the Philly premier Wednesday AND the poconos event last night. The loft puts together a nice little party at Barley Creek after the CBK event so big props to them for that. Got to chat it up with Hugo Harrison for a bit. Guy is waaaay down to earth. Definitely not getting any huge paychecks as he works construction all summer to keep living the dream. Pretty much gets a travel budget from Kastle to help go on the MSP trips and just kills it. He apparently shattered the top of his fibia about three years ago and we were chatting about Canadian healthcare. He noted that very little rehab was covered post-op.

Note my comment about a TON of snow. Main Street is not too steep as a jump run, it would just need a TON of snow to build the decks for landings. The pitch of the run really would be ideal for a great 3 or 4 set jump line, but only if they could blow enough snow for HUGE landings and use the winch cat to sculpt. I'm talking about the park on Nor' Easter. I think the Sobe Park was over by the halfpipe but I'm not sure. Same thing? Maybe year before last the really really big hits were over on South Face. There really isn't anything you'd have to accept. In terms of existing runs at Blue there are very few straight runs. For straight runs with any decent pitch you got Main Street, Raceway, Challenge, and Razors. There is one stretch of Paradise that has decent slope to it and is semi straight but even still it curves to the right. For the record, very rarely have I seen someone COMFORTABLY and SMOOTHLY hit (please understand 'hit' to mean also doing some kind of aerial maneuver including taking off/landing switch, not just straight airing) back to back all the jumps in the line at any of the other 'high level' parks in the area that you would take the trips you organize. (Bear Creek is actually the exception to this, especially in years they have built the tubing park jawn)

We've (people who ride regularly at Blue and are credible runnin' their mouths on park stuff) talked about what run they could put a straight jumpline on. There really isn't one... The one trail we all kind of agree could be an ideal jump run (albeit needing a TON of snow) would be Main Street. Very similar trail to what Okemo builds their main park on... Its pretty obvious that just in terms of traffic and how the mountain is laid out Main Street just has a very low chance of ever having anything park related on it.