Basic Ski course 06.02.-10.02.
From the 6th until the 10th of February our first ski trip took place in Evje. Goals of this course were mainly to learn how to ski on cross-country skis and improve our skiing technique. Further goals were improving our navigation skills in winter landscapes and gain experience in packing equipment for day trips and leading groups on ski tours.
Day 1
On Monday the 6th of February we traveled to TrollAktiv an outdoor sports center near Evje, which would be the base for our upcoming Trips. After everybody had arrived around midday, we got ready for our first ski trip in the afternoon. Before we left we had to wax our skis for the trip and got a short introduction on how to wax them. When we arrived at the location for our first ski trip we were separated into two different groups and were either assigned to Tim or Len as our group leaders and skiing instructors. I was assigned to Tim’s group. Our first lesson on skiing started of by properly putting on the skis. After that we received a crash course into the different techniques needed this week.
We started of by learning how to turn. We were confronted with two different techniques, the star turn and the kick turn. We spent about half an hour to practise both turns on the spot and while walking on a small circuit. Also we started to try some jump turns. We slowly gained confidence on the skis and moved on to some more challenging exercises. We approached a small downhill slope where Tim confronted us with different technique tasks, which kept increasing in their difficulty. We were going down the slope trying to touch our ankles our knees going down, doing small jumps or going down on just one leg. These tasks increased our feeling for the skis and our balance as well as our ability to get back up on the skis. The get back up the hill we learned the Herring Bone technique. And to slow down going down we learned the Snow Plough technique.
We also learned how to turn on the move by putting our weight on the outer ski while the inner ski leads. Important for the turns is that one looks in the direction where you want to go.
Before retuning to our huts Tim taught us two different techniques to move on flat terrain, the Diagonal Stride and Double Polling.
After the first day of skiing we had a lecture on the skis and how to wax them in different conditions.
There is several different types of cross-country skis. The main difference lies between skating and classic cross-country skis. Skating skis are shorter and thinner than most classical skis. Also the movement of skating reminds of a movement on ice-skates. The skating skis are faster and need no wax and became quite popular during the last decades.
However within the field of classical skis there are also many differences. One can distinguish between racing skis, touring skis, Mountain touring skis and Randonée skis.
Although the shape and characteristics of the skis differs very strongly between the several skis they have a few things in common. For instance all of these skis have a binding, where one can attach the toe of the skiing boots. The binding also separates the ski into its three different sections, the tip, kick zone and the tail. Tip and tail are gliding zones whereas the kick zone is responsible for the grip and stability of the ski.
One important thing about the skis is the camber, which basically describes how much the ski is bended resulting in an elevated kick zone, which only has contact to the ground if weight is put on.
In order to move efficiently on the skis one needs to prepare the skis using wax. On the gliding zones (Tip and Tail) one has to apply a layer of gliding wax, which is also used in alpine skiing. On the kicking zone one should first apply one layer of gripping wax and after that at least one layer of wax for the current snow and weather conditions. To find the right wax for the day one has to consider the air temperature, snow temperature and composition of the snow (i.e. old or new). Once the right wax for the day has been found one can apply it by rubbing the wax over the ski and after that heating it up with a cork sponge or an iron, which helps spreading the wax on the ski into a thin layer. Depending on the length of the upcoming tour one can apply several layers. Usually on only applies the wax one foot before and one foot behind the binding point. However it is possible to use it on a larger surface or even the whole ski. Which leads to more stability but less gliding ability. This can be useful for tours that go mainly uphill or tours with additional weight.
Day 2
On the second day we started our first ski tour through the area while practising our technique along the way. We also got to know a few other techniques such as the Telemark for going downhill in a stabile position and increasing our balance in uneven terrain. We also learned the Kick Double Pole technique, which is the last of the Basic three cross-country skiing techniques. Tim referred to Diagonal Stride as the first gear and Double Kick Pole and Double Pole as third and second gear. Furthermore we got to know different ways of turning on the move using a snowplough turns, parallel turns, stem turnsor telemark turns. Also we tried to use a skating stop to slow down.
Additionally to practising the new input we were also confronted which group dynamic problems. The skiing skills differed very much in our group since all had different experiences beforehand. Some were struggling to get up hills whereas others seemed to have no problems and did not seem challenged at all. The person skiing in the front had always to adapt his pace to the group. We also experienced that it was quite difficult leading the group through fresh snow and very exhausting to walk in the front.
The afternoon lesson was on first aid and cold weather injuries and their treatment
| INJURY | TREATMENT |
| Cut/Scratch/Bruise | Clean the wounds and apply antiseptic substance |
| Frostnip | Warm up body parts by putting on another layer or holding them close to your body |
| Frostbite | Can’t be treated in the field |
| Snow blindness | Put on goggles, if not available use scarf or sting little holes in bandage/tape to reduce light |
| Hyperthermia | Stop and warm up, have hot drinks and food and rest for 15-30min; process can be supported by another person heating affected one up |
| Bone fractures | Stabilize affected area |
Day 3
On the third day we postponed our ski tour due to the windy and cold weather conditions and had the theory lecture in the morning. During the lecture Len told us what to consider when packing our backpack for a trip and what to take with us.
Heavy things should go in the middle of the backpack closest to the spine. Items that are used quite often should be in a convenient spot with quick access.
Following items should always be carried on a cross-country tour:
Food and drinks
Ski wax
Shovel
Avalanche Kit
Goggles
Extra clothing
Scarf/Buff
Sitting mat
Emergency shelter
First aid kit
Due to the cold weather conditions we decided not to go up to the mountains and stay a little further down in a forest to ski. We started by doing some technical exercises on a small hilly area. After that we started with a quite flat 10km track. On the way we used small Hills to practise our Telemark or jump turns.
At the end of the track both groups met at a ski jump where some of us used the chance to practise some jumps.
The skiing skills of the group seemed quite improved after the day and everybody looked much more comfortable on skis.
Day 4
The following day we started practising our orienteering skills in a winter environment. Each of us took terms in leading the group to our destination. Len who had taken over our group for the day left all the navigation to our group. It was quite difficult to discover the features of the map since most of them were covered in snow. The contour lines however where a major help. During one point of the day our group thought it would save us some time to cut through the woods away from the path. Len encouraged us to try. However we discovered that it took a lot of effort and much longer time to cut through an unprepared area. Instead of preventing us from trying, Len let us experience the results of our decision and learning trough it by our own experience (Dewey 1939).
On the way back from our reached destination one of our team members fell into a frozen lake and got his feet wet. The change in the group atmosphere was obvious. While some of us were helping him changing socks the others tried to stay warm. After that the main focus of the group was to reach our starting point quickly. We decided on finding our original tracks and trace them back, in order to save time navigating. After reaching our starting point we took the opportunity to practise our techniques on a much longer and steeper slope than before. The group atmosphere was at its peak and races between our members increased our ambition.
For this afternoon we did not have a lecture but a gathering where we all prepared several games from our home countries.
Day 5
For the last day we separated the whole course in two new groups by their skiing ability. Tim took over the group of more experienced skiers. The plan was to do a bit longer ski tour. Because there was again a lot of new snow we had to take terms breaking the snow for the group. Because the group was more homogenous regarding their skill we were much quicker and had a lot of fun playing around and trying out new techniques. Furthermore it was nice to hear what the other group had learned and experienced. Within the group a little competition arose about who would fall the least during the trip. The last day offered a perfect end for the trip and allowed us to realize what we had learned and how much we had improved during the week.
References
Dewey, J., & Ratner, J. (1939). Intelligence in the Modern World John Dewey’s Philosophy.
Mechanics of Sport. (2016) Skis. Available from: http://www.mechanicsofsport.com/skiing/equipment/skis.html [Accessed: 20/03/17].