Assignment 2 – Cross Country Skiing in Evje
In the beginning of February, it was time to pack skis and waxing kits and hit the road to Evje for one week of cross-country skiing. Our destination was Trollaktiv, an adventure centre, where we stayed together in cabins, went skiing on the days and had lectures related to ski touring in cold winter conditions in the evenings.
Trollaktiv is located in the south of Setesdal and surrounded by 120 kilometers of groomed trails. The area is characterized by forests, lakes and gentle hills providing an appropriate environment for beginners. Besides the prepared tracks it offers lots of possibilities to go off into the deep snow to experience real touring conditions and techniques. Moreover, the terrain includes a mixture of flat area and hills giving the chance to get used to the movement as well as earning down hill skills. In addition, the setting allowed to practice orientation in winter conditions using features like vegetation, hills and lakes.
During the week we were divided into two groups to increase the possibilities of teaching and learning such as individual development and support. Besides various aspects the learning outcome is related to the teacher himself, his self-concept and methods. It depends on the formation of leading, guiding and instructing which is connected to the aim and content of the situation. “Flexible leadership style means knowing how, why, and when to utilize different leadership styles.” (Priest, S./ Gass, M.: Effective leadership in Adventure Programming. 1997: Human Kinnetics). Hence, the way Tim, our skiing teacher, was working with us as a group varied during the days and the week. In the beginning the teaching methods were mostly related to instructions to provide a first understanding of the movements of cross-country skiing. With increasing ability those decreased and changed to a form of guided teaching based on supporting individual learning processes.
On the first day (Monday) introductory games were used in the area around Trollaktiv to earn first experiences on cross country skis which also caused motivation and curiosity. Basic instructions concerning moving uphill (stepping sideward, herring bone) and downhill (knees bent, hands in front) were given besides providing enough time fo
r trial and error. Tim was acting very encouraging and gave us the impression of being interested in getting to know the group as fast and good as possible. Moreover, he adapted to the ability and conditions of the group and the day changing the plan of going for a short tour to rather play around on a small hill.
The next day (Tuesday) we drove up to the actual cross country skiing area we used on most of the days of the week. Every morning in the car he gave us a short overview about the plans for the day and asked for comments which was part of the mostly democratic relation between him and the group during the whole time. The weeks main practical aim was to provide us with basic cross country skiing techniques so the days were divided into parts of exercise series and parts of actual touring around the area. Basically, the percentage of technique exercises decreased and the time of practicing them whilst touring and playing around increased during the time. However, the original plan changed related to the weather so that the longer touring day took already place on Wednesday instead of Friday which was an unusual order. This examines the way the teachers were organising the days and the week in total, being aware of the learning process and constitution of the group, the weather forecast and snow conditions. The teachers were exchanging information and structuring the days corporately without loosing the sense for flexibility and adaption in their individual groups.
Adaption requires knowledge about the constitution of the group. To get a general idea of the range of ability and individual competence it is essential to observe the members in different situations. Tim’s grade of activity and participation varied, from skiing with the group (in front / in the back) to being outside the group (during exercises/ play), providing the chance of changing the focus of observation to get a broad impression. Moreover, it allowed both general and individual feedback to support the learning process and to decrease insecurity and incapability. Especially during the times of touring the pace and difficulty of the route was adapted to the range of ability with focus on the less capable students. At the same time Tim offered possibilities to challenge the more advanced skiers by showing continuative technique and alternative paths or including orientation related tasks. His method of getting the more insecure skiers in front sometimes helped to intensify individual support. Also, stages were kept short to prevent spreading out and obtain motivation.
Besides the general organisation of the days including exercising and touring, skills and techniques have been tested and improved whilst ‘Playing’ in a certain area or on a hill. This is a useful method for practicing individually and becoming more confident on skis. The more organised play implicated improvement with special focus whilst the free play provided time for an independent learning process.
All these methods and Tim’s form of leadership supported to keep the internal motivation on a high level. The group was eager to learn and showed an ambitious attitude. Another important aspect was the positive group dynamic including mental support, practical assistance and sense of belonging. Another (maybe subjective) point were the good weather and snow conditions presenting the area and nature in a beautiful way. This was influencing the enthusiasm about cross country skiing and its nature related and peaceful character. Moreover, the variation of activities and different organisation of the days were generating motivation and curiosity.
The activities can be classified into three basic categories: cross country skiing techniques and skills, practical winter safety activities and theoretical lectures about winter activities and touring.
During the weak we got an insight into the three classic techniques though we mostly used the diagonal stride and the double pole. The diagonal stride can be used uphill, on flat ground and even downhill (for beginners) and is characterized by an opposite/diagonal movement of legs and arms. When being too fast for the diagonal stride or going slightly downhill, the double pole can be used where both arms move at the same time. In addition, we learned how to use the herring bone technique or even the side step to go up steeper hills. For going downhill the snowplough was taught first which is a controlled technique on prepared slopes. In the beginning the telemark position was already introduced (one ski in front, knees bent) and the technique of telemark turns was based on it later in the week. On Thursday we had exercise series and time for practicing these turns on a wide hill. “In a ‘Telemark’ turn, alternately one ski then the other is advanced when turning. Something like a series of curtsies (not very low thou
gh) while ‘stepping’ down the slope.” (http://www.telemarkskico.com/articles1c.htm)
This technique allows going downhill in a controlled way on cross country skies even in the deep snow. All days and most of the activities included practicing these techniques during exercises or free skiing as learning them was the main aim of the week.
Except of the skiing we also did some mountain safety activities. As avalanches are a serious topic connected to any kind of winter activities in the mountains, Tim showed us how to use an avalanche transceiver. In pairs we were burying backpacks with the transceiver in the snow and searching them with the receiver to get an impression of their mode of functioning.
Another task we got was to build an emergency shelter in the winter environment within 20 minutes. The general purpose of an emergency shelter is to be protected from wind, snow and cold aiming to survive a certain period of time or the night. Emergencies include injuries, unexpected bad weather conditions or any other forms of incidents making the 
continuation of the journey impossible. To be prepared for this kind of situation it is useful to know how to build a shelter in a short time with the help of tools everyone is carrying (snow shovel, knife/multitool). Except of digging a snowhole (which takes a longer time) there are different ways of building shelters depending on the environmental conditions. Both of our small groups decided to build a shelter under a spruce as the shape of the tree is already providing a tepee formed hideout. Small disturbing branches near the ground were cut to create more room whilst the overhanging ones were forming the constructional basis. Moreover skies, any kind of branches and snow served as material for consolidation. The advantages of this kind of shelter are that it is fast and easy to build and even provides the possibility of lighting a fire.
Besides all these practical activities we had theoretical lessons in the evenings in Trollaktiv. The first lecture was about the composition of a ski and how to wax depending on different weather and snow conditions. As we always had to wax our skies on our own these were very helpful information to learn how to prepare our equipment in the best way as possible. The next evening’s lecture was about cold weather injuries and the requirements of a first aid kit. Different kinds of incidents were discussed, such as broken bones, hypothermia, frostnip/bite and dehydration. Logically the required behavior and treatments in an emergency situation were outlined afterwards. In addition, the lecture dealt with the minimum components of our first aid kids and emphasized the importance of individual supplements. The third class of the week contained information about how to pack a daypack for skiing/winter activities in the winter environment. The conclusion was, that there are some essential elements (shovel, wax, first aid kid, water, food, fire lighting kid, spare layer) but also personal items and individual needs.
In conclusion, the learning outcomes include a variety of hard and soft skills concerning cross-country skiing and leadership, as well as theoretical and practical knowledge about preparation, organisation and safety aspects related to day trips in the winter environment.
The whole week was well organised and provided both, the possibility to get basic skills in cross-country skiing plus new experiences concerning outdoor activities and emergency situations in cold conditions. I was appreciating the variety of activities and the structure of the days which were positively influenced by a successful interaction between the group and teachers. Surely one can always discuss teaching methods and their pros and cons (e.g. teaching techniques after a longer tour) but in the end, I got a positive impression of how to structure a basic ski course like the one we did. To leave the groups as they were instead of dividing them into ability levels for example had, besides of some possible disadvantages, a positive effect on the group dynamic and behavior during a ski tour. Generally, I experienced a well-working cooperation and cohabitation in the group during the daily activities and shared meals in the evenings. The ceilidh was one of the highlight of the social life during the week, giving the possibilities to get an insight in the different cultures in our group. A personal finding was the development of my skepticism concerning cross country skiing into gentle enthusiasm about the movement itself and its possibilities to experience nature. Moreover, the winter environment and amount of snow in the area provided great opportunities for activities and was highly gratifying compared to the decreasing snow days back home. In summary it was an instructive week with amazing winter conditions and lots of fun in the snow together with group and teachers.
