Backcountry ski lessons

[MikeK]

There is no hill too small for me to have fun on, I've also learned a lot on them. The better you get the more fun it is.

I think you miss my point... but that's OK - not many seem to get it.

[lowangle al]

Yeh I'm not sure what your point was or mine either for that matter. I just want to comment on what you said earlier about getting board after a couple of runs on the same hill and it may have to do with your skis. The reason I want to go back up for another run is because it feels so good. That being said the turns never really feel good enough on any of xcd skis with fishscales that I've tried to want to do many laps, as compared to a smooth based ski. The one exception being the vector bc and even then I got the smooth base vector so it would feel even better.

[MikeK]

[making turns] It's not really my passion. I think I've spent too much time internet skiing with people who's passion it is, and they seem to try to make me feel less for not doing it. For me it's more of a pet project to dink around with a few times a year. I really much rather enjoy skiing in the wilderness away from other people, ski instructors, my job, things that bother me about the world, etc... If I can wiggle a few turns down a hill when the conditions are nice, then it's an added bonus I guess...

And I know the golf course gets a bad rap but I know one in the Adirondacks that I want to play around on after an early season dump just because it has some many really cool features and steep ups and downs. I skied there for about an hour this year then got into explorer mode and skied off into woods along some old un-marked logging trail. I had a lot fun on that trail.

I edited out most of the other BS and bolded my very important points

This is my problem. My wife is the same way, only worse - she never had any significant downhill experience. She just wants to get a few hours of lesson to focus on the basic mechanics of what should be happening. Then we'll see where it goes. We may be like you guys and take 10 years before it really clicks.

Who knows where I'll be with skiing in 10 years. If my past trend is any indication I'll not have a single ski I own today and probably just have a single pair of vintage Madshus, single camber wood skis.

[MikeK]

Hey! Wasn't I just mentioning this?

http://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-sports ... to-7645301

[lilcliffy]

Hi Mike,

Been meaning to reply to this post for a while...typically takes me some time to internalize before I can attempt to communicate what I think...

This is a complex question and issue- as far as I am concerned...and the fact that you want to ski with your wife- that the two of you might have different aspirations- makes it complicated as well.

I could ramble on about the issues raised in this thread for longer than anyone would want to read or listen...

Here are hopefully a few thoughts...

Try to stay in reasonable shape- so that you have the strength, and stamina, to go the distance, and effectively and consistently use the appropriate technique in the appropriate context (please forgive me if I offend you or your wife- you may very well be in much better shape than I am! )

I am afraid to say that I am not convinced that learning to telemark on stiff, rigid boots/bindings develops the skills and technique needed to telemark on light Nordic equipment.

IMHO- heavy-duty (I include even "touring" equipment such as T4/Excursion and 3pin tele bindings in this), rigid, tele equipment allows a much wider range of techniques and styles (including alpine) than lighter Nordic equipment.

IMO- if you learn first on heavy-duty equipment- you will develop technique/habits that may potentially make it very difficult to develop telemark technique on lighter equipment.

This is definitely my experience with the telemark. I learned to telemark on heavy-duty, big mountain equipment. I ended up developing habits that were really a hybrid between alpine and Nordic technique. These habits did not help me when it came to developing telemark technique on lighter equipment. IME- I have to focus on my xcountry skills in order to telemark on light equipment.

My wife and I are in a somewhat similar dilemma but perhaps for different reasons.

My wife has very strong alpine skiing skills and habits ("textbook" ones- she is a ski instructor!). When it comes to xcD skiing- she wants relatively rigid equipment, so that she can use her alpine skills- as needed.

I am going to continue to obsessively develop my xcountry-telemark skills/habits on lighter equipment. But- my gut feeling is that we are going to have to keep up our heavier gear- so that we can ski compatibly with each other in the mountains. My vision is that if we were to try mountain touring together- me on light gear- my wife on heavier gear- I would leave her in the dust on the flats- and she would be jumping off cliffs- while I find wide angle arcs down extreme slopes.

In short- if you and your wife really want to develop downhill skills on light Nordic equipment- then my advice is to develop those skills on light gear first- you can always move to heavier gear later...

And IME, the best way to develop telemark technique on lighter equipment is to fully develop your xcountry striding technique, skill, strength, and stamina. IMHO- this is the easiest way to develop the strength and balance you need to downhill ski on light Nordic equipment. Become obsessed xcountry striders, and you may eventually find yourself striding down the hill!

[MikeK]

Thanks lilcliffy - your perspective was one I was trying to take, but not everyone agrees with it. That's fine too. We all have different approaches to similar problems.

As for my wife - she'll do what she wants to do. I can influence her a little but I can't really push... that just never works, so we'll see what she decides.

As far as stamina and condition, I may look like a piece of crap but touring distance is my first and foremost objective. We both are in decent shape and do 10+ mile tours regularly. Climbing is a different beast but I feel climbing on skis is the easiest way because there is less lifting of the feet and more efficiency through sliding. In previous years we'd done some climbing with snowshoes but skis have been the main focus in recent years. I'd like to integrate some winter mountaineering back into the ski tours in future years, even if that means skiing mainly the flatter approaches and switching to snowshoes to ascend/descend.

Summer months I'm fairly active canoe tripping and hiking. Unfortunately neither provide the cardio that skiing does unless climbing steep mountains at a fast pace. Both keep you fairly conditioned, but it's totally different muscle groups.

At any rate I may not be in the best shape for xcD. I bet if I went and jumped on some Alpine skis tomorrow I'd be shot in a few runs. My quads and back would be really stressed - it's much more isometric than cardiovascular. I'd probably benefit from some core strengthening and weight training. I have a hard time doing anything other than cardio at the gym though... and I don't even like that. I'd rather be outside. But I'm getting older and spend a lot of time at a desk so I need to keep up with these things. Your points on fitness are duly noted!

[lilcliffy]

Yeah...despite how many times I have tried...I am afraid I am hopeless at exercising for its own sake...an I am afraid to admit that I hate the gym!

I want to be outside, on a tour through nature- period.