Random thoughts from a day skiing...

This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web. We have fun here, come on in and be a part of it.
User avatar
Stephen
Posts: 1487
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 12:49 am
Location: PNW USA
Ski style: Aspirational
Favorite Skis: Armada Tracer 118 (195), Gamme (210), Ingstad (205), Objective BC (178)
Favorite boots: Alfa Guard Advance, Scarpa TX Pro
Occupation: Beyond
6’3” / 191cm — 172# / 78kg, size 47 / 30 mondo

Random thoughts from a day skiing...

Post by Stephen » Sun Jan 29, 2023 6:25 pm

First, look at my Ski style in my Profile, and go from there...
Maybe good advice, maybe ...?

When walking, I think it's normal to think about placing the feet.
When climbing on skis, I think not about my feet, but my knees. I move my knee as far forward as feels natural, and let my foot fall where it does. For me, this feels most efficient. If I think about my feet, as in walking, it seems like each step is a little shorter and less efficient. Also, it seems like it's most efficient to sort of fall forward onto the next climbing step, not worry about placing my foot, just lift my knee and fall forward until my foot contacts the snow. Watch experienced skiers climb and the movements are different than walking on dirt.

When climbing, don't lift your ski, let it slide on the snow. Less weight lifted and less effort.

If the wax is slipping a little, and conditions aren't great for waxing (cold, windy, late, ...), it works to just rub some more wax on, without bothering to cork it out (try to avoid blobs -- takes a certain pressure and speed of moving the wax tin). I was always sort of compulsive about doing it "right," then picked that tip up here. The ski may not glide quite as well, but at least may slip less.

Parallel turns on firm snow with skinny skis (I know, but I can't always pull off T turns!).
If I want the skis to turn, pivot, skid around the turn, I have to stay balanced forward. If I get back on my heels at all the skis stop turning and I fall on my ass.
On a slope that feels intimidating, the last thing I want to do is dive out over my skis to start the turn, but that seems like what works. Stay balanced on the front of the foot, knees bent, sort of an aggressive stance. Get timid and it's all over.

All pretty basic stuff -- FWIW.

User avatar
fisheater
Posts: 2622
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2016 8:06 pm
Location: Oakland County, MI
Ski style: All my own, and age doesn't help
Favorite Skis: Gamme 54, Falketind 62, I hope to add a third soon
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska, Alico Ski March
Occupation: Construction Manager

Re: Random thoughts from a day skiing...

Post by fisheater » Sun Jan 29, 2023 7:02 pm

I had a great weekend on the snow Stephen, I hope you smelled the flowers during your analysis. I’m sure you did.
Things I thought about, darned @lowangle al was right, the downhill would have been better on fatter skis, did a little stone grinding on the FT X. Turning on the Gamme with foot traffic in the middle and soft on the sides, was all about subtle rotation, and subtle edging. Gamme was fast on Saturday.
Another thought for the folks at Fischer, Rossignol, and Solomon, your recreational cross country skis SUCK!!! No way should a 61 year old man blow by people on the groomed while I’m heading to the ungroomed trails. I stopped and talked with a bunch of folks, they thought I was some kind of a pro. I’m not any kind of pro Nordic skier, but the quality of Nordic gear sold in SE Michigan is pathetic junk! Sorry for the rant, I really like my FT X, my wax was working well, I should not be blowing by skinny skis!

Edit: I really had a great day skiing today. I had hoped the county park which is groomed had enough snow on the unmaintained trails. I guess my FT X were a little skinny for the available cover. However the hills are solid blue pitches in a couple areas. I know I had a girlfriend more than thirty years ago took my cross country skiing at the same area. I absolutely despised the equipment, 30 years later the rec gear these people ski on is still junk. I just wish people knew how much fun this type of skiing can be!



User avatar
DG99
Posts: 247
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2022 3:39 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Random thoughts from a day skiing...

Post by DG99 » Sun Jan 29, 2023 9:23 pm

fisheater wrote:
Sun Jan 29, 2023 7:02 pm
I had
darned @lowangle al was right, the downhill would have been better on fatter skis,
Yes, for wild snow, I think >95 mm waist width is the way to go. Anything less is for bc trails, groomers, moguls, carving hardpack….. might be a western perspective!!!!



User avatar
fisheater
Posts: 2622
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2016 8:06 pm
Location: Oakland County, MI
Ski style: All my own, and age doesn't help
Favorite Skis: Gamme 54, Falketind 62, I hope to add a third soon
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska, Alico Ski March
Occupation: Construction Manager

Re: Random thoughts from a day skiing...

Post by fisheater » Sun Jan 29, 2023 9:26 pm

It was just when I turned the skis on edge they carved into the rocks



User avatar
DG99
Posts: 247
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2022 3:39 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Random thoughts from a day skiing...

Post by DG99 » Sun Jan 29, 2023 9:30 pm

fisheater wrote:
Sun Jan 29, 2023 9:26 pm
It was just when I turned the skis on edge they carved into the rocks
A good reason not to take your fishscale skis. :shock:



User avatar
JohnSKepler
Posts: 562
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2022 6:31 pm
Location: Utahoming
Ski style: XCBCD
Favorite Skis: Voile Objective BC, Rossignol BC 80
Favorite boots: Scarpa F1 Bellows, Alpina Alaska XP
Occupation: Rocket Scientist

Re: Random thoughts from a day skiing...

Post by JohnSKepler » Mon Jan 30, 2023 3:11 pm

fisheater wrote:
Sun Jan 29, 2023 7:02 pm
Sorry for the rant, I really like my FT X, my wax was working well, I should not be blowing by skinny skis!
Asnes got this ski right. While my Gamme will destroy my FTX in K&G, the FTX will destroy my Rossi BC65 and BC80 in any conditions. Sometimes engineers just hit a home run. The North American P-51 Mustang. The Douglas A-1 Skyraider. The Shelby GT350. McDonnel Douglas F-4 Phantom. The Browning Ma-Deuce.The FTG-44. The Chevy small block. The Mac SE/30. Sometimes they get things right.

Add the FTX to that list!
Veni, Vidi, Viski



User avatar
randoskier
Posts: 1080
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2016 2:08 am
Location: Yank in Italy
Ski style: awkward
Favorite Skis: snow skis
Favorite boots: go-go
Occupation: International Pop Sensation

Re: Random thoughts from a day skiing...

Post by randoskier » Mon Jan 30, 2023 4:46 pm

DG99 wrote:
Sun Jan 29, 2023 9:23 pm
fisheater wrote:
Sun Jan 29, 2023 7:02 pm
I had
darned @lowangle al was right, the downhill would have been better on fatter skis,
Yes, for wild snow, I think >95 mm waist width is the way to go. Anything less is for bc trails, groomers, moguls, carving hardpack….. might be a western perspective!!!!
Not so hot a width when you want to ski +/- 25 km per day in rolling and mountains, in very mixed snow, for 15 days in a row. Prolly Western indeed, if Rabbit Ears Pass was 300km long they would be ideal!



User avatar
DG99
Posts: 247
Joined: Sun Feb 20, 2022 3:39 pm
Location: Oregon

Re: Random thoughts from a day skiing...

Post by DG99 » Mon Jan 30, 2023 4:52 pm

I dunno…. K&G speed has a lot to do with motivation. Also fitness. A lot of people putzing around on XC skis don’t have that motivation. Also the high camber and floppy boots can make people cautious and slow. I often see slow XC skiers around. Lots of snowshoers too, they do better than XC skiers when the trails are all blown out, uneven and icy. Well, they even contribute to all that!

The Forest Service signs for separate ski and snowshoe trails don’t get followed so much….. :lol:



User avatar
lowangle al
Posts: 2755
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:36 pm
Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
Ski style: BC with focus on downhill perfection
Favorite Skis: powder skis
Favorite boots: Scarpa T4
Occupation: Retired cement mason. Current job is to take my recreation as serious as I did my past employment.

Re: Random thoughts from a day skiing...

Post by lowangle al » Mon Jan 30, 2023 5:22 pm

DG99 wrote:
Mon Jan 30, 2023 4:52 pm
I dunno…. K&G speed has a lot to do with motivation. Also fitness. A lot of people putzing around on XC skis don’t have that motivation. Also the high camber and floppy boots can make people cautious and slow. I often see slow XC skiers around. Lots of snowshoers too, they do better than XC skiers when the trails are all blown out, uneven and icy. Well, they even contribute to all that!

The Forest Service signs for separate ski and snowshoe trails don’t get followed so much….. :lol:
I always thought it is a skiers motivation that determines how fast they will ski too. I also think a lot of people get the fastest stiffest dbl camber skis, thinking they will be the most efficient and the least work. They may be faster, but in order to go fast they require more work.



User avatar
Stephen
Posts: 1487
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 12:49 am
Location: PNW USA
Ski style: Aspirational
Favorite Skis: Armada Tracer 118 (195), Gamme (210), Ingstad (205), Objective BC (178)
Favorite boots: Alfa Guard Advance, Scarpa TX Pro
Occupation: Beyond
6’3” / 191cm — 172# / 78kg, size 47 / 30 mondo

Re: Random thoughts from a day skiing...

Post by Stephen » Sun Feb 19, 2023 6:28 pm

Maybe this is all super-basic stuff, but this video covers some good points.
They’re showing AT, but applies to any type of skin climbing.




Post Reply