Somewhat arbitrary nordic ski skill levels

“Beginner”

You are able to propel yourself forward on your skis, even if it isn’t particularly graceful. You can get down an easy groomed hill using a snowplow. You are still figuring out how to turn and you often fall when doing it. Bumpy or uneven terrain makes you lose your balance. Climbing efficiently is still a bit of a challenge. Awkward trail sections (like getting over a log) can be frustrating. Going fast feels a bit scary. 

“Experienced beginner”

You’ve been XC skiing for a bit, but haven’t gotten qualitatively to the next level. You can get down hills on groomed trails more comfortably, and you don’t fall all the time anymore. You can hold a hard snowplow to control your speed and make basic turns that way. You’ve started to climb and herringbone relatively efficiently. You are feeling more comfortable skiing over or down bumpy and uneven snow. You can eventually get over a log or other obstacle without falling most of the time. You feel more comfortable at speed and are trying it out. Narrow winter trails are something new and perhaps a bit intimidating, but you have tried or are ready to try some easier ones. You’re getting proficient enough that from time to time you are feeling the stoke from XC skiing.

“Advanced beginner”

You are comfortable and fairly efficient on the flats and when climbing. Most downhills at a nordic center are no longer crazy-intimidating. You are comfortable skiing relatively easy narrow winter trails; some steeper and more winding sections are still a challenge and cause you to fall, but you feel like you can give it a go in many cases. You have the ability to navigate up and over awkward trail sections most of the time. Lumpy and bumpy snow is not a huge deal. You can switch from climbing to descending to flat ground relatively smoothly. You don’t really fall anymore for reasons you can’t figure out. You’re feeling that with some dedicated experience you’re not too far from a qualitative jump in your abilities, and being able to keep up with the cool kids.

“Intermediate”

You’ve made a qualitative leap from being a beginner. At this point you can get down many (albeit not all) narrow winter trail sections, even if it isn’t always graceful. You can accelerate and move quickly over flat terrain because you have the technique down. You can step-turn to position yourself where you need to be, and generally maneuver your skis in narrow spaces. Climbing up and over awkward sections of trail and obstacles is doable. You feel confident that you can get down nearly all wide, groomed nordic-center trails that are steep and winding, even ones you haven’t skied before. You can ski fast and stop fast. When you fall it’s funny rather than being demoralizing. Skiing well starts to just feel good.

“Advanced intermediate”

You can go down narrow winter trails pretty darn fast and make very quick, sharp turns to avoid rocks and trees. You can maneuver and lift your skis, and shift your weight, including going up on one foot, to make turns. You can step-turn at relative speed. You can ski and maneuver quickly and comfortably between trees and obstacles over open terrain, including downhill. You can get down any groomed nordic center trail and do it fast.

“Advanced”

You can skillfully ski pretty much any terrain or trail and look cool doing it. When on nordic skis it looks like you’re on downhill skis. You are on top of parallel turns, confident tree skiing, high-speed step turns, always being centered and balanced, etc. Being this good is not common; in the entire group there is a very small number (meaning a single-digits number) of “advanced” skiers on either groomed tracks or out on winter trails and in the backcountry. If you are not in this category don’t be intimidated by these skiers: they are super fun and inspiring to ski with.