Resort Skier vs. Backcountry Skier, ROI

Sorry, groomers just don't count.

My point is that just like all sports, top level athletes peak at a certain age and then get worse. Have you watched Shaq play this year? People continue to improve technique, but at some point the 80 yo with flawless technique just can't out ski the 20 yo who is strong and has a lot to learn.

Anyway, I'm not getting better, I'm not 20, and I'm not a top level skier... I'm just out to enjoy the mountains!

Sorry, groomers just don't count for me.   

Fixed it for you.

All shapes and sizes.
Groomers are as much a part of skiing as anything else.
Some days a perfectly groomed run first thing in the morning is as good as it's going to get that day.

Sorry, groomers just don't count.   

My point is that just like all sports, top level athletes peak at a certain age and then get worse.  Have you watched Shaq play this year?  People continue to improve technique, but at some point the 80 yo with flawless technique just can't out ski the 20 yo who is strong and has a lot to learn.

Anyway, I'm not getting better, I'm not 20, and I'm not a top level skier...  I'm just out to enjoy the mountains!

I'm nearly 53, and my skiing is improving( marginally I will admit) each year but I also admit that my strength is ebbing compared to my 40's. It depends on how you define "out ski". No matter how strong or young a person is, the true definition of a good skier to me is their techinque and the fluidity of their turns in difficult snow conditions. I have seen many older , geezer ( if you want to define them that way) skiers who could "out ski " the younger buck who used strength to get down ( and looks like shit)while the geezer displayed perfect control and looked marvellous.
I hope to continue to improve( I have a long way to go) but completely refute the idea that at a certain age improvement is not possible.

Scotsman, you're right. If you're aiming for top-tier performance (ie elite comp or pro/sponsored level skiing) at some age it just isn't achieveable. You can always get technically better. If you take the big mt or dh/sg competitions and the big mt videos, there's always an age where people begin to fall off. Are you really arguing that there should be more 70yo on the World Cup?

Scotsman, you're right.  If you're aiming for top-tier performance (ie elite comp or pro/sponsored level skiing)  at some age it just isn't achieveable.  You can always get technically better.  If you take the big mt or dh/sg competitions and the big mt videos, there's always an age where people begin to fall off.  Are you really arguing that there should be more 70yo on the World Cup?

Again nuance is required. Skill improvement is possible up to a quite advanced age IMHO, strenght is not.
Skiing is not all about strength and it's about how you define " out ski".
I was rather dismayed by Vogtski's view and yours frankly as I think as skiers get older they should still concentrate and re-emphasize their commitment to improving technically.

your days of hucks, drops and pillow lines are numbered, and yes, your form counts. it's 'style'