Last Saturday I went snowcat skiing with my dad and my brother. We had a marvelous time. But the most impressive part of the day was watching the guides who led us to the steepest and deepest powder runs while avoiding the dangers all around us. The guides have years of experience on the same mountains and they know exactly where the best powder is found and how to avoid the avalanches and other dangers which were apparent all around us. All day the snowcat climbed up ridges no wider than the snowcat itself with thousand foot drops on both sides. We skied along narrow ridges where the guides insisted that we stay directly on their tracks to avoid collapsing the rims on either side. In one large bowl thousands of yards across, the guides showed us how there was avalanche danger on the right, icy crusty snow on the left, and one perfect powder run down the middle. They had us ski between the tracks of one guide on the right and the tracks of another on the left so we could take advantage of the lightest and deepest powder the mountain had to offer.
These guides did not rely on generalized weather reports or general backcountry experience. They were focused on the specific conditions of each particular hillside at each specific moment in time. They knew which slopes got the most sun, which got most wind, which got the most snow, and how this would affect the safety and enjoyment of the skiers at any particular time. Because of their specific knowledge, they were able to provide a safer and better experience than we could ever do for ourselves.
This same principal applies equally well in many fields. I keep a specialist file in my office with the name and contact information of people who are the very best in their field of specialization. So if you ever need an expert in municipal bonds, or the taxation of stock options, or mediation, or bankruptcy (hopefully not), let me refer you to a specialist. By focusing on one specific area, a specialist can stay up on the latest developments, dangers, strategies and ideas. Just like the ski guides, we can show you where the dangers are, and where the good stuff can be found.