Help needed for ski choice for solo pulka trip West-Greenland

[Ernst R]

Wow! I'm so grateful for all the helpful comments I have received. This forum is indeed lives up to its renown as a fantastic place to discuss all things Telemark.

I'm a bit pressed for time to provide a longer answer as I'm celebrating my dad's 87th birthday. Still I snuck out to read the comments as I was impatient.

I've added some pics of the hilly parts and a clear pic of the flat parts as well.

Just to already address some very important points:
- I will have my microspikes as a backup, and I know they work as that is what I used last year.
- I will bring short and long skins (and lots of repair kit). Unexpected things always happen, e.g. last year I did not expect to have to fight a polar fox with rabies for 30 long! minutes whilst it continually jumped at my throat despite having been beaten in the face with my shovel at it's first attack whilst I was melting snow.
- In a steep downhill I will probably just put on microspikes and trail the pulk in front of me unless I feel really confident.
- My speed is certainly not great and last year was on average 2-3 km/h on microspikes (my sled was >55 kg). Increasing speed is not my most pressing concern, the safe fun of the trek is.
- I do not expect temperatures above freezing at any time (late February - easy March)

Again a massive thanks for all your input and wisdom!!

https://www.telemarktalk.com/download/f ... w&id=12146

[lilcliffy]

Those photos are calling Roald from the grave-
Old Roald long enough for your kicker skin to release-
With Old Roald under you, you will move along like an efficient freight train.

[mca80]

Make sure you get some practice snowplowing and step turning on gentle downhill terrain at a local nordic center or bunny hill or whatnot. And then practice doing it with the pulk behind you.

I've not skied an Amundsen but if it were me doing this, I agree with lilcliffy, Amundsen 209 or 207 or whatever the longest one is. You're not out there seeking hills to carve turns, you're on an expedition tour.

P.S. looks pretty awesome to me. Would love to do something like that. You mentioned the rabid fox--do you have to worry about polar bears?

[Musk Ox]

I've added some pics of the hilly parts and a clear pic of the flat parts as well.

OOH LOOK AT THE FROZEN MUDDY BIT

Ernst. R.

I am here to tell you that it does not massively matter which dead Norwegian you have on your skis for that stuff. This is not an "I wish I had more sidecut!" descent. Get something that flies straight and true.

[mca80]

Hahaha. Amundsens image graces the best ski for this trip.

[Ernst R]

P.S. looks pretty awesome to me. Would love to do something like that. You mentioned the rabid fox--do you have to worry about polar bears?

They only rarely appear close to the Arctic Circle Trail, but sightings have become more frequent in the last decades. Indeed earlier this year a hungry polar bear wandered too close to Kangerlussuaq and needed to be shot (in self-defense).

The overall "layer of protection" is that Greenlandic Inuit use, travel and hunt around the trail and will likely spot any polar bear before I do. Furthermore it is very difficult to protect yourself on a solo pulka trip e.g. I can't keep watch all night.

Theoretically a perimeter tripwire is a possibility, but -realistically speaking- how long does it take to hear the alarm, put on my glasses and headlamp, get out of my 3-zippered double-layer sleeping bag, grab a gun (which I don't have), open the tent and peek out hopefully on the right side and the accurately aim with completely fogged up glasses... ?

I believe the only effective protection would be to have a couple of Greenlandic sled dogs with you, much more chance that they would wake you, and ward off the bear and buy you time.

It is a calculated risk. By the way I have met a polar bear in the wild before, 25 years ago in Nunavut (see pic below), and it reacted just as frightened of us (were were 2). He did a 180° turn, and so did we, end of hike, period.

[Sidney Dunkin]

I've added some pics of the hilly parts and a clear pic of the flat parts as well.

OOH LOOK AT THE FROZEN MUDDY BIT

Ernst. R.

I am here to tell you that it does not massively matter which dead Norwegian you have on your skis for that stuff. This is not an "I wish I had more sidecut!" descent. Get something that flies straight and true.

I don't think it's a side cut issue, rather a stiffness issue. Long and straight is ok, but something with a softer camber will be easier to set your kick wax and get the belly of your skis on the snow for speed control on the downhills. Using kicker skins may eliminate the first problem changing the equation somewhat.

[Ernst R]

Based on the incredibly helpful feedback of you all, I've narrowed down my choice of possible ski's to the Nansen, Amundsen and Combat Nato (the older version Combat Nato Jeger, not the 2023 new BC one). This largely based on the consensus from your feedback, and my residual aversion/fear of a too narrow ski (which I -incorrectly- link to instability).

So the setup would be:
Shoes:
- Alfa Polar A/P/S in Xplore version & Xplore bindings with Intuition liners (and maybe a spare Kartank which I could also use as a tent shoe). This is the shoe I had already chosen and bought for this trip (see pic).
- Kahtoola Microspikes that I successfully used last year as a backup / steep descent alternative.


SKI's (lengths basen on weight of 78kg in normal clothing so expect somewhere around 85kg with clothing, shoes, pulka harness and belt with water bottle, camera, gps, ...)
- Asnes Nansen in 200 cm (recommended for 80-95 kg)
- Amundsen in 201 cm (recommended for 80-95 kg)
- Combat NATO Jeger (https://www.asnes.com/produkt/combat-nato/) in 200 cm

Skins:
- X-skin in mohair, mix and Nylon (so all 3, negligible weight)
- 1 full length skin (undecided which material)

Personally, I tend maybe a bit more towards the Combat NATO, but that might just be because it is the widest of the 3 options (see above). Curious to hear your thoughts and thanks again!

[spopepro]

I’d pick the Amundsen, and like your gear list. But you won’t be upset with any of those three skis.

I really think the most critical thing is tracking—last year on an 80km day on MR48s that included some tracks, ice, steep up and down, the hardest part of the day was the snowmobile trails. Just because it took so much energy to keep the skis going straight… and that was with a pretty darn straight ski. I think your hips and ankles will be much fresher and happier if you have as much help as possible with tracking.

Since you’re well experienced, have nothing to prove to anyone, you know you can strap the skis to the sled and walk up or down anything that feels scary to ski—so get the most efficient km crusher of the group.

[mca80]

+1 to what @spopepro said.