There is a very committed group of great people that are going to represent Canada at the World Ski Mountaineering Championships in Andorra this winter. And since every team needs a little bonding experience we managed to pull off two training camps in the past two months.
The first official training camp for Team Canada was in Canmore in mid-September, 2009. It was hosted by one of our Canadian skimo speedsters Steve Sellers. The aim was at getting to know each more and spending time training the engines.
The second camp (and the first official on the snow) was hosted this past weekend (November 27-29, 2009) at the famed Rogers Pass. The emphasis was on long days with face shots. Both worked out perfectly.
Our base was Revelstoke and Golden, and the camp was initiated by Jeff Colvin and Ian Gale, two of the team members.
I didn’t take part in the first two days which are documented on Skitheory and Golden Skimo blogs but I took part in the third day and had lots of fun.
Everyone looks in good shape for the beginning of the season and most importantly everyone is very enthusiastic to represent the best place for backcountry skiing on the planet – Canada.
Here are couple of photos from the final day of the second official Canadian Ski Mountaineering Team training/fun camp. No ski photos though as there was no time to pull out the camera as everyone was charging for their line.
The snow conditions for this time of the year are very good as the photos suggest. However, lower elevations (below 1500m) still need a bit more to be safe from alder and unexpected “under surface” obstacles.
Archives for November 2009
6 tips to get you ready for your first ski mountaineering race
Backcountry skiing is great fun. It is one of the best ways to spend time with your friends, to relax and to do what makes you happy. But from time to time we all like to try something different, to have a new challenge.
You can challenge yourself many ways. For me, ski mountaineering racing is one of the ways I like to challenge myself during winter months.
Skimo racing makes my life more interesting in couple of ways:
- Gives me an athletic goal, which I always like to have.
- Teaches me efficiency, which helps with equipment skills.
- Forces me to reach for my limits, which helps in moving them.
- Makes me participate in a community that by definition is very friendly.
- Introduces me to one of the nicest people I have ever known.
Whether you feel like trying something new or just wanting to improve in your next race here is a list of tips I consider essential (and in that order) to get the best out of your experience:
- Gear – check what you have and act accordingly
- Conditioning – your overall fitness
- Technique – practice the right moves
- Fuel and rest – quality makes or breaks your days
- Transitions – gaini time for free
- Speed – the icing on the cake
Gear – check what you have and act accordingly
I am starting with gear because without it we cannot backcountry ski. But since it is a whole another topic I am not going into much detail here.
I assume that you have either AT gear, telemark ski gear or a split-board for touring. The level of the gear (high-end, cheap, light, heavy…) doesn’t really matter if there is a will to try new things.
You don’t have to run into the store right away but a fact is that AT gear is the most efficient for skimo racing. You can learn about this from a personal experience of a current Canada Skimo Team member here – From tele to Team Canada: A telemark skier’s switch to AT race gear.
As with anything that involves going uphill lighter is better because it means faster climbing. And skinning up is the majority of the time spent when skimo racing (just like touring).
Besides that you should make sure your skis are in good condition, that your bindings work as they should, or that your ski poles ain’t going to collapse on you.
Simply check all your gear at least couple of days before a race and make necessary repairs or replacements.
Conditioning – your overall fitness
For skimo racing you don’t have to be super fit. Of course, the fitter you are the easier it feels but you don’t have to be able tour 5000 feet days in order to race. There are usually two categories at any event and you can sign up for the one you feel like doing.
The key with conditioning for ski mountaineering racing is to be active. You don’t have to be active racing or speed wise, just be used to spending time outdoors doing things you like – climbing, biking, hiking…
And just because you are getting ready for a race don’t panic about speed or interval training. Speed is only the icing on the cake. To get to a point where you should worry about speed training you need good overall conditioning.
So be consistent with your sport activities for at least couple of weeks before you even think about pushing the pace.
As strange as it sounds, you need to go slow in order to go fast. Everything that is very beneficial for health or racing purposes that happens in your body is a product of low paced activities (or workouts). The amounts of slow paced activities will determine your progress from year to year way more that any interval workouts.
Technique – practice the right moves
Even though good technique is very important for skimo racing, it will not save you if your basic conditioning is poor. Also, your gear will determine your technique efficiency as well.
Climbing
Since the most time during ski mountaineering races is spent skinning up you should focus on developing an efficient stride. Don’t force yourself for the longest stride. Rather try to pick your frequency which some times means shortening your stride if your original one is too long.
Make sure to practice skinning on hard snow, up steep uphills and traversing.
One of the most important climbing skills for skimo racing are making efficient switch backs. There are switch backs sections on many race courses. On those you can loose minutes and lots of energy if you are struggling due to your technique. On the other hand you can effortlessly drop less skilled racers even if you are not as fit as they are.
Downhill
Skiing with seized up legs and burning lungs is hard and some times dangerous but fun. The key for solid downhills is to practice skiing right after you climb a hill and rip your skins off. You need to get used to wobbly legs if you want to ski without stopping in races.
To make the skiing less taxing on your legs practice doing turns with big radius (20+ meters) rather than short and aggressive. Use “traversing sections” between turns to control your speed as oppose to pushing on your edges with your quads. On a 2-3min downhill the difference is only about 10sec but the energy spending is over the roof compared to a more mellow style.
Fuel and rest – quality makes or breaks your days
We all read many times one of these: “you are what you eat” or “your body works only as good as the fuel you put in it”. Of course, there are individuals that defy this. Heck, even I had some great races after downing few beers and eating a big sausage a day before an event 😉
The point is that your eating habits and the quality of food you consume greatly determines your short term as well as your long term body functioning. The same goes for rest. You can find plenty of advice in sport and health nutrition books.
No meat
Based on my experience, for skimo racing, I will recommend not to eat meat starting the day before the race. Few slices of ham on a sandwich are OK but a steak is not very useful.
Dinner
The night before the race have simple dinner – some veggies and lots of pasta or rice. Veggies will give you some variety in taste and pasta or rice will load your body with the desirable carbohydrates.
Race fuel
During the race drink a sports drink rather than just plain water, and you can consume an energy bar or a gel if you feel you are running low on your reserves.
Sleep
If you are not getting enough sleep on regular basis, try to get in at least three 8h nights before your race. No engine is good if your brain is tired.
Transitions – gain time for free
Transitions between uphill and downhill modes (and vice versa) are parts of skimo races where you can gain lots of free time. If you are more efficient with your gear than a guy next to you, you will consistently drop him at every transition and he will be expanding lots of energy trying to catch up to you.
If not sure about your technique ask more experienced/skilled skimo skiers what works for them. Try it out and if it seems alright practice the moves. Once at the race you can observe the fastest racers how they transition in few seconds.
To give you something to shoot for I am going to give you some average times for transitions:
- Fairly efficient racer with no special AT racing gear needs about 1.5-2 min to go from uphill mode to be skiing ready. And it takes him about 2-3 min to put his skins on, and adjust his boots and bindings before he can march uphill.
- The fastest racers transition from climbing to skiing in about 20-30 sec, and are ready to hammer up after skiing in about 40-50 sec.
Technique, practice and gear makes the difference in transition areas.
Speed – the icing on the cake
Speed factor is last on this list because I don’t feel it is a necessary element to have a blast at your first race but we can discuss it a bit.
Your downhill times are mostly determined by your technique but climbing speed is mostly determined by your conditioning.
Climbing like a mountain goat is desired but not the most important thing at this stage.
However, if you really want to challenge for skimo podiums then you will need to put in some real hurting miles.
You need to teach your brain and body to push more for longer. This is achieved either by simply hammering every hill in your way or by very specific workouts.
Hammering based only on your gut feelings can take you only part of the way. Usually, it has a faster effect than the more “scientific” approach but is short-term lived as it is a very inefficient training method. And if practiced over long time with high frequency you are headed for injuries and illnesses.
For serious speed (fast) training talk to an experienced athlete or a coach and read some books from reputable people. Also, you need to understand that speed training without great overall fitness has very low success rate as you will never reach your full potential.
How are you going to challenge yourself this winter?
So are you going to challenge yourself differently this winter than your usual weekend powder hunting?
I challenge you to make your first race the Tiki Torch Dash in Golden on Dec 6. It is specifically made for those that just want a little taste of skimo racing. Nothing too hard, mostly a fun event where you can learn some tricks and meet new friends.
Ask, share and discuss in the comments below.
West Coast snow report: 2,5m deeeep
Early season conditions are long time gone.
No one remembers them anymore.
White fluffy stuff keeps fallin’,
So the brave can be rollin’.
This little poem created in less than 60 seconds says it all. Simply, the current West Coast snow conditions are out of this world.
Two weeks ago there was about 20cm of snow on the ground at 1600m up Whistler Mountain or at Mount Baker ski area in US. During the next 3 days over 100cm came from the sky. Since then it didn’t stop.
And it is one thing that an astounding amounts of snow fell in the south-western BC over the past two weeks, but another thing is the quality.
Even though, not as consistent in fluffiness as the slopes of Columbia or Monashee Mountains, there is real Champagne powder to be had on the Coast these days.
Over the past 12 days I toured at 3 different resorts as it is simply too dangerous to go anywhere else: Mt Baker ski area, local resort above Vancouver and on a mountain that will hopefully stay closed for couple of more days.
I haven’t heard any ski reports from other places on the Coast but based on some highway cams it looks pretty damn good for this time of the year. Here’s some more proof.
Except the “Sleeping lifts” photo other pics were taken by some of my touring partners Dusan and Tomas. Thanks a lot.
From tele to Team Canada: A telemark skier's switch to AT race gear
My first ski mountaineering race was completed on 184cm K2 telemark boards with non-free pivot bindings and Garmont Excursion boots. My skins were G3 Ascensions that required the removal of the ski from my foot in order to get each skin off.
This is a guest post from my friend and fellow skimo racer, James Minifie. James is sharing a great personal experience that is interesting as much for telemark skiers as for alpine gear users.
I had never seen light randonnee race gear up until then and looking down at the competitors to my right and left and seeing 160cm skis 60mm at the waist mounted with impossibly small low-tech bindings and skins that could be ripped off in seconds left me awe-struck.
These guys were clad in Lycra suits with special skin pockets. They wore ultra light AT boots that converted from ski mode to tour at the flick of a lever. Their poles were composite Nordic jobs extra long and stiff for ultra efficient climbing.
These guys were F1 racers and I felt like a monster truck ready to lurch my way up a mountain. The good thing was, there were a lot more monster trucks in the field that day 🙂
I was lucky that day. Most of the really fast guys were in Europe competing in World Championships so I was able to Clydesdale my way to a 4th place finish on the tele boards. The other thing that happened that day was a beginning of my obsession with ski mountaineering racing.
The Switch
The winter of 2009 saw my return to skimo racing and this time I came armed with lighter skis and free pivot telemark bindings. I still used the Excursions (little more than a glorified cross-country ski boot) because they were light and nimble.
To paint a better picture, here are my 2009 before “The Switch” results. I always finished as the best telemark skier, yet I wasn’t reaching the top spots in the overall standings:
- Whitefish Whiteout, MT – came 5th behind 4 AT speedsters
- Sunshine 5000, AB – finished 9th
- Nelson ROAM Randonnee rally, BC – finished 8th
- Mountain Storm in Fernie, BC – finished 9th
See the pattern? It was then that I made my silent apology to the spirits of my telemark brethren and purchased all out AT race gear complete with carbon poles and a tight Spandex race suit.
The transition was surprisingly easy actually. The hardest part was learning to ski in alpine style again. Something I hadn’t done in almost a decade.
The difference in my results was profound. I raced in two final races in 2009 with my new AT set-up and took third in both. The biggest result “The Switch” brought was my second place from Canadian Ski Mountaineering Championships which secured me a spot on a National Team for this season.
Lessons learnt and shared
For those telemark die-hards pondering “The Switch” here is my humble advice:
- Just go to AT straight up! I transitioned through lighter telemark gear before I went AT Race. All this did was cost more money and delay the inevitable.
- Just give in and get a race suit. Not only does it allow you to show off your um…pecs, it’s an invaluable piece of race gear for comfort and skin storage.
- Plan the transition with plenty of time to practice the Alpine turn and get used to having your heel locked down. If you can, take a couple of lessons at a local resort it’ll fast-forward the “re-learning” process.
- Keep in mind that you don’t have to transform into Hermann Maier to race on this stuff. Look at the skiers in any rando race. We’re so tired and on such unsupportive gear that we all look like we’re just surviving on the descents anyway.
- And finally, if you’re already fast on your telemark rig, get ready for the podium because having AT race gear and learning to use it will put you in that lead pack before you can say “Spandex”!
Have fun shopping for that new gear. It won’t be cheap but neither are cigarettes, junk food, and cable TV!
Want to share or know more?
You are welcome to share your experience in the comments below as well as feel free to ask about any details of this article’s topic. James, I and other fellow readers will answer.
Buying altimeter watch that fits your needs and budget
Choosing which altimeter watch to buy is tough with the variety we are presented today, so let’s make it simpler with some basic advice that will help you decide.
This article is an extension of “Altimeter watch: Why it is important and beneficial to know your altitude?“. It is a recommended read for those that are unsure whether they need an altimeter watch or not.
Altimeter watches come in all shapes and sizes, and their features can vary greatly. Some don’t let you record your trips while others combine altimeter functionality with a heart rate monitor.
Making decisions – factors to consider
Two factors you need to really consider are your needs and your budget. The lower your needs and preferences are the less money you will need to spend and vice versa.
To beging the process make a list of your “watch needs”. What you want the watch to use for? What features should it have?
Here are some hints to get your needs list started:
- need to know only my immediate altitude
- want to record my trip/hike vertical profiles (logbook)
- want to know how many laps I skied today
- need to download data from the watch to computer
- and so on…
I use and suggest these functions with an altimeter watch:
- obvious – time, stopwatch, thermometer, alarm, immediate altitude
- vertical speed – shows your actual vertical speed you are traveling at; once you start following it you will find many uses for it – here is more on vertical climbing speed topic
- logbook – lets you record your trip/hike/workout including couple of parameters, mainly total vertical meters gained/lost
- chronograph – almost the same as logbook but more useful for workouts with heart rate monitor
Once you know your needs you can start looking for the solutions – different altimeter watches.
Note: One thing here though is that you may not come up with a certain need in your list because you simply don’t even know a watch can have such features. Therefore, you might adjust (expand on) your needs as you are already browsing different models.
Define your budget – will save you time
Even though it is obvious you know your financial status it is good to predetermine your budget. Come up with a price range, it will help you narrow down your choices and save time comparing different models.
Again like with the needs list, this can be a little tricky if you are new to buying altimeter watch. You may simply not know what altimeter watches are going for.
Altimeter watch prices vary greatly due to different features, their brand name (recognition, prestige) and materials they are made of.
To get an idea, here two examples:
- Altimeter watch with titanium housing and leather straps are expensively priced mostly because they are very stylish for everyday wear and they are also very durable.
- Watch that has a heart rate monitor and shows only the immediate altitude but has no further altimeter functionality (i.e.: recording accumulated vertical gains) is going to be more affordable than its titanium brother.
Altimeter watches – various brands
As far as your brand preferences go you will have many options these days. But here we will take a look only at those brands that have proven over long time they are worth their price, whether low or high.
Suunto
Based on personal experience, Suunto is my favorite brand if the watch is primarily used as altimeter. Besides me, there are thousands of mountaineers swearing by Suunto.
Polar
Again based on personal experience, Polar is my favorite if heart rate monitor functionality is the most important. And again, millions of athletes swear by this brand too.
Timex
Everyone had a Timex watch at some point in their life. How was it? Mine was great. Unfortunately, I don’t know anyone who has a Timex watch with an altimeter but the brand is definitely strong.
Other popular and casual brands
Then there are other brands that offer altimeter functionality in their watches as well but don’t have as much history with it: Casio, Highgear, Nixon, Freestyle USA and more…
Altimeter watches – introducing 6 models
Now that you have considered your needs and defined your budget let’s look at some actual altimeter watch models:
The name “Suunto Vector” is a legend among altimeters and it was the first altimeter watch I ever saw. I believe, Suunto improved it since then yet they are still keeping it at a very affordable price. This watch has scored many awards and has been used by millions of people that go further than a stroll around a lake. Most recently, Suunto added a new model to the Vector family – Suunto Vector HR – that includes a heart rate monitor. |
I believe this was one of the first watches that was rated “for skiers” because the logbook was recording your day/trip and at the end you could see how many laps you skied. There are about four different styling options for it, however, not many stores carry more than two. Backcountry.com does. |
I am using this is a watch past two years. (Before it was Polar.) I like everything about it except that heart rate monitoring is not as flawless as with Polar. Vertical speed, logbook functions and stopwatch recording are great. It connects to PC but the software is not as user friendly as Polar’s. |
Polar is mostly know for their high quality heart rate monitors. My personal experiences support that 100%. This watch has basic altimeter functionality but great heart rate monitor features. It also shows your speed and tracks your distance via GPS. Polar comes from Finland, same as Suunto. And it connects to your computer. |
This is as interesting watch because the styling doesn’t say anything about what’s inside. The Lumi looks to look cool at any situation and it must be. It has an altimeter, barometer and compass. Also, it speaks four languages: English, Spanish, German and French. |
Suunto X-Lander is a great watch for anyone who is active outdoors but some times needs to head to a meeting right from the mountains. It has all essential altimeter functionality but with leather straps and aluminum body styling looks very “official”. |
At different stores you will find different types/options/colors for different models, therefore you should check out more than one store:
- At Backcountry.com you have the biggest selection of altimeter watches online (brand, models and options) and you can easily compare 2, 3, even 4 watches side by side.
- At Altrec.com you will find less selection and different pricing than Backcountry.com.
- REI.com doesn’t offer too many choices for altimeter watches, but does for other multi-functional watches.
- MEC.ca offers about 10 different models.
Any questions re: altimeter watches?
If you have any questions or just want to leave a comment about this article or altimeter watches you can do so in the comments below.
Must see: Ski like James Bond
I came across this footage on my friend’s blog – www.skialpinizmus.eu – and thought to share it with as many people as possible would be great. Have good laughs and make sure to pay attention to James Bond’s gear 🙂
My equipment guesses:
- The watch at about 10 seconds in looks like a hybrid of old Cassios and one of the first HP printers.
- Don’t know about the one piece ski suit, but he sure didn’t need any base layers like we do now. Any guesses?
- Best piece of equipment Bond used is still being used today.
I believe the backpack he had is Arc’Teryx Arrakis 50 liter. It looks the same. - Skis are most likely Rossignols judging based on the ski tip art – Gallic rooster. See at about 49 seconds.
- I have no idea what the goggles were, whether his or the bad guys’.
- And I would like to find out what ski poles Bond was using too. They seem very cool with that shooting feature.
- Ski boots – no idea.
- I know nothing about parachutes and BASE jumping but Shane McConkey would have been proud of Bond for sure. He would have had good laughs too.
About the movie
The clip is from a movie called “The Spy who Loved Me” from 1977. According to Wikipedia it was filmed at many locations. Based on those listed this scene could have take place in Swiss Alps and at Mount Asgard on Baffin Island. More at Wikipedia.
Your guesses
Anyone have an idea about the equipment used in the movie? Funny or serious, share your thoughts.
Altimeter watch: Why it is important and beneficial to know your altitude?
Knowing at what altitude (elevation) you are at any moment while backcountry skiing is very important and can be also very beneficial. Lets take a look why this is the case, and how you may go about choosing an altimeter watch that suits your needs and fits your budget.
This article is followed by “Buying altimeter watches that fit your needs and budget” guide to make your decision easier if you decide to by an altimeter watch.
For simplicity sake, terms “altitude” and “elevation” will be used interchangeably throught this article. (To see the difference read the first paragraph of Wikipedia article on Elevation.)
Case for knowing your altitude (having altimeter watch)
The single most important argument for knowing your altitude is safety as that can make or break your navigation.
The second argument is your benefit – meaning the luxury of knowing your altitude helps you make better choices towards enjoying your days even more by getting the best out of them.
Safety factor – navigation and general awareness
While backcountry skiing, on a single day trip or a multi-day traverse, we have couple of tools that support our decision making. Altimeter would be one of the tools along snow stability tests, weather observation skills, maps or compass. To use these tools correctly we need also experience which in itself becomes a tool then.
Having an altimeter watch, thus knowing your altitude, significantly helps you make safer choices in navigating through terrain because:
- If you have a map and compass but you don’t know what altitude you are at you can’t accurately figure out where you are on the map. Therefore it’s tough to make a decision where you should be going, safely.
- Or, if an avalanche bulletin says that there was a significant accumulation of snow above 2100m it’s good to know where the potential overloading of slopes begins.
The factor of knowing your altitude for navigation purposes is the most important one for your safety. And this becomes increasingly important on longer multi-day trips.
Once out there you are completely relying on a map, compass and altimeter (or GPS with altimeter). These three are like avalanche safety equipment – beacon, shovel and probe really work the best together. Leave one out and you have to deal with additional unnecessary problems.
Benefit factor – better skiing and comfort
Enjoyment and fun is why we ski (some ski for work). Quality of snow makes this experience good or great.Besides knowing which aspects (slopes face certain direction, e.i.: north, south…) to ski for the best snow at a given time, knowing your altitude can greatly help you with getting the most fun out of your runs.
Scenarios presented here are not always true as the conditions greatly vary from place to place and from time to time, but they demonstrate how altimeter can help you:
- At higher elevations the temperatures are lower on average. This means that if it rains up to 1900m the better skiing should be above this elevation.
- Also, precipitation increases the higher the altitude. That means deeper snow pack which usually means higher quality powder skiing. And better chances of face shots.
- On the other hand, places at higher elevations are often pounded by greater winds which can blow the snow away or form a hard wind-affected top layer that you penetrate through unpredictably while skiing. And that is no fun.
In the three cases above you can clearly see how knowing your altitude can make you help decisions where and when to ski to have the biggest blast.
Among other beneficial factors of knowing your altitude is comfort. Sure, once you are out and the elements are testing you, you enjoy but there is a limit to everything. Here are examples of what I mean by comfort factor, especially on multi-day trips:
- You need water but want to save gas for your stove (or time melting snow). Creeks with running water are more accessible (convenient to reach) at lower elevations.
- You may have trouble sleeping comfortably above certain altitude. Altimeter can help you find a spot without loosing significant vertical meters by letting you know where you are exactly while looking for a suitable place.
Altimeter watches
Now that points were made why knowing your altitude is important and beneficial we will take a look at some altimeter watches that will fit your needs and budget in the next article.
“Buying altimeter watches that fit your needs and budget” will provide you with tips on what you need to consider when buying an alti watch as well as it will introduce you to couple of models where each one has a specific use.
If you just want to browse online stores for watches take a look at Backcountry.com and Altrec.com.
Tiki Torch Dash: Opening event to 2010 racing season
On December 5th, the North American 2010 skimo racing season will begin with Tiki Torch Dash hosted at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort (KHMR).
After delivering an amazing race course, organization and after-party last April people at KHMR decided to take a stronghold on the Canadian racing scene by hosting two events this season.
The second event will be Dogtooth Dash (on April 3rd, 2010) which is poised to be announced as the Canadian Championships in next couple of weeks.
Reference: Check out how the Dogtooth Dash 2009 went down.
KHMR is located near Golden, BC on the eastern side of the Purcell Mountains and is known for its steep terrain skiing. Now back to Tiki Torch event info.
Tiki Torch Dash quick facts:
- date – Dec 5, 2009
- atmosphere – very friendly
- consists of two separate events – 2 person team relay and a solo hill climb
- early bird registration (till Dec 4th) is $25 for both events, $35 the day of the race
- online registration is here
- both are night events – headlamps are mandatory
- bring also beacon, shovel, probe, helmet
- everyone is welcome – skimo gear, tele, split-boards, snowshoes
- prizes for costumes as well as fast times
- great party with a DJ afterwards (complimentary dinner)
Tiki Torch Dash itinerary:
Relay
4 laps – each leg of the relay race is approx 600 ft vertical, each team member will do 2-3 laps. More info and details are still to be announced.
Hill climb
Solo event with a mass start. Vertical gain will be about 1500 ft. More info and details are still to be announced.
Tiki Torch Dash schedule:
- 4.00pm – 5.30pm: Last min registration at Day Lodge
- 6.00pm: Pre race meeting at Day Lodge
- 7.00pm: Tiki Torch Dash start (relay) at Plaza
- 8.30pm: Hill climb start (solo) at Plaza
- 9.00pm+: Apres and awards at Day Lodge
More info and registration
For more info go to KHMR website.
To register online visit here.