Tips for XC Skiing Off-Trail, Off-Track, and in the Backcountry During Snowstorms and Blizzards
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ย. 2024
- There are lots of other tips and considerations that I'm sure I left out when it comes to cross-country skiing off-trail and off-track during a snowstorm. So, share what you think was omitted in the comment section below.
There are so many things to take into account for this type of adventure. But I keep things simple and manageable. Limit your snowstorm adventure to a shorter distance (i.e. less than five miles in total) and travel somewhere with which you're already familiar (i.e. your favorite trail or local park).
Don't explore terrain that's new to you during a big snowstorm. Don't travel further than a few total miles. Be aware of your surroundings. When in doubt, turn back. Your safety is your responsibility.
In this video I was running Fischer S-Bound 112mm skis with 3-pin bindings, and wearing Alpina Alaska boots.
• Discussing My Backcountry XC Skis and Philosophy for Backcountry Cross-Country Skiing ( • Discussing My Backcoun... )
This is an article I wrote espousing the merits of learning technique (over buying more xc ski gear).
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Here's a complimentary article that I wrote about backcountry cross-country ski gear.
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Please note that I produced my series of articles and videos tagged “Cross-Country Skiing Explained” with the beginner or intermediate cross-country skier in mind. Therefore, I don’t intend to address racing-oriented philosophy, technique, or gear selection.
Classic Cross-Country Ski Components (articles at Tahoe Trail Guide):
Introduction to Classic Cross-Country Skis (Part 1)
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Geometry of Classic Cross-Country Skis (Part 2)
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The Grip Zone of Classic Cross-Country Skis (Part 3)
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Types of Bindings for Classic Cross-Country Skiing (Part 4)
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Ski Boots for Classic Cross-Country Skiing (Part 5)
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Classic Cross-Country Ski Poles (Part 6)
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FAQs about Classic Cross-Country Skiing
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Waxing Your “Waxless” Cross-Country Skis (for beginner and intermediate xc skiers):
Introduction to Waxing Your Waxless XC Skis
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FAQs About Waxing Your Waxless XC Skis
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Considerations for buying cross-country ski gear (new and beginner xc skiers):
Buying Cross-Country Ski Gear, for Beginners (Part 1)
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I've produced this collection of articles and videos about backcountry travel and exploration with the beginner and intermediate adventurer in mind. This is the demographic for whom I most often served while working in the Lake Tahoe outdoor recreation industry. In essence, these informational projects I create and publish are extensions of the many conversations we've had over the years.
Please note that, although I encourage you to venture out of your comfort zone, you need to know your limits and when to turn back. Tahoe Trail Guide and its contributors are not liable for property loss or damage, personal injury, or death. Always consult multiple sources when venturing into the backcountry. Always be prepared for the worst case scenario. Your safety is your responsibility.
Copyright © 2023 Jared Manninen
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Very informative… more people need to embrace weather like instead of avoiding because it can be very beautiful. Something additional worth pointing out when it’s dumping (and especially if it’s windy) is that your own tracks will cover up quickly so don’t depend on them to find your way back! (I think you covered that by saying to go at familiar area).
Thank you for the kind words! I appreciate it :)
And I agree that people should embrace all kinds of weather when xc skiing. We can't only wait for the "perfect" ski days ;)
I didn't explicitly say it, but you're absolutely right about ski tracks getting covered up and filled in during stormy days. And, therefore, not a reliable means of finding our way out of the backcountry. Being aware of our surroundings and noting landmarks is better. But even then, neither of those options are 100% guaranteed either if we're dealing with whiteout conditions.
Again, thanks for tuning in and for contributing to the conversation!
Great stuff amigo. We have a bit of snow today jn NJ’s pine barrens, and I’m heading out for some XC skiing. Thanks for the inspiration and information!
Hey Lars!
I appreciate the kind words :) And I hope you had a great xc ski session today!
Again, thanks for tuning in and for the nice feedback :)
Thanks for the tips. I never complain about a good snow storm! Usually it's lack of snow I complain about.
You're welcome, Neil! Thanks so much for tuning in :)
I'm usually the one complaining about not enough snow, too. But this year is something else! haha :) These past couple of days alone have been epic here in Tahoe. I've received 3-5 feet of snow at my house just in the past two days. And that's on top of snow banks that were already multiple feet high. Maybe this is what I get for complaining about last year so much, where we didn't get any new snow from January until mid-March ;)
Anyway, this is the follow-up video that's hot off the press (that I filmed yesterday and published ten minutes ago) if you wanna see lots more snow ;) th-cam.com/video/_aHzH8aaCo8/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for the great video Jared.
Thank you very much :)
Great tips Jared. And sweet telly turns at 2:17. I love getting out for a cross country ski during storms… beautiful experience!
Hey Gretchen!
So great to hear from you :) Hope you're having a great winter in spite of it being a doozy. haha! But it has really been fun skiing in all of these epic snowstorms.
I have been working on my Telemark turns whenever I can find a good angle and favorable snow conditions. I feel pretty confident in softer, deeper snow. Not so much on hard packed snow yet :)
Thanks for watching, and for the kind words. Keep in touch!
Depending on how far you planned to go, I was always careful about a chance of getting wet from the snow fall. It is a good idea to have a change of base layer or even something warmer. I rarely skied with a waterproof shell because that would make me wet from perspiration not escaping my clothing. Never worried about my legs because I never lost much heat down there. Skiing alone I always was on a heavily used trail and my car was easily located in a parking lot.
You are so right! I abhor waterproof shells, Gor tex, or anything similar as well. If it's storming, it is a high humidity environment and 'waterproof' has little value when there is 100% humidity, providing little, relevant to the drying evaporation.
I would suggest these are complicated factors that might not always hold true for every circumstance.
Consider the possibility if you become incapacitated. Very few people will travel in the wilderness in foul weather. If you’ve fallen, your body heat (without a shell) will melt the snow and your clothing could absorb the cold water. A shell jacket can shield you from said water or from the wind while your body automatically cools down. The shell will prevent outside water or vapor from reaching in.
Perspiration and heat can be managed by choosing the right thickness of base layers that will absorb some sweat and air dry. Choosing too thick of a baselayer relative to the ambient temperture and you’ll sweat. Dress as ‘needed’ versus what feels comfortable. A good shell jacket can ventilate under the arms and be unzipped as needed to release vapor. Reducing your pace during significant sweat may also make sense if your not able to manage your dryness for the pace you chosen.
Of course, you can always pack a shell jacket in an emergency in a backpack. I could make some examples how the materials of a modern house manages heat and dryness that function the same way as your clothing. In either case, key is to consciously and activily manage the internal climate relative to the external climate.
Great feedback! I like the approach of traveling in a more popular location on a storm day, as well as ensuring that your vehicle is visible. Both are great ideas with regard to personal safety during a snowstorm.
As far as waterproof/technical wear, I agree that I tend to avoid wearing anything that's supposed to be waterproof while exercising as it totally traps in the perspiration. But having a shell or extra layer either on-hand or available right after finishing the workout is a good idea. Honestly, for five miles or less when I know that I can self-extract in short order, I tend to play it a little fast and loose with clothing. But I should probably offer the information (I'm actually planning to do a follow-up video with additional info this coming week) as it is a major consideration.
And if I do plan on traveling slower and stopping more often, that's when I will wear some sort of Gore-tex top layer. But wearing anything that's supposed to be waterproof definitely requires the person to self-regulate so that they don't just start to sweat like crazy.
Thanks again for the great feedback!
I'm mostly in agreement, too, about the use of waterproof stuff when exercising. Although, as I mentioned in my reply above, if I know I'm going to be moving slow and stopping often I will wear some sort of water/weatherproof top. But I also know that I have to self-regulate the activity so that I don't start to sweat profusely and drench myself from the inside out - haha!
As I also mentioned previously, if I am only going a short distance and I'm going to be moving fast and I'm going directly home afterwards, I do worry less about getting wet. Not a great approach if something drastic did happen, but generally I know my limits and can hammer out a good workout and get home safely before getting too cold from being too wet.
Thanks for the feedback! I will include some thoughts regarding clothing in the follow-up video this week!
As always, great feedback!
I'm planning to actually produce a follow-up video to this one (this week) as we're about the get hammered here in Tahoe with another blizzard. And, I clearly left out some good topics and information. So, I'll be sure to mention pros/cons of clothing in a blizzard scenario.
It's the stopping and not moving (i.e. not generating internal heat) that's always the tricky part, like you say. The "what ifs" are what can turn a short and intense blizzard xc ski session into a long and intense session! haha. I do tend to wear weather/waterproof jackets when I'm planning to go a bit slower and/or stop and hang out a lot (i.e. while filming) just so that I have at least some protection against the elements. But I also go into this knowing that I'm going to sweat like crazy with that jacket if I start pushing it.
For better and worse, however, when I know I'm about to go for a short and intense workout I tend to dress on the light side so that I can sweat. But this doesn't necessarily prepare me for being incapacitated, like you said.
Anyway, I totally appreciate the feedback and your contribution to the conversation :)
Beautiful stormy winter scenes Jared! A couple of things that come to mind are that I usually base my ski day outings on chosen hours, not miles. The conditions dictate the day's adventure, and direction, and are often adjusted spur of the moment in route. The other point I wish to make is that cold snow storms are mostly amazingly dry experiences compared to the soaking rain or mixed snow and rain that can be a much more serious risk of hypothermia, and that is surprising to the inexperienced.
Great video!
Cheers!
It was a beautiful xc ski session the other day :) Yesterday wasn't quite as stormy, and it appears that we'll have some brief respite today, but starting tomorrow (Sunday, 2/26) we have another big bout of storms rolling in. The forecast is still calling for 6-8 inches tomorrow, over a foot on Monday, and another 8-10 inches on Tuesday. Yikes!
Great feedback, by the way, regarding cold/dry snow versus wet/heavy snow and potentially related hypothermic conditions.
If this next round of storms produces another epic snow situation, I think I'm going to actually produce a "part 2" video with all the stuff I omitted or forgot to include in this one! Because, well, most of my season has involved skiing in snowstorms! haha :)
That’s a great scene, nice footage. Beautiful outing
Thank you :) And, yes it was quite lovely out there!
Jared-great stuff mate . What is the purple jacket you are wearing in this video ? like it ?
Hey Nick,
Thanks so much for the kind words :)
As far as my jacket goes, I received it as a gift a few years back. I can't find a name/model on the actual jacket or online for that matter. But it's essentially a Patagonia Anorak (two vertical zipper pockets on the front and waterproof external fabric). It fits me great, it's super durable, and it keeps me warm and dry in colder/wetter conditions. And, of course, I love the purple color because it really looks good in a snowy environment. haha ;)
Honestly, though, I have a love/hate relationship with any pullover style of outer jacket/heavier-duty fleece. I like not having an external zipper on a jacket when using in conjunction with a hip belt (the zipper and hip belt buckle don't rub or add pressure on the belly). At the same time, I hate having to pull the jacket/fleece over my head to take it off/put it on when shedding a base layer, for example. In inclement weather, it just feels like such a big and exposing movement compared to discreetly and stealthily removing a regular zip-up jacket.
I know there are people who absolutely love anorak styles of outer wear, but I've always been on the fence about them. So, I think it just comes down to personal preference.
Thanks for tuning in, and for the question!
Well done, thanks for sharing, a good refresher.
You're welcome! And thanks for the nice feedback. I appreciate it :)
Looks like you'll have many opportunities for getting out into the storm in the next week or 2!
Yeah, no doubt! This coming Monday and Tuesday is supposed to yield 15 inches and then ten inches, respectively. So crazy :)
Great video. What do you think the slope angle is of your practice hill? Thanks
As always, thanks for watching and for the kind words :)
If I had to estimate the slope angle of my practice hill, I'd equate it to a blue run at a groomed resort. So, probably around 18-24 degrees (?) depending on specific aspect of the hill. In firm conditions it's really fast and a bit scary, but in new snow that's 10 inches or deeper I usually come to a screeching halt.
In this video there was between 6-8 inches of fresh snow over a mostly firm base, which was nearly ideal for me at that angle. A couple of inches less would've been slightly more enjoyable as it would've allowed me to ski faster downhill (and initiate turns a little easier). I went back the next day, after receiving even more snow, and it was not very fun because I couldn't make more than two or three slow motion turns without coming to a complete stop.
Anyway, thanks for tuning in :)
Thanks for the video (and others)! Would you recommend using ski goggles for xc backcountry skiing in these conditions? Are r there other times you might consider goggles rather than sunglasses?
Thank you for tuning in, and for the nice feedback :)
As far as ski goggles go, I wouldn't use them. They fog up easily even on the slightest uphill. They're definitely designed for downhill and all the wind that comes with it. So if you were just to wear them going on a long descent, that would probably be fine but in my limited experience trying them they just fog up way to quickly. If you have a pair laying around, bring them with you and try them out. Or, if you brought them with you in a blizzard maybe just wear them while you were taking a break. That might be fine. However, I suspect you'll have a similar experience with them fogging up on you once you start moving.
Again, thanks for watching and the question. Let me know if you have any other questions :)
@@JaredManninen thanks so much for the quick, detailed response! I’m pretty much a novice just starting off with cross country skiing and going a little off the trails in east coast resort areas. But backcountry xc skiing / xc touring (actually the terminology is confusing and it’s hard to differentiate what refers to flat vs rolling vs mountain off piste skiing) is something I really aspire to and have been trying more each winter. I’m in Hokkaido now, so great for practicing here too. Sure I’ll have more questions!
@@Dartania No problem. Glad I could be of service :) You're not alone in being confused as to all of the terminology about xc skiing anywhere other than on groomed terrain. Backcountry cross-country, backcountry nordic, off-track xc skiing, xc touring, downhill cross-country ... the list goes on... haha. They're mostly synonymous, though, with maybe a degree or two of separation/distinction. In my opinion, anything that doesn't specifically include "downhill" in its label is just a term for xc skiing through flat and rolling terrain that's not groomed. Or, in a metaphorical sense the emphasis is more on the journey rather than the destination :) Regardless of what you call it, the main thing is to just get outside and have fun! And to avoid skiing through terrain that's beyond your current skill level.
I've seen photos/videos of people skiing/snowboarding in Japan and it all looks absolutely magical!
Take care, and keep in touch :)