XC-skiing in breakable crust?

This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web. We have fun here, come on in and be a part of it.
Post Reply
User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

XC-skiing in breakable crust?

Post by lilcliffy » Mon Dec 31, 2018 7:16 pm

I think I have finally decided that Nordic rocker is a handicap when XC-skiing in breakable crust...

My wimpy-tipped skis (e.g. Eon/Epoch/Annum/E109/E99) are absolutely useless in breakable crust.

My new Ingstad BC is better, but still a bit miserable in breakable crust. The Nordic rocker causes the stiff, stable tip to stay on top of the crust, while the mid-section of the ski breaks trail...YUCKY.

The Gamme 54 BC is better than the Ingstad BC- it has less rocker and less sidecut.

The test-winner here is my non-rockered Combat Nato. Deep snow- peh. Windswept pack- peh. Breakable snow- see yu later!

(BTW- the Asnes Combat USGI is just as good in this context- though crazy heavy and unmanoeuvrable!)
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.

User avatar
Inspiredcapers
Posts: 290
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2018 4:11 pm
Location: Southeast BC
Ski style: Erratic
Favorite Skis: Gammes currently at the top of the list
Favorite boots: Transnordics in NNN-BC & 75mm
Occupation: Heavy Equipment Operator

Re: XC-skiing in breakable crust?

Post by Inspiredcapers » Sun Jan 13, 2019 2:38 am

I don’t think it really matters what ski you use on that kinda junk, breakthrough is going to happen and forward progress is going to be hampered. I’m enjoying my Alpina Discovery 80’s in most conditions but the crud we’ve got isn’t that enjoyable. Currently nursing a twisted ankle from a low speed parallel turn I can easily do on powder or packed...should’ve known better.
Skiing…falling downhill…pretty much the same thing for this klutz.



User avatar
Cannatonic
Posts: 983
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 9:07 pm

Re: XC-skiing in breakable crust?

Post by Cannatonic » Sun Jan 13, 2019 10:45 am

I break out the '11 210cm fishscale E99's, they're great at staying on top....thick planks, much heavier than current E99, probably less rocker. The difference b/w 210 and 205cm is huge when breaking through, I've tried the 205 and 210 on consecutive days on the same collapsing snow, the length of the snowbridge is key. Those 210 NATO's would be ideal
"All wisdom is to be gained through suffering"
-Will Lange (quoting Inuit chieftan)



User avatar
Woodserson
Posts: 2967
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 10:25 am
Location: New Hampshire
Ski style: Bumps, trees, steeps and long woodsy XC tours
Occupation: Confused Turn Farmer

Re: XC-skiing in breakable crust?

Post by Woodserson » Sun Jan 13, 2019 6:42 pm

lilcliffy wrote:I think I have finally decided that Nordic rocker is a handicap when XC-skiing in breakable crust...

My wimpy-tipped skis (e.g. Eon/Epoch/Annum/E109/E99) are absolutely useless in breakable crust.

My new Ingstad BC is better, but still a bit miserable in breakable crust. The Nordic rocker causes the stiff, stable tip to stay on top of the crust, while the mid-section of the ski breaks trail...YUCKY.

The Gamme 54 BC is better than the Ingstad BC- it has less rocker and less sidecut.

The test-winner here is my non-rockered Combat Nato. Deep snow- peh. Windswept pack- peh. Breakable snow- see yu later!

(BTW- the Asnes Combat USGI is just as good in this context- though crazy heavy and unmanoeuvrable!)
Please define "Peh"

is it like "meh"?

or, "crushes it"?



User avatar
lilcliffy
Posts: 4112
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2015 6:20 pm
Location: Stanley, New Brunswick, Canada
Ski style: backcountry Nordic ski touring
Favorite Skis: Asnes Ingstad, Combat Nato, Amundsen, Rabb 68; Altai Kom
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska BC; Lundhags Expedition; Alfa Skaget XP; Scarpa T4
Occupation: Forestry Professional
Instructor at Maritime College of Forest Technology
Husband, father, farmer and logger

Re: XC-skiing in breakable crust?

Post by lilcliffy » Sun Jan 13, 2019 8:30 pm

Ha!
English sucks- or at least I suck at it.
"Peh"- meaning "nothing to worry about"- the Combat NATO's broad, raised tip carves and/or smashes its way through snow.
It crushes it.
Cross-country AND down-hill skiing in the backcountry.
Unashamed to be a "cross-country type" and love skiing down-hill.



User avatar
Mountain Mitch
Posts: 36
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2018 10:05 pm
Location: Kootenays, BC

Re: XC-skiing in breakable crust?

Post by Mountain Mitch » Sun Jan 13, 2019 10:33 pm

I skied up and down Mount Crow yesterday. It was a group of eight lead by a nice fellow I haven’t skied with before. The up was steep but fine although a bit slow as is usually the case with a group.

The down was pretty miserable as we were in very heavy trees on a steep slope (30 degrees plus in places). The snow had a slight crust but no bottom. If you went over a hidden rock or log the snow would just entirely give way. Trying to get up was an effort as your pole would go all the way to the ground underneath leaving only the handle sticking above the snow. Not a lot to push on to right yourself.

I don’t think I’ll be going out with that leader again anytime soon.



User avatar
lowangle al
Posts: 2731
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:36 pm
Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
Ski style: BC with focus on downhill perfection
Favorite Skis: powder skis
Favorite boots: Scarpa T4
Occupation: Retired cement mason. Current job is to take my recreation as serious as I did my past employment.

Re: XC-skiing in breakable crust?

Post by lowangle al » Tue Jan 15, 2019 11:36 am

The only time I've had fun skiing breakable crust is when on a ski wide enough to stay on top. I've had to pull out my 110mm underfoot powder boards to do it but it was worth it. Crust skiing can be fun, you can cover a lot of ground and pretty much go wherever you want, but I like to stay on top. If I am breaking through i would look for somewhere else to ski or something else to do.



Post Reply