As an adventurous beginner you probably want to ski the whole mountain but when you measure out the day most beginners and intermediates tend to stick to the groomed stuff and on any given weekend rarely spend more than 10% of their vacation among the untracked terrain. That's why Salomon's Women's Amber ski with integrated Smartrak 609 binding is an ideal choice for new and recreational skiers. It gives you all-mountain versatility with an easy-carving sidecut and forgiving Isocell Complex core. Some all-terrain skis get a bad rap among beginners and less-than-hardcore skiers because they have a twitchy core profile that tends to feel a little too lively in the bumps and other ungroomed places. While Salomon's expert-oriented Women's Origins Jade and Rush all-mountain skis have a wood core the Amber Ski has a proven Isocell complex core that absorbs the vibrations and shock of unanticipated (or unseen) undulations in the snow. This one is paired with the popular Smartrak 609 Ti binding system. The Smartrak 609 has a vertical progressive pivot design that helps enhance the protection through release in a backward fall--a real possibility when you're taking down huge segments of the ski learning curve in just a couple of outings. It's also forward mounted an additional eight millimeters to match a woman's natural balance.