The SKI TEST – a.k.a. (dont) Ski Like Stein Erickson

Many people have asked about how good a skier you have to be to be on patrol. Like Stein Eriksen!  OK actually not like Stein, the skis and styles have evolved and his style no longer applies to modern carving skis where you need to have you feet shoulder width apart but he still looks bitchin!   When I was thinking of joining the patrol this was what I was worried about.  I thought you had to be a ski god, telemark master or ex US ski team member to get on the patrol but as I watched lots of patrollers ski by while on the chairlifts I realized that you don’t have to be any of the above classes (although it would help substantially i think).

To cut to the chase, most mountains require you to be PSIA level 3 to pull sleds on the green and blue runs. To pull sleds on the black runs or off piste you have to be PSIA level 4 (the scale goes 1-4 with 4 being the top).

What is level three?   Well if you aren’t familiar with it, I suggest you go to youtube and search on the keywords PSIA level 3 test and you will find lots of videos of ski gods doing a “perfect” example of what that should look like.  Basically its what I would call a good solid advanced skier with good technical form. Its not about speed or ability or ripping it up but mostly about shoulder position, hip rotation and proper edging.  These are not things that come naturally to any skier.  If you are considering joining a patrol, you NEED to take a lesson with a highly ranked PSIA instructor for an hour or two.  Their method is the standard on which you are tested so you need to learn it.  Being a good skier and just showing up isn’t  a good idea as there are specific skills they want you to demonstrate.

Our candidate class all went out together and skied two runs with a PSIA judge over two hours.  At certain stations on the hill he asked us to do a specific move and then sorted us into three groups when you got to the bottom.  The groups ended up being level 2, 3 and 4.  We then went to a different part of the hill and did a new skill with the same sorting at the bottom.  Our judge would stand at the bottom and hold his pole up in front of him as a reference point as he watched you ski.  He was looking for how calm the upper body was versus the lower body.

For level three, the most important variable I watched him critique was lower body rotation.  Imagine you have a line across your chest. at all times the line needs to be fully visible to the judge and not rotate left or right with the fists facing towards the judge (calm upper body) and the lower body doing all the rotating of the skis.  Most people ski with upper body rotation.  Frankly I do also.  Skiing with a calm upper body is not natural and takes serious effort but if you want to pass the test you have to learn this skill from someone who knows what they are talking about, not just your buddies. Most people did the “driving the bus” type of skiing where the shoulders rotate left or right with each turn (very bad).  The other important but easy skill is learning proper hand placement and pole plants.  This isn’t obvious and isn’t different but you need to have someone show you how its supposed to be done (in PSIA land) before you step up to your ski test.  So it might sound silly of me to tell you that you need to learn how to do pole plants but…. well…. you need to learn to do pole plants.  Low hanging fruit on the exam if someone shows you the right way before you go.  Plus bad pole plants set off a lot of other problems with shoulder rotation (or lack of rotation).  Pole plants are easy to learn and will improve everything else if done right.  Yes its learning to walk instead of run but its very important if you want to pass.

For the level three test the judge wanted calm upper body, proper pole plants, short radius S turns STRAIGHT down a steep fall line (no left and right movement), medium radius S turns with no shoulder rotation, falling leaf, side slipping while facing down the fall line with your hands on both sides, slipping backwards, skiing on one foot, hockey stops, etc.   For the jump to level four it requires all of the above to be very strong but also adds steep jump turns all the way down a fall line and proficiency in moguls.   When we took our test, it was early in the season so there were no moguls yet. We did our jump turns through a steep and iced over section of the hill.  If you aren’t centered over your skis, jump turns on ice will be very, very tricky!

I have plenty of friends who are GOOD skiers but wouldn’t know the first thing about the PSIA technicalities.  I would strongly encourage you to spend a few hours with a PSIA coach prior to your test.  You can easily be put into their form if you are a solid low advanced or above but you have to learn it before you show up.  It would be like learning to drive a stick shift car on the day of your driving test with your instructor in the passenger seat.  Learn a few blocks away the day before and show up to the test ready to demonstrate what you already know.  Dont learn on the spot and grind the gears while at your PSIA test!

The ski test is like an open book test.  You know the questions they will ask so you better have the answers done by practicing them before you show up.  I understand most hills will let a candidate take a lesson for free prior to the test so you just have to make the time.

So how did I do?  Out of 11 in my class who took the exam, 8 passed level 3 or above with myself and three others being awarded a level 4.  I don’t think my 4 was because i’m all that great of a skier.  I don’t fall into the ski god category, I’d classify myself as a solid advanced but nothing special.   I had experience 10 years ago with the PSIA system as a former instructor so I knew exactly what they were looking for and did my best not to ski like I would normally… but instead, like they wanted me to ski for those few runs. Basically I knew the questions they would ask so I practiced the answers a few times before the test.  I’d rather be smart than good… Now you know the answers as well so be sure to take a lesson or two before you show up for your test. It will help you tremendously.

But the REAL SKI TEST is the one that no one says out loud but was going through my mind as I watched my fellow candidates “drive the bus” with their shoulders.  Do you want to get in the back of the sled on a steep slope with them driving the sled????  I have to say, for most of them the answer is no.  There is a need to weed out weaker skiers.  Even if you can ski like Stein Erickson, you have to be able to stop yourself well before we add a sled that weighs 100+ pounds and me at 180 pounds for nearly 300 pounds to stop besides yourself.   If you are driving the bus and are not centered, stopping a fully loaded sled is going to be pretty hard.   Toboggan training is going to be interesting to say the least!  Now I need to learn how the alpinists use an ice axe to stop themselves from sliding down a glacier.  If I have to bail out of a sled, that skill might come in handy!!!  I’m guessing I’ll need something more substantial than a leatherman for friction!