X-country skiing advice

“will be this January in Yosemite. Surely some of you on here cross-country ski and can give me some advice. What sorts of things do I really, really need? To be honest, I am used to mostly hiking in warmer temps (living in the desert and all). I have no idea how hot you get skiing and so how much clothes would be too much, etc. Any advice is appreciated.”

“getagrip, if no one here has advice, I would contact an outfitter for cross country skiing near Yosemite by internet or phone, and let them tell you exactly what you need. Then you can see what they will rent you for cross country skiing. If this is a one time event, you really may not need to buy anything or bring anything with you.

Doesn't the desert get cold at night? Fleece will come in handy and can be used at home too.”

“Hey, look at the side of this page. There are ads for cross country skiing. I'm telling you folks, what we write is reflected in the ads on the side of the page.”

“You will generate more heat cross country skiing than backpacking, so you won't need quite as much clothes for the same temperature.

Waxless skis are better for newbies and variable snow conditions.

Cross country skiing will use different muscles than backpacking. Either train on a nordic track, or take it easy at first.

If you want to take a heavy pack, like over 45 to 50 pounds, put the pack in a sled and pull it.”

“I agree with Prosecutor's first two comments. I work up a heavy sweat X-country skiing.

A friend trained on a Nordic-trac and said that the muscles used on the Nordic was totally different than X-country skiing. The upside, he said, was that it did help with aerobic conditioning.”

“True about generating more heat and sweating. All the more reason to be sure you bring extra layers to put on when you stop for a break!”

“My advice wouild be to rent eqipment before buying it.

Join a club, or take lessons.

Buy waxable skis - you will quickly become better and waxless skis will soon not be good enough. Lessons or a club will help you with the waxing which soon becomes easy.”

“Are you going on a multi-day trip or just day trips? And where in Yosemite? I know they do a guided trip to a back country hut, but I expect it fills up fast.

It seems to me that every trail out of the valley is steep and on the edge of something. I cannot imagine attempting it on skis, because I suck at cross country skiing despite years of doing it. Also, the valley is relatively low altitude and may not have a lot of snow. You might want to call the ranger station for recommendations and current info on snow.

Beyond that, I agree with everyone else about layers and generating heat. I am usually peeled down to a lightweight, long-sleeved shirt pretty quick.”

“I agree with the suggestion to buy waxable skis. Waxing isn't hard to do or figure out and once you go waxable, waxless skis seem slow and noisy.”

“Well, I've only been cross-country skiing once, but let me pass on what I learned: Do not carry a camera in your upper jacket pocket, as when you fall on it, it will crack your ribs. Thanks.”

“Make sure your lenses fit tight into the frame of your eyeglasses so you won't have to hunt for the lost one when you're headfirst in a snow bank.”

“Hopefully getagrip is going up to Badger Pass (elev.=7000'), where they groom Glacier Point Road for XC skiing - and there's NO trail fee. It's an excellent place to learn to XC ski, and they rent stuff there, too. We go there all the time, and find that there is plenty of more challenging terrain available once you get some experience.

I have never used waxable skis, and I've never felt like my enjoyment was being curtailed in any way. In fact, as a beginner, I found it rather useful to have a set of skis that wasn't going to have me traveling too fast! If you really want to go as fast as possible, waxables are the way to go. If you don't care how fast you're going and you just want to get out and enjoy yourself, waxless are fine.”

“I have crosscountry skiied for 23 years now. The first year I had waxable, now only do waxless. I like the simplicity of strapping em on and going, on a moment's notice. You gotta decide for yourself, but after 26 years, I doubt I'll do a waxable ski again.”

“I agree with monkeyboy. Waxless skis have the great benefit of being ready to go.

I have three sets of cross country skis. My first pair long ago were waxables and I still use them occasionally. I have another pair of waxless that I use more often on groomed trailes because I can grab them and go without any base prep time. I also have a pair of backcountry waxless that I use when I'm off groomed trails.

I'm also thinking about a pair of skate skis.”

“WAX ON, WAX OFF

I love wax, it is a zen like involvement.

climbing skins
ski tip
binding parts?

best socks I have found are the Thorlo Expedition, Smartwool Expedition next best

polypro layer
windproof/waterproof layer with full length pant zips and "pit " zips on jacket
fleece or down layer (usually in pack, pull out at stops)
fleece gloves
glove liners
nylon overmits
balaclava
hat (I like windproof fleece for both)
sun glasses and sun screen

(this is all very much what I brought to the Pecos!!!!)

Are you packing?

If not, you still need a day pack large enough for "10 essentials" and clothing layers.”

“That is for day touring, not skiing groomed trails with warming huts. ;-)”

“Skiing is kind of zen like in itself, isn't it? I don't know of any other activity, including hiking, where I so completely lose myself in the sheer joy of it. There were times last winter when I was all alone in the middle of the woods and a smile would start to spread across my face. Soon I was laughing just because of the joy of it all.

Waxless for me - I don't "bounce" as well as when younger, so the feeling of out of control isn't welcome.”

“What gives people the idea that wax=outofcontrol?

BTW, if you really want to use waxless skis, polar (white) wax the smooth areas and it will feel a LITTLE les than dragging boards.”

“Wax does not equal out of control for me. Wax equals speed. Speed equals out of control. Of course it would at least be philosophically consistent with the rest of my life, lol. I'm just saying that I don't bounce as well as I did in my younger years. Young whippersnapper!”

“should this be fuego?

it seems to me there is one big argument in every activity that you can draw a line in the sand over.

you guys should just fight it out once and for all. no gloves, no refs, no rules.”

“Whoosh! (waxless ski swung at the wax crowd)”

“Naahhh - I'm just playin' and I think everyone else is too...of course I've thought that before. I'm certainly not getting in a fight with any Rugby player - I've seen some of them with their chewed off ears.”

“YOUNG WHIPPERSNAPPER?

If I weren't a Canuck those would be fightin' words (I'm 56, BTW).

Wax gives push when you want it. Walk slowly when you don't.

Sheesh!”

“nimble - i think you'd better start ducking!

whether you want it or not - IT'S ON!!!”

“Yeah, I knew I was a little older when I made the comment (59 and 3/4). At our age a few years doesn't mean much, but there's still that chewed off ear thing. By the way, it's skiing were discussing so it's "Swoosh", not "Sheesh". Make me mad and I'll move to Canada. Property values will really go to hell then.”

“Thud! Ooof! (kick in the stomach with backcountry ski boot)”

“I'm taller than you too (5'6").”

“Now, now, Canucks and Wisconites are a pretty polite crowd doncha know (I had a good friend from Madison).

It's all about fun.”

“Not only taller, but balder and can out fart you. Yeah, Madison is a cool town. My family lives there, which explains why I live 300 miles north (closest since I originally left home).”

“Nimble, you and I must have gone to different schools to-gether.

FEEL the chemistry.”

“Actually I'm Snake Eyes, or used to be. I wanted a trail sounding trailname for my AT thru hike. I was thinking about Forest Grump, but that damned Bowlderman busted me in about 30 seconds.”

“This thread got me thinking (never easy or painless). This is my 49th winter of cross country ski-ing.

We used to take the bus down to where is now the Olympic stadium in Montreal (5¢) where there was a rope tow. It cost about a dollar for the day.

My new best friend had arrived from Austria (Karlsdorf bei Graz) and he told us he went to school and back on skis. He showed us how to wax (only three colours back then - Rot, Weiss und Blau) and we'd ski across the Municipal Golf Course and through the fields.

We'd buy a soft drink with the 5¢ we saved on the bus ride home.

It's all built up now, of course.”

“funny grem.

my dad is from austria - came to the states when he was in his twenties.

he was practically born on skis. he had me skiing when i could barely walk myself.

he didn't believe in paying for a ride up the mountain - half the fun he used to say, so he used to drag the family to the local sledding hill and we would ski up and down the hill.
he used to hit the sledding jumps the older kids would build. used to get lots of ooohs and aaaahs.”

“Exactly my point. I started last January 16th...I write down everything that's sports related...and skiied 237 miles in February. Took me forever to go around this one loop without falling. I had to start taking Yoga and Pilates so I could get back up without it being an all day evolution. Which reminds me, time to go work out.”

“My parents used to take the train from Montreal to what was then the McGill University ski club which is gone now under the Saint-Sauveur complex. They used strap-on skins and I had a photo of my mother, her sister and a cousin on top of Hill 70 with their skins around their waists and preparing to ski down. This would be in the 30's.

The tracks have long been torn up and there is now a linear park aboout 100 km long for walking and winter ski-ing. It's called, 'Le p'tit train du Nord'.”

“Interesting history, everyone.

I weigh in on the waxless side 'cause I'm lazy and spontaneous.

Boulder Pass, of course. I've never been there, and now I want to go immediately.”

“Interesting history, everyone.

I weigh in on the waxless side 'cause I'm lazy and spontaneous.

Badger Pass, of course. I've never been there, and now I want to go immediately.

If there are no warming huts, it's nice to have a piece of closed cell pad to sit on at lunchtime.”

“wax=nonspontaneous? ha!

wax=glide and glide takes you to a higher state of consciousness.

Takes me two minutes to slap on some kick. Glide comes on days/nights when I wish I could ski and the smell of hot wax helps a little. I use flouro glide.

As far as a war, you waxless fans keep it up. Just makes me look faster. :D
last edited: 12/10/04 12:06:59 PM”

“I should have said that wax is MAGIC (glide AND kick).....”

“very icy and fast tonight!!!!

=(8-O

Reminded me of a reason waxless are popular in CA- "Sierra Cement".

Did I mention I carry climbing skins when appropriate backcountry touring/”

“Can you wax waxless skis? They're what I have because they came in a package deal for dirt cheap when we bought our skis 9 years ago. I could use some more glide.”

“yes, very impt on waxless skis. If you want easy, get the paste flouro. Doesn't last as long as iron on but it is just like paste car wax. spread, polish.”

“Where I bought mine they said to hotwax them every year. Also they sold me some stuff to rub on the front and rear third of the ski's before each use, but I don't think it has any zen qualities (costs more for that stuff). I'm really not into the properties of what's used. Last year I ran out so I just used bacon grease.”

“candle wax would be better than bacon grease. ;-) That is what I used to use on my Flex Flyer runners.

Biggest reason that I like XC skiing is playing on the snow and getting far from the maddening crowds.”

“So, Nimblefoot you're telling me forget about buying ski wax and just use car wax or bacon grease? =)
I bought my skis at Dunhams. No one there had ever used a cross country ski ever. Including me.
It'd be really nice if we could get some snow around here. If all the rain we've gotten in the past three weeks were snow we'd be up to our eyeballs and I'd like it!”

“car wax is not a bad idea.”

“I don't spend too much time worrying about glide in NM. In Fairbanks, the colder temps made good glide much harder to come by.”

“Me too, Pathman. Same reason. I probably didn't run into (in the figurative sense) more than 20 people all last year. When I did I always felt a little indignant. Don't ask me about snowshoers on a groomed trail.”

“Pay no serious attention to anything I post here on skiing advice. I'm just having fun and, when it comes to taking care of my gear, I just do what the experienced skiers tell me.”

“There are a lot of tourists locals playing in the snow at my most frequently used trailhead, but only a few go beyond. The ski trails were put in by the local club. Pretty good, but not groomed. To my advantage, they are seriously underused right now.”