What is a "freeskier"?

Drail

Drail

Active member
I created this thread in response to the other thread going around SG right now called "Oldest Freeskier".

You see, the OP in that thread seams to think that a "freeskier" is another way of saying park skier... even insulted my intelligence over the matter. The problem lies in the reality that you don't have to touch the park to be a "freeskier". Ian Mac would be a good example of this. I have never seen any footage of him anywhere near a groomed surface, nor spinning off of a cliff, yet - is he not a freeskier?

In the other thread, someone eventually mentioned Mary Woodward as the oldest "freeskier". I was waiting for this, because it brings up a very important question: What IS a "freeskier"?

[for those that aren't in the know, Mary is in her late 70's, lives in Nelson, BC and skis up at Whitewater resort - she's been in Salomon Freeski TV, Sherpa's All.I.Can. and a few small local films.]

You see, a few years ago a made a thread with the proposal of dropping the "free", and just simply calling ourselves skiers. At some point, we are going to have to make that transition, but I guess we're not ready yet - or are we. If Mary Woodward can be considered a "freeskier", what are the distinguishing qualities of said "freeskier"?

Park skiing is not required.

It has nothing to do with your skills.

Is it all in your mentality? If so - what is it about "our" mentality that makes us different?

Do you have to be "core" and buy "core" brands to be a "freeskier" in this modern day age?

Please, tell me - what is the difference between a "skier" and a "freeskier"?
 
tldr;

a freeskier is anyone who skis freely, without boundaries, limitations, or rules on what they can do
 
Ok, that's great, but how many skiers do you guys know that go out skiing with limitations? personal progression is still progression.

is there a difference between someone goes out every day trying to nail that perfect carve and a teenage park rate who goes out once a week trying to nail the perfect k-fed?

see what I'm getting at here? I personally don't know any skier who limits themselves from what they want to achieve.
 


lets use this as a case study. does this group count as "freeskiers"? If so, why - and what separates them from someone who isn't?

a quick note about what might be brought up in discussion: just because they are skiing in the trees and skiing off a groomer doesn't make them more of a freeskier than someone who lives on the east coast and doesn't have that option. imho
 
I think the difference is still there, because there are a lot of people who still dont know what progression the sport of skiing has gone through. A lot of people still think that in order to do tricks you need a snowboard. And especially in europe, powder skiing (off piste) is considered dangerous and park skiing is relatively new to the main public.
 
in my opinion, no, i do not consider them freeskiers. to me it does have to involve tricks. im not saying a park rat, but i think people just cruizin around in powder is not a freeskier. i havent seen that episode since it came out so can you remind me if they ever do even a small rock drop? that might change my article.

also +k i really like what you were getting at, i agree apart from the fact that someone not under boundaries is a freeskier: i think it must involve some sort of tricks
 
I think what really makes freeskiing is taking regular skiing and adding an element to it to make it "Extreme" So basically jumps/airs, tricks, risky lines, stuff like that. There are alot of big mountain lines (Sage skiing Dr. Seuss) that involve no tricks whatsoever, but to me, its still freeskiing.
 
yeah shit, to add to my last post, I think freeskiing also requires no discipline. This is kinda hard to explain, but moguls, by most on this site, would not be considered freeskiing. It is very disciplined and there are certain things to be expected from the skiers. This is a strange example though, because pipe and slope are somewhat disciplined.
 
Dude chill out, i wouldn't think you would take my thread "Oldest Freeskier" that seriously. But to define what i feel is a free skier is anyone woh would go past the limits of groomers. Or a VERY aggressive skier on the east who shred groomers. So yes these skier in the vidoe, even Mary would be a Free skier. That answer your question?
 
I think being a freeskier is more of an attitude, just shredding the mountain with your buddies and trying to get better everyday. Its for those who ski for the love of the sport, not recreationally.
 
the term freeskier is fucking stupid. The relevant debate should be "a Skier vs. someone who skis".

The difference there is clear: one person counts skiing as a hobby or a recreation; something they do that contributes to their overall person.

the other person is a skier. If you don't understand what I mean when I say "I am a skier", then you're not a skier yourself. Skill is irrelevant, preference in terrain or approach is irrelevant.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the word "freeskier" come from shortening the phrase "freestyle skier"? In which case, that implies that simply carving and cruising through powder is not being a "freeskier."

Just my two cents.
 
Agreed. There is a difference between someone who goes out of skis once in a while. And a Skier when it becomes a lifestyle. But the word freeskier doesn't necessarily denote this to me.

That being said there is really no debate about it. Some people make skiing a lifestyle some dont
 
I disagree that mogul skiers should not be counted as freeskiers. True, the sport has rigid scoring guidelines and a carefully formatted course, but it also allows for the development of an infinite range of styles and trick combinations. Similar to competitive slopestyle and pipe skiers, mogul skiers spend countless hours training for, visualizing and perfecting their runs. Saying that they for a skier to be a freeskier, they can't belong to a specific discipline discounts any skier who has an interest in competing.

As to the larger question of what makes a freeskier, I would say that there's no strict definition. The concept of freeskier used to include the discipline of ski ballet, for instance. You don't see anybody doing that anymore, but does that mean that the guys in Hot Dog the Movie were not freeskiers? No way. For me, being a freeskier means going out as often as I can (to a mountain, or a friend's backyard) and trying to improve. I could be sessioning a rail in the park, lapping the pipe, charging a line of moguls, or even skiing switch down a groomer. All involve elements of freestyle, so I guess that's what I would consider to be the unifying concept.
 
to me a freeskier is someone who doesn't look for the easiest way down the hill, but looks for the most fun way down the hill. for them. challenging themselves to progress to the next level of fun.

I know this would include some gaper once-a-year vacationers, but I'm cool with it.

So to the OP, I would say, yes, it is mostly a mentality.
 
this is pretty spot on, for a n00B! [j/k]

It's definitely based on attitude: positive, creative, rebellious, and contagious. A freeskier lets the mountain tell them where to go and is not bounded by ropes, trails, gates or even lift access. Freeskiers like to catch air and ski pow, but will be happy in any conditions because they can make the most of it.

The most controversial part of what I typed above is the lift access part. I think that true freeskiers are willing to use their own legs to get where they want to shred. whether it's lapping an urban feature or skinning 3k vert to the goods, this is what separates us from [most of] the average gaper once-a-year vacationers.
 
Freeskier: A skier who kinds passion and freedom in the sport of skiing. Typically, a freeskier will try to defy conventional downhill skiing by going backwards, catching air or trying "tricks" on all sorts of terrain. Freesking does not refer to a particular skiing event, or style of skiing, rather it is a "state of mind" which values the creativity and joy in skiing.

this is what the term means to me anyway.
 
so, this doesn't really have so much to do with this thread topic, but more the other one I made in the past as far as us dropping the "free" and just calling ourselves skiers: At the beginning of this edit, when asked what he his... think about it.

oh, and i'm a little tipsy from apres, so me thinks I'll get some hate, but whateve's.

As was mentioned earlier in this thread: "I am a skier". is there a need for anything more? Is it just hurting us more than not? How many licks does it take to get to the centre?
 
its kind of funny that you care so much that you had to make a thread about this, the definition of a freeskier is whatever you want it to be. you're a freeskier, i'm a freeskier. we have different opinions obviously but who gives a fuck.

/thread
 
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