Grateful for Backcountry

[T Mat]

Late start to the resort season this year in Tahoe with my pass (ikon) primarily opening terrain during the holiday blackout. Thought I wouldn't get any turns in before New Year. Makes me grateful once again for backcountry access, gear and partners. Glad to fit some tours in, while I had time off work. Made it to a new to me spot too, so extra rewarding.

What keeps you coming back to the skin track?

 

[Verve]

Love this sentiment! Since our local hill became an unlimited spot for Ikon, the town forests and closed snowy roads are my refuge. I still love to ski on resort midweek and will brave a Saturday or Sunday to ski with friends but it’s great having another option. I love the exploration aspect of backcountry and find it really shifts my focus from “I want to ski this run well” to “it’s so cool that I have enough technique to get out here and do this at all”.

 

[T Mat]

I wish I lived closer to mountains to balance both touring and resort in the same week - it's nice you're able to make the best of crowds.

The exploration aspect is the best! We're planning a trip to a new zone for MLK weekend because "why not?". I'm not sure what I'll be okay to ski once there - conditions, terrain, weather still up in the air - but it'll be fun (and pretty!) to see a new place.

 

[Michellezil]

My first touring day happened because we were 2 days too early for the IKON passes to kick in in the spring last year. The beauty and peace was unmatched.

 

[T Mat]

I love spring tours. I missed the whole spring season after dislocating my shoulder last year and felt off all year. I love how long the days are, good for longer adventures and bigger climbs.

 

[HuntersEmma57]

I don't skin, I scale. Nordic Backcountry is the BOMB and opens up almost unlimited types of terrain. Free heel life lives on. https://www.voile.com/voile-ultravector-bc-skis.html

 

[T Mat]

@HuntersEmma57 I've been looking at those

After a long rolling tour last year I started eyeing the voile BC skis. I have some old school guidebooks for cross country tours in the Sierra that I want to do, but my normal uphill setup is cumbersome in that terrain.

What kind of boot/binding setup do you use? I got overwhelmed and stopped looking. I have a pair of light backland touring boots that are very comfortable/less chargey with the tongue out. Would putting a spare AT binding on the ultravector be reasonable or definitely Nordic style boots/binding?

I need to get my partner also setup with scaled skis otherwise no gains... Or make more cross country ski friends.

 

[HuntersEmma57]

Scarpa T2 telemark boots give me comfort and control both up and down, super comfortable and they last forever. I've been skiing the same boot for 14 years. I've had to replace a few buckles and that's it. They don't require a custom fit either - just a decent off-the-shelf footbed.

I have old school simple telemark cable bindings - no NTN for me. The Voile Switchback X2 telemark binding is very similar to what I have. Simple is good. Field repairs for these bindings are simple. I can herringbone and side step with ease and control with these bindings and flip the bales up for steeper ascents.

Do use a leash between boot and ski: https://www.telemark-pyrenees.com/22-designs-coil-leash-2

Always a fan of 22 Designs telemark bindings as for when I used to do resort downhill telemarking.

You absolutely can mount an AT binding, but will not get the same the beautiful slide and glide - even on modest uphills that you get from a telemark setup.

As I mentioned, I've been using this setup for 14 years and never made the adjustment to NTN bindings. I've heard they're easier to learn on and certainly easier to step into. I prefer the elegant and powerful look and feel of the old school deep knee bend telemark turn that my spouse makes look effortless.

When I moved to UT, I tried to switch to AT and despised it. I spent a bloody fortune, tried it once, and said oh hell no. It felt super clunky, slow and slower on the uphills and honestly the binding was technical and hard to use and was clumsy getting in and out compared to the simple free heel stuff.

The baffle in the front telemark boot allows for more natural movement - far easier on the feet. With the taller cuff of the Scarpa T2, I have very good downhill control on lower angle terrain. But it can't match fixed heel for downhill charging steeps -- unless you're an adept telemark skier. I am not. I'm so-so. But since I ski lower angle, I can manage well off piste making parallel turns. (Gotta lift your toes and press the heels to avoid the superman.)

My daily backcountry Nordic ski is Fischer S-bound 98 (at the shovel) https://www.fischersports.com/s-bound-98-crown-dual-skin-xtralite/N52523 (I don't have the version with the skins) and my Scarpa T2s.
It's more boot than is needed but I've never felt like it overpowered the ski and I love the stability and power I get from the taller boot.

These are perfect for combination of groomed expert Nordic trails and venturing off trail. The Voile Vector is my deeper powder trail breaking ski.

 

[Verve]

What kind of boot/binding setup do you use

I’m an XCD skier too! VT based. I have 2.5 setups - Fischer S Bound 98 skis with either a beefy leather 3 pin boot or a plastic Scarpa T2 or Voile V6 skis with that same T2. So very similar to @HuntersEmma57 .

The skinnier Fischers are double cambered and have good kick & glide for longer tours, the V6’s have similar dimensions to a downhill ski with scales underfoot - less fun on the flats but really capable downhill.

I’m wild about this kind of skiing and happy to help others who are looking into it. The gear combinations are endless but also sort of confusing with 3 different binding interfaces used commonly. In addition to the 3 pin setup that we both have, there are NNBC bindings and Xplor bindings, both with benefits and downsides.

It’s really all about the kick and glide and how you never need to transition in rolling terrain so an AT binding won’t mimic it. The hinge point on AT bindings is closer to the toe of the boot so hard to properly pressure the scaled portion of the ski and without some flex in the boot, you can’t get the push off to glide, which is part of the fun (and efficiency).

People definitely use the Voile scaled skis with AT bindings! But XCD bindings are cheaper, as are the boots that pair with them, and you optimize for a different aspect or touring or different types of tours. Let us know what you look into and we can help! I’ve had good luck scooping used skis and bindings for friends on FB marketplace. This technology hasn’t changed in decades, with the exception of the Xplor system.

 

[RachelV]

I've been waffling on getting a nordic backcountry setup for years. Thanks for the info @Verve and @HuntersEmma57. I gotta start doing some research on nice spots in the Summit County area.

 

[T Mat]

Thanks @Verve and @HuntersEmma57 for the details. All the binding options and boot compatibilities threw me for a spin, so I appreciate you guys breaking it down - especially specifically for XCD. I'll have to start browsing the second hand shops more; some of them rent before buy which will hopefully help.