Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/trav ... aderboard/

I happen to live close to both of the top two.

Related note, theres an old Fischer RCS for sale nearby for cheap in 200. Seller says he is 5'8" and 140 lbs and it skied good for him. I'm only 5'4" so it may be too long, although the weight/camber is likely fine. Would such a long ski be difficilt in tracks?

https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/trav ... -columbia/

I have a goal of visiting this one for a weekend this year

mca80 wrote: ↑

Sun Nov 12, 2023 12:00 pm

https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/trav ... aderboard/

I happen to live close to both of the top two.

Related note, theres an old Fischer RCS for sale nearby for cheap in 200. Seller says he is 5'8" and 140 lbs and it skied good for him. I'm only 5'4" so it may be too long, although the weight/camber is likely fine. Would such a long ski be difficilt in tracks?

Long skis pose no major problems in tracks… provided the corners are radiused properly. Some groomers raise the track sled on tight corners. Others only do so for the inside track (the outer track’s radius is always larger. Inexperienced groomers, especially those who don’t classic ski, don’t care how tightly the corners are radiused.

Worst case is that you have to step out of the track when approaching a tighter turn. Good opportunity to practice this essential skill.

@Lhartley, looks cool, as some trails go alongside the river. I love that kinda thing.

@Manney, thanks for info, though I never thought of stepping in and out of tracks as a "skill" lol, it isn't very hard. But since I have Fischer Superlites in 192 (47-43-45) for more immediate, less professional, twistier groomed trails (as well as Finnmarks), I may get these longer racier skis for high speed at the 2 centers mentioned as you said the only drawback would be turns.

I mean, stoking outrage is what internet listicles are for… but not including the national team center in Canmore seems wild to me.

A longer ski like the Fischer RCS may be challenging to maneuver in tracks, especially if it exceeds your height significantly. It could affect your ability to turn and navigate tight corners. Consider a ski closer to your height for better control in track skiing.

There’s no maneuver in a track. They’re cut to 70 mm (it’s the standard and the vast majority of track sleds used in the XC world are set up for this).

A racing ski is in the 40 mm range (the RCS is 44 mm wide). So the ski is going where the track leads, plus or minus an inch.

Stepping out of poorly radiused tracks is a necessity imposed by the track setter, not the ski or skier. A corner that is unable to accommodate a 5’4” skier on a 200 cm ski won’t be able to accommodate a 6’ skier on a 200 cm ski.

If it’s a fast downhill sweeper, the ski will certainly fit. The issue navigating tracked sweepers lies with the skier, so long as the ski fits (which it certainly will unless it’s a BC ski being forced into a track that is too narrow to accept it in the first place).