Finger Lakes Region XCD

[lowangle al]

There are a few though. I always see the tell-tale traces in the snow. Usually a set of really beautiful esses.

Don't be surprised when you meet up with the makers of those tracks if they are on At gear with skimo skis.

[MikeK]

Nah - most of them are too thin to be AT.

There are a few people who use that stuff around here, and you can usually tell by their tracks that they're on something wide. Could be Tele, but I know from bike shop convos that it's mostly AT.

[MikeK]

And Al, I could be considered middle-aged. I'm 37; about half my average life expectancy.

And I meant my age as well... I don't see many people XC skiing or XCD skiing that are my age. Finding an XCD skier is like spotting a wild animal. You know they are there because you see their tracks but you rarely spot them. Most XC skiers look to be retirees by my estimate.

[lowangle al]

I don't know Mike, I think 37 is young. Middle age starts when you're about 48. Coincedently that is the same age that you sit on your own nuts for the first time.

[MikeK]

I guess there's an argument for that... if you know you are going to live to be 96.

As far as saggy genitals... are you sure that's not just being an old man? I don't see what implies anything about the middle of anything from that.

[lowangle al]

I don't think middle age is determined by a mathmatical formula. It's more about being between young and old.

As far as the other thing, that's something I heard George Lopez say, and in my case it was true. Don't worry though, that was 12 years ago and it hasn't happened since. My advice to you would be to avoid big drops and keep your jumping to a minimum as it may speed up the process.

[MikeK]

I think we are gonna lose it fast now... forecast is for 50s next week and some rain.

This weekend or early next week might be the last hurrah for a little corn. I was thinking we'd make it to April, but it's not looking that way.

Probably gonna be icy and crusty today - think I'll do a little trail skiing.

[Fisheater]

Mike, I could tell from your posts that the skis were turning better, good stuff. As far as middle age, 37 is young, but there is a big difference between 40 and 50. I am getting close enough that I am pretty sure that 50 to 60, is not that big of a change.
I am going to take some turns on rental snow tomorrow, my trail skiing has been done for a while. I am down to the last few patches of snow in my yard. Enjoy the end of season, and thanks for sharing the photos.

[MikeK]

Trail skiing was rough today... icy, crusty... bleh... should have taken more boot or just went and broken fresh trail. The snow wasn't actually that crusty out of tracks.

I guess conditions have been real good. Sometimes you forget that until they aren't, then you really remember what skiing like shit feels like

[MikeK]

Think today was the end.

Snow wasn't bad - was warm and starting to turn to a really nice cream. I made the mistake of starting on the north side early in the day and progressing south later on, should have went the other way... duh... but I blame the proximity of the parking area.

Snow could get awesome... if... the weather would hold, but it's supposed to rain for like the next 3 days and be warm, so I don't expect much but rotten icy patches after it clears. Oh well... 30 days, I'll take it. Time for bike.

[jackattack]

This looks like just the thread I've been looking for! I just found this forum.

I live in Rochester, NY and am interested in getting an XCD/light tele setup. I'm an expert alpine skier, and I've been learning telemark this year to make Bristol more interesting. I can tele turn down all of the trails there as of last week. I also have a pair of Fischer Spider 62s with Fischer BCX6 NNNBC boots on them. I find that setup is very hard to control on downhills. The boots don't seem stiff enough. It also isn't the greatest in powder.

A bike shop here has a few ski options for sale:
Fischer S-bound 112 and 98
Madshus Annum and Epoch
Voile switchback X2 bindings

I have a pair of old Crispi XP tele boots that are 75mm and I plan to use these to at least start on this gear. I'll probably also get some smaller plastic boots but I'll start with just the skis for now. I'm 5'11" and 175 lb.

I'm wondering if anyone has any input on what ski and binding to get. I definitely want to be able to turn on these in the woods but also be able to ski some distances. Which ski to get? Which width? What length?

Do I need a free pivoting binding? Or is relying on the flex of the boot good enough? Would relying on the flex of the boot be a problem on my current Crispis? Any recommendations on bindings?

Thanks for the help.

[oldschool]

This looks like just the thread I've been looking for! I just found this forum.

Hey - welcome to a little corner of the world that often has some good info --even important stuff like drink recipes!
See my comments inserted below and after your items

I live in Rochester, NY and am interested in getting an XCD/light tele setup. I'm an expert alpine skier, and I've been learning telemark this year to make Bristol more interesting. I can tele turn down all of the trails there as of last week. I also have a pair of Fischer Spider 62s with Fischer BCX6 NNNBC boots on them. I find that setup is very hard to control on downhills. The boots don't seem stiff enough. It also isn't the greatest in powder.

>>>Yeah, that's how I started like 30 years ago when I was in college - skiing at Bristol on Asnes Telemarks (black) in Asolo Glissades. What you've realized from this is that you basically want to have two or three rigs.

To tele at resorts, don't screw around with light gear as it will just make you miserable and tired if not injured. You can put together a decent kit of tele stuff for downhill off of Craigslist. That's how I got started and skied leather Merrells for nearly 10 years - perfectly fine boots and if you're an expert alpine skier, you'll have no trouble managing terrain off a pair of beefy old school boots or some plastics you can pick up. I finally made the switch to Scarpa T2s last season and they work perfectly fine for all my skiing. My other stuff is old - 2006 era K2 Piste Pipes 183s with a Rottefelle Cobra binding. Works just fine for me and I ski basically anything. At 52 I'm getting a bit old to bomb down double blacks and huck stuff but I'm content to ski that and pick my way down. So my advice here is go big for resort stuff and you won't regret it. A nice modern shaped tele ski also turns really nicely too compared to backcountry sticks I expect.

If you plan to do a lot of hike up ski down then switchback bindings are likely useful. From Rochester for you it becomes how many Adk trips do you plan or do you plan to find a place in the backyard there for hike up and ski down stuff. For me, I could still pull that off with my T2s or old Merrells now, but if that is what you really want, then a pair of T4s or Excursions would be a good choice with a wider ski.

Well, I think that's about the end of my wisdom for this - I'm going to be putting up a post in a bit about my own "next purchase" - looking at Fischer E109s as a pair of backcountry excursion skis and for hitting peaks - wondering how they compare to beefier rigs for something like Catamount trail in VT which is an eventual goal. Prolly put a pair of T4s on them but will see.

best -

Oldschool


A bike shop here has a few ski options for sale:
Fischer S-bound 112 and 98
Madshus Annum and Epoch
Voile switchback X2 bindings

I have a pair of old Crispi XP tele boots that are 75mm and I plan to use these to at least start on this gear. I'll probably also get some smaller plastic boots but I'll start with just the skis for now. I'm 5'11" and 175 lb.

I'm wondering if anyone has any input on what ski and binding to get. I definitely want to be able to turn on these in the woods but also be able to ski some distances. Which ski to get? Which width? What length?

Do I need a free pivoting binding? Or is relying on the flex of the boot good enough? Would relying on the flex of the boot be a problem on my current Crispis? Any recommendations on bindings?

Thanks for the help.

[Bob T]

Hey Jack, the Crispi XP is a lot of boot for an XCD/light tele setup. It's going to be happier driving a larger ski with the switchback binding. I wouldn't pair it with the S-bound 98, for instance (which I drive with 3 pins and Crispi leathers). That boot would appreciate free pivot. You'll have a ton of fun in the bc with the larger skis in your list there, those boots, and the switchback. Don't overthink this. Grab something on sale and and have a lot of fun. The switchback will serve you for years to come on many more skis and boots.

[jackattack]

Thanks oldschool. I already actually have a resort tele setup. I scored a pair of G3 tickets with G3 targas for free from someone who was moving. I got the Crispi XPs for cheap on eBay and got lucky with the fit.

[oldschool]

To push this thread out a little more - two more items about the current query -

Jackattack - check your PM in a few minutes - I think we might try to make some plans if you're up for it

Bob T. and others - my reply was kind of pushing toward a thread I was going to start with you and Dirk as the main targets. I'm looking to pull the trigger on buying some Fischer E109s and looking for a little broader info too at the same time. My interest in the E109s is that I have a pair of Fischer Crown Backcountry's with NNN bindings on them for dicking around on golf course or in track - waxable. Have a pair of crappy waxless skis for messing around in town here. E99s would be nice for ADK skiing with skins which I have. E109s even better I think. My next step is into Karhu Kondors 194s that I used to tele with - heavy but serviceable for slogging and if I put a T4 to them I think they'd be just fine. I actually have two pair of them and the originals are simple 3 pin tele binding so even a little lighter. I'd like to do the Catamount someday before I'm too old to and would like to have decent kit for it. E109 with the easy skin (and with the skins I have that are full length for E99s) should be good to maybe do the Catamount? Or do I really need something more in the T4 plus a heavier board like K2s like I see in the Mr. Bob T wish I were there pics and similar for Dirk? Thx -

Hope everyone is going to get out and get some this weekend - planning to do as much as possible myself -