Help needed for ski choice for solo pulka trip West-Greenland

[Musk Ox]

I've added some pics of the hilly parts and a clear pic of the flat parts as well.

OOH LOOK AT THE FROZEN MUDDY BIT

Ernst. R.

I am here to tell you that it does not massively matter which dead Norwegian you have on your skis for that stuff. This is not an "I wish I had more sidecut!" descent. Get something that flies straight and true.

I don't think it's a side cut issue, rather a stiffness issue. Long and straight is ok, but something with a softer camber will be easier to set your kick wax and get the belly of your skis on the snow for speed control on the downhills. Using kicker skins may eliminate the first problem changing the equation somewhat.

You may very well be right, I genuinely don't know, I'm literally an ungulate. Skins would definitely be helpful. My experience on steep and evil ice with a load is that often the only thing that matters is getting the edge in as fiercely as you can (I suppose theoretically less sidecut would be helpful doing that, but honestly control's so difficult in some of the pictures Ernst posted I'd get off and walk anyway!)

[Jurassien]

- 1 full length skin (undecided which material)

Take the mohair (100%) skins. In comparison with nylon or mix nylon/mohair the only real disadvantage is that they are more expensive as, A) the initial purchase cost is somewhat higher and, B) they definitely wear out quicker than nylon. Harsh snow is quite rough on mohair and if you encounter conditions similar to those depicted on your last Greenland tour you might well have to trash mohair skins after 160km (depending, of course, on how much you use them). However, if you can see past these disadvantages you will be rewarded with considerably better glide – and that will make itself felt on a long tour. Don’t neglect to impregnate the skins with paraffin wax, and to take a block of it with you. In a pinch you can also use a candle (it’s paraffin wax).

The ideal width for an Amundsen-type ski is 38mm. With Nansen you should also be able to get away with 38mm (I will be using this combination on my next mountain tours), although 45mm is probably the optimal width. However, with NATO you should take the 45mm or (better) 50mm width. The wider the skin the less glide, but note that wide skis don’t like narrow skins. Nylon skins do indeed provide better traction than mohair, but I have been using 100% mohair on Nordic tours for several decades and have no complaints regarding their traction. These remarks are based on my experience with Fischer E99 (55mm waist) and E109 (60mm waist) from touring extensively in the Jura, Massif Central and the mountains of southern Norway.

With mohair skins you will have to be more deliberate with “setting” the skins – especially with a stiffly-cambered ski such as Amundsen. This is common even with relatively softly-cambered alpine skis and involves a conscious and dynamic transfer of weight from left to right as you climb and once you feel them starting to slip. There’s no need to lift the skis off the surface of the snow – just slide the rear ski forward and get your weight down firmly on it before bringing the other ski forward.

Note that all three skis which you are considering are also available to rent through the link I gave you in the other thread.

I hope you have considered including a PLB in your kit!

EDIT: I should point out that I have always travelled with a rucksack and never with a pulk. If I had to drag 40kg or more behind me I would probably forgo the short skins altogether and take full-length mohair AND full-length nylon skins (if the steepness of the slopes warranted it) – that way I would be assured of maximum traction as well as decent glide as and when needed.

[tkarhu]

@Ernst R Now that you have come over your uncertainty with XC type skis, I would certainly take Amundsen in 201 cm (recommended for 80-95 kg) of the three skis you listed. That is about the same stiffness cambers I have in my similar skis, yours may be maybe slightly stiffer with your slightly smaller weight. But my pair of Gammes is quite a stiff pair. There seems to be some variation across pairs within "same" skis, too.

One thing to consider with stiffness is that you are planning to ski with skins on. The skins are several millimeters high, and will fill your double cambers. For this reason, a stiff ski will behave like a softer ski with an x-skin setup, like lilcliffy mentioned.

By the way, I would not cut the skins at heel unless you are annoyed by drag. I believe that you will be satisfied for a little extra grip with the pulk. 50 kg extra weight calls for extra grip even in a minor uphill climb. Any slipping there would tire your upper body soon.

I have ended up with 45 mm mohair and 30 mm mohair x-skins. That is from Åsnes's Cristner Naess recommendations, which I linked earlier in this thread.

For the frozen snow you will be skiing, I would certainly take also a pair of nylon x-skins with me. Yet I cannot recommend nylon x-skin widths because I do not have any experience.

I have also 38 mm Colltex mix full length skins, which I have used on Gamme like skis. They feel insane without a pulk, but I have been a satisfied pulk puller for a couple of weeks with the full length mixes, too. 38 mm is enough width for Amundsens, and I guess for the other skis you listed, too, in full length skins.

[tkarhu]

@Jurassien What problems would 38 mm skins cause on Nansen and Combat NATO?

As a benefit, I thought they might give slightly less grip I just skied FTX with 30 mm mohair x-skins on the flats and a mild uphill for a few km's back from slopes. I found even that too much grip with the FTX low cambers and a small backpack.

[CwmRaider]

- Asnes Nansen in 200 cm (recommended for 80-95 kg)
- Amundsen in 201 cm (recommended for 80-95 kg)
- Combat NATO Jeger (https://www.asnes.com/produkt/combat-nato/) in 200 cm

For the Greenland trip the Amundsen is probably the best. If you want something more forgiving with carrying a backpack on future trips the NATO or Nansen will be easier to manoeuver. There will be a performance penalty on flat sections but it may be negligible with a pulk, albeit noticeable with a backpack. The NATO although wider is better at distance touring than Nansen due to higher stiffness underfoot.
I think they any of these skis would do, I would pick the Amundsen as well for either Hardangervidda or the Greenland trip as described.
Re full length skins - if you do need them it will be to engage the maximum traction possible and as such i think you should get nylon or mix. Glide is not what you're after with full skins anyways.

[Jurassien]

@Jurassien What problems would 38 mm skins cause on Nansen and Combat NATO?

With E109 I had to change from 38mm to 50mm (both mohair). Luckily I had brought both with me and was able to finish the tour without further skin problems (10-day tour in Jotunheimen. It was my first time in Jotunheimen so I took both, as I wasn’t sure which would work best). The E109 has somewhat less base area than NATO. Nansen has a softer camber than both of those, and a 56mm waist, so I would reckon on 38mm being adequate for that ski.

[Ernst R]

Many thanks for all your helpful comments, suggestions and for taking the time to clarify my confusion.

I'm now the happy owner of a pair of Åsne's Combat NATO Jeger Special ski's. Tried them out in Geilo -in admittedly perfect fresh snow- last weekend and I feel confident these are the right choice (with x-skins and/or full length skins.

What an amazing forum !

[lilcliffy]

@Ernst R
Very !!!
Happy Holidays!
Gareth

[Krummholz]

Posting for future reference if someone else is thinking of doing an expedition.

[randoskier]

Go over to Scoresby Sund on the other side of Greenland and you will find magnificent skiing! You will also need to bring a friend who does not fall asleep on sentry duty and an Enfield M1917 30.06 because you might not be alone. The Stauning Alps Traverse beckons!

That seems like a long way to go to ski on rotten variable snow on the grassy shelf of southern Greenland (not on the ice cap) between two airports. It is only 66 degrees North. It is has 14km of elevation change per km. The airfares are really ridiculous to Greenland. A nicer trip would be to ski in the northern Varanger region of Norway which goes up to about 71 degrees North and has a shitload of snow. You would probably see absolutely nobody except maybe an occasional Sami guy. It is where Norwegian guides train for expeditions to the poles.

In March we are skiing in the Narvik mountains in Norway again (4x!). We will be 200km north of where you will be in Greenland and 220km north of the furthest north point in Iceland. Pic- The missus arriving with her pulk, finishing the day-one climb of 804 meters (2600 ft.) from a small boat drop-off at sea level (duh) at 04:00 on the Sorfjorden (Tysfjord) to a small cabin near the entrance into the main range of the Narvik mountains. Camped the next three days then another cabin, repeat. Great skiing, tough weather at times.

The only skis I would take on the southern Greenland trip are rock skis that you don't mind trashing. Snowshoes are probably a better option.