Earning your turns

[BackLoafRiver]

Hey all,

After being at Sugarloaf during an epic wind hold, I decided I need to figure out some ways to earn my turns. There was so much untracked powder that we just couldn't get to unless we hiked.

Basically, does it make sense to skin your way up, or to get a pack, strap on your skis and hike it up? Also, since I have never really done it, I assume you just go right on up in your boots. Carrying my skis up 4000 foot mountain sounds pretty gross without a pack.

One final thought...When hiking, I am sure it is best form to stay as close to the trail edge as possible. True?

Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated. Many thanks!

 

[Jisch]

I think skinning without AT bindings that release your heel would be difficult/painful. I saw some guys up in the 'dacks one time skate skiing up some pretty steep stuff, but that was in the "magical" kinda realm, i.e. none of us mortals could do that.

I tried to have my wife walk up some steeper stuff while carrying her BC skis the other day and it was too slippery and the skis were too ungainly just carrying them. I would say you would have to have them strapped to a pack.

Highly theoretical since I have never done it, just saying...

John

 

[JD]

Buy skins and alpine trekkers. Skin up in out-of-the-way areas.

 

[Jisch]

JD - Do you have those Apline Trekkers? Looks like an interesting concept, just wondering how well they work?

John

 

[awf170]

They suck, but they're by far the cheapest option. You'll be fine skinning up a ski area with them, but if you plan to do some more "extreme" skinning they'll be terrible.

 

[atkinson]

Trekkers are a likely way to have a frustrating first experience. Demo a pair of Fritschis or Dukes first and then make the switch. All you need are the skins and bindings, alpine boots will work for now. You'll know when you want an AT boot. Walk mode is pretty nice, though.

With the skins, practice indoors first, put them on and take them off several times, until you get comfortable and fast. Then go outside and try it several times in a heavy wind with no gloves on. Keep'em clean and dry!

I recommend a clinic on skinning and route-finding too. It'll save a lot of energy.

Get a ski pack regardless. I assume you ski in the trees looking for powder, so you should be carrying safety gear, food, water, etc.

Always try to skin up something first, unless bootpacking is quicker, safer or easier. In powder, booting is referred to as postholing, because you leave a deep divot every step. Generally, skinning is really efficient, compared to other modes of winter transportation, sometimes for the floatation factor alone.

Sides of trails are nice, always away from snowcats, snow-making and snow machines. If you are on the side, you can get out of the way much quicker. Round out corners, don't cut'em, so you can see the whole trail and others can see you.

Welcome back to skiing's roots.

John

 

[wa-loaf]

My Dad has skinned up Tote Road a couple times while the mtn was open and no one gave him any grief beyond a few folks shouting wrong way.

 

[JD]

I used trekkers for a year, including a trip to the chic chocs. They are very functional, as Austin said, for resort touring. For the cost of 1 demo you'll buy half the trekkers. If you start using them in the BC, you will quickly notice their shortcomings, but my experience is that they are easy to set up, and worked. When you discover you want to do more back country, buy some tele gear. Half the cost of a good AT setup, better application for eastern woods, and way cooler man.

 

[SKidds]

Unless you plan on getting into apline tourning and earning a lot of turns, I'd just buy yourself a pack that you can strap your skis to and hoof it. It looks like a set of Alpine Trekkers and skins will run north of $300. Seems like a lot to spend if you aren't going to use them for more than a couple of runs a season. Even if you had them, wouldn't you still have to remove them and hike the old fashioned way once you get into steeper terrain?

If you plan on spending a lot of time in the backcountry, or hiking closed resorts, you might do better with a set of real touring gear.

 

[tjf67]

Hey all,

After being at Sugarloaf during an epic wind hold, I decided I need to figure out some ways to earn my turns. There was so much untracked powder that we just couldn't get to unless we hiked.

Basically, does it make sense to skin your way up, or to get a pack, strap on your skis and hike it up? Also, since I have never really done it, I assume you just go right on up in your boots. Carrying my skis up 4000 foot mountain sounds pretty gross without a pack.

One final thought...When hiking, I am sure it is best form to stay as close to the trail edge as possible. True?

Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated. Many thanks!

By a pack for the skiis and start walking. Your going up a ski trail. I would say not to walk to the top but to walk to a great shot and do it over and over.

 

[SKidds]

tj - how were the turns today at Whiteface?

 

[tjf67]

tj - how were the turns today at Whiteface?

They got snow. The wind picked up so it was hard to find consistant powder. You be going along in deep stuff and hit bottom pretty hard. Had to ski light and be on your toes.

Empire opened. YUMMY that had about 2.5 of fresh in it. Was skied off by 11:00. The woods were in great shape. All the hits were worn out by 1 or so.
Cloudspin skier left by the trees has the best coverage. a couple hunder yards of predictable powder.

Over all a good day but I was expecting great.

 

[JPTracker]

I have earned my turns several times up at Jay during wind holds. We usually take a lift that is running to get us high as we can first, then hike up a beginner or easy intermediate trail. As far as gear we do the same as 90% of the other people we see hiking which is put our skis on our shoulders the hike up in our ski boots. May not be the most efficient but it works. As far as where on the trail to hike just follow the path from everyone else who has hiked in boots. This makes your hike easier and minimizes the disruption on the trail. If there is no boot trail yet stay to the side of the trail that contains the least amount of snow and avoid any tracks made by people skinning up.

 

[Marc]

One thing I'd add to the great comments so far- don't get hung up on hiking, boot packing and skinning solely as a means to access powder runs. You'll soon be frustrated if you compare it to lift skiing and the amount of vert you can get.

One thing about touring is you have to like going up, because you'll be spending 90 - 95% of the time going up. If you don't like that part, and you'll figure out whether you do or don't fairly quick, then touring probably isn't for you. If you're predisposed to enjoy physical pain and high levels of exertion (i.e. if you like XC mountian biking, road biking, running, etc. in the summer) then chances are you'll get a kick out of touring.

Remember though, touring is about going up. Descending through an epic powder stash is just the icing on the cake of an already thrilling out-door pursuit.

 

[JD]

One thing I'd add to the great comments so far- don't get hung up on hiking, boot packing and skinning solely as a means to access powder runs. You'll soon be frustrated if you compare it to lift skiing and the amount of vert you can get.

One thing about touring is you have to like going up, because you'll be spending 90 - 95% of the time going up. If you don't like that part, and you'll figure out whether you do or don't fairly quick, then touring probably isn't for you. If you're predisposed to enjoy physical pain and high levels of exertion (i.e. if you like XC mountian biking, road biking, running, etc. in the summer) then chances are you'll get a kick out of touring.

Remember though, touring is about going up. Descending through an epic powder stash is just the icing on the cake of an already thrilling out-door pursuit.

+1

 

[riverc0il]

Remember though, touring is about going up. Descending through an epic powder stash is just the icing on the cake of an already thrilling out-door pursuit.

Gotta disagree with that statement as being a personal view/approach to the activity rather than a factual statement. For me... it is all about the down. Though I do say touring is more of an adventure than just a ski experience, if the experience going down isn't worth the experience going up, then I am not going up on skins. The up is a big and great part of the adventure... but without the down being good, you might as well be on snow shoes. Which is also fun.

:beer:

 

[hardline]

Unless you plan on getting into apline tourning and earning a lot of turns, I'd just buy yourself a pack that you can strap your skis to and hoof it. It looks like a set of Alpine Trekkers and skins will run north of $300. Seems like a lot to spend if you aren't going to use them for more than a couple of runs a season. Even if you had them, wouldn't you still have to remove them and hike the old fashioned way once you get into steeper terrain?

If you plan on spending a lot of time in the backcountry, or hiking closed resorts, you might do better with a set of real touring gear.

depends a lot of it is route finding/planning. i would prefer to stay on skinf floating than hiking in thigh deep snow.

 

[abc]

Gotta disagree with that statement as being a personal view/approach to the activity rather than a factual statement. For me... it is all about the down. Though I do say touring is more of an adventure than just a ski experience, if the experience going down isn't worth the experience going up, then I am not going up on skins. The up is a big and great part of the adventure... but without the down being good, you might as well be on snow shoes. Which is also fun.

:beer:

You'll get there...

I think a good majority of tourers start thinking they're hiking for that big descend. But those who stick with off-resort skiing are few because it's really not worth the pain when you can ride the lift.

Eventually, you realize you enjoy being "out there" so much it doesn't really matter whether you're going up or going down!

icing on the cake of an already thrilling out-door pursuit

+2

 

[Jisch]

If I had better conditions and bigger hills nearby I probably wouldn't downhill ski at all. For me its getting 'out there'. I love a long XC MTB ride and love a long climb on skis as well. I really like skiing down too though, so its hard for me to say that I do it entirely for the climb.

John

 

[JD]

You'll get there...

I think a good majority of tourers start thinking they're hiking for that big descend. But those who stick with off-resort skiing are few because it's really not worth the pain when you can ride the lift.

Eventually, you realize you enjoy being "out there" so much it doesn't really matter whether you're going up or going down!


+2

So many days exploring new areas to ski end up as total bush wacks thru tight steep and generally closed out terrain. But some end in amazing virgin snow and epic personal first descents. Sure, on great days I go for sure things too, but days, weeks after significant snow events alot of days yeild few good turns but a better knowledge of that hill or ridgeline you'ver always starred at from accross the way. Makes you feel more connected to your enviorment. Not just lapping one hill over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over....and that's just one day. People here say they get 100 days at one mtn. a year.....for 10-15-20 years???
Yawn.
It's all about the search and discovery for me. Either you dig it or you don't.