Skier skill levels are used by ski schools to help with assigning students to groups so that groups contain students of near equal ability in order to improve the lesson experience. But every ski school defines skill levels slightly differently and many skiers are confused  when they try to describe their skill level to other people. This skill level guide is is primarily meant to help the Barking Bears of the EpicSki community to better understand the possible paths to higher level skiing. It is not intended to be a definitive skill level definition. This guide may be helpful for you at a resort when you want to take a lesson by helping you to respond to the "what level are you" question with an "I think I'm about a __" response and help you be ready to answer the more detailed questions a ski school representative will ask about what kind of turns you're making, what problems you want to solve and what kind of terrain you are comfortable skiing on. There are many levels of ability above level 9 (e.g. elite competitors, extreme skiers). For purposes of simplifying the classification these are all included in level 9. Lessons at higher ends of the color scale (i.e. 3, 6, 9) may venture into more difficult terrain. Lessons at any level may use easier terrain to facilitate learning.

The chart below is broken into three main levels of ability that map to the basic trail rating system used in the United States: green = novice/beginner, blue = intermediate, black = advanced/expert. It is important to understand that trail ratings at a specific resort are relative to the resort. When you want to communicate your skill level to someone you should also describe where you ski so that others can understand the relative difficulty of the terrain. A black rated trail at a small US East coast resort, could be rated a green at a US West coast resort. Trail ratings at international resorts can vary greatly but generally include easy, medium and one or two levels of advanced difficulty that will map to colors used here. See the Wikipedia page for additional trail difficulty rating information. When you go to a new resort it's important to start easy and work your way up to more difficult terrain until you feel comfortable with the terrain ratings used at that resort. Lessons at resorts will generally map to this kind of chart, but may use more or less levels or may have more or less levels in each color zone. If your turn type does not match your terrain choice, you should choose the lower skill level. For example, children making wedge turns through advanced mogul runs would be level 4 skiers not level 8 skiers and parallel turn skiers who have not ventured onto intermediate terrain should be level 3 skiers instead of level 5 skiers. Please remember that this guide is intended to give you an idea of about what level ability you have versus exactly determining your skill level.

Some skiers may learn to ski making wedge turns (ski tips closer together than tails forming a wedge shape) and then gradually transition to parallel turns. Other skiers may learn to ski with their skis parallel from their first day. Because of this the descriptions pertaining to matching skis at various points of the turn will not apply to some skiers. Whether you learn one way or the other may depend on many different factors. After the intermediate level, there is no difference. 

Softer snow is easier than harder snow. You may find that your skill level may be different depending on snow conditions. Freshly groomed snow is easier than ungroomed snow. Wider trails are easier than narrower trails. Lower visibility conditions (e.g. night skiing, flat light) are more difficult than skiing in sunny weather. Deep powder snow may be more difficult than groomed trails. There are many factors that could possibly effect your skill level on any given day. Some skiers with similar previous athletic experience (e.g. inline skating, water skiing) may find that they can progress from level 1 to level 3 or 4 on their first visit to a ski resort. Some skiers may never get beyond level 3. People learn at their own (different) rates. In general it takes more time and effort to increase your skill level the higher up the chart you go. Your rate of learning may be influenced by natural talent, age, time, money, equipment and coaching. It's ok if you get stuck at a level as long as you are having fun. 

In the US, the rules for safety are known as "Your Responsibility Code". European resorts use the "FIS rules". Although the safety rules are similar, skiers should know the safety rules that apply wherever they ski.

Skier Levels Chart

Skier Level
	Current Ability	Goals
1	Never skied before.	Be able to put on and take off skis. Be able to turn and stop. Be able to ride the lift.
2	Know proper clothing to wear. Know correct size of equipment. Can put on and take off equipment. Knows some of Your Responsibility Code. Know how to turn and stop, but have trouble. Know how to ride a lift, but have trouble getting off without falling.	Be able to turn and stop comfortably. Be able to ride the lift without falling when getting off.
3	Able to turn and stop. Able to ride a chair lift comfortably. Knows Your Responsibility Code.	Increase comfort level with speed. Be able to link  turns.  Begin matching skis to parallel at the end of a turn. Be comfortable with all green terrain. Ready to confidently and safely ski blue terrain.
4	Able to link turns on easy blue terrain. Matching skis at the end of the turn. Beginning to develop rhythm.	Matching skis in the middle of the turn. Increase ability to utilize ski design to cause the skis to turn the skier versus the skier turning the skis.
5	Matching skis in the middle of the turn. Thinking about getting your own equipment and learning to take care of equipment. Can make turns with a consistent rhythm.	Matching skis above the fall line. Starting to use pole touch  to aid turns. Starting to make some short radius parallel turns. Begin to be able to shape turns through edge angle control.
6	Matching skis above the fall line. Can ski with independent leg action. Can shape turns through edge angle control.	Link short parallel radius turns. Increase comfort level with speed on blue terrain. Able to make parallel turns with counter and angulation. Ready to confidently and safely ski advanced terrain.
7	Able to link parallel turns on easy black terrain. Able to ski small soft moguls on blue terrain. You have had an alignment evaluation performed. You are skiing on high performance gear. Able to make round parallel turns as opposed to "Z" shaped turns.	Able to make dynamic parallel turns on any blue terrain. Able to ski soft moguls on black terrain with speed control and rhythm. Able to ski on hard snow on intermediate terrain. Able to ski gladed terrain. Able to ski powder up to boot deep.
8	Able to make dynamic parallel turns on blue terrain Turns on hard snow change edges above the fall line.	Able to make dynamic parallel turns on black terrain.  Develop proficiency in all conditions (ice, powder, moguls). Control speed and rhythm in steeps, trees and backcountry skiing.
9	All terrain, all conditions.	Gain efficiencies and smoothness. Increase speed in race courses. Increase tactics knowledge..

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