Winter Sports World

Discussion in 'Outdoor World' started by spwath, Dec 28, 2018.

  1. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

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    I was looking here, and there was no section for winter sports, so I thought I would start one.

    I love winter sports and the snow, and always have. My family took a trip to a cabin every year to go cross country skiing, so I have been doing it my whole life. I have also been doing downhill skiing for as long as I remember, though I have not gone for the past bunch of years. In high school, I joined the Nordic Ski team, and got introduced to skate skiing. Allows you to go much faster than classic skiing.
    I have always found there is something special about going through trails in the woods and snow, with only the sounds of nature around you. I love going down huge hills, twisting and turning on hard to control Nordic skis.
    There are many groomed places near my house to go skate skiing, but Unfortunatly at college, there is very little. I did go classic skiing off tracks on hiking trails, but it doesn't work great. I just got backcountry skis, which should work much better off trail, allowing me to explore even more. Now I just need to wait for my boots to arrive, and the snow to come.
    Picture I took while skiing in the Adirondacks:
    [​IMG]
    My skis, my waxable classic not pictured, as I don't use them anymore, too much work to try and get the kick wax right.
    From the top are my Backcountry, Skate, and classic. The backcountry look much more like downhill skis, wider, shorter, with metal edges, and more robust bindings. Skate are shorter than classic, with slightly different shape and no kick section. Classic are the longest.
    [​IMG]


    Anyone else interested in winter sports?
     
  2. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

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    Finally got my new backcountry boots, with more ankle support than traditional cross country boots, and a built in gaiter to keep snow out.
    [​IMG]
    Not much snow out yet, though it just started to collect. Hopefully will get more later this week so I can ski finally.
    [​IMG]
     
  3. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    I tried cross country last year and I loved it. Problem is in Portugal I never skied and now I'm my 30s I'm much more apprehensive of breaking my neck.

    I still did try this year, even bought my own and when it's a flat track I can do my jiggy/still learning/noob movements but I can't, for the life of me, go down a little slope, even if a 2 y can. I just lose balance and crash myself into a bruise.

    I will probably take some lessons for beginners eventually...my girlfriend is trying to help but I have still a long way to go.

    I do love snowboarding though and that one I started when I was 17 although the nerd to travel to practice it made me quit after snowboarding 4 trips outside of Portugal. Now as an adult I'm back on it, although I don't dare as much.
     
  4. JustAnotherRando

    JustAnotherRando My other bike is a Ferrari

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    I've lived most my life in hot climates- Sydney, Hong Kong. So snow is exotic as hell to me. But I did spend a winter in London, Ontario and lived in London (the real London) for a while. London weather gets cold without the benefit of snow, but it's close to France, Switzerland, Scandinavia. Enough to have gotten into snowboarding and ice climbing. Snowboarding, on-piste, is fun but seems a bit artificial and constrained. Ice climbing is great- lots of interesting gear to play with, you see some really spectacular and remote scenery and the pace is much more considered and deliberate than anything you do in a resort setting. Top roping on ice is incredible fun- I used to dream about it. Leading on ice is terrifying.

    In Canada I bought snowshoes and tried nordic skiing. Again, loads of fun. My flatmates though I was nuts because they'd see me walking around all the time through big piles of snow with a huge grin on my face.

    I've ended up deciding that the non-piste-oriented snow activities are more enjoyable than the ski resort stuff. I do miss snow and real mountains.

    Oh, and the importance of well-fitting gear is huge. Mainly boots.
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2019
  5. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    Today was another day of trying to get better. I definitely want to take a beginner class.

    [​IMG]
     
  6. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

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    Yeah, it definitely helps to have someone teach you. Skate skiing even more so (and I like skate much better).
     
  7. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    My girlfriend tries and i will also have a coworker do it next week but i want someone that's used to teaching. Sometimes there are small details that make a big difference.
     
  8. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

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    Got out skiing, not much snow here yet, but some
    [​IMG]
     
  9. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    My avatar (December 2015) tells the tale :) Skiing deep pow in the Monashees, British Columbia backcountry. I grew up in Portugal, no skiing there (at least back then), moved to the US after graduate school, started skiing in my early 30s. Eventually got tired of piste skiing, and started to venture more into the backcountry 20 years ago. Backcountry skiing is my main addiction, well more than audio (at least to judge from expense ;)) Here's where I'm going Wednesday for 10 days, as I've done all but one Northern hemisphere season since 2006-7 (that's me in the blue jacket). In the last 2 decades, I've ski toured in the California Sierra (many times), Utah's Wasatch, Monashees, Valhallas, and Whistler backcountry (also BC), Swiss and French Alps, multiple trips above the Arctic Circle in Norway, Iceland, Argentina (Northern Patagonia), Chile, Hokkaido, ... Current gear: DPS Wailer 112 skis (BC and Hokkaido powder), Dynastar Mythic skis (spring and mixed conditions), Dynafit ST Rotation bindings, Atomic Backland Carbon boots.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

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    I am excited to get out and do some more real backcountry skiing, when I have time and snow. Not super intense with my lighter duty backcountry Nordic skis, but even on these people do some big hills.
    Just waiting on the snow, its been real lacking this year.
     
  11. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    I'm not experienced enough to ride powder but i will one day. @earnmyturns, how did you start skiing? With lessons or just took a risk?

    I knew i should've moved from Portugal earlier hehehe
     
  12. earnmyturns

    earnmyturns Smartest friend

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    Lots of lessons, lots of practice over the years, I'm not a natural athlete.
     
  13. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

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    Got a bit more snow, a lot more expected this weekend.
    [​IMG]

    And I saw this little guy
    [​IMG]
     
  14. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    Nice i really enjoy taking a walk in the snow and seeing the little, and not so little, ones.
     
  15. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

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    Finally got some real snow just in time for me to leave tomorrow. At least I got to go out today
    [​IMG]
     
  16. Prydz

    Prydz Friend

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    I'm from Norway so I grew up skiing. Will take some pics if I go skiing this weekend!
    Ive just recently had my Fischer Speedmax Skate plus skis grinded with a finer grind to deal better with cold dry snow, so look forward to testing them.
     
  17. Prydz

    Prydz Friend

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    Finally got enough snow for the local ski trails to get groomed. Its a 1,4km trail which is rather flat, so its perfect for technique training. Unfortunately, theres alot of idiots who seems to find it OK to walk in them...

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  18. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

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    Nice skis. A lot nicer than mine. My first pair I broke one in half when I went over a jump, my second pair is just very scratched, and even has some wood exposed at the side. Can't buy expensive skis.
     
  19. Prydz

    Prydz Friend

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    Its not happened much in the ski industry, so a old pair can be just as good as a newer pair.
    In fact, id recommend to buy used race skiis, unless you buy a from a proper dealer who gets to pick better skiis from factory.

    A dealer actually broke my skiis, so I have a new pair, but I kinda feel like they dont glide as good as the old...
    But whatever... I just ski for a workout. I will buy a new pair once its sale tho.
     
  20. Walderstorn

    Walderstorn Friend

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    Fischer twin skin pro I tried last year but I ended up buying an Atomic pair. Not as good, imo, but was a good deal. Since I'm a beginner I didn't want to invest much more.

    Girlfriend bought the Fischers though and she's loving them.
     

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