Page 1 of 2

Singletrack and Snowmobile Trail Skills

Posted: Mon Jan 27, 2020 9:00 pm
by Landscraper
Hi everyone

My partner and I moved to Vermont, just on the edge of the North East Kingdom this fall. Naturally I got skis.

I have a set of Traverse 78s, NNNBC, loving life and skiing logging roads and singletrack every day (yes, true new zeal) in the parklands behind our house.

I’m having trouble pushing and skidding to control speed on snowmobile packed trails while descending, maybe it’s something about the packed track and bowling alley bumper like side slop. Kicking along it’s no problem, I actually use the side piles to keep me in line.

Any of you gurus have some sage advice on how to navigate this condition? Surely I’ll get better with practice, but I wanted to offer it up to the community in case someone had a word of wisdom.

Re: Singletrack and Snowmobile Trail Skills

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 12:10 am
by paulzo
Snowmobile tracks are just a bear to ski downhill on unless it is the perfect gentle gradient that lets you just glide along without needing to control your speed, inwhich case it's heaven. When its a bit steeper and some braking is needed i have found that the only thing that worked for me was a narrow snowplow such that the talis of my skis scrape the sides of the trench. But its hard to get much braking force in that narrow a wedge, i had to get pretty knock kneed in my stance to make anything happen, and somtimes you just have to bail out of thr trench into softer snow adjacent - if possible without crashing, though mostly i tend to go down trying.

Re: Singletrack and Snowmobile Trail Skills

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 1:16 am
by wooley12
I've used the "Between skis" technique quite a lot on narrow single tracks. Varying the pressure applied the the snow and angle of your snowplow to adjust to the slope conditions. Like any skill, it's good to practice it on gentle slopes before you need it. I've even used it to descend groomed blue's in the DH ski area I frequent.
poledrag.jpg

Re: Singletrack and Snowmobile Trail Skills

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 1:22 am
by wooley12
Sometimes on steep bumpy ice, walking down carrying your skis is the right technique. :)
face.jpg

Re: Singletrack and Snowmobile Trail Skills

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 6:46 am
by Landscraper
wooley12 wrote:
Tue Jan 28, 2020 1:22 am
Sometimes on steep bumpy ice, walking down carrying your skis is the right technique. :)

face.jpg
Man I’ve definitely been there.
I’ve tried something new this morning, with only moderate success l, that I will call the “tele luge” just setting a lead and hoping I can stick with it on a steep chute.

I’ll try the pole between the legs, I’ve also seen that LilCliffy has suggested an outrigger type technique for singletrack to another

Re: Singletrack and Snowmobile Trail Skills

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 7:44 am
by Woodserson
Sometimes you can drag a ski in unconsolidated snow, that helps too. If you are familiar with the trail, point 'em and gun it!

Re: Singletrack and Snowmobile Trail Skills

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 9:21 am
by Landscraper
Woodserson wrote:
Tue Jan 28, 2020 7:44 am
Sometimes you can drag a ski in unconsolidated snow, that helps too. If you are familiar with the trail, point 'em and gun it!
I tried that this morning, employed the “NEK Tree Grapple” to keep from ditching :mrgreen:

Re: Singletrack and Snowmobile Trail Skills

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 9:49 am
by Inspiredcapers
Woodserson wrote:Sometimes you can drag a ski in unconsolidated snow, that helps too. If you are familiar with the trail, point 'em and gun it!
This.

The conditions you mentioned motivated me to get a set of Telebry release plates for my Alpinas last year after a bad twist that limited skiing for a couple of months. They’ve saved me from similar incidents twice this season.

Re: Singletrack and Snowmobile Trail Skills

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:28 am
by Baaahb
I'd get out of the tracks early on the descent and stay out.

Re: Singletrack and Snowmobile Trail Skills

Posted: Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:22 pm
by greatgt
^^^^^^^...Yup.....Off piste!!!!!!....Did some mush crush with a dollop of powder on top to day....probably not far from where you were shooting trails....TM