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. 

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 

 

Resources: 

Master the Smooth with Scot Schmidt 

Wagner Custom Skis