Basic Ski Course
Location: Syrtveit, Evje
Monday 3th of February – Friday 7th of February

Skiing and the outdoor receation act:
The access and passage through cultivated land when the ground is frozen or snow-covered is allowed outside the period from 30 April to 14 October. This right of access does not apply to farmyards or plots around houses and cabins, fenced gardens or parks or other areas fenced in for special purposes where public access in winter would unduly hinder the owner or user.

Skiing daypack:
– Different wax types
– Waxing tools
– Glister
– Emergency shelter
– First aid kit
– Skins (in case someone gets really tired)
– 6mm rope (always handy)
– Shovel
– Mattres
– Sleepingbag
– Food + extra food
– Water + extra water (preferably warm)
– Simple stove + fuel (for lunch/melting extra water)
– Mobile phone
– Map
– Compass
– Current avalanche map
– Skies
– Poles
– Gloves
– Extra gloves
– Ski goggles
– Sun glasses
– Sun cream
– Beannie
– Water/windproof layer
– Woolen underlayers

Waxing:
We put the wax in small layers on the middle of the ski, this means that the wax is not in contact with the snow when we are not standing on it because of the camber on the ski’s. When we do put weight on the ski’s and really push it in the snow we get some grip which enables us to kick forward. The momentum created will result in a glide. We then use the sticks to maintain the glide for a longer time.

We use one base layer and then two or three layers of the preferred wax. After putting each layer of wax on we rub it into the ski base using a waxing cork until we can’t see any white traces of wax anymore. This is hard work!

Types of wax:
– Green: For really cold temperatures and good as base wax and can be used as gliding wax, so you can basically put it on your whole ski.
– Blue: This is the wax that I prefer when putting on wax and is for temperatures ranging -3 to -8
– Purple: between blue and red
– Red: temperatures just under zero
– Klister: For temperatures around zero. This is just like glue.. When you put this on yur ski’s you will have a hard time getting it of. Especially when your in the mountains because there it will be colder than inside which makes the wax more hard and harder to get on/off!

Snow types:
Fresh and cold snow has many spikes sticking out each snow crystal. This makes it easier for your wax to have a grip in the snow. Put on a wax that is to sticky and the snow will keep sticking in the wax leaving you witch piles of snow attached under your ski’s and loosing your ability to glide.
Take a wax that’s not sticky enough and you will not be able to kick.
Both can ruin your trip but if I had to choose I would rather have a wax on my ski’s with to little grip then a big pile of snow sticking under my ski’s. The reason is that we can always skate instead of kicking. Skating is used in normal cross country skiing and is a quick way of moving but also a very hard and physically punishing technique, especially with the long Nordic ski’s.
When the snow has been melting the spikes one the snow crystals will be shaved of leaving little balls of ice. This is very hard to get a grip on, even with klister!
When your not happy with your wax you can always put a small layer of the preferred wax on top and mix it with the wax that is already on there.

This waxing information only goes for Nordic cross country skiing! The techniques and ski’s used in alpine skiing or normal cross country skiing are different then the once’s used in Nordic cross country skiing and therefore need other treatment/do not need wax.

slalom → flat, short
Powder → flat, wide tips
Cross country → Camber for kick
Nordic cross country → Camber for kick, longer than cross country ski’s, metal edges

Skiing technique:
– Diagonal stride –> for flat and slighty downward/upward terrain
By pushing down on one ski and kicking forward with the other you get a gliding motion forward. This happens because the waxed area of the ski that has been pushed down grips on the snow and give you the opportunity to create a gliding motion. The pole alternate of the downward ski helps you to create momentum.

– Kick double pole
To give yourself more speed you can put a bit more power in your diagonal stride by pushing with both of your poles at the same time.

– Skating –> for flat/uphill terrain
With this technique you transfer your weight to one ski and pushing with the other. After doing this you lift up the pushing ski and glide only on the ski that holds your weight. Simultaneously with the pushing of the ski you push forward with both skiing poles.

– Herringbone –> for uphill terrain
By putting your skies in a V- shape with the tips far apart and the backs close together you give yourself the chance to make some kind of stairway. You do this by pushing your weight on the inner edge of your skis. Put your hips forward and push with your poles behind you.

– Kick turn
Turn your body until the tip and the back of your ski is horizontal. Put both poles on one side of your body (the high side). And turn the ski that’s furthest down 180 degrees, with the tip of your skie traveling the longest distance. Make sure to place it horizontal on the snow before transfering your weight on to this skie and turning the other skie 180 degrees in the same direction, turning on the downward side.

– Telemark position
To keep balanced on bumps or landings you can apply the telemark position. You do this by lunging down and thereby making your balance for forward and backward movements stronger.

– Snow plough
Beside putting the inner edges downward you do everything different than the herringbone. The further apart your skies the harder you brake. You can also brake more by moving your knies downward/inward. By putting more pressure on for example your left leg you start turning right. and vica versa.

First aid in winter conditions:
Hypothermia and frostbite are your biggest concerns.
Prevent both by drinking enought. Your body has to moisturize the air because it is dry. Because of this you use more fluids than normal. And by keeping an close eye on each other.

Hypothermia:
Persons who are more prone to hypothermia:
– Tired
– Alcohol
– Very old/young

Hypothermia kicks in when you have been losing more heat than you have been generating. Symptoms of hypothermia:
– Drowsiness
– Weakness and loss of coordination
– Pale and cold skin
– Confusion
– Uncontrollable shivering (although at extremely low body temperatures, shivering may stop)
– Slowed breathing or heart rate

What to do?
– Go out of the wind and cold, get the person warm again. (sleepingbag, insulation from the ground etc.)
– Remove wet clothing
– If not improving call emergency number

Do not use direct heat to warm the person! For example a hot shower.

Frostbite:
Frostbite is localized damage to the skin due to freezing. It occurs fastest in the areas furthest away from the heart and exposed areas.
Frostbite occurs because of bad blood circulation. This can happen due to being in a cramped position, wearing tight clothing and body temperature losses. When your body loses warmth the circulation in the extrimities are lessened to maintain a stable core temperature and prevent hypothermia.

In in the first stages of frostbite you have to warm these parts with body temperature. If the victim itself is not warm enought, do it with somebody else his body. For example putting a foot or hand in a armpit.

If frostbite has already occured, movement and massaging can damage the tissue further. Before thawing the afflicted areas you have to be sure that you do this in a positive temperatute stable area. If the tissue freezes again after thawing you will get more severe damage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frostbite
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000038.htm