Chamonix, France - Steep descents, the world capital of ski bums and adrenaline addicts . This is the birthplace of Extreme skiing and a consecrated ground for the worlds best skiers. How can you possibly claim to be an expert if you’ve never experienced over the head powder on the Pas de Chevre, jump turned down the Hotel face of Brevent or hiked up the ridge to Envers du Plan on the Aiguille de Midi.

This has been the home turf and training ground for the masters of extreme. Boivin, Tardivel, Vallencant and and host of nameless heros have cut their extreme teeth in the couloirs of Chamonix. In fact just the school room for the North American Extreme Team to bring their special blend of ski teachings and wisdoms to. Dan and John Egan, Rob and Eric Delauriaus plus Dean ‘Conan the Barbarian’ Decas are the coaches for North America's most sought after ski school - The X-Team advanced ski clinics. Their antics on skis would make an intermediate skier wince in discomfort as though they were listening to a nail being scraped down a blackboard. To experts they present the next level with a mixture of envy and admiration. Wild air, even wilder steeps with all-mountain skiing ability to rip down any terrain, riding their equipment at the edge of its limits.

“This week you have no limitations, trust the coaches” they won’t take you somewhere your skill can’t handle”

Dan Egan stood calmly in what was one of his favourite arenas of Brevent. He had a glint in his eye and an convincing calmness to his voice but I couldn’t help feeling that someone had classic quotes from across the big pond. Already one poor victim had been instigated. An unsuspecting female who just wanted to stand in the centre of the Brevent Cablecar to overcome here fear of heights, was ushered to the window and told look down . “Confront your fear”. They re-assured her as she stared frozen in terror at Chamonix 7000ft below.

Steeps...Jon Egan

“OK this week we’re gonna haul you carcasses down some chutes”.

The sound of relaxed laughter followed Jon Egan’s discourse as it seemed rather comical from the safety of the hotel bar. Those words came back to haunt as we stood at the entrance to the Hotel face high above the Brevent lifts. The narrow passages between the rocks full of slushy, ski-grabbing snow. As if sensing my nervousness Steve, a journlist from California turned to me.

“Are you as scared of skiing couloirs as I am Kev ?”

“Absoloutly petrified ”.

“Do you think we should ask Johnny if we can take the easier route down ?”

“Are you kidding. He’d take our poles away and tell us to confront our fears.”

Nervous giggles that followed seemed to relax the both of us. Jon Egan spoke on as if he was reciting from the Tao Scriptures of skiing.

“The jump turn will get you out of trouble and into more interesting terrain then any other turn. Keep moving down the hill at all times. The body follows where the eyes see. If you look at the rocks you’ll ski into them. Look at the gaps that’s where you’re heading for. Skiing steeps isn’t about technical control it’s about committment.”

Airtime...Rob Delauriaus.

"just pull your feet up and hang out in the air”.

My first real quality quote of the week came from Rob D. during a short lecture on jumping, the lecture wrapped up with.“Just pull your feet up and hang out in the air” and as every good teacher knows theory is useless without a practical. Rob then proceeded to calmly push off into a mogul field absorb one bump hit the next and passively soar into the air over the next two.

“At any time during free skiing you can become air born. Being comfortable in the air is all part and parcel of achieving that ‘expert’ badge”. The group hung on every word as if would give up some priceless clue instantly turning us into airmeisters. Rob explained that the exercise of jumping can be broken down into three components, take-off, flight and landing.

“To achieve that perfect poise in the air just before launch jump off of one foot then pull the other leg up. This will bring you into a tight ball during the flight. Before landing extend your legs slightly. Bang your heels into the snow on landing to throw off speed and then pull off two quick turns. It’s the second turn that really kills the speed.” To secure total coolness, carry on making turns.

Powder...Dean Decas

“milk the giraffe”

“Do you recollect Grand Targhee, Kev? You remember I told you what was the best way to ski powder “.

Still drawing a blank I racked my brains. Was it keeping the chest downhill, going straight down the fall line faster then usual.

“Sorry Dan mind’s a blank. Er, what is best way to ski powder?”

“First”. He yelped and pushed off into the fall line to enter his own private white room. Enclosed by temporary walls of snow that enveloped his wiry frame. The only discernible movement coming from his hands as he pushed his poles forward, screaming through the Magic Forest of the Grands Montets in the deepest powder I had ever been in. Later Dean Decas explained the secret of the truly bottomless fluff.

“When it gets real deep you gotta throw your non pole-planting hand in the air to get you closer to the surface before you can roll the skis to start the turn.” A few blank faces starred on. “Just like milkin’ a Giraffe”. He followed up with. Now we had it.

Radical All Terrain free skiing... Dan Egan

“ski as fast as you fucking can till you crash and you’ll figure out how to avoid tradegy”

Steep skiing is more mental attitude then skill. Airtime needs even less skill to perform - it’s really only the landing that's tricky. Radical-all-terrain skiing is a combination of balance, technique and a positive mental attitude. It means flowing down the hill taking any line, at any speed and holding it, wheather its moguls, steeps, powder or trees . The Extreme team boys and girls do this better than anyone else in the world.

Kristen Ulmer stresses.

“Skiing shouldn’t be like driving a huge saloon sedately, it should feel like screaming around town in a sports car with whirling red tassels”. The faster the terrain gets the more radical it becomes and you can be no less aggressive in your approach to it. Skiing a run top to bottom you may come across bumps, jumps, steeps and lots of other skiers. Dan Egan recommends that you

“Ski as fast as you can till you crash - then and only then you’ll figure out how to avoid tradegy.” Jon Egan who may become the Guru of skiing urges.

“Ski the terrain with the poise and grace of a Dolphin surfing the waves”. Dean Decas recommends going down the hill instead of across it. You’d be shocked how much time you spend traversing.You don’t have to go to ski school to improve, instead start off a run by skiing into it from a few yards above. Try skiing a run and alternating between the groomed and an off-piste section keeping the speed and turn radius constant for both. These are the type of exercises that will stretch your envelope, improve balance and ultimately give you more fun on the hill. For these and other preachings on skiing, life and beyond sign up for one of the following Extreme Team clinics.