From Intermediate to Expert: Ski Tips that Don't Suck

Last year I had a breakthrough sling moguls; ski your feet and not your skis. In other words, don't think about trying to guide your skis around the highs and lows, just be athletic and crash the tops with your feet as if you don't have skis attached. Like you did on the stairs as a kid.

Right on, I always tell people the best thing you can do is ski, if you only ski 10 days a season after 20 years you won’t be much better. If you ski 60+ days a season in five years you will be an expert…..

I have this friend that plays Bass in the reggae band appearing in the Whistler village frequently. He looked like Jerry Garcia with the bushy hair and the beard. One day he shaved it all off beard and hair, totally clean. Sometimes I wonder what you would look like all cleaned up.

Stoked to hear the Stan Rey shout out. That dude rips!

I love a yard sale as well although I do try to limit them.😂

I have been skiing for decades, I turn 65 in a few days. What has helped me is something you said. I ski with better skiers. Two of my friends are level 2 ski instructors. They are so smooth and ski with little or no effort. I am season pass hold at Killington so sling bumps was important and tight trees. I got hit in 2008 and had a bad knee injury. I now ski less bumps but I still ski fairly hard. We always take a trip out west. This year it’s Big Sky. We are looking forward to skiing their steeps. I feel if you can ski steep bumps you can ski anything. Bumps even now do not concern me I just don’t ski them all day like I once did. One more thing hit the gym and get stronger especially has you get older.

You are right about snow snob.. i swear i would rather have crust with clear weather and no lift lines over a fog like powder day with shit lines if it could be helped. Lol and while i guess that sounds snobbish with weather cause i guess it is, i am willing to forego powder days for other conditions because in my opinion it makes your ski ability much more honest as well.

But with the weather, if you cant see you cant ski simple as that

I always get stoked and excited to do a Spread Eagle off a Side hit after watching your vids James, but then 😢 ii nearly fall after getting a little air.😅

plake was the most entertaining guy in the old movies

Any skis you would suggest for a beginner not to expensive

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Rocking the R&A gear

Dude… as a skier you actually suck as a skier. But your videos are hilarious!

A Bloopers video would be a great addition to your list.😂

Most important thing about skiing is your first day.
For too many it's their last day.
People are eager to try it but then get put on sh_t equipment and left in the dust by their buddies and end up walking down the hill and saying 'Never again!".
Only 7% of people that try skiing get hooked on it like us. If you take a beginner out make sure the have the right clothes, equipment, instruction and encouragement.
A little beer and hot chocolate don't hurt either!

You are my inspiration ✨

@riseandalpine All of this is good advice and I'd add two more items that were not talked about: 1) learn to use your eyes by looking further ahead (this was something I learned in an advance motorcycle class on the racetrack, as you look further ahead the sensation of speed is reduced. Stop staring at the ground right in front of you). and 2) ski the same run over and over, this provides familiarity and allows you to focus on your skiing skills.

I still have so much to learn skiing. Switched from a snowboard last season so I could better follow my son. Snow was scarce last season (23/24) but after one of the major dumps I used it to focus on steeper terrain so I could fall and land on pillows but it helped get over steeper terrain.

I'm learning to ski at 67 [started Feb 29 2024], but the last time I fell - not a skiing accident - I dislocated my left shoulder, and at 67 I do not want to go thru that again, so I am cautious when I ski, and don't take unnecessary risks. But I can ski parallel across a run, and can now do it in tighter turns.

Great advice!!! My favorites: "Stop giving a f***", "learn to fall", "have fun!!"

ive skied since 3 years old why am i watching this…

The jump from intermediate to semi-advanced seems pretty difficult, what are the biggest differences?

Cant wait to apply these tips to my local 100 acre resort in southern PA 🤣, not a lot choices for terrain!

Your first tip was spot on. Putting multiple days together is critical for building skills. It's not going to happen for you once a weekend.

My youngest brother is far worse in skiing then me and my mom were at that age I think it’s because he became lazy seeing me not having to take lessons and going fast that he dumpt his technic to just go straight down with out any control

Is so flat here in the Mid Atlantic. I usually tell a new rider to head straight for a blue run if around here. They cant even get enough speed on a green not to hook an edge just trying to link a turn with little or no speed. This is for snowboarding though. i think skiers would do better starting on a green,but i never skied. i have skinned on my splitboard a few times though.

Gotta let more kids follow me around. Had one kid that after 5 laps didn't want to leave me lol. his family was at the resort and he was just riding alone but he was so stoked on my riding. but i eventulluy had to sneak away or else i would still be the to this day doing laps with the lil guy. lol 😂 😂 Working Park Crew this season at Saddleback. Hope I can make some peoples days on the mountain!

Was ready to not like this: another sender telling me how to carve....but you were spot on with your advice. Practice is key, changing stance width dependant on terrain and turn type. If you're not falling you're not trying. I am glad you didn't get into gear too much as that is a whole other rabbit hole. Follow someone who can ski and your skiing will improve Using your ankles was what I was waiting for you to mention. Key in carving, and in my opinion - powder. My only issue is side hits. Seen too many yahoos going after "side hits" without caring where they come out. Seen too many hits and near hits. Great video!

I have age dyslexia; I’m 62 but strive to ski like I’m 26. With your inspiring tips and enthusiastic encouragement I believe it is achievable.

Really good video especially as I do almost everything you say!

I think maybe the one thing I would partly disagree with is when you say get out in all conditions . The problem is that different conditions can be harder or easier. So it’s a bit like telling someone to get out on all different slopes. But as you rightly say a bit later, that’s a mistake. The best way to improve is to get out onto terrain that tests you but doesn’t go beyond your envelope. Otherwise, you’ll just get frightened and begin to ski defensively.

I think the same thing is true of conditions . Sure it’s a good idea to test yourself on firmer snow and flatter light. But as with terrain choice, only up to a point. I’m quite a decent skier but I would gain nothing from skiing ice in a white out 😩

i love skiing

Instructor for 8 years, great tips!

More skiing is always a good thing. More days on the hill does not always mean one skis better, you can more than easily drill in bad habits.

Technical skiing requires technical instruction and knowledge. There are certainly skiers that can just bomb the hill or huck a cliff: total balls out. They are not always technically good.

All that said: ski / ride more. Have fun. Have your best day every day you are on the hill. 🎉🎉🎉

Yes definitely follow someone that is better than you and have them tell you what you need to improve.

Awesome advice....you would have saved me a lot of time, frustration (and a couple of blown knees) if you had told me this 50 years ago tho....

Lots of good advice and well presented but I have to disagree with your first point about calling in sick and not telling your boss. In my company I'm the boss. I want my colleagues coming to work so that I can get out to the mountains as much as possible😆Luv ya just the same.

Yeah dude, so much truth ;)
Love the 'big blocks' of broader approach rather than an over-technical lesson (which is all good too for sure).
58 here and still feeling the stoke on skis and board ;)
Loved the 'watching them doing 7's then doing your eagle jump' hehe....so true, but so what?!

The best way to learn how to ski in a dynamic comanding way is to try and master running gates, both slalom and GS

Great video, I especially loved the part about finding inspiration. A huge part of skiing is mental/emotional and one of the best ways to gain confidence and realize your potential is to see that others are capable of great things and so are you.

Such brilliant advice and tips!!! Thank you this was def for me lol!! Also as my grown kids point out. Don’t look down at how pretty your skis are look ahead where you’re going 😂😂😂😂

You forgot Candide Thovex

Thanks from Sun Peaks (race camps started prior to opening day). Great tips and sincerely much appreciated pre season pep talk! Beer on me at Bottoms if you make it here this year.

me watching this breakin into my first double blacks be like:

yeah. last season for me was short but absolutely epic. skiing went from being just a fun winter thing to a passion, when last christmas, my dad took me on this gnarly black at Rev. i was pretty scared, like "wtf did you get me into Dad?!" but then, just held my breath and made a turn down a drop, and it's been so damn fun riding the emotional high of conquering my fears ever since.

though last run of last season was me trying to huck a small cliff and... not sticking it, and i am still at the stage of taking the gnarly shit very slowly and carefully, SUEPR excited for this season and the progress i'll make

Any tips of dealing with rude people on the slopes?

You’re the man

Started moguls at age 68, many falls and bruises. Now I ski lots more terrain than before, including trees. No longer feel like I'm only getting half the fun for the money.

Expert skiing advice from the guy with a ton of tip splay and hard breaking on the outside ski. Round out your turns before giving people advice, get some PSIA certs... with that form you'd be lucky to pass the lvl 2

so true about falling. trying to stop falling resulted in a dislocated shoulder last season. it was a bit traumatic as i got buried in snow and almost suffocated in a tree well cause i couldn't move. honestly so nervous to get back into it but this helped a lot. ty!

Lessons lessons lessons! If you’re skiing more, but just repeating the same inadequate technique, you will not be able to get higher up the mountain with confidence. Edging pressure balance rhythm.