[Whiteout]

Multiple recent events have me in an Orland Bartholomew frame of mind--a guy who recently finished his walk, paddle, peddle trip around the globe; the thru-hikers thread; snowfall. Years ago it occured to me just the name "cross-country skiing," demanded an attempt. Seems Port Angeles to Brunswick, ME would be the route. Ever hear of anyone making a try?

How bout thru-skiing the PCT? Well, Canada to Whitney anyway.

I love those fast epics: bobskiing's High-Route-in-a-day; the guys who raced round-Tahoe.

But, what ski trips of epic length have you heard of, though? Anything underway by sections?

[cesare]

"Cross-country skiing is great, if you live in a small country." -- Stephen Wright

I did the Sierra traverse in 8 days so that doesn't count.

On a smaller scale, traversed Mount Audubon last March with Snowbeard, Christian, and Sarah in 10 1/2 hours. I guess that doesn't really count either because it is only one mountain.

I once had the idea to ski the contintental divide in CO from border to border. I think somebody actually did this but don't know who. My thought was to break it into sections with either caches or restocking trips into towns nearby.

I think it would be interesting to traverse the Torngats or the Brooks Range.

But I don't know who can top Nansen's ski traverse of the Greenland Ice Cap in the 1880s. It seems to have been the inspiration for the escape across ice cap on skis in Ursula K. LeGuin's classic, The Left Hand of Darkness.
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that sounds like a sure-fire way to get bitch-slapped by devil's club -- dschane

[funhog]

I skied from my house in Fairbanks, down the Yukon River, then up to Nome one year. I skied from Arctic Village to Kaktovik through the brooks range, and several trips from Wiseman to anaktuvuk pass, and another one where I skied that then skied to bettles. I've done several alaska range trips, Near Tok to the Richardson highway near Paxson and a couple of times skied from black rapids glacier to Denali. We skied from Juneau to Atlin one season

there was poster in the alaska thread whose brother skied from Kotzebue to Anaktuvuk (md2020?). Joe Stock skied from Anchorage to Valdez a couple of years ago. He also skied the Neacola mountains last year I think it was. Dick Griffith skied from Bettles to Nome then up to Barrow into Canada, that took several years. One of our municipal assembly persons (Johnson) skied several trips in the brooks range and arctic. there is a couple who lives or lived on Kodiak Island that has done some long ski trips in Alaska. The okoneks have skijored quite extensively with some long trips like Fairbanks to Nome in a circuitous route.

there are a few folks who have skied the Iditarod and yukon quest trails, bob Baker I think was the first to do both.

Amundsen made that amazing trip from Herschel Island to Eagle in the early 1900s to let folks know he found the northwest passage.

what about those canadian rockie ski traverses? Chic Scott comes to mind.

there was a fellow here on ttips who did several long trips in the Southern Canadian rockies, he had some writeup although short of his trips.
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It's all about fun....

[Ra]

A few years ago some friends started skiing from Logan Canyon (in northern Utah) and skied as far north as they could in a week. The following year the picked up where they left off and pushed on. The last year they did it, I think they wrapped up north of Yellowstone.

Good luck if you endeavor on a true "cross-country" trip and be sure to let us know how it goes!

[Kara]

Sounds great. I think I may be moving back to my roots with this sort of thing. Moving across the land with only human power....heaven
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Napoleon, don't be jealous that I've been chatting online with babes all day.

[Baaahb]

Here's a trip for you.
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Other vegetables have a hard time competing with potatoes.

[westside tele]

this is a good one too

[bjz]

[oneoldtimer]

Check out the Catamount Trail in Vermont. It goes from the Vermont/Quebec border into Massachusetts, a little over 200 miles. It parellels the Long Trail, so there are lean-tos and primitive cabins not far away. It also passes through several cross country ski areas with lodging nearby. Many chutes and ravines accessable from the CT. It is also the reason I took up tele, it passes right by my front door! Good luck.
Dave
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Let the FORCE be your guide!

[the mighty elbo]

Here's the account of the two guys who set out to ski from the south terminus of the Wind River Range up through Yellowstone to Livingston and then back down through the Gallatins, Tetons, and western Wyo from January to May.

Interesting site for sure...

http://ski.mountainzone.com/2001/yellowstone/html/index.html
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"To err is human; to air-guitar divine."

[bushpig]

Hey Baaahb,
are you a TDL skier?
I have done it 12-14 times over the years starting in the early 90's.
Have not gone for a few years now but thinking about it for this winter. Schedule is a classic TDL with a few new trails and some old favorites. Hope the Laurentians get some good snow this year!
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Every hill repays its debt!

[steeleman]

Ned Gillette skied around both Denali and Everest as part of a long string of amazing feats. He was a legend to me and then was tragically murdered in his tent in Pakistan.

From his obit in the new york times:

[Baaahb]

bushpig: no, and doubt I ever will, though it sounds like a lot of fun. a poster named agawam pointed it out many moons ago, perhaps you know him.
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Other vegetables have a hard time competing with potatoes.

[bakerdog]

[bergbryce]

Warning! Weak Traverse suggestion...
I wanted to ski the length of the Black Forest in Germany before I left. I was trying to decide to go the tough(er) way, bivvy and cook my own food or the easy way, staying at inns and partaking in fine food and drink every night. Alas I didn't have to choose, I ran out of time. Probably would have been cool though, but not very hard core.