Backwoods skiing

[hueyjazz]

Backwoods skis are a beefy version of cross-country skis and are designed for off trail.

Just got but from cutting 5-mile loop.  We have a foot and half of snow in Granger on mountain.  I skied the pines and found deer beds all over the place.  I find skiing the woods helpful in planning for deer trails and stand locations.  With the Olympics on our doorstep, I'm going to look forward Biathlon.   I've always wanted try it and I'm tempted to build a course on my property.  I do have a 22 target rifle but it's a heavy barrel tank.  I have a feeling my version of Biathlon will be more like the Finns in the Winter War against Russians.

Here's some beds

 

[BowmanMike]

I love x-country skiing,we have  skis that are a little wider than the narrow ones but not as wide as downhill ones. I think the guy at the shop called them back country skis,whatever. We have about 10" of snow here and skiing has been magnificent. I saw tracks in the same spot as last year,but I never hunted there this last bow season.  That will change this year. 

I don't really enjoy groomed trails,we go to some stateland  that is 7 mins from our house and have it all to ourselves 95% of the time.

[hueyjazz]

Bowman 

I learn Backwoods (aka Back Country) skiing in Adirondacks when I join the college mountaineering club like 40 or so years ago.  I could borrow equipment and get a bus with other students. 

A couple senior classmen dropped me off at a trail and that was the extent of my training.  And oh, this just wasn't any trail.  This was turn right now and often or hit tree down some steep descents.  I guess they wanted to see if I could live. 

Fortunately, I had done touring cross-country skiing on hills and was well versed in Alpine skiing.  I lived and I loved it.  The equipment was wood skis with edges you had to wax to conditions.  This I already knew from touring skis but Klister wax for climbing was a sticky mess and climbing skins weren't that much better.   Our present-day equipment is WAY better.

[BowmanMike]

29 minutes ago, hueyjazz said:

Bowman 

I learn Backwoods (aka Back Country) skiing in Adirondacks when I join the college mountaineering club like 40 or so years ago.  I could borrow equipment and get a bus with other students. 

A couple senior classmen dropped me off at a trail and that was the extent of my training.  And oh, this just wasn't any trail.  This was turn right now and often or hit tree down some steep descents.  I guess they wanted to see if I could live. 

Fortunately, I had done touring cross-country skiing on hills and was well versed in Alpine skiing.  I lived and I loved it.  The equipment was wood skis with edges you had to wax to conditions.  This I already knew from touring skis but Klister wax for climbing was a sticky mess and climbing skins weren't that much better.   Our present-day equipment is WAY better.

Sounds like trial by fire. A friend of mine just buys used downhill skis at yard sales and put x-country bindings on them. These work very well for breaking trails and turning when going down slopes. The turning is where my problem is,I either step turn or wipe out.

I don't enjoy the fact downhill parts like I used to. Maybe with another foot of snow it will be less scary,haha.

Right now things are pretty fast.

[dinorocks]

I too love getting out on my skis!  I call these my extreme x-county skis…short enough to get through thick cover and a blast to bomb down steep hills!  

[hueyjazz]

You got to wax those, Dino?  Very cool.  Bet they are Finnish or somewhere around there.  And hey, I thought I was only one with axe collection.  And is that an Empee sword I see?  I haven't had a match in 40 years.  Looks like you haven't either.  

I still got some waxable skis but they are all touring and modern fiberglass except for one pair of old school wood but I fear those are too old and brittle to use.  Plus, I just like to have them around.  Majority of these skis people were throwing out.

I've broken a ski in woods with deep snow.  It really sucks. You are in for a tiring trip back

My first backwoods skis look like those except middle section had steel edges.  You had to wax them.  No fish-scale on wood skis.