On the other hand, nothing hurts a friendship or ruins a day on the slopes quicker than a surprise difference in ski ability. The experienced skier knows this. There are easier ways to measure one's ability on the slopes. The first rating system most skiers encounter is the old rental shop chart. Notice the use of the word prefers .
Preference plays a major role in making a solid skier match.
Some like to cruise the blues, while others want to spend their slope time bashing through the bumps. Ski school rating systems can be helpful with determining technical ability. For example, the scale used at Aspen breaks skiers into nine levels according to factors such as how they link turns, their stance of skis and their use of the pole plant. A six, for example, is confident on groomed blue terrain and ready to explore groomed blacks. He or she starts a turn with a pole plant and has skis in a wide parallel stance.