Let’s go backcountry skiing

Let’s go back-country Let’s go back-country

The right ski for your The right ski for your next outing next outing

By Stephen Seabrook By Stephen Seabrook

THE 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 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.

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

TOURING While similar to equipment for classic skiing, touring gear allows skiers to leave the groomed trails and access many kinds of terrain. Its wider skis and stiffer boots provide more stability on uneven tracks. Giving you greater floatation when you’re breaking trails in deep snow, touring gear is ideal for the back-country. The added stability makes touring equipment excellent for beginner skiers, whether they plan to bushwhack or use groomed trails. Prices for a touring outfit compare to those for classic ski gear.

The Trans-Canada Trail System, a summer walking trail, becomes a top notch cross-country skiing trail in winter. Although some sections are groomed, once you leave the urban area, the trail is mainly ungroomed and unsupervised. These trails are flat and great for all levels of ability.

The Rideau Trail extends between Ottawa and Kingston. Maps are available in many local outdoor shops.

Want a different adventure? The Adirondacks (Lake Placid region) offer an excellent network of trails with huts for overnight stays and winter camping areas. It’s also possible to ski from one Bed-and-Breakfast spot to the next, on a two- or three-day excursion. Pack enough gear and snacks for a day’s skiing, and let your B&B hosts take care of your meals and sleeping arrangements. Most will also provide a day lunch if you ask ahead.

TELEMARK A telemark is a turn in which the skier bends both knees, tucking one knee behind the other. Telemark equipment allows the user to go virtually anywhere and ski on almost any snow.

The gear is similar to that for touring and classic skiing, but incorporates features from alpine ski gear. Touring boots have moved from traditional leather to plastics, more in the style of alpine boots, but flexing at the toe

and ankle (bindings leave the heel free to move up and down). Telemark skis look similar to alpine skis, incorporating their hour-glass design with lightweight materials.

When you plan a telemark ski outing in the back-country, pay careful attention to the weight you’ll carry. If you’re traversing for hours, the weight of extra equipment will bog you down. If you are packing for

FISCHER BC COUNTRY CROWN • Narrow waisted and superb for touring! On or off groomed trails. • Featuring the Single/Double

Crown climbing system. • With AirChannel and the all-purpose Ultra Tuning finish.

a multi-day trip, start counting ounces instead of pounds.

For any off-piste (off-trail) adventure, always be prepared. Plan carefully. Check the weather. Know your trail. Tell a friend where you’re going. To your standard pack described above, and overnight gear if applicable, add the following items for an off-trail telemark expedition: • Extra pair of gloves • Avalanche transceiver, shovel, and snow probe • Goggles and/or sun glasses.

With its hardwood forests, the Ottawa region is not known for off-piste telemark skiing. The densely wooded slopes make for very tight telemark turns. There are, however, some hidden gems. Deep in Gatineau Park, power lines run down the sides of consistently steep hills. They’re a joy to play in after a snow storm.

Outside of Ottawa, you’ll find excellent opportunities for telemark skiing in the Presidential Range, White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire. The Appalachian Club and the U.S. Forest Service maintain trails, an over-night cabin, and camping shelters throughout the area. There is also outstanding terrain throughout the Appalachians, Adirondacks and Laurentians.

Grab a map and a friend, and start the adventure! —Stephen Seabrook is an avid outdoor enthusiast who has back-country skied all over the region...and he is a Sagitarius. :)

K2 SUPER STINX SKIS If you’re a tele-skier who likes to switch from the lifts to the backcountry from one run to the next, the Super Stinx might be your ticket to ride. It’s designed for aggressive telemark skiers who like to carve turns on hardpack as well as through deep pow. • Moderate, round flex designed for aggressive or heavier skiers. • Strong rebound with a wood core. • Drilled tip for rigging as an emergency sled. • Notched tail to secure climbing skins. • Dimensions are 107 – 70 - 97mm (tip – waist – tail), delivering both crud-bustin’ turns and power carves on-piste. • Mount as telemark skis

ESSENTIAL COOL GEAR

MEC VECTOR JACKET WOMEN’S • The nylon face fabric uses a heavier, more abrasionresistant weave at the shoulders, arms, and underarm zipper inserts. • A lighter, tear-resistant ripstop weave is used elsewhere. • Nylon taffeta lining in the arms and body front lets you slip the jacket on easily. • Polyester mesh lining in the upper back and shoulders enhances breathability. • The heat- and moistureventing Uretek underarm zippers are flap-free to allow easy adjustment. As no Velcro® is used, the underarm zips don’t spontaneously reseal. (In very wet weather, position the sliders directly beneath your armpits to ensure they stay watertight.) • Cut just below hip-length. • Roomy enough to fit over heavyweight fleece. • Waist drawcord for finetuning fit. • Zip-off hood adjusts for size and has eye-level drawcords to allow unimpeded

THE LEKI MAKALU ANTISHOCK TREKKING POLE • The ErgoSoft grip on the

Makalu Antishock is a super comfortable straight rubber grip with a slightly padded, secure strap system. • This 3-section pole compacts as small as 28” and extends to 56”. • The core of this pole is

LEKI’s Triple Spring System that allows the Antishock System to be set individually in three stages. The advantage is that Expedition Shoppe

NALGENE KAIBAB III 3 LITRES • Back panel constructed with PE foam and merry mesh which provides comfort and wicks moisture • Contoured, padded, merry mesh shoulder straps guarantee a comfortable fit • Duraflex hardware and polyester Nylon weave webbing provides durable and comfortable straps and buckles • Sternum Strap comfortably holds pack to body • Waist belt provides a more secure fit so pack stays in place during high activity • Evenly distributes weight of the pack for a more balanced feel • Gussett and zippered cargo pouch increases cargo capacity • BLADDER TPE – 3 Litres

ENDURANCE 3 ANTISHOCK HIKING POLE • The ultimate adjustable hiking pole! • Ergonomically designed forward angled handle keeps your wrist in a neutral and relaxed position • Soft foam grip below the handle makes it possible to hold the pole lower down on traverses without adjusting the length • “Antishock” spring system to help absorb the impact of each pole plant • Lightweight, three-section “Quick-lock” adjustability for convenient packing • Very strong, expedition-strength anodized aluminum tubing • Extremely durable carbide tip for use on ice or rock • Dome style baskets