Let’s go back-country The right ski for your next outing
T
HE CANOE is stowed high and dry. My hiking boots hang from a nail on the basement wall. I’m itching to get into the wilderness, but spring won’t poke her nose around here for months. What’s to do? Back-country skiing! Early on a Saturday the snow squeaks underfoot as we step into our bindings. Breath lingers in misty puffs. For six or eight hours we’ll venture through terrain that’s otherwise inaccessible. Returning tired as evening descends, we’ll drive to a local eatery, feast on a hardy meal and wash it down with fine ale or a bottle of Shiraz. Back-country trips allow skiers to explore untrodden terrain. Veteran skiers move off familiar trails, taking new routes to old destinations. Telemarkers climb for hours to oases of fresh powder. Carving virgin turns down a slope where no-one’s skied before – the adrenaline rushes. Skiing in the back-country can also involve multi-day treks. Adventurous souls fill a pack with essentials for overnight stays in a hut or tent, strap on skis and hit the trail. You’ll return from an overnight trip with memories of the best dinner you ever cooked – by candle light, with basic ingredients in the most rudimentary conditions. Left behind are all those modern conveniences on which we all depend 20 OTTAWA WINTER
OUTDOORS
so heavily. No electric stove, no stereo or TV playing in the background and no telephone. Instead, the silent music of stars, the glow of candles, and not a bug in sight. To access the back-country you won’t need a lot of special equipment or experience. If you plan a trek off the well-travelled trail or an overnight stay in the woods, however, you’ll need map-reading skills and sound knowledge of winter survival techniques. Back-country skiing comes in three varieties: classic, touring and telemarking. For a normal day’s outing, your daypack for any variety of back-country skiing should include: • Your lunch • A power bar • Water • Ski wax • A first aid kit • An extra fleece jacket on cold days or longer outings • A trail map and compass. For longer adventures, make sure to pack appropriately. Effective planning is essential for multi-day adventures in winter. Your survival depends on it. Always check the weather before heading out on the trail. Know the territory you’re about to enter, and always let friends or family know where you are going.
Photo by National Capital Commission.
By By Stephen Stephen Seabrook Seabrook
CLASSIC SKIING
The best-known cross-country style, classic skis are narrow and used on groomed tracks. For a detailed look at classic technique and equipment, see “x-country skiing: the basics,” on page 16. In the back-country, classic skis are well-suited only to day outings on groomed trails. You’ll find excellent back-country trails (among the world’s best) in Gatineau Park. Visit www.capcan.ca/gatineau for more details. Farther afield, the Laurentian Mountains are renowned for great trail systems, as well as outstanding cuisine and nightlife. Check www.canadatrails.ca/xc_ ski/xc_ qc.html for details.
ROSSIGNOL X-TOUR TRACK • ideal for in-track use, but
won’t back down from packed snowmobile trails • The Rossitop Extended Edge gives the ski slicing power on downhill turns and step
www.OttawaOutdoors. ca
