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EAST COAST HARDCORE REALSTUFF?
The list of West Coast skiers is more impressive, if we are talking about guys who rip mountains apart. Look at the guys getting big mountain segments, they are from the west, JP and Hugo excetpted. Hoji, Sage, Seth Heim, Abma, Rahlves, Tanner, Flahr.....Just look at the guys who are getting flown in helis is AK and BC. Most of them came from the west, with a few exceptions. I'm not going to go down the list, as it is massive, but more of the guys who have produced bomber big mountain segments are from the west. As for urban or park.....Maybe the east produces more of those types of skiers, I don't care about that stuff.
Having grown up back east, I don't agree with all the homerism about the east coast making someone a better skier. If you take two people, and have one grow up at Squaw, one at Mt. Snow, then all other things being equal, the Squaw skier will end up better. The terrain back east is flat compared to the stuff out west, and anyone who does not think west coast guys ski ice has never lived there. The worst ice I have ever skied was out west. Frozen railroad tracks from slush gone bad, on steep terrain, is worse than anything back east.
Growing up skiing icy bumps will make you a good skier, but going out west is a completely different ball game. To say it gets easier is absurd. The steepness of the terrain makes everything different. Moving out west is the best thing an east coaster can do to improve their skiing.
The idea that an east coast skier CAN"T become a great big mountain skier is bullshit, but I would still rather grow up skiing out west. The most important thing, however, is to ski a whole lot. The more time you spend on the hill while growing up, the more comfortable your body will get on skis.
As to the skiing back east sucking....I grew up skiing icy bumps, and I loved every minute of it. Ski bumps, glades, the park if you want. The east does have great parks and pipes, so take advantage of that. I loved skiing back then, and I don't think I ever regretted going skiing. So what if there is nothing scary like Squaw/Jackson, you can still have fun skiing. Enjoy every ski day, because we are all lucky to be skiing. Every day you are skiing, instead of at work or school, is a good day!
It should be noted, that among the east coasters who do eventually kill big mountains, almost all of them have strong technical backgrounds. They have backgrounds in either racing, or moguls. This should be food for thought for park kids who diss racing.
Not gonna lie, hard-packed, moguly ass, tight glades are pretty damn fun. That doesnt mean i'd choose it over knee deep pow, we make the best of what we have.
