Dealing with FRACKIN icy refrozen snow in the backcountry!

[lilcliffy]

I am getting very excited about snow- only a few flurries yet...

Rather than praying for endless stable, cold fresh snow- I have decided to do everything I can to enjoy the inevitable results of the "Chinese Hoax"- ICY, REFROZEN FRACKIN SNOW!

Way back I used to stick to the groomed track and klister when the snow was icy and refrozen.

Using kicker skins in an everyday touring application (as opposed to in the past, only using kicker skins when hauling weight on a trek) has allowed me to keep going in the backcountry, even when the snow is an icy shit show.

The other thing I did last season was I forced myself to give klister a real go in the forested hills. You know what? I discovered that my fear of klister in the woods was a lot worse than the reality. Did shit stick to the klister? Yeah- some stuff did- but the grip and glide was still excellent- probably due to the stiff second camber on my Ingstads and E99/E109....

Going forward my strategy for icy refrozen snow?
1) Camber-and-a-half, or double camber.
2) Kicker skins man.
3) Klister baby.

What is your strategy in the backcountry for icy refrozen snow?

[Verskis]

I will use kicker skins, either Madshus Intelligrip skins on skinny Merrel XCD GT skis or integrated skins on the OAC KAR147 "skishoes" (stupid name btw, to me they are much more ski than snowshoe). Both work fine on icy snow.

[Johnny]

My strategy is simple: go ski elsewhere and find some real snow...

Or if I really feel for icy snow, the SkinLock / Xskins are my best weapons... You don't have the drag of kickers, it really feels like a normal wax ski, with grip on ice... It's actually really fun...!

[lilcliffy]

My strategy is simple: go ski elsewhere and find some real snow...

HA! I wish I could do that every day! At some point in the future, I intend to be in a position where I can travel at any time to fresh soft snow. At this point in my life- work and family keep me pretty close to home- to enjoy the winter backcountry skiing I have to accept whatever snow presents itself. I live in a snowbelt- so I always have enough snow- but, erratic weather- which we are getting more and more of- leads to freeze-thaw-freeze mixed with a lot of precipitation. Icy, refrozen snow is simply something I cannot avoid at this point in my life!

Or if I really feel for icy snow, the SkinLock / Xskins are my best weapons... You don't have the drag of kickers, it really feels like a normal wax ski, with grip on ice... It's actually really fun...!

Yeah- they are just incredible- difficult snow, steep climbs, very deep snow- and then you have a smooth base for downhill skiing. I have to say that my waxless-scaled are beginning to feel a little obsolete...

[Cannatonic]

My strategy is simple: go ski elsewhere and find some real snow...

yes, or wait for it to warm up and/or snow again! Or go swim some laps. Seriously, the Asnes skins did work on ice a couple times last year for me, but the whole experience was pretty miserable, just the grating sounds of my edges and poles against the ice gets annoying fast. I start thinking "why am I out here?"

[satsuma]

I am getting very excited about snow- only a few flurries yet...

Rather than praying for endless stable, cold fresh snow- I have decided to do everything I can to enjoy the inevitable results of the "Chinese Hoax"- ICY, REFROZEN FRACKIN SNOW!

Way back I used to stick to the groomed track and klister when the snow was icy and refrozen.

Using kicker skins in an everyday touring application (as opposed to in the past, only using kicker skins when hauling weight on a trek) has allowed me to keep going in the backcountry, even when the snow is an icy shit show.

The other thing I did last season was I forced myself to give klister a real go in the forested hills. You know what? I discovered that my fear of klister in the woods was a lot worse than the reality. Did shit stick to the klister? Yeah- some stuff did- but the grip and glide was still excellent- probably due to the stiff second camber on my Ingstads and E99/E109....

Going forward my strategy for icy refrozen snow?
1) Camber-and-a-half, or double camber.
2) Kicker skins man.
3) Klister baby.

What is your strategy in the backcountry for icy refrozen snow?

Don't ski in the northeast--we don't have snow like that near here (but maybe in the Cascades). Seriously, waxless skis don't work on ice, I think the best is ice klister.

[Woodserson]

Scales.

Sorry.

[lowangle al]

It's good to know that the integrated skin system works well on the icy refrozen snow, but when my local trails freeze over they are so rutted up by bikers and hikers that they aren't worth skiing anyway.