Losing Popularity?

[fisheater]

Fat tire bikes are killing xcd and sometimes the trails too.

Preaching to the choir Al. They definitely trash thin snow, however I ski public land so the trails are theirs as well. To make matters worse, they’re mostly polite, and generally nice people. I just hope for deep snow, it makes for lonely local trails which suits me.

[Baaahb]

Yes, short terms urge in popularity due to covid makes gear hard to find this year.

Longer term...

Certainly one has seen a huge growth in AT, as well as in the more aggressive pursuit of powder, which has for a number of years depressed the relative number of people doing xcd, formerly referred to as nordic backcountry. One sees this among other things in trailhead use....trailheads the serve steep terrain are very crowded...trailheads that serve mellow touring terrain are relatively empty.

But there are also signs that the sport is coming back and/or growing independently. Nordic skating is rapidly growing in popularity as folks realize that it is THE cardio sport for winter....skinning for turns is the new weightlifting, but nordic skating is the new cardio.

Also, there is a undeniable growth in the types of equipment available for xcd. Wide skis with metal edges suitable for kick and glide (eg with fishscales) used to be a specialty item...with only a few models having an almost cult following, but now you have choices between dozens of different xcd ski models. Also more choices in boots.

[ianjt]

Interesting perspectives. As a biker, I wish fat biking were easier to do. Around here, if you want to fat bike in snow, you'll have to take your pick on whom to upset: skiers or snowmobilers. I don't bother fat biking because I don't want to deal with the attitude from snobby skiers or ass-hole snowmobilers.

Anyway: the Covid point is valid. I read something about outdoor gear being hard to come by since quarantines went into place. I read something else about the sudden uptick in hunting popularity, which had been slowly dying for decades.

I have no problem with nordic backcountry being niche and relatively unpopular. As stated, you'll spend less time fighting crowds. I dipped my toe in last winter and immediately jumped head first. It's a lot of fun, and I hope it doesn't disappear to the likes of AT or groomed XC.

[jyw5]

XCD is just non existant where I live. Other than my wife and I, I have seen 2 skiiers with NNN BC. and one person who had the setup was shuffling along a flat trail like snowshoes. Everyone here is either nordic, AT, or plastic/3pin telemark (still rare). I have seen hardcore nordic skiiers take their nnn skate skis and climb steep terrain and fly down the mountain like you see those old school videos. But mostly, I see heavy fat AT skis and splitboards. likely due to Covid, most ppl this last year were novice skiiers and riders.

I don't think xcd will die because it looks like its very popular in japan and Norway. it has a steep learning curve (no pun intended) and I enjoy it because gentle slopes are challenging and leather boots are awesome and life is too short to be digging pits to evaluate avy conditions....if I want big lines and steep skiing on an AT setup, I go to a resort, go on a backcountry hut trip, and/or wait for late spring/summer when avy isnt an issue (and even then, AT is overkill when conditions are good).

if you do suspect a decline in popularity, you can always buy a few sets of bindings and store them away...along with a spare pair of leathers. Skis continue to get better and feather light.

[bauerb]

sometimes you simply use what you own, whether is overkill or underkill. I learned to tele ski on XC racing skis at the local lift served hill....definately underkill. this winter I will be going uphill and some burly downhill oriented gear...definately overkill. that said, if someone gifted me a ski-mo setup, I would use it

[athabascae]

Everyone here is either nordic, [or] AT

Also my feeling for where I live as well. Been that way for a while. Nordic backcountry as I think of it appears non-existent here - really polarized into two styles. We have amazing mountains to tour and a world class nordic centre so it makes sense. We also have spectacular backcountry everywhere, however, for nordic backcountry that folks are missing out on.

Part of it I think is gliding peacefully alone on a frozen lake or across a beaver pond isn't the same on twitter/facebook/instagram/YouTube as AT or nordic racing. Also depends to some degree the gear the local shops stock and sell. Ours sell lower quality and limited selection of XCD gear.

I also agree with fat bikes filling the niche to some extent. Huge fat bike, snowshoing, and snowmobiling communities in my town. I too love fat biking and snowshoeing (nowadays only skidoo for work).

I doubt that if I didn't have a history with nordic backcountry and telemark from the early 1990s when it was cool, I would have known about it and found my happy spot. if coming new to skiing I'd be at our nordic Centre and also using AT gear, not knowing any better.

Its all good. Glad people are getting outside and enjoying nature by whatever means works for them.

[colbymck]

I was skiing the other day on some low angle terrain in the Sawtooth mountains. I passed a guy skinning his way up the same terrain on a full AT setup. He might as well have been using snowshoes. I saw several other people doing the same thing. Complete overkill given the terrain.

I think this reason alone will cause lots of people to get into xcd in the near future. I am a lifelong alpine skier and had no idea this niche corner of skiing existed until last year. I, like the people you mentioned, was slogging up moderate slopes on heavy AT gear with full length skins. When I got an NNN-BC setup I was amazed at how much quicker I could climb the same slopes. Not to mention, no skins to deal with during the transition! You also have a massive influx of people getting into xc this year. I think a lot of those people will start to explore outside the Nordic centers.

However, I think a majority of AT skiers will still want to ski steep terrain aggressively, and will stick with their heavier gear. But in the coming years there might be more people like myself who realize they like sticking to the lower angle stuff and make the conversion.

[fgd135]

I unfortunately see more and more AT skiers where there used to be mostly free heels and pinheads, even on easy trails. Or up at huts where the XC touring is splendid. Just yesterday, as a matter of fact, skiing down on a nice almost flat trail, three AT skiers clomped by going the other way, with skins on.
And fat tire bikes are all over the non-groomed backcountry nordic trails, digging 'em up. And splitboard snowboarders, too. Go figure.
"But we shall continue, with style."

[jyw5]

xcd has enabled me to ski terrain and conditions that neither AT or nordic gear can offer. Skiing the late spring and summer was easy and fun. Last summer, I would regularly ski and hike 3000-5000ft vertical 3x/wk while a majority of ppl had already stored their skis away. My light setup for summer is about 10lbs. skiing that late spring and summer corn and mash was better than most of the skiing I did in the winter...no avy danger, no digging pits, super steep challenging runs, mild weather, and long sunny days. much harder and takes longer to do on an AT setup. I think ppl just don't know any better and I'm totally ok with that...I end up having entire mountain ranges to myself.

Thanks to Steve Barnett, I have discovered this incredible sport. It is hard for me to truly enjoy alpine and nordic skiing in the same way. Downhill/resort skiing or AT is fun, but the level of excitement is no longer there without putting myself at great risk (like going down steep avy chutes etc...) also, I never did like...actually HATE is the proper word...plastic boots.

I think many ppl on this site would agree that the experience of touring and just gracefully sight seeing as you travel through the world of snow is the main draw of xcd / backcountry nordic.

someday when I'm retired and the world is pandemic free again, I would like to be at a nice ski resort and have a 2 hr champagne lunch with leather boots on instead of clunky plastic.

[ᚠᚨᚱ ᚾᛟᚱᚦ ᛊᚲᛁᛖᚱ]

It is hard for me to truly enjoy alpine and nordic skiing in the same way. Downhill/resort skiing or AT is fun, but the level of excitement is no longer there without putting myself at great risk (like going down steep avy chutes etc...) also, I never did like...actually HATE is the proper word...plastic boots.

Same. Skied Alpine almost every weekend for awhile, then it just got boring, so I started doing riskier stuff. Had a couple injuries. Then I tried snowboarding. It was interesting for awhile. To an avi course and that was the first time I saw AT and then I realized how limited snowboarding is. I had observed one of the old Norwegian instructors on tele as well. I kind of independently connected the idea that the tele technique could be applied to xcountry skis. That got me into searching for xc equipment that was more rugged than soft shoes and track skis. I'm glad I found this because otherwise i would've spent loads of dough on an AT setup that would rarely get used.