Master Your Turns: Essential Skiing Tips for Intermediate Skiers

You've conquered the green circles. You can link your turns down a blue square without panicking. But now you're stuck. The black diamonds look terrifying, moguls feel like a punishment, and carving a clean turn on a groomer still feels like luck more than skill. Welcome to the intermediate plateau. It's where most skiers get comfortable and stop progressing. Breaking through requires a shift in thinking—from just getting down the hill to actively controlling your skis.

This guide isn't about repeating the basics. It's about the nuanced adjustments that transform a hesitant intermediate into a confident, advanced skier. We'll focus on pressure, edge control, and body positioning in real mountain scenarios.

How to Carve Your Skis Properly (And Why You Might Be Doing It Wrong)

Carving is the holy grail for intermediates. It feels smooth, looks cool, and is incredibly efficient. The common advice is "roll your ankles." That's only half the story. The biggest mistake I see is skiers trying to carve by aggressively twisting their upper body to initiate the turn. This kills your balance.

True carving is about letting your edges do the work. Think of it as a three-phase process:

1. Initiate with your knees and ankles: To start a right turn, gently roll your right knee and ankle inward towards the slope. Your upper body should stay quiet and facing downhill. Don't lead with your shoulder.
2. Build pressure on the outside ski: As the ski bends and starts to arc, you'll feel pressure build under the foot of your outside (left) ski. This is your platform. 90% of your weight should be here. I tell students to "crush a grape" under that outside foot.
3. Finish and release: At the end of the turn, you'll feel the pressure ease. This is the moment to subtly unweight and roll your joints to start the next turn. Don't jump or make a big up motion—it's a gentle release.

If you hear a loud, constant "shhh" sound, you're skidding. If you hear a quieter, crisp "zzz" sound and see two clean lines in the snow behind you, you're carving. Aim for the latter.

How to Ski Steep Terrain with Confidence, Not Fear

Fear on steeps usually comes from one place: feeling like you're going to accelerate out of control. Your natural reaction is to lean back and make defensive, skidded turns. This is exactly what makes you lose control. Leaning back puts your weight on your ski tails, which are designed to go fast and straight—not help you turn.

The counterintuitive truth: to control speed on a steep slope, you must commit your weight forward. You need the shovel of your ski (the front part) to bite into the snow to initiate a turn.

Practice this on a moderately steep blue run first. Before you drop in, mentally rehearse: "Shins forward, look across, quick turns." Take a breath, then go. The first two turns are the hardest. After that, rhythm takes over.

A Smart Strategy for Skiing Moguls That Doesn't Burn Your Legs

Most intermediates hate moguls because they approach them like a groomed run. They try to carve each turn and fight the bumps. You'll be exhausted in 30 seconds. Mogul skiing is about absorption and using the terrain to your advantage.

Forget about linking perfect carved turns. Think of it as a four-part rhythm:

1. The Absorption: As you approach the top of a mogul, bend your knees deeply to absorb the bump. Let the mogul come up to you.
2. The Pivot: At the very top (the crest), that's your moment of least pressure. Quickly pivot your skis to point downhill or across the hill using your feet and lower legs.
3. The Extension: As you slide down the backside of the mogul into the trough, straighten your legs to extend into the next turn.
4. Repeat Immediately: The next bump is already there. Re-bend and absorb.

Your upper body should remain as quiet as possible, facing straight down the fall line. Your legs are doing all the work, moving up and down independently like pistons. A great piece of advice from the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) is to imagine a fixed pole running from your head down your spine—your torso rotates around this pole, but doesn't swing side to side.

Start on a run with small, spaced-out moguls. Don't aim for a perfect line. Just focus on the absorb-pivot-extend rhythm. Speed is actually your friend here—too slow and you'll get stuck in the troughs.

Picking Your Line: The Zipper Isn't the Only Way

You always see experts flying straight down the "zipper line" (the fall line directly over each mogul crest). That's advanced. As an intermediate, look for the "smooth line." This means skiing slightly across the mogul field, using the troughs and the smoother snow on the sides of the bumps. You'll make fewer turns, conserve energy, and build confidence. There's no shame in taking the easier route.

First Steps into Powder and Off-Piste

Your first time in deep snow can be magical or miserable. The key difference from groomed snow is that you need to unweight both skis simultaneously to turn. On a groomer, you shift weight from one ski to the other. In powder, you need to "pop" or float both skis to re-direct them.

Here's how to approach it:

• Wider Stance: Keep your feet hip-width apart for better stability and to keep ski tips from crossing.
• Stay Centered: Don't lean back! A neutral, balanced stance is best. If anything, a slight forward pressure helps keep the tips up.
• Two-Footed Steering: Initiate turns by rotating both legs together, like you're steering a big wheel. Imagine your skis are one big platform.
• Start Small: Find a few inches of fresh snow on the side of a groomed run. Practice making turns where you feel the resistance. Then move to a low-angle, untracked powder field.

Powder skiing is tiring in a different way. It's less about muscle burn and more about the constant, subtle balance adjustments. Take breaks and enjoy the feeling—it's why we ski.

Does Your Gear Actually Matter Now?

When you were a beginner, any rented ski would do. Now, your equipment can help or hinder your progress. You don't need the most expensive gear, but you do need the right type.

Ski Choice: Consider moving to an "all-mountain" ski with a waist width between 85mm and 100mm. These are versatile enough for groomers but have enough float for a bit of powder. Avoid super-stiff, racing-oriented skis—they're unforgiving. A ski with some rocker (upturned tip) will make initiating turns in variable snow much easier.

Boots Are Everything: This is non-negotiable. Ill-fitting rental boots will hold you back more than anything else. If you ski more than a week a year, invest in a professional boot fitting. A good boot fitter will analyze your foot shape and skiing style. The right boot should be snug, not painful, and give you immediate, precise control over your skis. It's the single best upgrade for an intermediate skier.

Tuning: Dull edges won't hold on ice or hardpack. Learn to feel your edges. If you're slipping sideways when you think you should be gripping, it's probably time for a sharpening. A basic wax job makes skiing easier and faster.