Skinning Technique?

[RR]

As an old nordic skier I always set my poles at the longest possible setting for the up track. When we start traversing I reset to the down-side length that I need and grip the other, up-side pole just above the duct tape wrap with the up-side hand. I have been known to hook my thumb in the upside pole strap so I don't have to squeeze the upside pole.

I have learned to get past the kick-turns before making the adjustment. usually do the grip adjustment on the move...stopping in the track is not a good idea because at the very least it means accellerating from a dead stop...better to keep moving to save energy.

[RCL1]

I'm more in the camp of this guy:

http://straightchuter.com/category/t...ues/05-uphill/

the 'cheater pushups vs pullups'

hope your knee's improving, RR!

-RL

[RR]

skinning at 30 degrees plus..okay short poles would be the granny gear approach and would be great.

If it's just me and no existing track I'd rather skin at a shallower angle and get there fresher. For the long 8-18 degree aproaches on snow covered fire roads, long poles, kickers or even just wax to get there fresher. 20-25 degrees...bout as steep as makes sense to me in the fresh. I'm fer damned sure I won't try herrringbone with short poles and if I'm on touring tele bindings, I'll switch out of tour mode for herringbone

On the other hand, if someone has gone to all the trouble of making a skintrack for me....yeah, I'll go steeper..as long is it's only short sections that have glazed over.

First things first though...tonight I gotta see if I can get to 20 minutes on the stationary cycle. Made it to 15 on Saturday and did-no resistance ROM for ten minutes on Friday, 20 minutes yesterday (don't know the % of range, too soon to care anyway). Stitches out on Friday morning.

[yuckster]

Originally Posted by RR

skinning at 30 degrees plus..okay short poles would be the granny gear approach and would be great.

If it's just me and no existing track I'd rather skin at a shallower angle and get there fresher.

Steeper can sometimes be easier out west where surfaces can be far more planar... in the east where trails are narrow and there's usually an element of bushwhacking thrown in... different story I seem to remember that I found my cutoff in AK was right around 33-34 degrees before I had to start switchbacking. (Yes, actually measured, because I wanted to have a quantitative rule of thumb for slope angle.)

[RR]

Originally Posted by yuckster

Steeper can sometimes be easier out west where surfaces can be far more planar... in the east where trails are narrow and there's usually an element of bushwhacking thrown in... different story I seem to remember that I found my cutoff in AK was right around 33-34 degrees before I had to start switchbacking. (Yes, actually measured, because I wanted to have a quantitative rule of thumb for slope angle.)

skinning on corn...sure, steep is good. 30-45 cm of Gaspe pow? Sorry, 20 degrees is about as much as I like...while the slopes were wide open and very regular, that stuff was burly-type pow!

still...a few years ago I got pretty close to skinning up the little headwall (in thigh deep powder)....back when I was younger and a bunch stronger.

[yuckster]

Oh yea, did I mention it wasn't all that deep in AK? Settled slab. We didn't get snowed on very much while we were there.

[wooley12]

Great tips all. Backyard skinning also showed that "just doing it" is a big help in toning all the right muscles. Tomorrow I'm heading out for a day at the ski area to get more turns and I expect to get some odd looks skinning up a time or two. Be using the new Shuksan/Comforts as they will be a better conversation starter on the chair. I laugh sometimes. Megarides / Manaslu and Shuksan quiver mounted with comforts (not rich, just a smart shopper) and 6+ hours from any real alpine touring. The Jamacan bobsledders come to mind.

A tip I thought of my self - when going out for the first time of the year, second time ever, partnering with 2 guys that you have 30 years on, tour 3+ times a week and hit the gym on their off days, expect to feel a little inadiquite.

[RCL1]

I think I need some Gaspé pow, RR

-RL

[wooley12]

Well, the practice inbounds taught me a few things.
1- I can de-skin one ski without taking them off but all bets are off when I try to do the second one.
2- Putting crampons on while still in the skis is beyond my current agility.
3- Our "black diamond" is only 22 degrees ! so a straight up skin worked
4 - Crampons? 22 degrees? Well I found the sides of the jumps in the park were 40 deg and icy so I got a chance to do a 30' traverse.
5- I do love this game

As I was skinning up, someone yelled down from the chair "I think you have the wrong wax"

[ChrisG]

Somehow I lost one of my camming tailpieces off a skin last weekend. Looks like the cam part crimps into the split ring and somehow it must have torqued off (maybe while falling trying to lazily step over a blowdown???).

Anyone ever come across this? My guess is maybe the skin was/is too long and I need to adjust the toe piece a bit.?

Looks like I can get a replacement here but I don't feel like waiting and paying for shipping. Quick loop around EMS in Concord didn't yield any.

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com...ns/clipfix-kit

Any advice?

[RR]

there's the hacker way and there's elegance.

Both are some variation of: The Rat Tail
Here is what Lou Dawson says

You are a candidate for the latter...see the image down about 3/4 of the way on the page listed under the section heading Rat Tail system 2:

You might be able to take advantage of the remaining metal on the climbing skin to create an anchor point for the webbing part, which will save you sewing through the skin material and the glue...yeech! what a job that can be!

If you make it through the season with your rerpair you can decide whether to have BD effect a full repair, or just keep on.

Happy trails!

[ChrisG]

Good stuff, thanks. These setups look a little better than the small bungy I had on there. As always, great info out here.

[icelanticskier]

Originally Posted by ChrisG

Any advice?

ya, cut the damn things off. they really are not necessary. i don't use em, never have, never will and i use my skins A LOT!

roggo

[wooley12]

Any truth to the rumor that roggo can do multiple laps over the headwall to the summit in a February wearing flipflops and a Speedo? Begining to believe it. Anybody have pictures?

[djming]

Originally Posted by wooley12

roggo... wearing flipflops and a Speedo? Anybody have pictures?

Thankfully, no.