Sports

SKI SCHOOL

A Colorado ski instructor offers tips for both adventurous newbies and veterans heading down the double black diamonds.

BY ALEXANDRA CALAMARI

It’s never too late to embrace this thrilling winter pastime. For a quick lesson, we turned to Carol Levine, a veteran ski instructor and project leader of Vail Snowsports School’s Focused Learning Center, where she oversees programs like the new SKImmersion, a six-day intensive session for advanced skiers. After 16 years at one of the largest and most challenging resorts in the US, Levine knows just how to fine-tune your skills, whether you’re skiing the greens or the extremes.

If you can only buy one ski, what should it be?

“Most people go for a ‘mid-fat,’ which allows you to have more of an edge turn, but you can also quickly pivot your skis on steeper terrain or put on the breaks.”

What’s the difference between wide and narrow skis?

“Wider is better for powder, mainly because it allows better flotation. The narrower skis are better particularly for harder, icier conditions.”

How can you improve when you don’t ski often?

“If you know exactly what you need to work on, you can practice skiing motion anywhere, even in your bedroom—watch yourself in a mirror and you can practice muscle memory.”

What are some tips for attacking the bumps?

“Look for places where you can slow down, like the tops of bumps or even going up the side a little bit so that you can ski more consistently down the fall line.”

Tips for deep powder?

“You don’t have to lean back, you have to stay balanced on your skis fore and aft. From that base, if it’s really heavy snow, you may have to exaggerate the flexing and extending of the legs.”

When is it too late to start learning?

“It is never too late! The changes in equipment have made it so much easier to get started and to stay in it.”

What’s the biggest mistake beginners make?

“A big mistake is not taking a lesson. There’s often a big fear of holding people back, but the playing field is pretty level when we first start off.”

Do you have advice for beginners?

“Work with your instructor on learning to ski versus thinking you’re going to be told everything. Ask questions, try things, give feedback, and you’ll learn a lot faster.”

What’s the biggest mistake for intermediate skiers?

“Intermediates often either stay in their comfort zone and never want to get out because they don’t think they’re good enough, or they push themselves to the really tough terrain, expect everything and then get frustrated.”

What’s the biggest mistake experts make?

“Assuming that their equipment, especially their boots, are set up appropriately for them. Often they are not aligned accurately and their skiing can take a huge leap forward if they correct it.”

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