Next Level Skiing S6, E5 | Master The Smooth with Scot Schmidt

by Wagner Skis / Feb 14, 2024

S6 E5 – Master The Smooth, with Scot Schmidt

Scot Schmidt on the poster for "Blizzard of Aahhhs"

Scot Schmidt as the poster boy for what is possibly the most famous ski movie of all time, "The Blizzard of Aahhh's"

It’s difficult to overstate the role of Scot Schmidt in big-mountain freeskiing. He pretty much invented the niche with his explosive, airborne exploits. His signature tucked-knees hop turn and high-speed hip-check smear on 223 downhill skis defined a style that changed skiing. Scot’s style inspired untold hordes of skiers in the 80s and early 90s, before skis got wide and rockered. His breakout role in Greg Stump’s seminal “Blizzard of Ahhs” ushered in a now 30-year-old era of ski porn.

Scot at age 62 is still skiing 100 days a year on big, stiff skis, spending his winters in Montana as an ambassador for the Yellowstone Club. In this episode of Next Level Skiing, the legend himself shares insights into his longevity, his ski style, starring in a movie that captured entire generations of skiers, and “flowing like water” on skis.

Follow on: iTunes | Spotify

Topics

2:00 - Growing up in Montana City, Montana
4:30 - Moving to Squaw Valley, melding with ski racers and speed skiers
9:30 - Idolizing Ingemar Stenmark
11:00 - About that smear turn
14:40 - Put your turns in the sweet spot
19:30 - Still riding a 195 115mm-underfoot Stockli
23:40 - Never been smoother than now
25:30 - The impact of “Blizzard of Ahhs”
28:50 - Keep it smooth and flow like water

Quotes

“I took all my racing skills and just applied it to the big mountain.” - Scot Schmidt

“Just trying to avoid that stuff is find the virgin, the smooth, you know, that's a good key to longevity. Stay out of the bumps, the icy bumps.” - Scot Schmidt

“The impact that [Blizzard of Ahhs] had, and these people, are so grateful that it changed their life for the better and they live in a mountain community and they enjoy what they're doing and you know I think they made a good decision. We are we are the tribe. it's a it's a good culture.” - Scot Schmidt

“I ski every day. I ski myself into shape. And in the summer, I’m always out in the forest running a chainsaw or doing something or building something.” - Scot Schmidt

“If you’re smooth, you’re fast.” - Scot Schmidt