UKC

I'm getting more interested in winter mountaineering and I am considering the use of skis for approach & descent. I have bought some blades which I will try on my B3s for easy descents this season. However I bagged some cheap touring boots off ebay and I have been thinking about skinning in to climbs with those. What would be the shortest ski practical to use for skinning? I'm 5'9" and 11 stone.

In reply to Duncan Beard:

Where are you talking about doing this?

In reply to Duncan Beard:

I use Hagan Off Limits with a Silvretta binding for this kind of work. 130cm and 130/90/?? mm Perfect.

In reply to DaveHK:

Scotland

In reply to Duncan Beard:


I asked as it's surprisingly rare to find good conditions for both skiing and climbing in Scotland.

In reply to DaveHK:


I'd amend this to say: "It's surprisingly rare to find good conditions for skiing *to* climbing in Scotland'.

There are, of course, exceptions. I would count Hell's Lum in this bracket, where for most of last season skis would make life much easier to get to / from!

In reply to Duncan Beard:

As perhaps a good example of ski and climbing conditions sort of meeting up but having consequences...

In late December 2009 TonyM and I skied into loch avon and did Sticil face in touring boots (well I got dragged up it).

We set off at 5, skinned up the piste, across the plateau and got to the bottom about 10.30 after leaving skis at top of hells lum descent and postholing for a while, (well a couple of hours).

It was in hard condition, tony led 80 per cent of it and we topped out at about 9 i think. We then had to posthole across the top, down and back up to hells lum and the skis, skin across the plateau and down the piste. We got down at 12.30. It was minus 13 when we got to the car.

Would I have done it again? probably, but it showed that it only works on certain routes in certain conditions as you could never have walked in. But I certainly paid for it in the potholing and descent, which was horrendous to me.

If conditions are like this, you would never do a route that wasn't steep as it would be a death trap, so is this the only time it might be quicker? who knows?

In fact, Dave Kerr saw the results of this the next day in the cafe when I was quite simply jiggered with blisters like oranges on my feet. Of course he and TonyM had a day out touring.

In reply to DaveHK:

Very rare, unfortunately, and when it is worth it is probably better just going the skiing, in my limited experience.

In reply to Duncan Beard:

In the Norries, Fiacaill Coire Cas & then the piste looks like a nice way down. I recall someone commenting that Meagaidh would be good to skin into if conditions were good & then you could descend the Window I guess.

In reply to Duncan Beard:
There are lots of great days out to be had combining easy climbs and skiing but it isn't that often that skis are useful for getting to climbs. With that in mind it might be worth getting skis that are a little bit longer and wider rather than something short and skinny so that the skiing component of the day is more fun.

In reply to Duncan Beard:

Back in the days when I could climb {!} I often did grade III's in leather telemark boots carrying skis to ski off from the top. Wouldn't fancy it now though! Gone soft

In reply to Duncan Beard:

For ski mountaineering racing, the minimum size is 161cm length for men, around 65mm under foot. It's fine for skimo racing, and if you just want to get around quickly they're light, but it is more difficult to ski them in most conditions. Of course it depends on your ability. I use them for racing and training, but also if I'm doing long days and the snow conditions aren't so great (i.e. no powder).
Otherwise I ski on skis that are more or less the same length as me. That's pretty standard for most people.

In reply to Duncan Beard:


Easy Gully is a nice ski down, probably not in B3s though.

In reply to Duncan Beard:
skiing back down from a climb, usually in the dark, full winter pack on your back, crappy snow.....oh the joys!
Hijacking your thread...anyone tried the new boots from Arcteryx?

In reply to doz:

Bit of discussion of them on the British Backcountry FB group. Interesting but maybe just a different kind of compromise rather than best of both worlds.