Hoks arrived 12-22 and went for a ski yesterday. (3pin, Rossi BCX12, XC length poles)
They feel light to handle but feel much lighter on the foot than other shortish skis + skins I'm usually on in our mountain terrain. Hoks climbed steeper trails too. Went quickly up a steep tight trail I consider too steep for enjoyable mountain biking in the summer. Usually we travel on the snow-packed closed roads in the canyon. Yesterday all the tight steep trails were easy to climb.
Very short on snow so far this winter, we were enjoying the new soft snow from small weekend storms. Nice snow but feeling/seeing lots of rocks in the trail we don't see on a normal snow year. Most of our XC skiing is in steep canyon terrain with few open areas; the tangle of scrub oak everywhere really limits off-trail travel even on years with deep snow. The aspen forest areas are wider open but you travel through scrub oak to get to those. The Hoks got me off the canyon roads (yea!) but not off the trail much yet. Trails provide a meter of travel space between scrub oak walls--fine for going up fast, but not enough room for turns or snowplow on the way down, not even on Hoks. Plus with granite rocks sticking up out of the snow every few yards on the trail this year, I'm not keen on risking breaking skis on the way down. My method has been to climb the trail till we get near an intersection with a canyon road, and use that for descending.
It's nice to have mountains to ski in, and a relief to have some snow. But finding myself jealous of the rest of you who aren't hemmed in by scrub oak everywhere except roads. Not ready to trade it for an icy trail near Mt. Marcy yet, even it there's more room to turn.
First ski on Hoks :-) looking for open woods
-
phoenix
- Posts: 831
- Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 5:44 pm
- Location: Northern VT
- Ski style: My own
- Favorite Skis: Varies,I've had many favorites
- Favorite boots: Excursions, T1's
- Occupation: I'm occupied
Re: First ski on Hoks :-) looking for open woods
You'll find some nice skiing for those Hoks. I started pinning in the Wasatch, when there wasn't much of it going on yet. Seems like we had a lot of fun and a lot of options, even as newbies (to XC/XCD; we were seasoned alpine skiers at the time).
Lots of good skiing in the Adirondacks too, when you look around, but it sure ain't the Wasatch. The snow will come. See if you can get yourself some adjustable poles; they'll add a lot to your enjoyment on those Hoks!
Lots of good skiing in the Adirondacks too, when you look around, but it sure ain't the Wasatch. The snow will come. See if you can get yourself some adjustable poles; they'll add a lot to your enjoyment on those Hoks!