Year in review: What did you learn?

[MikeK]

I like NNN-BC

Words I thought I'd never say myself two years ago. Can't even remember what made me take the plunge... it's probably documented on this forum somewhere, but it actually WASN'T CIMA's videos (as much as I like them).

It was probably lilcliffy and the fact that I kept seeing other people skiing Nordic BC with them, some of who were doing quite well going down hills.

[The Lovely Bear]

[satsuma]

Ski season is not done here, I am going to ski the next 3 days at Anthony Lakes (about 2 1/2 hours away at 7100 ft). There has been a lot of snow in the mountains the last two weeks, and a lot of rain at lower elevations.

I have learned the closest options are not the best and get boring after a while. The options for downhill skiing are better than xc here, I will probably try downhill again next year.

[dakartoubab]

What I learned this year (for non-NNN):
1. it's all about the boot (and technique). Learning that you could match the activity and control of a beefy NTN binding with a "simple" 3-pin-only toepiece (no cables/cartridges, no heel throw) was a mind-f**k. Provided - and this is important - you had a beefy boot; Scarpa T-1 in my case.
2. I don't knock NTN. In fact, learning to ski on NTN taught me how to use the shape of the ski to do the work for you - less up-and-down, more driving the knee. And that same technique can be used with ANY 75-mm or NTN gear (so long as you have a shaped ski)

What I learned this year (for NNN):
1. NNN has A LOT of potential for xcD but when-oh-when are they going to come up with an Excursion-type boot with an NNN toepiece (see "it's all about the boot..." above)???? When they do, I'm throwing everything else away.

[STG]

On topic/what I learned this ski season:

My ankles drive my skiing: flexing, angulating; being dynamic and fluid.

[Johnny]

My ankles drive my skiing: flexing, angulating; being dynamic and fluid.

Couldn't agree more! This is the first basic rule of XCD...! (Which also means that if your ankles are not free, (cuffs, buckles, plastic boots, skeletons etc...) then it's not XCD... ; )

What did I learn this season?

1- NNN rules for downhill. (I knew that already...)
2- People suck. (Well, I knew that too...)

[MikeK]

Skeletons?



Apparently they do ski... not sure what you call it?

[lowangle al]

skinny skiin ?

[MikeK]

Maybe? I think maybe that's what Teleman means when he says 'bones'...

[lilcliffy]

Weather wise- for me- this winter has been a real “blast from the past”.

I lived in a coastal Canadian climate for a decade- that although included massive snow events- the ever-changing temperature required me to race home and take advantage of the few hours of good skiing!

This winter has definitely been an exercise in not taking skiing conditions for granted!

What have I learned? (I am still skiing everyday BTW)
I find that I often have to learn the same thing- over and over again:
• The more I ski- the better I ski- and the more I enjoy it
• Although I ski primarily to experience Nature in the winter- I do also ski just for the joy of skiing. I have a steep, open field with a spectacular view (about 100m vertical) that I have done a lot of yo-yo skiing on this winter with my kids.
• When I am in excellent XC shape (strength, balance, and cardio) I can ski most anything- on most anything.

I have been intensely working on my downhill skills on BC-XC equipment for almost a decade now.

The first revelation was to abandon trying to powerfully steer my XC skis with my knees/boot cuff/boot tongue. I relatively quickly learned to initiate turns with a number of techniques:
• Striding forward with the leading ski;
• Freely and completely shifting weight between each ski in turn transitions;
• Lifting either and/or both skis of the snow when necessary;
• Using a jump-telemark when a very short radius turn is necessary.

I have to admit that much of my everyday descents require little more than free and open telemarks- in fields and open hardwood stands I can typically just drop my knee, evenly weight my skis, and ride my skis through wide-radius turns….

This approach does not work when tight assertive/aggressive turns are necessary however. Making short-radius, aggressive turns when I have boot-binding power is a joke- doing it on my BC-XC setups is another thing altogether.

One of the challenges I have continued to struggle with is overweighting my lead ski- due to aggressively using a striding technique to initiate turns.

SO- the biggest thing/lesson I have worked on this year is focusing on pressuring my rear foot, once I have initiated the turn. I have been pushing myself really hard on this- and it has really paid off. Increasingly, I am finding that at least 50%- if not more- it is hard to measure- of my weight is on the rear ski once the turn is initiated.

I have also been playing with jump telemarks.

We have had a lot of consolidated, wet, “spring” snow this winter…I have been playing with some of the techniques that Gamme the Elder demonstrates in his videos on consolidated snow:
• Ride the leading ski into a turn-initiation;
• Lift the rear ski into position
• Then aggressively weight both skis.
These techniques work well for me when the snow conditions allow me to steer my lead ski into the turn.