Product Description
Martin Volken and his co-authors provide skiers with all the tools and knowledge they need to safely and successfully travel in the mountains. The guide features intermediate-to-advanced techniques for ski touring and ski mountaineering, from planning wilderness trips to perfecting turns in rolling terrain and mastering uphill climbing. For those skiers ready for a more technical, high alpine environment, they draw on traditional mountaineering skills, including roped climbing, setting protection anchors, using ice axes, climbing on bare rock, and more.

In addition to mastering techniques, Backcountry Skiing also features information on recent evolutions in ski equipment; avalanche safety tips; a primer on mountain weather and glaciers, trip planning tools, a discussion of emergency situations, nutrition and fitness advice, and winter camping basics. Throughout this guide, a special emphasis is put on being well-informed and making good decisions-whenever you strap on your skis and skins and head out into the backcountry. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

darn good info
Great information for skiers who are just starting out to those wishing to improve their game.Detailed tips from very experienced skiers, as well as fun, informative photography.Totally recommended.

good refernce book
this book is like a small dictionary defining various aspects of skiing.It has the different types of skiing that can be done, along with the equipment that is neccessary for that type.The book shows various examples of bindings for tele skiing as an example.I have been wanting to get into ski mountaineering and this book helped me form an opinion on what type of skis i need to purchase and what further equipment or training i would need

Volken, Schell, & Wheeler have an instant Classic!
This new "Backcountry Skiing" guidebook is destined to become a classic in The Mountaineers Books collection ... one that will be considered an indispensible reference in the libraries of mountaineers, skiers, and outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes.Authors Martin Volken, Scott Schell, and Margaret Wheeler have each guided ski tours in the Alps throughout Europe, where Ski Mountaineering has been popular for quite some time ... and have introduced their clients to the famous summits of the Alps, as well as the local peaks of the Cascade Range.We have a large number of Alpine Climbers in the Pacific Northwest, many of whom may find that their "next step" is Ski Mountaineering ... thanks to the information in this new and comprehensive guidebook.The large number of excellent pictures makes the text all-the-more understandable.Those Reviewers preceding me have already given a good account of some of the specifics that they've found valuable ... so I won't elaborate here, except to say that the information on avalanche safety is invaluable for ANY one who ventures into the backcountry.We have lost nine lives to avalanches in Washington State already in this season!The authors of this guidebook are Instructors of the AIARE courses, and are passionate about personal safety above all else. I've already sent copies of this "new classic" to some of my best friends!Armed with the knowledge from this book, the readers can venture into the backcountry with newfound confidence and enjoyment of a sport that is bound for increasing popularity worldwide.

Great Book
This is a great book.It allows beginners to develop a good base of knowledge and provides a great reference for those with years of experience.It is exactly what we have come to expect from the Mountaineers.

Good Primer, But Not The Definitive Handbook
This probably is the sixth of the Mountaineers Outdoor Expert Series books that I have purchased as published by the Mountaineers Books.As with those other texts, I was able to learn some things and was surprised and disappointed at the information which was not covered.This book is no exception.

On the positive side, there is very good instruction on roped skiing and on situations requiring belay stations and stances with skis.The avalanche safety section is good, but not definitive.The strong point of this book is the techniques for skiing in various terrain, along with the transitions that inevitably occur.For this, I would say this is one of the better, more up-to-date instructional books.

A big disappointment comes with the lack of depth in discussing the merits of various gear options.For example, in the beginning there was a brief illustration of the history of telemark vs. alpine touring setups, followed by a bare discussion about the merits of each.This fundamental question is then quickly dismissed simply by the statement "the best answer remains to choose the right tool for the job, or quite possibly to go with whatever style you prefer."That completely misses the point on why someone would buy this in the first place; these experts should give much more information to the reader before the readers embark on the very expensive quest to discover this for themselves...the reason for an "expert" series in the first place.

Another example is their discussion on ski weight.It starts out good, but then the authors punt again by saying "Shop at a store where the salesperson can answer technical questions and can point you in the right direction for your intended application."But isn't this the reason one would buy this book??Having very frustrating experiences with so-called "expert" salespeople in many of these stores leaves much to be desired, which is why I would like the opinions of the experts who wrote this book.This punting on fundamental gear questions grows tiresome quickly...

There is no discussion on the merits of wax or XCG/Crown/Fishscale means of level or uphill locomotion.And there is nary anything about using mountaineering boots in conjuction with ski setups...only an acknowledgement that you can.These examples of lame treatment of important gear questions frankly minimizes the utility of this book.Certainly, the authors have an opinion about such things; the reason people like me buy books by experts is to read their reasoned opinions.This gives nothing of the sort in order to be "gear" neutral (a sort of "political correctness" imported to an "expert" book so as to perhaps not offend any company or various gear afficionados...)

A second and larger disappointment is that this book deals minimally with hauling gear for winter camping/expedition purposes.For all intents and purposes, this book should be entitled "Day-Trip Backcountry Skiing" because there is hardly anything referring to the load-carrying complications of overnight and/or expedition-type traveling.There is no instructions on how to rig a pulk/sled, or how to rig a backpack even for overnight use.Absolutely nothing on winter camping after the skiing, which to me is the essense of ski mountaineering.

In sum, the good technique instruction in this book is worth the purchase price.But this definitely is not the definitive Ski Mountaineering book...if this is what you are looking for, you might need to look further...I'm still searching. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Musings on the New Edition
I admire Goodman's writing, and know him to be a fine fellow through a number of mutual friends.

I take issue with some of his additions in this edition. What is lost when a guidebook editor includes the quieter backcountry skiing routes, that, until now, have required diligent poking around, asking of questions, and exploring online? A lot, I think. King Ravine is a great example. I skied it first a number of years ago. The careful exploration of the area, the discovery of such fabulous skiing, was all part of a process that was educational, challenging, and enlivening to the soul. That's lost now. King Ravine will be busier, too, if by simple dint of the fact that detailed information is now widely disseminated. I've skied in King Ravine every year for the past decade. I'll be interested to watch the uptick in numbers.

It's clearly his right to publish this information, of course. I just question his choice to do so. Those new backcountry skiers who are willing to dig around for info, explore areas and be amply rewarded have lost that opportunity. The steady erosion of opportunities to be rewarded in backcountry exploration is, I think, a loss for all of us.

Is that a hopeless cause? Not necessarily. When Backpacker magazine asked me for my favorite spots to hike as part of the omnipresent "favorite hikes" article, I selected a few, fabulous areas that already had significant traffic, but might not be well-known. The result? The truly quiet, beautiful spots are still just exactly that. They live on, as places for rich discovery by future hikers. It's possible, if we each exercise wise discretion.

Let me end on a positive note. I've seen an advance copy. I know it's a great guidebook, so I'll give it five stars. It's thorough, thoughtfully written, accurate and useful. I just hope that future guidebook editors everywhere will look in their hearts and consider the loss incurred when they shine a bright light on remote locales. ... Read more

Product Description
Break through to the next level of ski performance! Renowned instructor, coach, and ski technique expert Ron LeMaster takes you beyond The Skier's Edge by improving, expanding, and enhancing that seminal work. The result, Ultimate Skiing, will help you master the mechanics of great skiing as never before--explaining how it's done, showing how it looks, and describing how it feels.

LeMaster has made Ultimate Skiing a comprehensive manual on ski technique. Learn how skis interact with the snow and how best to manipulate your skis, boots, and poles on the steepest slopes, in monster mogul fields, and through the deepest powder. Technique tips and kinesthetic cues help translate the sensation of each movement.

Throughout, LeMaster incorporates his one-of-a-kind, full-color photo montages and 3-D diagrams to take you onto the slopes and into the action. These phenomenal images capture some of the world's greatest skiers while illustrating the correct techniques for every condition and terrain.

To get the most out of your skiing potential, you need the ultimate in ski instruction. You need Ultimate Skiing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent book
This book is a must have for anyone that is into gates and competitive skiing. Well written, with great pictures and sketches in every page (which is something that most of the skiing books I have lack...). Also, a true modern (2010) approach and orientation. Many of the other skiing books were written before 2005, with some concepts that were applied before pre-shaped skis.

Excellent tool to improve your understanding of ski technique
a perfect book to add to your collection if you are avid about improving your skiing technique.Clear, concise details and informative pictures make it easy to put into play new things to try.

outstanding
I am a PSIA certified instructor with 14 years of teaching skiing at a major Utah ski resort. This book is the finest resource I have seen. It has influenced the way I think about skiing and the way I teach my guests. I have purchased additional copies as gifts to other instructors. Many others in our ski school have copies. We had the opportunity to haer Ron LeMaster lecture for 2 hours on the concepts in his book about 3 months ago. The concepts he shared in his lecture and in the book are stll being discussed by us at our lineup or on the chairlift. If you want to better understand skiing buy this book, read and then re-read it. I will be studying it for years to come.

THE book for improving your skills!
I bought quite a few skiing books for my reference and this is one now I keep in my bag, very helpful adn very clear. The other book, All Mountain Skiing, is pretty good to.

ultimate sking
Much too technical,even for me and I am a physics major. Last 25% of the book has a few good tips but overall not practical. ... Read more

Product Description

"Covers more information than a week's worth of private lessons."­­Ski magazine

The All-Mountain Skier helps skiers advance their skills with a foolproof, self-instructional program for mastering advanced techniques in even the most challenging conditions. Drawing from his extensive experience as a ski professional, instructor Mark Elling delivers essential advice and information­­including tips from other expert skiers­­to help readers perform like pros.

Customer Reviews (27)

wishy washy
This book is an interesting read. Its interesting to read about the author's interpretation of skiing movements. But there is very little practical help within. Basically each chapter goes on for a while discussing some point of skiing and then has a couple drills.
How do I know if I'm doing the drills correctly?
How does all this information work together?
Basically there is very little structure to this book and does not present a clear framework for improvement.

Beyond the Basics
Far better than most ski books.Covers aspects of back-side, all mountain skiing not covered in other ski instruction books.

Just what I was looking for
I am going from advanced to expert, and really learning to carve, do moguls etc.This book was perfect.It's full of drills that I have been trying whenever I'm on the greens or blues I don't waste my time just going from point A to point B.I found myself doing nothing but talking about all the stuff I learned in this book.Its going to take a year to try all the drills and really digest it but I read through it in a week.Now I'm reading it again.Clear and casual writing, good illustrations.

Mediocre
The book is, I would say, in outdated format. Pictures are sober. Also, the text, kind of, repeats itself, without giving the clear hints that one would expect for skiing different types of snow conditions. Of course, you can learn some interesting techniques from such a book always, but I expected more from it.

Wish I had got this book before I started skiing
Read this book cover to cover, underline and study, before you go skiing for the first time. Then take three lessons and you will be off to a great start. Wish I had read this book three years ago when I first started skiing. It has a lot of very basic information that other books and videos leave out. ... Read more

Product Description
For the novice to intermediate cross-country skier: instruction by a former member of the PSIA National Nordic Demonstration Team

* Technique demonstrated with step-by-step photos

* Special learning activities reinforce instruction

* Sidebars for trouble-shooting common problems and matching technique to terrain and snow conditions

* Tips for helping kids fall in love with the sport

From the first time you step into your bindings to mastering the stride, the glide, and the skate: Steve Hindman has you covered. As a fully certified instructor, he's introduced hundreds of people to the sport; and also contributed to the last two instruction manuals on nordic skiing for the Professional Ski Instructors of America. Here he shares the same tips he uses on the snow to help you have more fun whether you're setting out for a city park, looking for family fun at a groomed ski area, or heading into the backcountry to set your own track.

This comprehensive guide covers equipment and accessories, waxing for grip and glide, training and conditioning, snow camping, route finding, and avalanche awareness. It will take you from how to fall (and how to get up again), through classic and skate skiing basics (including stance, poling principles, and downhill tactics), and up to more advanced variations of the sport. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

great motivator
This is an excellent, shall we say "classic" book on XC skiing.

I would recommend it to anyone, either as a learning tool, a motivator, or just a classic text for your library.

The photos are great and you can tell that the text is written by someone who not only knows his stuff but has a passion for it.

The only minor quibble is the section on telemark turning.If your interested in telemark, your probably better off buying one of the two books recommended that concentrate on telemark technique.

Excellent XC ski book
Steve Hindman's book is an outstanding introduction to Nordic skiing.He starts from scratch, describing the types of skis and bindings, and showing you how to get started for the first time. He then gradually progresses to the more advanced techniques of efficient and enjoyable cross country skiing. I have been Nordic skiing for 26 years without much instruction, and I learned a lot from the book. I highly recommend it.

An excellent comprehensive primer on enjoying the snow via skis
Aspiring skiers will love Cross-Country Skiing: Building Skills For Fun And Fitness: it joins others in Mountaineers' 'Outdoor Expert' series, providing a long-time PSIA instructor's techniques using step-by-step photos and learning activities to back instruction. Common problems receive sidebars of easily-accessed information, while technique is surveyed for different terrain and snow conditions. Cross-Cross-Country Skiing: Building Skills For Fun And Fitness: isn't just about technique, though: it includes games, health concerns, and tips on selecting skis and clothing. An excellent comprehensive primer on enjoying the snow via skis.
... Read more

Product Description
By one of the world's leading instructors, a step-by-step guide to mastering the new shaped skis. Fat boys, carving skis, cross skis, extreme shaped skis: that is the new language of alpine skiing. This best-selling classic has been completely rewritten to explain what makes the shaped skis so revolutionary--and so exciting, especially for beginners. With over 300 specially commissioned color photographs showing step by step how to turn and how to maintain control easily under all conditions, and with its clear text, this is the book for a new generation of alpine skiers. Featuring more than eighty unique stop-action photographic sequences, The New Guide to Skiing shows how to ski with greater ease, precision, and control while obtaining optimum performance from shaped skis. Based on the newest and least stressful methods, it demonstrates how to deal with skiing off trail or in deep powder and illustrates the eleven specific turns needed to master difficult conditions, including ice and moguls. 300 color photographs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

The New Guide to Skiing
This book is great help to those who want to learn ski with many illustrations. It is well organized with easy-to-understand description. It also has a lot of tips which comes from author's experiences. To me, this book has been extremely helpful.

I think I'm about to become a great skier
I have been skiing for over 30 years. I have never been able to quite get out of the "Intermediate Rut". However after reading Mr Heckleman's New Guide to Skiing, and having viewed his DVD x 2 [The Carving tips is the best] I cannot wait to reach the slopes. This is a wonderful tutorial and for at least two reasons. First, he covers many aspects of technique; he is not obsessed with any one-only technique but covers a number with the Oh so helpful acknowledgment that is IS OK to do it this or that way, depending upon.......
Secondly, he makes a habit of an introduction, then the 'meat' of the lesson, and then a summary and review.

Martin you get 10 out of 10 stars from me. You have given me a new level of joy and enthusiasm and with the snow here in Downunder NZ beginning to fall, I cannot wait to put-into-practice your teachings in this, my 70th year.
Thanks Buddy.

Dr Neil Hilford

Ski instuctor in my pocket -- excellent
I'm 53 and had skied intermediate for years. I wanted to be able to ski black diamond so as keep up with my teenage sons. I figured I'd take lessons to get there, despite the $$$. But I decided to buy a book first, get what I could out of the book, then take lessons. Great call. I'm doing black diamonds with confidence now. I've learned so much from this excellent book. It's very well organized. The author provides concise instructions with clear, accompanying photo sequences.

So now I have an infinitely patient, detail-oriented, experienced instructor right in my pocket, ready to teach me new skills as I master the old. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to improve his or her skills.

Excellent teacher
I was already over 50 when I started skiing. I bought this book after my first ski trip and it became my ski bible. I review it at the beginning of each season. Thanks to this book and lift chair companions and videos that I got from the local library, I do diamonds easily in Utah (I find diamonds in Colorado easier than those in Utah.)

haven't broken anything yet
Just started skiing this year.39 y/o male.The book has been a good resource in addition to the lessons I have taken.I have read through a few times and get more and more out of it as I have progressed as a skiier ... Read more

Product Description
A New, Completely Revised Edition of the Classic Guide to Better Skiing

Have you been searching for a way to overcome your fear, trust your instincts, and ski to your greatest potential? Inner Skiing will help you do all this and more. In this newly updated edition of the skiing classic, W. Timothy Gallwey and Robert Kriegel offer advice on and examples of how to gain the "inner" self-confidence needed to ski well and have fun on the slopes.

Inner Skiing will help you:
Focus on each step of a particular technique (like the parallel turn), then put itall together so that the motion seems effortless
Analyze your fears to distinguish between healthy fear and unnecessary fear that you can overcome
Achieve "breakthrough" runs in which you experience natural and coordinatedmovements
Move to the next level in your skiing ability and feel in control


Gallwey and Kriegel are two of the leading innovators in sports, and this new edition refines the techniques they have perfected over their long careers. Their easy-to-follow examples and anecdotes will help skiers of all abilities--from beginner to expert.

Inner Skiing will change the way you ski.Amazon.com Review
While on the slopes, take advantage of your most powerful muscle. The authors teach skiers how to relax, concentrate, banish unnecessary fears--and enjoy themselves. This revised edition of the skiing classic will give you the self-confidence to excel on the slopes and beyond. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Dynamic approach to mastering the sport
Inner Skiing unlocks the mental aspect that is so necessary to master the sport of skiing. Mental confidence is a big factor in any sport, but for skiing the factor is huge.Inner Skiing reveals many of the secrets needed to unlock the mental aspect that is hiding in most of us. I read the first edition in the late seventies, when I was learning to ski and found it very helpful. Dancing on the Edge of an Endangered Planet

Six stars for this classic
I received the first edition as a present at Christmas 1977 from my mother, a pioneering 1940's skier who hung up her skis long ago. I had just come from living 2 years in Grenoble and I was a pretty good "technique" skier.I looked at the title and cover, thought to myself "Oh great, more Zen mumbo jumbo from the 'hot tub - peacock feathers - I'm so into myself' set", thanked her politely, and shoved the book into my ski dufflebag and promptly forgot about it.A few weeks later, I was eating breakfast in my little Tahoe cabin, and I cracked the book open and read the first twenty pages.Those pages resonated with me all day on the slopes -- when I got home, I spent the entire evening and half the night with the book.As other reviewers have said, it forever changed my skiing life and even spilled over into my "real" world life as well.Since this book really is "Zen and the Art of Skiing", I'll stop here because the first rule of Zen is it cannot be explained in words, only in the doing.In the past 30 years, I have given this book as a gift several times, with always the same rather earth-shaking positive reaction.I'm here at Amazon to pick up a copy for my teenage son (can't find my old dog-eared copy, but it's around somewhere).I recommend this book for any age and any level of skiing, from beginner to "everyone watches when s/he comes down the hill".If you're a beginner, you'll avoid a lot of "noise" in getting to the pleasure of skiing.If you're an expert, you'll marvel at how much additional pleasure you can get from skiing just by eliminating some baggage.And, like me, you'll become an Inner Skiing evangelist, spreading this book around like Johnny Skiing-seed.Buy the book -- you're in for a real treat!

Very helpful
A selection of phrases that come to mind after reading this book - well written, insightful, down to earth, will definitely help my skiing. I will read this again and again. The light bulb above the head went on !

Inner Skiing
Have his original edition. Thought the new edition would contain new info. Does - but small print. All his books are excellent.

Transform your skiing
Unlike most of the ski books I read, this book helped me zero in on my attitudes-- all the little mental numbers I did on myself while trying to improve or just enjoy skiing.It helped me focus on areas I had problems with, without heaping criticism on myself.It changed the way I learned by teaching me constructive things to replace that inner critic with. "You look so loose and relaxed," an instructor who had worked with me before commented.This book shows you how to allow yourself to learn unencumbered by fears. Things I read here helped me when I learned to inline skate, and pavement is a lot rougher than snow. ... Read more

Product Description
The Essential Guide to Skiing is no rehash of the standard "how to ski" books, simply updated with newer pictures of newer equipment and clothing. Nor is it "Skiing for Dummies." Instead, it is a comprehensive book packed with authoritative advice on every aspect of the sport. For novices, there is information on how to walk in ski boots, when and where to rent equipment, and where to attach a lift ticket. Experienced skiers can learn how to find the shortest lift lines to the best slopes, discover the best goggle lens colors for flat light, and uncover the best powder stashes even when the mountain looks skied out. Other subjects range from the financial (finding the cheapest lift tickets) to the mundane (evaluating the fiber content of a pair of ski socks) to the creative (how to take great action pictures and videos). Extensive black-and-white photographs add to the fun. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Lots of helpful information
A great book to browse off-season.Lots of good tips on almost every aspect of skiing.I found the chapters on actual skis to be this least informative.And I would strongly suggest wearing a helmet at all times.But overall I picked of dozens of good pointers.

Excellent Guide on Basic Things to Know About Skiing
I am fairly new to skiing and this book initially caught my eye because of the detailed descriptions regarding ski equipment, which to an outsider sometimes appears to be very sophisticated and frankly a little intimidating to understand.The author confirms information that I have learned from instructors (boots, not skis are the single most important peice of equipment that can be purchased), but provides enough information for even a novice to ask the right questions (i.e proper fit of boots, length of skis, etc.) that whether the decision is to rent or own equipment, with this knowledge it will help make the ski experience more enjoyable.LeMaster covers every aspect of the ski experience, and I have even decided to purchase some of his recommendations regarding additional reference books on skiing technique.

Tells You How to have a Great Ski Trip!
This book is about great ski trips, not great runs.

Rather than spending a lot of time on how close your skis should be to one another, this book is jammed with the kind of tips you would need 20 years to learn on your own.

Example:I don't know anyone who thinks putting on ski boots is fun in any conditions.Doing it early in the morning in slushy parking lot is a real challenge.One false step and you have wet socks.What a way to start the day! So the suggestion is to bring a folding camp stool and a scrap of carpet.

a must for beginners
if you are new to skiing word this book will help you a lot from finding the wright equipment to planning your ski vacation.

Excellent Book
Loaded with tidbits to make your skiing experience better... Some of the stuff is common sense but other material in the book is useful and very worthwhile. If you are new to skiing or just finally getting into the grove of the sport, I think you will find this book interesting, useful and practical. The author gives some excellent advice.Even if you only pick up just a few things from this book, I think it is well worth the price of addmission.Happy skiing! ... Read more

Product Description
Learn the key steps to skiing perfection and master the mountain.

Harald Harb, inventor of the Primary Movement Teaching System, has already helped thousands of professional and recreational skiers achieve ski mastery. Now, Harb reveals the basic lessons that will give you immediate improvements at any level.

This easy-to-use yet powerful program is proven to create success on the slopes, whether you are a coach, racer, recreational skier, or just starting out. With in-depth descriptions and clear, detailed photos, these techniques and exercises will benefit all skiers.

Harald Harb's Essentials of Skiing will show you how to:
* Perfectly coordinate your upper and lower body movements
* Increase your balancing ability
* Expertly control speed, carving arcs, flexing and tipping
* Much, much more

Whether you have never strapped on a pair of skis or hit the slopes every weekend, Harald Harb's Essentials of Skiing is your guarantee of skiing success.

Bonus FREE video offer included with purchase: Get the latest video coaching from Harald Harb with the special video offer. Details provided inside the book to unlock your free skiing video companion to Essentials of Skiing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Teaches the six steps to skiing perfection
Essentials of Skiing: the Fastest Way to Master the Slopes teaches the six steps to skiing perfection, and comes from the inventor of the Primary Movement Teaching System, which has helped thousands of professional and recreational skiers achieve ski expertise. From coordinating upper and lower body movements to increasing balancing and controlling speed, this provides clear black and white, step-by-step photos for every phase of skiing instruction.

want more reviews?
This volume is a reprinting of the book published in 2006, which has 25+ reviews.

If you want more perspectives on the book, go to the reviews for that edition.

Beyond the Snow Plow
I'm an advanced skier, former PSIA Instructor, and think this is the very best book on alpine skiing using shaped skis (have accumulated some 19 ski books in my home library).Harald Harb backs up what he writes with superb demos of pertinent exercises on green and blue hills, and additional skiing footage on black/double black diamond slopes.These demos are best seen in the 3 DVDs mentioned below. Chocked full of great "how to" information, the ESSENTIALS book contains the salient points of skiing from Mr. Harb's 2 highly successful earlier works:ANYONE CAN BE AN EXPERT SKIER I and II.Mr. Harb begins where ski turns start - the feet - and works his way up the body's kinetic chain in an easily understandable way.DVD demos of the ESSENTIALS book are available for purchase (3 of them) separately:"Tipping", "Complete Upper Body", and "Flexing & Fore/Aft Balancing."Recommend acquiring these DVD's too, however, the book stands alone for enormous instructional value.Finally, if you're a never-ever skier, you might want to start with the "Expert Skier" books and their DVDs, mentioned above. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is a must-have gift for anyone interested in skiing or in the art of the poster.Organized by country, it features the world's foremost winter sport by drawing on an unparalleled collection of 800 vintage posters and paintings.Amassed by Mason Beekley over a lifetime dedicated to the celebration of all things skiing, the collection is now housed at the Mammoth Ski Museum in California and open to the public.In the 1910s and 1920s, skiing became the "in" thing among the young and the fashionable, who made such glamorous resorts like St. Moritz, Chamonix, and Garmisch famous.Like car racing, skiing was one of the sports that defined the twentieth-century's notion of the modern.It combined fast-paced action with the need to appear in stylish, sporty yet appropriate attire.Since it took place away from everyday urban life in remote and breathtaking mountain locations, it also combined the romance of travel with the stylishness of après-ski social life and ski chalet rusticity. Even in the steamship era, skiing quickly jumped the Atlantic and spawned such now famous ski resorts such as Vermont's Stowe, Colorado's Aspen, and Canada's Banff and Whistler (all featured here in their pre-war glamour). The book is rounded out by chapters on the contemporary skiing scene and on skiing fashion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great Cocktail Table Book
The Art of Skiing: Vintage Posters from the Golden Age of Winter Sport-A Must have for the winter travel enthusiast or ski home owner.

A trip back in time
I bought this book to take to our ski condo.It is fun and the reproductions are good quality.The book is not just a collection of posters, however, as the author describes the development of recreational skiing in Europe and North America.A fun diversion for ski enthusiasts.

Great book - fantastic gift for the skier fanatic!
This book has great visuals, from all different countries, and is a perfect gift for the skier you know who likes old-school stuff. I actually bought this for someone who doesn't understand English, but the artwork stands on its own. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
This is the definitive history of the sport that has exhilarated and infatuated about 30 million Americans and Canadians over the course of the last fifty years. Consummate insider John Fry chronicles the rise of a ski culture and every aspect of the sport's development, including the emergence of the mega-resort and advances in equipment, technique, instruction, and competition.

The Story of Modern Skiing is laced with revelations from the author's personal relationships with skiing greats such as triple Olympic gold medalists Toni Sailer and Jean-Claude Killy, double gold medalist and environmental champion Andrea Mead Lawrence, first women's World Cup winner Nancy Greene, World Alpine champion Billy Kidd, Sarajevo gold and silver medalists Phil and Steve Mahre, and industry pioneers such as Vail founder Pete Seibert, metal ski designer Howard Head, and plastic boot inventor Bob Lange. Fry writes authoritatively of alpine skiing in North America and Europe, of Nordic skiing, and of newer variations in the sport: freestyle skiing, snowboarding, and extreme skiing. He looks closely at skiing's relationship to the environment, its portrayal in the media, and its response to social and economic change.

Maps locating major resorts, records of ski champions, and a timeline, bibliography, glossary, and index of names and places make this the definitive work on modern skiing. Skiers of all ages and abilities will revel in this lively tale of their sport's heritage. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Thorough and engaging
The story told here encompasses (mostly) the development of skiing and its related aspects from the World War II era onward.Needless to say a broader time frame is possible, but this allows the author to catalog a more intense development era in greater detail.And he does this effectively.Many folks who visit the modern day resorts probably figure this was all invented just 10 years ago.But the commitment of early industry visionaries determined to build a sport, often with tenuous financial resources, is fascinating.It could easily have never come to pass if all the variables didn't fall into place--pioneering spirit, pursuit of dreams, a robust post-war economy and sense of well-being, etc.But it obviously worked--at least during the growth/boom years.Now the industry is more populated by bean-counters and the original personalities who were responsible for the success have died off, leaving what is left as mere business model to perpetuate as opposed to the wonderful enthusiasm as delivered by the originators (at least in large measure).But interesting nonetheless if skiing and the winter sports environment are of interest in your life.

A skier's must read!
John Fry has done a wonderful job of covering the history of skiing in the United States.As an enthusiast who has been skiing for 60 years, I enjoyed reliving the details of the evolution of my favorite sport.The book is comprehensive and yet fascinating in every chapter.Books like this can sometimes be overly detailed with stories that are not all that interesting or relevant but this is not one of them.It is a great read that is hard to put down!

Great for the historian and skiier
This book is perfect for the person who loves history and skiing. I think it would be a little dry for the average reader. Personally, I enjoyed reading about where skiing has come from, and it made me so glad to be a modern day skier after reading about what the 1920's skiers endured for the sport.

John Fry's Best Publication
Most comprehensive review of winter sports, especially Skiing that has been published in years.His first hand observations and knowledge have given a rarely found "life" to the many aspects that have contributed to this mega sport. From the hills of Europe where skiing was second nature to the Western world where it is a year round sport drawing a diverse group of people to share in the thrill of being propelled on snow, John has captured it all.Congratulations, this book is a collectors must have.

a gold medal book
This is just a great book about the world of skiing.John Fry combines a complete knowledge of skiing with a terrific writing style that makes every page a joy to read. ... Read more

Product Description

What type of skier are you? What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? How can you improve your skills and your downhill experience? Total Skiing was developed specifically to help you answer those questions.

Product Description
In this bible for telemark skiers, author Paul Parker covers everything you'll need to know to free your heel. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.Amazon.com Review
In this bible for telemark skiers, author Paul Parker covers everything you'll need to know to free your heel. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Informative but Incomplete
I'm a long time cross country skier working on improving my downhill technique.I found this book to be well written and somewhat useful, but it's only about skiing on modern downhill-centric "telemark" skis with little camber and loads of sidecut.The techniques are quite different than those used on classic free-heel skis.If you ski on bog-standard free-heel cross-country skis, the instruction in this book isn't very helpful.The author says that cross country skis are too stiff for making turns, and leaves it at that, nevermind all the cross country skiers who turn just fine.There's a big world of freeheel skiing.This book is great within its limited scope, but doesn't cover all that its title suggests.

This book doesn't age --- it just gets a new edition
I am pretty sure a new edition will come out soon, given the rapidity of gear evolution.The basics remain the same --- the technique just gets refined and simplified over time.Except for the telemark technique, this book can be read with profit by any skier, alpine or nordic.

Truly a bible of free heel skiing
Great book that all free heel skiers should read. Eye opener is that "Telemark" is just a turn - free heel skiing is hell of a lot more. Good reasoning why you should do the tele the way Mr Parker is proposing. This book changed my free heel skiing for good.

The Bible of Learning to Telemark.
The book is wonderful.

It is abound with simple, practical, and easy to remember helpful hints;I call them little golden nuggets of information that you take with you on each run, or even turn, as you practice your downhill ski skills On or Off Piste.

It also has a wonderful introduction to the history of skiing and a very honest analysis/assessment of telemark gear.

It is incredibly suited for all beginner and intermediate tele-skiers.

it works!
Using only this book and a few random tips from strangers, I picked up telemarking in two days.(I also started with 25 years of alpine experience.)This book is clear, concise, and effective.It made all the difference in the world in getting me skiing expert trails reasonably well by the end of my second day.I am nowhere near handling moguls, glades, ice, cornices, etc., but I did have twenty or so graceful, linked turns in a steep bowl ... Read more

Product Description
Skiing is one of the most popular winter sports. The Telemark area of Norway is largely credited for developing this pastime into a sport. Once skis were adapted to accommodate the deep slopes of the Alps, alpine skiing was born. Snow skiing appeared in the first Winter Olympics of 1924. While new extreme sport fads come and go, the pure rush from downhill skiing remains unparalleled.

In the spring, summer, and fall, the fantastic photos in this Skiing calendar will reassure you that winter is just around the corner. Come winter, it will have you hustling to the slopes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Uncommon find
Quality paper and photos. Most excellent find for those with interests beyond mall calendars of kittens, tractors,and beaches.

Really bad.
Pictures of random individual skiers whom you don't know. Many of these photos are not even scenic. As an added insult, none of the ski areas pictures are identified.

To the producers of this calendar, I offer: BOO! ... Read more

Product Description
For fun and fitness on snow, there's no better sport than cross-country skiing. More effective than running, cycling, or swimming, all the fitness experts agree—it's the best exercise for a healthy heart and lungs.

Fitness Cross-Country Skiing has everything you need to get the most out of your skiing. Inside you'll find:

•Fifty-eight great workouts spanning six color-coded training zones, from low to high intensity

•Indoor and summer workouts for year-round fitness

•Tips on choosing the right equipment

•Cross-training advice for running, cycling, hiking, and in-line skating

•Three levels of training programs covering basic conditioning through high-level racing

•Guidelines for setting up a personalized training program

Written by former U.S. Ski Team coach Steve Gaskill, Fitness Cross-Country Skiing is part of the Fitness Spectrum Series—a collection of books from Human Kinetics that offers fitness enthusiasts and athletes a practical and flexible approach to training. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Cross Country Fitness
This book is easy to follow and enables the reader to make up a fitness program of one's own.I liked it better than the TAO Method of cross country skiing because it was so hard to follow.Excellent program!

Very good for beginning training
This book has the basics and more for someone beginning a training program for Cross Country Skiing.It also contains an endurance test, strength tests and stretches specific for Nordic skiing.The wide variety of levels/workout programs will fit anyones needs and desire, with some exercises and training sessions for each level.This book is skiing specific with some equipment selection and skiing technique infromation.There is also some handy tables and forms.*THINK SNOW*

Another good book on ski training
Fitness Cross-Country Skiing by Steve Gaskill is a commendable book foranyone who wants to train seriously.It covers pretty much everything butstops short of integrating technique with fitness. Other books which Ifound useful in my training were Training for cross-country ski racingbyBrian Sharkey and Tao of Skiing cd rom by xczone.

for the serious cross-country skier
This book is definitely for the cross-country skier who is also a racer, or wants to begin racing. This is not the book for the occasional skier who only wants to slide and glide on the golf course. Steve Gaskill, theauthor, was coach of the US Ski Team forten years. Since it was writtenby a coach, "Fitness,Cross-Country Skiing"is a very highlyorganized, step by step instructions for getting it top shape to compete inthe demanding sport of Nordic racing - everything from 5K sprints up to 50Kmarathons. Everything a competitor needs to know is here, dry landtraining, on snow training, exercises in the hills, on the flats, rollerblading, stretching, and rest days. There are heart rate charts, caloriesburned charts, and suggested levels of training for everyone from theout-of-shape weekend racer to the elite world class athlete. This isa wonderful resource of the competitor or one interested in total fitness. ... Read more

Product Description
Utah skiers claim to have "the greatest snow on earth," and this revised and updated edition guides readers to the best backcountry ski tours in the state. Backcountry expert Tyson Bradley takes skiers from the urban backcountry of the Wasatch Front to spectacular desert destinations in Zion and Bryce, with detailed maps and information on backcountry equipment, techniques, and safety. Ski Utah!
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

great if you're serious about the backcountry
I recently moved from MT to Utah and I love going into the backcountry with my splitboard (and a buddy/shovel/probe/transceiver/avalanche report of course!).This book describes in great detail what the terrain is like (both in terms of steepness, difficulty and avalanche danger); what time of the year is best to hit a particular area; and which are the best approach routes.

it is what it says
This book is outstanding. It has maps, trails, distances and times, difficulty, and best descents for pretty much every mountain in UT. If you've seen a coulier that looks intriguing it most likely has a description of it. A great guide for anyone looking to get out, intermediates to extremely advanced.

Great off-the-beaten-tract ski tours
I'm very pleased with this guide book. It's taken me to many places I would not have thought to go ski touring. Whenever our small group of ski tourers gets tired of the tri-canyon SLC area, we break out Bradley's book and head someplace new for the day. It's a must have for the serious Utah ski tourer. ... Read more

Product Description
Ski Faster

Learn to ski as expert racers do, even if you never plan to enter a starting gate.

You don't need nerves of steel and a passion for flying down slopes at 85 mph to benefit from the competitive-level advice and insider anecdotes in this book. In fact, even if moving at 15 mph on the intermediate slope makes you nervous, Ski Faster is for you . . . if you want to ski better . . . have more fun on the slopes . . . and learn how to carve those new shaped skis like a pro.

"The best skiers are ski racers," writes Densmore, pointing out the technical impact of champions such as Jean Claude Killy, Stein Ericksen, and Ingemar Stenmark. In this book, Densmore shows all skiers how to apply champion racing techniques not only to gain speed but to improve skill. Ski Faster shows you how to

• Prepare for and enjoy any kind of alpine race, no matter what your present skill level
• Tell a slalom course from a Giant slalom or Super G
• Get more fun out of skiing by mastering better technique
• Ski professionally with improved form and better-carved turns
• Understand how the new shaped skis improve your carving and racing potential

With pro-level guidance on training and conditioning . . . on-snow and dry-land drills . . . waxing tricks . . . faster starts . . . course tactics . . . mental preparation, including conquering fear of speed . . . tips from top racers . . . and over a hundred illustrations that make it all easier to understand, Ski Faster is the finest race-preparation manual available.

"A must-have in any Alpine master's ski library."--Bill Skinner, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Masters Coordinator and Park City Resort Masters Coach

"The most complete ski racing book written! It's an encyclopedia that reads like a personal diary of a ski racer. Whatever your interest or ability, this book will help you ski better and Ski Faster!"--Dave Merriam, Director of the Stowe Ski and Snowboard School and Head Coach of the PSIA Demonstration Team

"Lisa Feinberg Densmore has compiled a comprehensive digest of pertinent concepts, details, and personal accounts to form an improvement road map for recreational skiers, beginning-to-seasoned racers, instructors, coaches, parents, and fans. I'll recommend this book to many people."--David Ojala, Program Director, Mammoth Mountain Ski and Snowboard Team ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Ski Faster: Lisa Feinber Densnore's Guide to High Performance Skiing and Racing
This is a great book for the amateur skier who wants to "step it up a notch".

Excellent book
Fantastic and comprehensive. I just began Masters racing last year, and this book was incredibly helpful for pointing me in the right direction. I look forward to the Second Edition (hopefully coming soon).

An essential trainer
Lisa Densmore's book has proven to be a especially good buy as it illuminates the core of modern high performance skiing. A close reading yielded real benefits. The advice on preparation for a season's activity has also proven most beneficial. The clarity and authority of the writing invites reading this well presented book time and again.

Excellent for good skiers trying to get better
I was skiing on NASTAR courses and consistently getting Bronze medals; I was a pretty good skier and I could get down any slope but I could not break out of the Novice NASTAR category.

Technique, not aggressiveness, is everything in improving your racing times. This book will help.

Following this book's advice, I am now in the Expert NASTAR category consistently getting Silver medals and often getting Gold.

THE one-stop resource for racing instruction
I was in an REI store in Baltimore a few years ago when I stumbled on this book and promptly bought it.I had read a few other similar guides but I was still having difficulty grasping the concept of a proper Giant Slalom turn.Lisa Feinberg Densmore's SKI FASTER clearly and succinctly got the message across.Helpful photos of the "wrong" way as well as the "right" way really gave me an understanding of what I should be striving for.Although I have a long way to go, this nifty tome has helped me shave significant seconds off my recreational race league times.I have only one request.Lisa, when are you going to put it all on video?I've searched the web looking for an instructional video for recreational GS racers and none exist!With your broadcast background, you'd be a natural to produce one.As my club's racing captain, I an assure you there is a market out there!

Pat Moore
Race Captain
Mt. Laurel Skiers
www.mtlski.com
New Britain, CT ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Bible for its topic
This book does a very good job covering exactly what described by its title, no less, not much more. If you know how to x-c ski, it provides all the information you need to enjoy many backcountry tours in Maine and New Hampshire - from history, clothing and equipment, safety to detailed information of 26 tours (e.g. map, distance, elevation, difficulty level, etc.) The author undoubtedly best suits writing such book because the book is about his passion.

What would add significant value to this book is a large color topographic map similar to AMC's winter tails map. ... Read more

Product Description
"A fascinating look inside the complexities and enjoyment of skiing. For every skier, from the beginner to the Olympic Gold Medalist, this book provides a treasure of information." -PAUL MAJOR, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, U.S. SKI TEAM

"I was delighted to learn from this interesting book more about the physics of a sport I have enjoyed for more than seventy years." -NORMAN RAMSEY, NOBEL LAUREATE IN PHYSICS, HARVARD UNIVERSITY ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Poorly written
I go skiing at least once a year; I am also a University lecturer in Physics. I bought this book several years ago with the expectation that it would be a fascinating read. Unfortunately, it has failed to "grab" me. Some of the problems are fairly minor: for instance, the illustrations leave a lot to be desired. The references are often not just outdated but also obscure. For example, the main reference to the phase thermodynamics of water is a "US Army Corps of Engineers Special Report No. 81-6" - surely, a more widely-available, mainstream reference could have been found for such a textbook topic! Other problems are more fundamental: (1) The book lacks a unifying approach and a discussion of the basic concepts (this was also pointed out by one of the other reviewers). As a result, it reads more like a collection of disjointed technical notes than a book. (2) It fails to provide any insights into the practise of skiing beyond what one would pick up from a private lesson with an instructor.I am really not sure, what kind of target audience the authors had in mind when writing this book. But I do know that it has not been useful to me either as a skier or as a Physics lecturer.

lots of data; lack of concept; slightly out-of-date
I am a firm believer that understanding of the mechanics of a carving ski and of the forces transferred between the skis and the skier as he makes his way down the slope are necessary to better understand why one or another skier's action may help to intiate a turn, or shorten its radius, or, in contrast, will lead to a skidded turn. "The physics of skiing" is the only book I could find which addresses the mechanics and physics of skiing. It starts with the physical properties of snow and its formation in the atmosphere, then discusses the properties of snow equipment (mostly downhill skis, briefly snowboards and cross-country skis), and then goes into dynamics of gliding, wedging, and carving. The book is written as a college textbook with numerous (although fairly simple) equations and diagrams of forces. It requires a sufficiently strong background in physics. Although it contains a large amount of interesting data, I was not quite satisfied with it for two reasons. First, it lacks a concept. It is more a review of different literature sources on skiing-related topics than an analysis combining understanding of physics of skiing with a discussion of how this knowledge is applicable to modern skiing techniques. It provides the readers with the background theory, but does not lead to any suggestions how to benefit from this understanding and improve their skiing technique. Too bad that the authors did not have a good ski instructor in their company to make the book more useful and down-to-earth. Secondly, since it is based on references published between 1977 and 1997, part of the discussion is more applicable to the old almost straight skis than to modern supersidecut skis.

Want to Know about Skiis and Snow? This book will tell you
As a ski instructor the subject of how and why these damn things work as well as how to set up your skiis has always been of interest. This book will give you 95% of the answers to those questions. The book covers down hill, cross country as well as a catagory called adventure skiing. I will be ordering extra copies to give to my skiing friends
W. E. M. ... Read more