How to Ski Your First Blue Slope

You've been skiing for a while and are confident on the green beginner slopes. They're starting to get boring, and you're looking for some more adventure. However, when you actually look at a blue intermediate slope, it seems much more steep and intimidating than ever before. Many beginners find themselves in this trap--they can ski straight down a gentle slope but lack the skills to tackle a steeper blue. After you've followed these five steps, you'll have everything you need to ski down those intermediates like a pro.

1. Master the snow plow turn.

This step is essential--skiing down a blue slope without turning can be very daunting and dangerous for a beginner. To turn while skiing in the snow plow (forming a pizza shape with your skis to control speed), simply shift your weight onto and press down onto the ski that is the opposite of the direction in which you wish to turn--if you want to turn left, shift your weight onto the right ski and vice versa. Once you can ski down a green slope in a slalom fashion, zig-zagging across the slope and avoiding all obstacles, you are ready to move on to step 2.

2. Start using "angulation".

Angulation is a fancy name for a simple position that is vital to skiing down more advanced terrain. You'll usually angulate yourself between turns when skiing back and forth down a slope. After you complete a turn, bring your skis together parallel as you coast straight across the slope. Once your skis are parallel, tilt your skis sideways up the slope, so that they form a very shallow "V" with the hill. Your lower legs should also be tilted towards the top of the hill. Then, bend your body in the opposite direction--down the hill. Your body should form something like "C" or a "( ", with the open part pointing down the hill. When you first start using angulation, you will fall more than you are accustomed to; however, this is all part of the learning process. Once you're combining snow plow turns and angulation to zig-zag down a green run, you're ready for step 3.

3. Find and "scout out" an easy blue slope.