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Better skier, easterner or westerner? - Page 2

post #31 of 117
2/1/08 at 5:03pm
Wrong, the best SURFER is the one with the biggest smile. Good skiers don't smile, they grimace. Fun sucks.
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post #32 of 117
2/1/08 at 5:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Powdr View Post
- Someone always claims an Eastern skier going West does better than a Western skier going East. Yeah right. This is so valid because of the huge number of Western skiers going East every year. Must see tons of the West's best just suckin' on the East's slopes every day, as that is such a huge destination for Westerners.
I've seen a large number of Western skiers come East. The NCAA Nationals twpo years ago. It was extra extra icy. Can you say "flail"? Granted, the best racers from the Western Colleges skied it well, but the lower ranked skiers were seriously outgunned by the lower ranked eastern skiers.
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post #33 of 117
2/1/08 at 6:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by epic View Post
I've seen a large number of Western skiers come East. The NCAA Nationals twpo years ago. It was extra extra icy. Can you say "flail"? Granted, the best racers from the Western Colleges skied it well, but the lower ranked skiers were seriously outgunned by the lower ranked eastern skiers.
It didn't take but a few posts to prove my point exactly.
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post #34 of 117
2/1/08 at 7:02pm
ahh, this.

Who gives a ****?

Be a better east coast skier.

Keep your ice.

You technical badasses.

I'll hike 35-45 degree untracked pow with my dogs, and I'll be happy sucking at it.

And then I'll take some car camping for steep spring and summer skiing on the east side (of the Sierra, not country).

Good for the sickter richters out there.

Racing, meh.

Not really what skiing and mountains are about for me.
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post #35 of 117
2/1/08 at 7:14pm
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post #36 of 117
2/1/08 at 9:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by skieast569 View Post
Easterners put into challenging Western terrain will be better off than a Westerner being thrown into challenging Eastern terrain.
Well, I can't imagine going back east to ski to answer your question. Do any western skiers actually go back east to ski? I can't imagine ( racers don't count ).

I grew up back east, and I thought I skied pretty well back then. That was until I move to the west ( 20+ years ago ) when *really* learned how to ski.
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post #37 of 117
2/2/08 at 3:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Powdr View Post
It didn't take but a few posts to prove my point exactly.
Sorry... I had to. It was "gnar" that day.
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post #38 of 117
2/2/08 at 4:45am
Is it the off-season already? Usually stupid topics like this only come up in the summer.

Search function JONG
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post #39 of 117
2/2/08 at 7:27am
I live in the east and have skied there exactly 2 days so far this season, and will be doing my 18th out west today.

East are better because they can ski Ice : - who cares. Does anyone want to ski ice? I can ski ice, and it sucks. East skiers may be able to ski asphalt better too, which proves what?

I always enjoy the "every day you're outside skiing is wonderful" No they're not - some are downright dangerous, with bulletproof ice (packed powder) ready to cause all manner of mayhem.

Echoing statements before, I used to be an eastern black diamond skier, until I found out what black diamonds are, now I ski much better, and don't bother with the east anymore.

Yeah, yeah, there's some steep pitch of about 25 yeards some place at MRG, or Jay or whatever that when it's all icy takes "skill". Sure. Buy a plane ticket and find out how to get your head handed to you.

Anyone who thinks East are better needs to spend more time West.
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post #40 of 117
2/2/08 at 7:34am
In the immortal words of the Bard : "Who Gives a Rat's Ass?"

It's all good have fun and enjoy the fact that you can ski !!!!
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post #41 of 117
2/2/08 at 8:20am
I don't really have an opinion on this subject, but once while skiing in the West, I was shocked to hear the locals complaining about the "ice" on the hill that day. I was thinking that it was the best and softest snow I had skied all winter. One mans ice is another mans powder.
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post #42 of 117
2/2/08 at 8:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rio View Post
This will be my last contribution to this thread. I've been on this forum for 8 years and I should have known better than to even respond. Even after 8 years I keep needing to remember the greatest truth I've learn on this forum and one that if you disagree with you really need to reevaluate why you spend so much time, energy and money on this sport.

The best skier is the one with the biggest smile!!!!!!
Post of The Thread!

I recommend that we run the Garrett checklist then kill this thread
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post #43 of 117
2/2/08 at 9:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Harry_Morgan View Post
Wow...I've never heard this topic discussed before!
Ding ding ding. This subject is silly. I'm going skiing, of course I'd do a better job of it if I was from the east, but I'll manage. :
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post #44 of 117
2/2/08 at 10:03am
Well, can we all just agree that anyone who grew up skiing in North America is way better than any European?
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post #45 of 117
2/2/08 at 11:08am
I think our opinions will always be colored by our personal experiences. I skied off Tucker Mountain on the backside of Copper with a ski patroller from the east, he struggled all the way down claiming he just wasn't used to skiing those conditions. I shared a chair at Kirkwood with 3 skiers from the east claiming to be experts who were less than impressed with the groomed runs and asked for something more challenging. I took them into Thunder Saddle which is a single black diamond and not particularly difficult by Kirkwood standards. One guy looked into the 10 foot cornice at the entrance and decided he was going around the other way. The other two to their credit dropped in and fell 3 or 4 times while slowly making their way down. They were a bit more humble at the bottom.

I think we all have anecdotes like this we can reference but bottom line is true experts will be able to ski anywhere and you probably shouldn't be calling yourself an expert unless you can ski both eastern and western conditions.
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post #46 of 117
2/2/08 at 11:23am
them vs. us
us vs. them

stupid thread

let's go skiing (and boarding and telemarking and what ever else makes you smile)
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post #47 of 117
2/2/08 at 1:17pm
Depends how west you are.

If you can ski in Washington State, with all the heavy wet snow, your legs should be equipped to ski darn near anywhere.

We just don't get powder here. When we get dumped on it is heavy, wet, and challenging.
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post #48 of 117
2/2/08 at 1:24pm
I read a quote from Bob Barnes once: "There is good snow and snow that is good for you!". We get a lot of the latter here in the East.
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post #49 of 117
2/3/08 at 4:52am
Who cares, who cares, who cares. We are here becuase we love skiing, right. I knew when I saw this subject line that this thread would denigrate into a verbal shoving match between the playground bullies.

My two cents: I live in the east and spend most of my time skiing in the east for one obvious reason: proximity. I got back from PC 2 weeks ago (right before it started snowing) It was great soft snow, fresh pow with a short hike. Yesterday I took my son out at Jiminy Peak. Ice skates would have been more appropriate. Does it make me a better skier because I can ski (skate) down a frozen wall, who cares. It sucked but at least I was skiing.
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post #50 of 117
2/3/08 at 5:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Liam View Post
The best skiers east or west will still be the best skiers regardless of what time-zone they make their turns in.
Yea, but I find it hard to believe that if there are skiers that good in the East, they would stay in the East and not move to somewhere that has bigger terrain.

Thats the difference between Easterners and Midwesterners. Midwesterners will admit that there terrain/snow sucks, and if they really love skiing, will move somewhere else. Easterners are proud that they have horrible snow and mediocre terrain.
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post #51 of 117
2/3/08 at 6:04am
The best students I teach are generally from the east specifically northern vermont....
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post #52 of 117
2/3/08 at 6:04am
It's obvious that the best skiers are the ones who grew up in the New York area, skied the Pacific Northwest for four or five years, then spent a season in the Rockies, followed by three in New England culminating in ten or twelve years in the Alps. Clearly the best formula. Anyone who hasn't followed that path can't be considered a real skier, in my view.
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post #53 of 117
2/3/08 at 7:16am
This post gets my nomination as the ..

Dumm Adz Thread of The Year

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post #54 of 117
2/3/08 at 7:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by prickly View Post
It's obvious that the best skiers are the ones who grew up in the New York area, skied the Pacific Northwest for four or five years, then spent a season in the Rockies, followed by three in New England culminating in ten or twelve years in the Alps. Clearly the best formula. Anyone who hasn't followed that path can't be considered a real skier, in my view.


Guess I'd better start working on some more stops. I started in Michigan, skied several seasons in New England, skied the Sierras for seven years, and have been skiing US and Canadian Rockies for the last six. I need to mix in the PNW and Europe, I guess, or I'll still *suck.*
:
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post #55 of 117
2/3/08 at 7:53am
I grew up skiing at Owl's Head, which is a pretty tame ski hill in Quebec. Despite that, when I first skied out west at Squaw Valley when I was 14 I was able to ski almost every run there. Since then I've also been to Banff/Lake Louise and Whistler and can ski pretty everything at those resorts. One thing about skiing out east is that it makes you more nimble. Because the snow is worse and the trails are narrower and more crowded, you have to be a lot more agile on your skis.

The only thing eastern skiing hasn't prepared me for is dropping in off big cornices. I'm still chicken with regards to that and will take the easy way in to a run when possible.
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post #56 of 117
2/3/08 at 5:35pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MAGGOT View Post
Yea, but I find it hard to believe that if there are skiers that good in the East, they would stay in the East and not move to somewhere that has bigger terrain.
Some guy by the name of John Egan still lives at the base of Sugarbush, Vermont. Maybe you heard of him?
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post #57 of 117
2/3/08 at 6:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KevinF View Post
Some guy by the name of John Egan still lives at the base of Sugarbush, Vermont. Maybe you heard of him?
I have no idea who that is.

Is he one of these people?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Egan

Perhaps this guy:
http://www.ejohnegan.com/

Or this guy?
http://www.johnpatrickegan.com/

Maybe this guy?
http://www.myspace.com/thejohnegan

Oh ok, its this guy?
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/st...2070377&EDATE=

Expertise in global communications and an ex NFL player? Ok, whats your point?
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post #58 of 117
2/3/08 at 7:03pm
My point is that there are skiers who could be considered "good" who were born and raised in the East who still make their home here. Hard to believe? Maybe. But it happens.
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post #59 of 117
2/3/08 at 7:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KevinF View Post
My point is that there are skiers who could be considered "good" who were born and raised in the East who still make their home here. Hard to believe? Maybe. But it happens.
I'm serious, who is John Egan?
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post #60 of 117
2/3/08 at 7:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MAGGOT View Post
I'm serious, who is John Egan?
A really fast skier?:
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