Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

Does anyone have any tips for dealing with high wind conditions during a multi-day tour? One thought would be to bring ultra lightweight snowshoes and switch to them in high wind. But I really don't like the idea on aesthetic grounds.

Lars_Danner wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 03, 2024 2:37 pm

Does anyone have any tips for dealing with high wind conditions during a multi-day tour? One thought would be to bring ultra lightweight snowshoes and switch to them in high wind. But I really don't like the idea on aesthetic grounds.

I carry inflatable snowshoes in my pulk, but not for high wind, for snow turning to mush in late season (or early season theses days- I had 11°C in March last year at 71°N). Also good if you bust a ski-binding-boot a few days from a road.

They are very tough and have front an rear crampons- weigh about 1kg a pair. see Smallfoot.EU The Musala is the all terrain one. The Royal Marines use them.

Also a small tarp works if the wind is behind you.

May the wind be with you.

What's wrong with kick and glide in high wind? Wind behind... kite skiing effectively! Wind in front... reduced to a walk (which is no different than snow shoes but still less effort).

I've had some wild winds before (with a pulk mind) which made for much hilarity with a tail wind and the pulk overtaking me, but you just have to suck it up when it's front or side. A good face shield/balaclava and a ruff is obviously advisable.

Crayefish wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 03, 2024 3:35 pm

What's wrong with kick and glide in high wind?

I've run into side wind conditions in the Alaska range that are virtually unskiable, but you're right a lot of the time the answer is to just deal with it.

Lars_Danner wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 03, 2024 4:21 pm

Crayefish wrote: ↑

Sun Mar 03, 2024 3:35 pm

What's wrong with kick and glide in high wind?

I've run into side wind conditions in the Alaska range that are virtually unskiable, but you're right a lot of the time the answer is to just deal with it.

Yeah, I bet if its so bad that you can't ski, then it's probably going to be too bad to snow shoe too!

What's the problem? Headwind? use full skins. I can't see a situation where changing to snowshoes would be remotely beneficial.

I can see snowshoes helping you to not tip over in a crosswind, but so would very wide skis. I really don't think you would need to resort to either though. If the wind is that strong and you weren't in a ground blizzard of moving snow, I would assume the trail would be hard enough to walk on without snowshoes.