Guided Mileage

Skiing is a mileage game. The more you ski the more opportunities you have to experience different conditions and terrain and improve your ability to ski them. Yet so often I hear people say that they ski and ski and don’t seem to improve. My response is to ask what they are working on. Nine times out of 10 they have no response. Unless you know what you are trying to improve, how do you expect to get better?

To help you figure out what you need, take a lesson. And don’t let the learning end when the lesson is over. Make notes of the tips the instructor gave you, the terrain you skied, and any drills or tactics the instructor had you use. When you free ski replicate elements of the lesson that worked for you. Have a focus for each run. Know what you are working to improve and what tactics you can use to get better. Rather than just repeating the way you always ski over and over again, guided mileage helps you make the changes necessary to improve.