Intro to Backcountry

[Analisa]

@laine Hooray for boots! I'm impressed they had enough in your size to make it relatively painless. Dynafit's lasts are weird - the Mercury boots were a stated 103 last as well, but they've been the best fitting boot for my super low volume foot without downsizing significantly (that cuff & forward lean is a different story).

 

[laine]

@laine Hooray for boots! I'm impressed they had enough in your size to make it relatively painless. Dynafit's lasts are weird - the Mercury boots were a stated 103 last as well, but they've been the best fitting boot for my super low volume foot without downsizing significantly (that cuff & forward lean is a different story).

Yep, I tried on 2 Scarpas, an Atomic, and the Dynafit. They also had the Scott Celeste and the K2 Mindbender in my size, but I skipped those. It seems to be a true 22.5. I had to get my right toe punched out and punches on the inside round ankle bones on both feet. And I didn’t get custom insoles - just put in blue Superfeet. I have some insoles from other boots that I might test out in them, but I’ll see how the Superfeet feel first.

 

[Pequenita]

I'm so excited for you that you got a private course!!

Yep, I tried on 2 Scarpas, an Atomic, and the Dynafit. They also had the Scott Celeste and the K2 Mindbender in my size, but I skipped those. It seems to be a true 22.5. I had to get my right toe punched out and punches on the inside round ankle bones on both feet. And I didn’t get custom insoles - just put in blue Superfeet. I have some insoles from other boots that I might test out in them, but I’ll see how the Superfeet feel first.

I've only had Superfeet in my touring boots - it's a very workable cost efficient solution.

 

[Slim]

And @laine , how wás the skiing? Was it like you’d imagined?

ans as far as being faster or slower than others, who cares? Someone is going to be the fastest and someone the slowest. As long as you go on a group outing that suits your level, no-one can complain if you’re not the fastest.
And anyway, given the level of exercise you describe, I suspect you will (soon) be the one waiting for people.

 

[laine]

@Slim - The skiing was pretty good! Since it was so warm, it was spring snow, so pretty soft. But for the sections we went down, we were the only tracks, until we hit the skin track again. So that was really nice. Definitely gonna do it again!

 

[Slim]

@Slim - The skiing was pretty good! Since it was so warm, it was spring snow, so pretty soft. But for the sections we went down, we were the only tracks, until we hit the skin track again. So that was really nice. Definitely gonna do it again!

Oops, typo, I meant the skinning! Since you were wondering about that before hand.
Fun to hear about the skiing too though!

 

[laine]

Oh, the skinning! It will take some practice. On the low angle, I tried to keep a rhythm and was experimenting with stride length- I still haven’t figured that out yet - what is most efficient for me. On the steeper sections, I was trying not to lean forward, but I was. We zig-zagged those, so I also learned and practiced kick turns - which challenged me a bit on the steeps. The hiking trail wasn’t really a smooth track (not sure if that is common or not), as there were quite a few snowshoe and boot tracks - and we saw a lot of hikers, both with and without snowshoes.

 

[Pequenita]

Oh, the skinning! It will take some practice. On the low angle, I tried to keep a rhythm and was experimenting with stride length- I still haven’t figured that out yet - what is most efficient for me. On the steeper sections, I was trying not to lean forward, but I was. We zig-zagged those, so I also learned and practiced kick turns - which challenged me a bit on the steeps. The hiking trail wasn’t really a smooth track (not sure if that is common or not), as there were quite a few snowshoe and boot tracks - and we saw a lot of hikers, both with and without snowshoes.

I think because you were in a low angle place, and the snowpack is mediocre, you were in an area that has seen a lot of use this winter. Other places the only recreationalists are skiers, so you'll only see uphill skin tracks and downhill ski tracks. Maybe dog tracks. It is our chagrin when someone walks in a skin track.

One thing that I've heard is that well-trained guides set skin tracks that don't require using heel risers by using more switchbacks than us mere mortals. But, it can mean more kick turns. It could just be in this instance, your guide wanted you to practice them. Tough to remember you have knees sometimes, right??

 

[Rainbow Jenny]

One thing that I've heard is that well-trained guides set skin tracks that don't require using heel risers by using more switchbacks than us mere mortals. But, it can mean more kick turns. It could just be in this instance, your guide wanted you to practice them. Tough to remember you have knees sometimes, right??

I often cannot follow the skin track set by the group I go with, too steep for me. I don’t mind setting my own except on deep powder days. A week ago I said the above under my breath and another heard me, then only to hear him yell out to the front: hey, cut shallower tracks!!!

Kick turns... watch some videos online. The trick is to go a couple more steps past the turn, then proceed with the kick turn. I often practice it in resort just for fun. Learned it from a friend who taught me kick turn is such a handy tool on steep and narrow terrain which I cannot commit to a turn!

 

[lisamamot]

The rental boots (Scott Celeste) were my size from a length standpoint, but my feet were swimming from side-to-side. It was quite hard to control the skis - was really hard to provide direct feedback.

So glad you had a great time! I am a total newbie to this as well, but am super excited about it. I did a women's-only intro to backcountry class last year and experienced the same thing with rental boots. I absolutely loved the skinning and had no issue with that at all, but when the first downhill came I felt like I had never skied! No control in the boots. The second ski down was better, but I certainly missed having properly fitting boots.

I often practice it in resort just for fun.

I have been planning to do exactly this. I am actually going to practice it all in resort to start off so that I get comfortable skinning and transitioning too.