Basic ski course
The basic ski course was meant for us to practice our technique at cross country skiing along with how to take care of the skis and reading the snow conditions.
On Monday we all met at Trollaktiv and got comfy in three cabins. We had to change our plans because of the weather conditions and instead of going skiing like the plan was we stayed at Trollaktiv in one of the meeting cabins with a nice fire and an afternoon of lectures.
We got lectures about what the best way is to wax skis and how to know what kind of wax is best to use in certain conditions. We were told what kind of equipment is necessary to have on trips, how to dress properly and prepare for a day outside in the cold weather. We were also told what to have in our daypacks during an outing. It was all very useful information that definitely came to good use during the week especially since I didn’t have much experience with waxing skis. After the lectures we had the evening off to relax before the busy week of skiing.
Tuesday morning we woke up early to get ready for the day. We drove for awhile to Bortelid which is a beautiful ski area close to Trollaktiv with a few ski lifts and slopes and cross country tracks around the area. We got split into two groups and I was in a group with Tim Davis as an instructor. We started going to a field close by and made us do some laps to practice some basic technique so we could get used to the skis and he could see how we were doing and learn our names. It was like the first time we tried the skis, going back and forth, turning and going in circles. He helped us adjust our ski poles and other equipment and explained skiing techniques. Then we got to a small hill in the side of the field and went sliding down a few times each times trying something new to get better adjusted to the skis and to try our balance and position on the skis. We did a snow-plow, we balanced on one leg, we went down with and without the ski poles. After everyone had gone down a few times we continued on up the tracks and went on a small ski tour. During the walk up I could see and feel that my wax was still pretty good because I had no difficulty walking up the hill without having to herringbone up which is kind of like a duck walk where you push the edge of the skis into the snow and use the ski poles walk straight up. We also went zig-zaging up and it made me realize when seeing others struggle how important it is to wax the skis properly. We went a little off track which was a lot of fun. I was right behind Tim in the beginning and tried to copy his steps and speed. We went to a hill and had to zig-zag up and it went alright it was a good practice to be off piste and in deep snow. The view was incredible and the weather was nice. Being off piste and in the deep snow was nice and challenging, going up was in my opinion a lot easier than going down. I felt like going down in the deep snow was very difficult and I had a hard time controlling my turns I just continued going until I stopped by losing speed. We did have a little adventure trying to get back down through the forest and down a very steep hill. When we got back to the ski slopes we had a little technique practice on the big slopes, going back and forth down the slope. At that point I was feeling a little more confident but still a little insecure about going downhill.
When we got back to Trollaktiv we had a lecture about what to have in your first aid kid. It was very good information, some I had in my first aid kid and some I didn’t have but made a note of getting it first thing when we got back.
Wednesday morning we went back to Bortelid ski centre and after preparing the skis with wax we took off on a longer track then on Tuesday. This time we went a little further on the tracks using what we had learned the previous day. We went up a really long and steep hill and I was slowly getting more confident that I was getting the hang of cross country skiing. We stopped at a small hill where we practiced telemark turns and how to switch sides which was what I had been struggling with. So far I could only turn by doing a wide snow-plow turn like I did when I was a kid. The practice was a lot of fun it was a really good hill since the more experienced skiers could go a little more to the right where the hill was steeper so they had more challenge and then I could focus a little more on my own technique and improving my turns and to stop. There we also had lunch which we had in good spirits since everyone had gone down the hill improving a little bit and gaining more confidence. On the way back we split up leaving hald the group going on with the experienced skiers in charge to get back to the ski lodge fast, leaving those who felt they could use a more slower pace back with Tim. At the last second I jumped in with the faster group and I was really proud to be able keep up with them and when we got back we went up to the top of the big slope and Line tried to help me improve my telemark skiing down. I may have gone a little too high but I made it down in one piece even though I had to go back to the snow-plow style since it is really exhausting for the legs to go down.
Then after a little more practice in parallel turning and breaking we had a little slalom race, which was a lot of fun. It got the spirits up and we got to have fun but still practicing. I found out that I could go down fast when competing, if I just stopped obsessing and doubting about it in my head.
This evening lecture was about avalanches, which was a lot of fun. I had been on an avalanche and rescue lecture before at the Icelandic search and rescue team and they definitely need to step up their game, because I learned a lot better at this lecture than theirs. This lecture was informal and had relaxed atmosphere, with the fire and friends in the room. We learned how and why avalanches can occur, how to react if you happen to be in an avalanche and how to react if you witness an avalanche. Basically what we learned was to not the stuck in an avalanche!
Thursday was the day for a longer ski tour at 12 km. and to practice an avalanche test. Everyone in the group got to lead and orientate on the tour. In the beginning of the trip there was a lot of going uphill which was difficult. There was cold weather but we got so warm going up. We adjusted our clothes on the first hill so we wouldn’t get to warm and sweat, but still as soon as we got a break after the biggest hill I could feel the sweat from the backpack got cold. After little break it was my time to lead with Amy and we made lead our group to a little shed where we could have a short lunch break since the weather was a little cold. Before we started I put a little more wax on my skies because I could feel that I kept sliding when trying to go up the hills. The area was really beautiful and nice, we stopped at a little area in a hill to eat lunch and do an avalanche test. We dug straight into the snow twice creating a block, and Tim used the block to explain how we could see the different snow layers and where the snow was most likely to break and create an avalanche. Then Martin went on his skis and skied in top of the block and jumped a little to show how much force was needed to break the block. Martin had to jump pretty hard to break the block so we assumed that the snow in the area was safe for us to continue to ski on. From there we went off piste up the mountain and even though it was hard work it was worth it because the view from the top was really amazing. Also it looked really cool walking up the side of the mountain. When we got back on the track we had to get ourselves down again. The slope was really steep and the more experienced skiers got to just ski ahead down and we could make a choice to go with them or go slower with Tim. I felt like I was no way ready to go straight down since I was nervous with going to fast but I was still able to go a little bit faster then the others so I was in the middle. I went a head of group that stayed behind by going slowly and safely down and when I got past the hardest part I saw that they had the skies off and were working and Tim told me to just go ahead and ski down. That part was a lot of fun. I just went my own speed and I didn’t have to worry about anyone but myself. I didn’t have to worry about slowing anybody down or trying to keep up. And I definitely pushed my limits by going way faster then I was usually comfortable with and that felt awesome.
During the evening we had a Keyleigh night where each country had a little traditional game to teach the other. I thought of a Viking battle games that we used in an international scout Jamboree in Japan. I teamed up with Line since she also knew of similar game so it worked out really well. The whole evening was a lot of fun and I think everyone had a good time. Britain got us playing the musical chairs that is usually played in birthdays and it was a lot of fun, especially because I won! The Germans got us playing some kind of blind crawling game trying to find an object. It was very funny to see everyone competing blindfolded and crawling on the floor. Martin gave us a hilarious lesson in Czech where he had us in tears. The Americans gave us a dance lessons which was nice I would have never guessed that would be their game. It was still a lot of fun. Martynes had us all playing the limbo, which was a lot off fun even though I lost that time.
Friday, the last day we had a nice relaxing day going to a different cross country area. There we went on a tour in the area ending up on a lunch site where we had a nice long lunch. The lunch was very enjoyable the weather was nice, we had a fire and we had fun playing the Viking games with the teachers joining in and teaching us their own little games, one that was a knife throw. I decided to be the bigger person and give up the game before I would throw the knife in my teachers’ shoe! On the way back we stopped for a little bit to continue practicing our turns. Then it was straight to the cabins to clean and pack.
Through out this week I definitely improved my ski technique. In the end I not only managed to spent more time staying standing on the skies instead of in the snow but I got up and down the hills just fine and I could keep up with the group. I tested my limits with getting over the voice in my head keeping me from going down the hills and realizing I could do more then I thought I could. I got to experience an amazing week with overcoming what seemed like big challenges with the other students that brought us closer together as a group. The week increased my confidence in my skiing abilities and got me excited about the snow-hole trip.