Finally a ski video I can stand to watch! No insane hurling of bodies off cliffs and the “sick” talk! I’ll keep watching, thanks for filming and sharing your outing
I'm glad that you are enjoying the channel. I hope my channel is an encouragement to others to try off trail skiing, and I want my viewers to think "I can do that, it looks like fun". The death-defying ski channels are entertaining, but that type of skiing is not the norm for most people. I hope my viewers can accept that the mountains are more than just a challenge to be overcome. Thanks for tuning in and for posting. It is comments like this that encourages me to post content.
@@tomm9850 I'm happy to tune in to any of your presentations. High Summer here where I am in Australia but I'm always looking towards the next ski season mid year.
We'd feel lucky if we had 3 inch of snow right now in New Brunswick. El Nino is making the weather here up side down for sure. (normally there would be 3 to 4 feet by now).
Hi Tom - Been watching your videos as my husband and I heading towards Tetons/Caribou/Bridger second half of February and trying to narrow down on some places to go. Figured we will have 3-5 days to ski (finger crossed on weather and conditions). So many great videos and places to choose from your videos, but was wondering if you wanted/would provide some 'don't miss' places. I think we would like a bit of everything and then can choose when we get there. We have both metal edges (79/98 Fischers) and classic skis. I am a risk averse, older- learning to ski later in life-person but am usually happy to do blues on groomed, not enough skills/confidence on black. Back country, I'm not comfortable with too steep or in a lot of trees where tighter turns needed - but would love more open meadows with hills or even steeper as long as I can have space to do a lot of cross mountain stuff. Also looking for amazing views but wouldn't mind not having hundreds of people skiing with us. Anyway, if you have time and feel like providing some ideas, please let me know. Thanks for the time you spend doing these videos, they inspire me to get out there, even with limited skills, a day out there is wonderful.
One of the best resources for off trail XC skiing in the area is the Jackson Hole Nordic Web Page jhnordic.com/ From there you can find complete trail descriptions, links to grooming reports, snow conditions, and local events. Most people who come to this area in the winter will stay in Jackson WY or in Driggs ID to take advantage of the major downhill ski resorts (Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Snow King, and Grand Targhee). You will find plenty of groomed XC trails and other areas for off trail skiing. You can't go wrong with skiing in Grand Teton National Park and there is terrain for all skill levels. There are also many places to ski in the surrounding National Forests, but most XC skiers prefer Teton National Park in order to avoid snowmobiles. My short to do list in Jackson Hole include: Shadow Mountain jhnordic.com/trails/shadow-mountain-bridger-teton-national-forest/ Signal Mountain jhnordic.com/trails/signal-mountain/ Taggart Lake jhnordic.com/trails/taggart-lake/ and the Two Oceans and Emma Matilda Lakes Loop jhnordic.com/trails/two-oceans-emma-matilda-lakes/ I hope we get some fresh snow and cooler weather by the time you arrive, but don't worry, you will be able to find plenty of options in the area. Have a great time and feel free to post back if you have any questions.
I have adjustable poles but they tend to collapse mid ski. Must admit they are off brand and also a little bit bend. Just wondering if a higher priced adjustable pole will indeed be strong enough to stay at the length I adjusted it to, even when pushing on them with some force.
Most adjustable poles use a lever to lock the pole height, and the tension can be adjusted via a small screw that threads through that lever. Tighten that screw a bit and then test to see if the pole will hold your weight. Adjustable poles should not collapse under normal use.
We just had a very strong storm blow through last night. It did drop some snow but it came with 50 mph winds. Even with this storm, the snowpack is well below normal. I'll check out the end result after the storm breaks. The avalanche danger is very high at the moment (1/13/24), so I will continue to stick to safe terrain. I already have a video in the cue for next Friday (1/19) and it was recorded before the storm. bridgertetonavalanchecenter.org/
Tom thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. I live in Thermopolis and ski the pastures and BLM around here. Generally I ski on snow between 3 and 6 inches deep and lots of times it is crusted over. When I do to the ski shops and ask about skis and bindings I almost always get the answers for skiing the forests with lots of snow. I am wondering about wide short skis like the Fischer 98 in the shortest length I can get. I am 6 ft 2 and weigh about 210. I want to know more about controlling the skis and short turns on flatter ground like around a sage brush to be able to continue on. I do not worry to much about the skis supporting my weight in deep snow. I am aging and bending over to get out of NNNBC bindings that are not step in is getting pretty tough. I have Fischer 88 with rotafella bindings that are not step in and Fischer BX6 boots. The stitching is coming out of the boots and the zipper for the gator is broken. I am disappointed with the Fischer boots and looking for some other kind. I have Kennetrek mountain boots for working out in our pastures and hope to find a boot that is almost as tough. Thank you for giving such good advice on equipment.
Hi Tom. Skiing sagebrush on crusty snow can certainly be a challenge. Don't be too disappointed in regards to your boots wearing out. Take it as a badge of honor that you have put in enough miles to wear them out. Over the years Julie and I have gone through many sets of boots. When it comes to boots, some brands can last longer than others, but I've found that boots of similar design and at a similar price point tend to last about the same. It seems that the zipper wears out just around the time the stitching starts to fail and for Julie and I, that is about after 3 season's use. They do make a step in NNNBC binding, and lots of people use them. The Xplore binding is also step-in, but it is easier to step into the auto NNNBC than the Xplore. I really like the Xplore binding and all of my off trail XC skis are mounted with the Xplore. The Fischer 98 is easier to turn than the 88. It has more side cut and a softer flex. The 88 is a faster ski on the flats with its higher camber. The biggest downside to skiing an undersized 98 for your weight would be the extra drag when skiing the flats. Whether or not you will notice the drag will depend on how fast you ski and whether you ski at a leisurely or athletic pace. I find that the 98 works best in soft snow (most wider cross country skis do) so if you find that you can turn and control your 88's in soft snow but have difficulty when it is icy or crusty, the 98's won't be a miracle cure all. Curst and Ice is just difficult to ski. By the way, I have many fond memories of Thermopolis as a kid. It was my Dad's favorite drive for a Sunday picnic. Take care, and if you have any other questions, be sure to check back in.
I have some Alti Hok skis with the carpet on them, they are 144 cm long but have almost no glide. They are easier for me than snow shoes but kind of wear my hips out after awhile. They work great for dodging sage, grease wood and cow manure and work great in very limited areas. The stability on them is pretty good but are very hard to get a bight with the steel edge. I might try some shorter skis than my 189 cm Fischer 88, I think I can get like 170 98's but not sure. I see the Rosignol make a shorter wide ski. I had a problem several years ago and do not have the best balance anymore which is the reason I think the wider ski is better for me. Thanks so much for responding to me. I will certainly ask more questions if I have them.
@tomanderson6898 I'm betting an SB 98 will glide better than the Hok of a similar length. If you pick up a downsized 98 and find that it drags a bit too much, there are some waxing tricks you could use to improve the glide if needed. I have skied a set of Discovery 80's and my Wife's Excursion 88's that are one size under the suggested length for my weight and I think that they glide pretty well, especially for off trail recreational skiing. You may find a short 98's to your liking but there is really only one way to know for sure.
Hi Tom. This is off topic from your latest video but I was hoping with all your experience with equipment past and present you or someone else might have some knowledge to lend. I have a pair of 3 pin Fischer BCX6 boots, very comfortable and working well paired with a voile 3 pin set up on Fischer S-bound 98's. Anyway...the duck bill toe end of the sole is pulling off the bottom of the boot. Is there a product that you have heard of that can be used to adhere the sole back on?? TIA
Sorry to hear about the delamination of your Fischer boot. I've not tried to repair a delaminated boot myself, but I think it would be worth a try. If you have a local shoe repair shop, you might check with them, but I suspect all they would do would be to glue it back together. I don't have a recommended glue, but whatever you use will need to be flexible and have a strong bond. An Amazon search for "Boot-Fix Shoe Glue: Instant Professional Grade Shoe Repair Glue" lists several products that might be worth trying. If you are successful in repairing the boot, please post back with your experience so that others searching on this topic can benefit from your experience.
If you are referring to my drone, I did not bring it along on this outing, but it does play a major role in next week's video (1/19/24). If you are referring to Julie, she tends to ski the designated loop trail while I'm off putzing around on the side hills. We meet up back at the car at a predesignated time.
Finally a ski video I can stand to watch! No insane hurling of bodies off cliffs and the “sick” talk! I’ll keep watching, thanks for filming and sharing your outing
I'm glad that you are enjoying the channel. I hope my channel is an encouragement to others to try off trail skiing, and I want my viewers to think "I can do that, it looks like fun". The death-defying ski channels are entertaining, but that type of skiing is not the norm for most people. I hope my viewers can accept that the mountains are more than just a challenge to be overcome. Thanks for tuning in and for posting. It is comments like this that encourages me to post content.
Excellent Tom 🇨🇦
New Brunswick
Thanks for tuning in and I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Thanks Tom, sweet hill. Great to see you again.
Thanks for tuning in and more to come. I hope you are having a great ski season.
@@tomm9850 I'm happy to tune in to any of your presentations. High Summer here where I am in Australia but I'm always looking towards the next ski season mid year.
@@allanwood3562 I always goof up in this regard, make that water ski season :)
We'd feel lucky if we had 3 inch of snow right now in New Brunswick. El Nino is making the weather here up side down for sure. (normally there would be 3 to 4 feet by now).
Keep your fingers crossed, maybe things will turn around before winter is over.
You're the man! Thank you, Tom
Thanks for posting and have a great season.
Hi Tom - Been watching your videos as my husband and I heading towards Tetons/Caribou/Bridger second half of February and trying to narrow down on some places to go. Figured we will have 3-5 days to ski (finger crossed on weather and conditions). So many great videos and places to choose from your videos, but was wondering if you wanted/would provide some 'don't miss' places. I think we would like a bit of everything and then can choose when we get there. We have both metal edges (79/98 Fischers) and classic skis. I am a risk averse, older- learning to ski later in life-person but am usually happy to do blues on groomed, not enough skills/confidence on black. Back country, I'm not comfortable with too steep or in a lot of trees where tighter turns needed - but would love more open meadows with hills or even steeper as long as I can have space to do a lot of cross mountain stuff. Also looking for amazing views but wouldn't mind not having hundreds of people skiing with us. Anyway, if you have time and feel like providing some ideas, please let me know. Thanks for the time you spend doing these videos, they inspire me to get out there, even with limited skills, a day out there is wonderful.
One of the best resources for off trail XC skiing in the area is the Jackson Hole Nordic Web Page jhnordic.com/ From there you can find complete trail descriptions, links to grooming reports, snow conditions, and local events. Most people who come to this area in the winter will stay in Jackson WY or in Driggs ID to take advantage of the major downhill ski resorts (Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Snow King, and Grand Targhee). You will find plenty of groomed XC trails and other areas for off trail skiing. You can't go wrong with skiing in Grand Teton National Park and there is terrain for all skill levels. There are also many places to ski in the surrounding National Forests, but most XC skiers prefer Teton National Park in order to avoid snowmobiles. My short to do list in Jackson Hole include:
Shadow Mountain jhnordic.com/trails/shadow-mountain-bridger-teton-national-forest/ Signal Mountain jhnordic.com/trails/signal-mountain/
Taggart Lake jhnordic.com/trails/taggart-lake/ and the Two Oceans and Emma Matilda Lakes Loop jhnordic.com/trails/two-oceans-emma-matilda-lakes/ I hope we get some fresh snow and cooler weather by the time you arrive, but don't worry, you will be able to find plenty of options in the area. Have a great time and feel free to post back if you have any questions.
super nice of you to take time to reply. all those places sound great and I will look at the resources online. have a great 2024@@tomm9850
I have adjustable poles but they tend to collapse mid ski. Must admit they are off brand and also a little bit bend. Just wondering if a higher priced adjustable pole will indeed be strong enough to stay at the length I adjusted it to, even when pushing on them with some force.
Most adjustable poles use a lever to lock the pole height, and the tension can be adjusted via a small screw that threads through that lever. Tighten that screw a bit and then test to see if the pole will hold your weight. Adjustable poles should not collapse under normal use.
Fun ride! How’s the snow looking now?
We just had a very strong storm blow through last night. It did drop some snow but it came with 50 mph winds. Even with this storm, the snowpack is well below normal. I'll check out the end result after the storm breaks. The avalanche danger is very high at the moment (1/13/24), so I will continue to stick to safe terrain. I already have a video in the cue for next Friday (1/19) and it was recorded before the storm. bridgertetonavalanchecenter.org/
Tom thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. I live in Thermopolis and ski the pastures and BLM around here. Generally I ski on snow between 3 and 6 inches deep and lots of times it is crusted over. When I do to the ski shops and ask about skis and bindings I almost always get the answers for skiing the forests with lots of snow. I am wondering about wide short skis like the Fischer 98 in the shortest length I can get. I am 6 ft 2 and weigh about 210. I want to know more about controlling the skis and short turns on flatter ground like around a sage brush to be able to continue on. I do not worry to much about the skis supporting my weight in deep snow. I am aging and bending over to get out of NNNBC bindings that are not step in is getting pretty tough. I have Fischer 88 with rotafella bindings that are not step in and Fischer BX6 boots. The stitching is coming out of the boots and the zipper for the gator is broken. I am disappointed with the Fischer boots and looking for some other kind. I have Kennetrek mountain boots for working out in our pastures and hope to find a boot that is almost as tough. Thank you for giving such good advice on equipment.
Hi Tom. Skiing sagebrush on crusty snow can certainly be a challenge. Don't be too disappointed in regards to your boots wearing out. Take it as a badge of honor that you have put in enough miles to wear them out. Over the years Julie and I have gone through many sets of boots. When it comes to boots, some brands can last longer than others, but I've found that boots of similar design and at a similar price point tend to last about the same. It seems that the zipper wears out just around the time the stitching starts to fail and for Julie and I, that is about after 3 season's use. They do make a step in NNNBC binding, and lots of people use them. The Xplore binding is also step-in, but it is easier to step into the auto NNNBC than the Xplore. I really like the Xplore binding and all of my off trail XC skis are mounted with the Xplore. The Fischer 98 is easier to turn than the 88. It has more side cut and a softer flex. The 88 is a faster ski on the flats with its higher camber. The biggest downside to skiing an undersized 98 for your weight would be the extra drag when skiing the flats. Whether or not you will notice the drag will depend on how fast you ski and whether you ski at a leisurely or athletic pace. I find that the 98 works best in soft snow (most wider cross country skis do) so if you find that you can turn and control your 88's in soft snow but have difficulty when it is icy or crusty, the 98's won't be a miracle cure all. Curst and Ice is just difficult to ski. By the way, I have many fond memories of Thermopolis as a kid. It was my Dad's favorite drive for a Sunday picnic. Take care, and if you have any other questions, be sure to check back in.
I have some Alti Hok skis with the carpet on them, they are 144 cm long but have almost no glide. They are easier for me than snow shoes but kind of wear my hips out after awhile. They work great for dodging sage, grease wood and cow manure and work great in very limited areas. The stability on them is pretty good but are very hard to get a bight with the steel edge. I might try some shorter skis than my 189 cm Fischer 88, I think I can get like 170 98's but not sure. I see the Rosignol make a shorter wide ski. I had a problem several years ago and do not have the best balance anymore which is the reason I think the wider ski is better for me.
Thanks so much for responding to me. I will certainly ask more questions if I have them.
@tomanderson6898 I'm betting an SB 98 will glide better than the Hok of a similar length. If you pick up a downsized 98 and find that it drags a bit too much, there are some waxing tricks you could use to improve the glide if needed. I have skied a set of Discovery 80's and my Wife's Excursion 88's that are one size under the suggested length for my weight and I think that they glide pretty well, especially for off trail recreational skiing. You may find a short 98's to your liking but there is really only one way to know for sure.
@@tomm9850 Thanks for the meaningful response. I do love your sharing of the knowledge you have gained.
Hi Tom. This is off topic from your latest video but I was hoping with all your experience with equipment past and present you or someone else might have some knowledge to lend. I have a pair of 3 pin Fischer BCX6 boots, very comfortable and working well paired with a voile 3 pin set up on Fischer S-bound 98's. Anyway...the duck bill toe end of the sole is pulling off the bottom of the boot. Is there a product that you have heard of that can be used to adhere the sole back on?? TIA
Sorry to hear about the delamination of your Fischer boot. I've not tried to repair a delaminated boot myself, but I think it would be worth a try. If you have a local shoe repair shop, you might check with them, but I suspect all they would do would be to glue it back together. I don't have a recommended glue, but whatever you use will need to be flexible and have a strong bond. An Amazon search for "Boot-Fix Shoe Glue: Instant Professional Grade Shoe Repair Glue" lists several products that might be worth trying. If you are successful in repairing the boot, please post back with your experience so that others searching on this topic can benefit from your experience.
Where'd your friend end up?
If you are referring to my drone, I did not bring it along on this outing, but it does play a major role in next week's video (1/19/24). If you are referring to Julie, she tends to ski the designated loop trail while I'm off putzing around on the side hills. We meet up back at the car at a predesignated time.
@@tomm9850 oh, that was Julie, wasn't sure what her name was.