Basic Ski Course in Evje.

The Basic Sky Course took place in Evje (mountain area located about 70km north from Kristiansand). During the first week of February we improved our skiing technique in different conditions, we tried the snow-shoes in a geocaching session, learnt more about first aid and also how to pack the rucksack… It was an awesome week.

WHAT DOES THE RECREATION ACT TELLS YOU FOR USE OF THIS AREA?

The general rules of the Norwegian Recreation Act count for all the activities you can do in the nature. Skiing is a winter sport. That means that when you go skiing the land is frozen so the access to cultivated land it’s allowed (as long as you don’t see something like “movements out of these zones have been prohibited.”).

SKIING TECHNIQUE & SKI PREPARATION

Cross country skiing, or nordic skiing, originated in Scandinavia thousands of years ago as a necessity for life in snow-covered countryside. In the 1880s the Norwegian Sondre Nordheim developed birch rope heel straps which gave greater control over skis.  For the first time this allowed the skier to execute controlled turns whilst moving. Subsequently ski clubs were set up and the notion of skiing for sport emerged.

Today, it appeals to everyone from those looking for a leisurely way to get about on snow and enjoy the magic of winter, to racers and those wishing to physically challenge themselves.

Cross country skiing is to travel with skis on trails and forest tracks of moderate inclination. We can practice in natural areas without crowds. We don’t need lifts; we pull ourselves to the top making our own track.

–          Characteristics of cross-country skis:

The skis are long and narrow, to distribute the weight of the skier and allow the skier to move quickly. The toe of the skier’s footwear is attached to the ski with a binding, while the heel remains free. They are:

  • Width – Generally, a skating ski is shorter and narrower than a classic ski.
  • Tip – To help cut through deep snow, the tip of a cross-country ski is typically higher and more curved than an alpine ski.
  • Camber – for classic technique, camber, the amount of vertical curvature in the ski, is crucial to create a kick zone.
  • Bottom surface – Many skis have smooth bottoms which require waxing, but waxless skis are available.
  • Edges – For track skiing, skis usually do not have metal edges; backcountry and Telemark skis however often have edges.

Skis have camber and should leave the centre section of the ski clear of the snow when the skier’s weight is evenly distributed between the pair. The centre section of a classic ski will either have “fish scales”, or ski wax that will stick to the snow (called the “kick zone” or “grip zone” of the ski). When full weight is transferred to a single ski the kick zone comes into contact with the snow. The tails and tips of the skis are the “glide zone”.

–          Evaluating Conditions for Waxing

Evaluating the atmospheric condition is very important for proper wax selection. The atmospheric conditions have a direct impact on the metamorphosis of the snow and its current conditions.

ASSESS THE SNOW CONDITIONS

Is the snow: New? Old? Transformed snow?

Snow crystals change from large, sharp and pointed to small and round as they age.  You need a harder wax for sharp, new snow than for older snow. Transformed snow is old snow that has repeatedly melted and refrozen.

Check the weather forecast, conditions may be about to change.

a)      Quick guide to waxes & klister for the grip zone

Grip Wax is also known as kick wax, grip wax is specific to classical cross-country skiing. It comes in two forms – Hard Kick Wax and Klister. Hard Kick Wax is a firm substance used for new snow with defined crystals, or older, very cold snow. It is best to use hard kick wax in freezing conditions. Otherwise, an amorphous solid called Klister will suffice. It is sticky and difficult to use, but excellent in icy conditions or on wet snow.

Apply a base, either a specific base wax or a hard wax [green or blue], lightly ironing it in.  When cool lightly and evenly crayon on the wax of the day then smooth out quickly using a cork. It should be invisible when you’ve finished.  Repeat the process if you’re going on a longer ski.  Several light layers are better than one thick, lumpy one.

How to wax (youtube)

Stick waxes are shown on the left and klisters on the right.  You use klister when the snow is transformed.  Apply in the thinnest possible layer.

 You can read more about waxing and see videos on the Swix site.

–          Ski technique

You have you cross-country skis, you have applied the right wax, you are properly dressed and you’re at the trail. Now what? Well, it’s really quite simple. Put on your skis, pick up the poles, get on the track, and go.

You’ll naturally end up using a technique some people call the “shuffle“. It involves nothing more than sliding one ski ahead of the other, and repeating the entire process over and over again. Without even thinking about it, you’ll be pushing off with a kick stride, moving forward with a glide stride, and vice-versa. At the same time, you’ll intuitively use your poles for balance and to help push yourself forward with every stride. It’s very easy to do, and you will get in the swing of things after five or ten minutes.

When you get comfortable on your skis, you should try to gradually improve your performance. Work on maximizing your forward gliding motion. Concentrate on transferring a bit more of your weight onto the ski that is sliding forward. At the same time, try leaning forward a bit and while keeping a slight bend in your knees. Once you get use to doing this, put a little more energy into kick-off stride and use you poles a little more aggressively. You’ll also improve your technique by planting your poles relatively close to the side of the skies in the area next to your toes.

If all this sounds a little complicated, don’t worry J. The shuffle stride is more than adequate to get you started, and many recreational skiers never move beyond this technique. Nevertheless, you should set your sights on trying to improve your performance once you feel ready.

You also will have to know how to go up hills. The standard shuffle technique will get you up mild slopes, but as things get steeper, you notice some slippage when the kick stride starts to lose traction. To a certain extent, you can counter this slippage by the herringbone technique. This flattens out the camber of the ski, and brings the grip wax in the kick zone into maximum contact with the snow. Once a hill gets too steep, you will have to use the herringbone technique. You do this by pointing the tips of your skis

outwards and walking up the hill (see the photo). The trick to successfully using this technique is to make sure the inside edge of the ski is angled down. This allows the edge to dig into the snow giving the necessary traction to walk up the hill. Don’t forget to simultaneously use your poles to help push you up the slopes and hills.

Funny moments while we learnt skiing:

FIRST AID IN THIS FIELD

Depending on the type of activity you are planning and the composition of your group, the risks from the illnesses may actually present the greatest risk to your party. When you go into the mountains it’s nice to be prepared to deal with a basic ‘slip, trip or fall’ injury. OK it’s possible to improvise dressings and bandages from other bits of kit or clothing but it’s better if you are carrying a certain amount of first aid kit.

Cross country skiing usually takes place in relatively isolated places where alpine skiing and Nordic is done, being almost by definition a form of “off piste ” . That’s why from the point of view of survival and first aid to landslides or avalanches, it is essential to take first a shovel, preferably foldable and lightweight. Moreover, what known as “ARVA”, a small device that emits a signal and allow them to find us if we were buried by a landslide.

Almost every situation which demands first aid procedure will require that the basic skills are carried out quickly, efficiently and with the minimum of fuss, so practice, competency and currency are the key issues.

The contents of a first aid kit:

– Mobile phone (call emergency) (Norway: police:112; ambulance: 113; fire brigade:111)

  •  (a) Bothy bag / emergency or group shelter (To provide instant shelter wherever you are.)
  • (b) Casualty report form (To record all details needed for the mountain rescue, as well information found in the Primary and Secondary assessments, plus somewhere to record the vital signs as you await rescue.)
  • (c) Wee (waterproof) notebook and pen (Note pads can be used if you don’t carry a casualty card to jot down information about your casualty.)
  • (d) Scissors (For cutting tape, dressings or clothing and kit if necessary.)
  • (e) Non adherent dressings like Meloli (These are useful for wounds that have a fairly light amount of leakage. I carry a few large ones I can cut down to size if necessary.)
  • (f) Gloves (Several pairs of Nitrile examination gloves (not latex as some people are allergic to it).
  • (g) Duct tape (Multiples uses. Duct tape is amazing, in a first aid context it can be used to secure dressings in a general sense you can mend your waterproofs, tent and rucksack if necessary!)
  • (h) Wound dressings (A dressing pad attached to a bandage is useful on bleeding wounds.)
  • (i) Little gauzes (To mop up blood.)
  • (j) Safety pins (Useful for to secure bandages and handy if you need a needle. They are also great for improvising both elevated and lower arm slings by pinning the sleeve of the injured arm to the casualty’s clothing.)
  • (k) Saline pods (Used to irrigate wounds (or the eyes to wash out foreign objects eg. insects)).
  • (l) Mediwipes (Pre-packed wipes for cleaning wounds.)
  • (m) Micropore or Transpore tape (Can be used to secure dressings in place, or help immobilise injured fingers or toes.)
  • (n) Compression Trauma Dressing (Military trauma dressing for big bleeds.)
  • (o) Compeed for blisters  (A special type of adhesive dressing for use with blisters.)
  • (p) Dioralyte (Rehydration sachets (particularly useful in summer)).
  • (q) Blizzard Jacket (Handy little compressed survival jacket with sleeves and hood to keep a casualty warm (used to be called a Blizzard Vest but they now have sleeves).
  • (r) A bandage / support bandage (This could be crepe or a support bandage. Used to hold a dressing in place, to secure a splint on a fracture or directly onto the skin to help support an injured muscle or joint.)
  • (s) Plasters
  • (t) Triangular bandage (Can be used to hold dressings in place or as a sling for splinting. Can be fashioned into a broad or narrow bandage to secure fractured limbs.)
  • (t) Steristrips (These are strips of special tape that can close a wound that has reasonably straight edges ie. a slice.)
  • (u) Pain killers (paracetamol / ibuprofen. Also aspirin (300 mg) for use with heart attack casualties. Copy the information that accompanies the drugs (such as dosage and contra indications) onto water proof paper and keep it in your first aid kit).
  • (v) Face shield (For giving CPR) offers some form of protection when performing mouth to mouth resuscitation.
  • (w) Hypostop (energy gel for exhaustion or hypothermic casualties.)
  • Cling film for burns
  • Small head torch

No matter how much you learn or what equipment you take you can always be presented with a situation that you feel is well beyond what you can cope with. You must then do what seems best and most sensible.

Adaption and improvisation are key. 

Approach an incident with the following plan. Firstly keep everyone, including yourself, out of danger, the assess the casualty using the first aid “ABCs” (airway, breathing,

circulation) and give any immediate treatment required, such as clearing the airway. Once in a more controlled situation, examine the casualty thoroughly and provide any further treatment necessary (2013, Langmuir).

DAY PACK CONTENTS AND PACKING

In the following list you will see what to carry in a backpack:

  •   Plastic bag to keep your things dry.
  •   Food and warm drinks (keep energy)
  •   Extra clothes (gloves, hat, jacket…)
  •   Knife, matches, rope… they are always useful
  •   Waxes
  •   Torch

You can find more information about packing here 

 

Literature