Alberta Ski Questions

1. What should beginners know before going skiing?

Expect to be falling down a lot while you are learning, but don't worry about it! Everyone falls down a lot their first time, and there's no shame in being new to the sport.

Staying warm is important, so dress appropriately. Because you will be falling down, jeans may not be wise - try to wear ski pants and a ski jacket, or anything that's waterproof.

Make sure you get boots that fit - this is the #1 thing that will make your first experience pleasant. Make sure that your feet cannot turn side to side within the boots, but they should not be so small as to cramp your toes. Keep trying on boots until you find a pair that really fits - even boots that say they are the same size may not be.

Lessons are a great way to get into the sport. Friends may want to teach you, but they may not always teach you the right fundamentals. It's easier to learn the right way than to correct bad habits later.

2. What are the slope skill ratings, and what do they mean?

The signs most commonly used to designate trail difficulty in the United States and Europe are green circles for easy slopes, blue squares for intermediate runs, and black diamonds for difficult trails. Double black diamonds are sometimes used to designate especially difficult terrain.

The European system rates the easiest slopes as green, moderate as blue, difficult as red and very difficult as black. There is no diamond system in Europe, although there are 'ski trails' in some countries, which are not pisted, but are monitored by the mountain patrols. The difference is that in the USA, you can safely ski almost everywhere with the ski area boundary, whereas in Europe, it is strongly discouraged to leave the marked pistes without a guide.

It seems that a European red is roughly equivalent to a US single black.

3. What length of skis should I choose?

There are standard formulas relating your skill level, weight and height to a nominal ski length. For alpine beginners length's center around 160 CM, intermediates around 180 CM and experts around 195 CM. Weight modifies these by about 10 CM in either direction and some people argue about whether height matters at all. Note that it is not a good idea to use skis longer than you are comfortable with (don't let ego decide), but once you reach a certain level of proficiency most people can work up to an "expert" lengths with little difficulty. This is a good reason for renting, rather than buying skis during the learning stages.

For classical Nordic Skiing some people recommend a XC ski length that comes up to your upraised wrist, but this can end up specifying a ski that's way too long, especially if you're long-limbed or light for your height. In any event, the ski should be no longer than this, and no shorter than about 6" taller than your height. A ski that's too long will be difficult to control and may be too stiff. For Skating, the skiis will be somewhat shorter, although skating on classical skiis is possible (slightly better technique required...) In general get fitted by a professional, not by someone who sells toasters and TV's.

4. How do I choose which boots/bindings to use?

Boots:
Ski boots are the most essential piece of skiing equipment you will need. Ski boots are responsible for transferring your instructions to your skis; well fitting boots do this easily. Ski boots need to fit properly and comfortably to for a good ski day. If skiing is miserable due to cold toes or aching feet, you might need new boots. Use this guide to determine if your current boots fit properly.

Use a pair of skiing specific socks - a blend of synthetic materials and wool often work best. Do NOT plan on adding extra socks for better boot fit.

5. How do I ski moguls?

Here's How:

1. Practice short fast turns on groomed terrain.

2. Find a small bump in the slope, and use the bump of snow to unweight your skis by absorbing your knees.

3. Start on a beginner to intermediate run with small moguls.

4. Steer your tips toward the bump.

5. Sink low with full edge and pressure.

6. Bring your pole forward and plant on the top of the bump.

7. Extend your legs, guiding your tips over the front of the mogul and keeping your ski tips on the snow.

8. Skid your tails to control speed.

9. Start slowly, and then pick up speed, absorbing the bumps by flexing your ankles and knees.

10. The technique for skiing moguls is opposite that of groomed terrain. Unweight your skis by contracting, and carve the turn by extending your legs.